+++1000 hours
++Territory of the Unified Front of China
++Harbin, Heilongjiang Province
++Continental Expeditionary Force HQ

The meeting room was dimly lit, the hum of overhead fluorescents doing little to warm the atmosphere thick with tension. Maps and reports cluttered the massive table at the center, battle lines marked with ink that bled into the paper like old wounds. The air smelled of cigarette smoke and stale coffee, an unspoken testament to the sleepless nights spent here in fear of the BETA.

Seated at the head of the table was Senior Colonel Wei Jian of the Unified Front of China, a broad-shouldered man with a face like carved stone, his cold eyes flicking through the reports in front of him. To his right sat Lieutenant Colonel Michael Reynolds, representing the UN Forces, a blond-haired, blue-eyed officer with a permanent smirk and the demeanor of a man who believed he had seen it all.

And across from them, Shirogane Takeru, seated with an air of quiet defiance, his black and gold Imperial Royal Guard uniform crisp, his expression frozen in place like the steel edge of a blade.

The room was silent save for the sound of shuffling papers. The tension was palpable, each man waiting for someone else to speak first.

It was Reynolds who broke the silence, flipping through one of the reports with a bemused chuckle. "Alright, Captain Shirogane, let's cut the bullshit," he said, tossing the file onto the table like it was garbage. "I've read your recommendations. They're ambitious, I'll give you that. But ambitious doesn't mean realistic. We're talking about shifting the entire defensive strategy of Northeast China based on—what, exactly? Your gut feeling?"

Takeru didn't blink. "My analysis," he said flatly.

Reynolds scoffed. "Right. And what, exactly, gives you the authority to even make these suggestions? You're an IRG officer — no offense, but your people have never fought a long-term war on foreign soil. You're trained for rapid response, homeland defense, maybe the occasional high-risk operation. But a large-scale defense of Northeast China?" He shook his head. "That's out of your league, Captain."

Wei Jian, who had been silent until now, finally spoke, his deep voice carrying an undeniable weight. "I agree with Lieutenant Colonel Reynolds," he said, his Mandarin smooth and precise, his gaze sharp. "Your analysis is thorough, but you're speaking in absolutes. You assume we will lose Jilin Province. You assume we will need to fortify Liaoning. You assume that we must prepare for a retreat." His eyes narrowed. "And yet, we are still here. Fighting. Holding."

Takeru rested his hands on the table, his fingers lightly tapping against the wood. "Are you?" he asked coolly.

Wei Jian stiffened. "What?"

Takeru met his gaze, unblinking. "You're holding. But for how long?" He leaned forward slightly, voice steady, cold. "Two days ago, we lost Siping City. A week before that, the Tongliao defense line collapsed. And now? We're fighting to hold on to Songyuan. You tell me, Senior Colonel — how long before the BETA are at Harbin's doorstep?"

Wei Jian's hands curled into fists. "We are buying time."

"For what?" Takeru countered, his voice razor-sharp. "More deaths?" He tapped the report in front of him, flipping to the casualty list. "Let's go through the numbers, shall we? In this year alone, we lost hundreds of TSF pilots. Hundred thousands support personnel lost. Tell me, what do you consider a victory? Holding out another week? Another month? Because at this rate, in a year, there won't be anything left of the Continental Expeditionary Force or the alliance we have here at all."

Reynolds, who had been lounging back in his chair, straightened slightly, his smirk fading. "That's war," he muttered.

"No," Takeru said coldly. "That's losing. We aren't doing our best here. We're trying to hold on to lands we can't hold on."

A tense silence filled the room.

Wei Jian's jaw clenched, his eyes burning with barely restrained anger. "And what do you suggest, Captain Shirogane? That we abandon Northeast China? That we retreat like cowards?"

Takeru exhaled slowly, his voice steady. "I'm saying we need to stop pretending that the BETA isn't gaining more ground."

Wei Jian slammed his palm against the table, standing up. "Your arrogance is astounding."

Takeru remained seated, unfazed. "And your stubbornness is getting people killed."

Reynolds glanced between them, then shook his head with a smirk. "Damn. I knew the Imperial Guard was full of hard-asses, but I didn't expect you to have such a silver tongue." He turned to Wei Jian. "He's not wrong, though."

Wei Jian's glare snapped to Reynolds. "You're taking his fucking side, Reynolds!?"

Reynolds sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I'm saying he's got a damn point. We keep talking about 'holding the line,' but the line keeps moving. We're not holding anything. We're delaying the inevitable."

Wei Jian's teeth clenched, his fingers twitching. "So you suggest we just, what? Hand over our land? Surrender to these lesser fucking creatures?"

Takeru's voice was dangerously quiet. "The land can wait."

Wei Jian looked at him sharply. "Then what do you care about, Imperialist? Easy to say when IT'S NOT YOUR LAND AND NOT YOUR PEOPLE WHO ARE LOSING IT."

Takeru's gaze was ice. "Survival."

Silence.

Wei Jian's nostrils flared. "Survival?" He let out a bitter laugh. "And you think your Empire will survive? Do you believe Japan will be safe once China falls?"

Takeru leaned back slightly, his expression unreadable. "No."

That gave Wei Jian pause.

Takeru continued, his voice even. "If China falls, the East Defense Line collapses. The Korean Peninsula is next. And once that happens, Japan will be fighting a defensive war with its back against the sea. So no, I don't think the Empire will be safe." His fingers drummed against the table. "Which is why we need to stop thinking about holding the line and start thinking about how to control the retreat."

Wei Jian looked ready to snap, but Reynolds cut in, his expression more serious than before. "Alright. I'm listening," he said, arms crossed.

Takeru nodded. "Like I said, Jilin is the key. If we lose Jilin, Heilongjiang becomes a death trap. The BETA will flood through, and the Bohai Sea supply line will be cut off. We need to fortify the Changbai Mountains, establish fallback positions, and maintain control over Liaoning as long as possible." His gaze hardened. "Otherwise, we're just buying time for nothing."

Wei Jian shook his head, his lips curling. "You speak so confidently, but you ignore the politics of the situation. Do you think Beijing will accept losing Jilin?"

Takeru didn't hesitate. "Beijing doesn't have a choice. Do you really they think they can calmly suggest that we just keep this up? Thousands, if not millions, are flooding Beijing already."

Wei Jian slammed his fist down again, but this time, it lacked the same conviction.

Takeru didn't back down. "I don't give a damn about pride or politics. I care about how many pilots and civilians we can save. You're letting nationalism cloud your judgment, Colonel. But you're right, I'm only speaking this way because it isn't out turn yet. Maybe my tune will change once we feel the same pain, but right now, I'm seeing it in a view that you may understand."

Wei Jian's breath was heavy, his knuckles white against the table. His lips pressed into a tight line. He wanted to refute it, wanted to deny it, but Takeru could see it in his eyes. The doubt. The understanding.

Reynolds exhaled, shaking his head. "Hell, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think the kid's right." He shot Takeru a smirk. "Annoying as hell, but right."

Takeru ignored him, his gaze still locked on Wei Jian.

The Chinese officer's jaw tightened, then, finally, he let out a slow, frustrated breath. "I will not admit that you are correct," he muttered. "But I will consider your points."

Takeru nodded. "That's all I ask. Let's have a break."

Wei Jian scoffed, muttering something about Imperialists under his breath, but he didn't argue further.

The tension in the room lingered like a storm as they took the time to get their minds settled. Senior Colonel Wei Jian leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, his scowl deepening as he finally digested Takeru's words. Lieutenant Colonel Reynolds, still smirking despite the weight of the conversation, tapped a finger against the table in idle thought.

Takeru remained composed, his black-and-gold uniform pristine, the embodiment of cold, unwavering discipline. He had made his argument. Now he was simply waiting for them to catch up.

Wei Jian exhaled sharply through his nose, then spoke, his voice carrying the heavy burden of his position.

"You talk about survival, Captain Shirogane, but tell me, what do you think will happen if we start pulling back?" His fingers tapped against the table in sharp, deliberate movements. "You might have the luxury of looking at this from a purely strategic standpoint, but I do not. The moment we start planning retreats, the entire front could collapse."

Takeru tilted his head slightly, unimpressed. "The front is already collapsing. You're just refusing to see it."

Wei Jian clenched his jaw, but Takeru continued before he could interrupt.

"You think your troops will lose morale if you announce a tactical withdrawal?" He reached forward, tapping the battle map between them. "They're already losing morale, Colonel. Look at our casualty rates. How many TSF pilots are we losing per week? How many more cities have to be wiped off the map before you acknowledge that fighting for every last inch of soil is not a sustainable strategy?"

Wei Jian's fingers curled into a fist. "And what happens when we run? You think Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Chongqing, the entire world, will sit idly by as we abandon more territory? The moment we concede ground, we invite chaos. How do you think the civilians in Jilin will react? You believe they will calmly pack their bags and leave?" His eyes burned with barely contained frustration. "They will riot. They will panic. We will have mass uprisings in every major city. They will not accept this."

Takeru didn't flinch. He had been expecting this line of reasoning.

"Then the only other option is to let them die," he said bluntly.

Wei Jian stood so fast his chair scraped against the floor. "You arrogant—"

Takeru remained seated, unshaken. "Don't pretend that's not what's happening."

The silence that followed was suffocating.

Takeru let the weight of his words settle before speaking again, his voice colder than before. "I don't need you to like what I'm saying, Colonel. But you can't ignore it."

Reynolds whistled lowly, shaking his head. "Damn. You're really pushing his buttons, huh?"

Wei Jian turned his glare toward the UN officer. "And you're agreeing with him?"

Reynolds leaned back in his chair, arms behind his head. "I didn't say that. But what I do know is that this war isn't gonna be won by pissing contests and outdated doctrines. We're fighting an enemy that doesn't think. They don't care about borders. They don't negotiate. And if we keep playing defense, we're just waiting for them to steamroll us." He waved a hand lazily. "Kid's got a point. You're trying to protect your people, but at this rate, there won't be anyone left to protect. We need to cut off a hand so we can save the rest."

Wei Jian inhaled sharply, trying to suppress his frustration, but the weight of reality was pressing in on him.

Takeru, sensing the slight shift, pressed forward.

"You want to maintain control over Jilin? Fine. But you need to fortify the retreat routes now. Not after the BETA push through. Not after another city falls. Now." He pointed at the map. "Your best chance is holding the Changbai Mountains. If we don't set up defensive lines there immediately, we'll lose the entire province within a year."

Wei Jian ran a hand down his face, his frustration finally turning into something else—resignation. His voice was quieter when he spoke again.

"And what about the people?"

Takeru folded his hands together, expression unreadable. "Start evacuation plans before the fighting reaches them. Use the military to enforce organized relocations. Not forced evacuations, not chaotic retreats, but a structured plan to move them before it's too late."

Wei Jian scoffed, though it lacked the same heat as before. "You make it sound so simple."

"It's not," Takeru admitted. "But neither is watching another million people get slaughtered for remaining passive."

Silence.

Reynolds sighed, rubbing his temples. "Shit. I can't believe I'm about to say this, but I think we should actually consider this."

Wei Jian shot him a sharp look, but Reynolds raised a hand. "I know, I know, you don't like him, he's an Imperialist, whatever. But let's actually think about this. If we keep doing things our way, we'll bleed out in a year. If we do things his way… well, we might still bleed out, but at least we'll have a few more people left standing."

Wei Jian exhaled slowly, rubbing his temples. He looked at Takeru for a long moment.

"…I still don't like you."

Takeru finally allowed a small smirk. "I don't need you to."

Wei Jian grunted. "But I will not ignore your points." His voice was firm. "We will not announce a retreat. But we will prepare the Changbai defensive lines and start securing supply routes immediately."

Takeru nodded. "That's all I ask."

Reynolds let out a slow breath, looking between the two of them. "Well, shit. I didn't expect this meeting to be productive." He chuckled, standing up and stretching. "Alright, gentlemen. Let's get to work before the BETA decides to drop in on us unannounced."

Wei Jian remained tense, but the fire in his gaze had dulled to something more measured.

Takeru stood as well, giving the Chinese officer a small nod. "You don't have to trust me, Colonel. But at least trust the numbers."

Wei Jian exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "I don't trust you, Shirogane. But… I'll admit, you're not as naïve as I thought."

Takeru smirked, turning toward the door. "I'll take that as a compliment."

As he walked out, Reynolds let out a low whistle. "Damn, kid. You really know how to piss people off."

Takeru didn't stop walking. "As long as it keeps people alive, I don't care."

Reynolds chuckled, watching him go. "Heh. Fair enough."

Behind them, Wei Jian remained seated, staring at the battle map with narrowed eyes.

Even after Takeru left the room. Senior Colonel Wei Jian sat in brooding silence, his fingers drumming against the edge of the table. Lieutenant Colonel Reynolds, ever the laid-back observer, leaned against the desk with a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

"You're thinking about it, aren't you?" Reynolds said, his tone casual but knowing.

Wei scoffed, rubbing his temples. "That boy is a problem."

Reynolds raised a brow. "A problem, huh? Looked more like a solution to me."

Wei shot him a sharp glare. "You wouldn't understand."

Reynolds chuckled, clearly amused. "Oh, I think I do. You hate that he's right."

Silence.

The Chinese officer exhaled through his nose, eyes locked on the battle map in front of him. His fingers traced over the shifting defensive lines, marking every lost city, every retreat, every cluster of fallen units that had been reduced to mere numbers on a page.

It wasn't just a matter of pride.

He hated what Shirogane represented.

Imperialists. Monarchists. The old world. A system that had crushed and exploited his people, and yet, here they were, centuries later, still entangled in war, still forced to rely on those very same people. The last world war was still fresh to his people's mind.

And yet…

Wei Jian's eyes flicked toward the casualty reports stacked beside him. Reports that told a truth far colder than politics.

Their forces were being bled dry.

"You know," Reynolds said, his tone losing its usual playfulness, "I've been at this for a long time. Seen a lot of officers get killed because they refused to change their strategy. Clung to old ideas until the BETA swallowed them whole." He tilted his head. "Don't be one of them, Wei."

Wei let out a slow breath and finally, reluctantly, nodded.

"Call for an emergency strategy session," he ordered his aide. "We begin fortifying the Changbai lines immediately."

The aide saluted and rushed out.

Reynolds grinned. "See? That wasn't so hard, was it?"

Wei shot him a tired glare. "Shut up."

Reynolds laughed as he followed him out the door.

++Harbin, Heilongjiang Province
++IRG Hangars

Takeru strode through the hangar, his boots echoing against the concrete as he surveyed the maintenance crews working tirelessly to keep the Type-89/F-15Js operational. The scent of oil, sweat, and burning metal filled the air. Mechanics bustled from one machine to another, checking actuators, replacing damaged panels, and recalibrating weapon systems.

At the far end of the hangar, he spotted Kazuma Jin, the head mechanic, barking orders at his exhausted crew.

"Kazuma," Takeru called out, approaching.

Kazuma wiped his grease-stained hands on a rag and turned. "Ah, Captain. Back from your meeting with the brass?"

Takeru nodded. "How are the repairs?"

Kazuma scoffed, jerking a thumb toward the TSFs behind him. "Your insane piloting is pushing these machines past their limits, Captain. You're lucky these Kagerous are built tough."

Takeru allowed a small smirk. "That's what I pay you for."

Kazuma rolled his eyes, but didn't argue. "Jump units have been refitted. Structural integrity is solid. We're tuning the actuators to compensate for the high-speed maneuvers you and Sakai keep pulling. But…" He frowned, lowering his voice. "We're running out of replacement parts. Fast."

Takeru's expression hardened. "How bad?"

Kazuma hesitated before answering. "Three more full-scale engagements, and we'll be down to salvaging wrecks from the Gekishins they have."

Takeru clenched his jaw. He had expected this, but hearing it confirmed wasn't any easier.

They were holding the line. But for how long?

When Takeru entered, his men were already waiting. Jun Sakai, Takeda, Okabe, Matsuda, and the rest of Horn Company stood at attention, their expressions grim.

"Captain," Sakai greeted. "We heard the meeting with the senior staff got… heated."

Takeru sat down at the table, unrolling a large battle map. "It doesn't matter. They're listening now."

"Strange, are they really?" Takeda folded his arms. "So what's the plan?"

Takeru pointed at the Changbai Mountains. "We're setting up defenses here. Fortifications, artillery, chokepoints. If the BETA push into Jilin, this will be the last stand before they can breach deeper into Manchuria."

Okabe exhaled through his nose. "And what are we supposed to do? Hold the damn mountain range by ourselves?"

Takeru shook his head. "We're not holding. We're buying time."

Silence fell over the room.

Matsuda frowned. "For what?"

Takeru's gaze swept over his men.

"For evacuation," he said coldly.

Some of them stiffened. Others exchanged wary glances.

It was one thing to die fighting. Another thing entirely to stall for time while people retreated.

They weren't just fighting the BETA anymore. They were delaying the inevitable.

"Captain," Sakai said carefully, "do you actually think we can pull this off?"

Takeru leaned forward, resting his hands against the table.

"No," he admitted. "Not completely."

The brutal honesty in his voice sent a chill through the room.

"But that doesn't mean we don't try."

Silence.

Then, finally, Sakai exhaled, shaking his head with a smirk. "Damn. And here I thought you were gonna give us some motivational speech."

Takeru smirked back. "I'm not here to motivate you. I'm here to lead you."

Sakai chuckled. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say, Captain."

Takeda let out a dry laugh. "Well… if we're gonna die, might as well make it a good fight."

Takeru's expression hardened. "We're not dying."

The weight in his voice made everyone straighten.

"We fight. We hold. We make every second count." His eyes swept over his men, meeting each of their gazes. "That's the job."

No one argued.

No one doubted.

They simply understood the reality of this campaign.

++Harbin, Heilongjiang Province
++Command Center

Wei Jian sat alone in his office, staring at the battle map.

Everything Captain Shirogane had said was still ringing in his head.

It wasn't just about winning. It was about lasting.

For the first time since the BETA landed, he was beginning to realize…

They weren't fighting to reclaim their land anymore.

They were fighting to make sure humanity still had a future.

With a weary sigh, Wei Jian reached for his radio.

"Prepare the Changbai defenses."