Tyranny of Steel

Years had passed since the German Empire and its Kaiser first had contact with the mighty Ming Dynasty, and during this time, trade flourished from west to east. In an act to deter the Japanese Empire from attacking the Chinese mainland, Berengar had agreed to supply the Ming with weapons that could sufficiently hold off the Japanese Army.

These weapons were the same that were supplied to the Joseon Army, and though they were not as advanced as what Japan or Germany was equipped with, they were more than enough to prevent the Japanese from subjecting the Ming Dynasty to their influence. 

By now, all the old Armored Frigates had been retrofitted and shipped to the Ming Navy, and though the Chinese were dependent on the munitions the Germans provided them, they had stockpiled enough that Japan did not dare invade Ming waters. 

As was previously suggested by the German Ambassador to the Ming Dynasty, the Ming Army had spent the last few years painstakingly preparing an invasion into south Indochina in a desperate bid to cut off the Japanese from the precious mineral known as Bauxite. 

Currently, the Ming Army was operating in South Indochina. They had marched through the jungles without the slightest hint of fear in their eyes. Because they were fighting a primitive force armed with swords and spears, the Ming soldiers had not discarded their mountain pattern armor, and instead were clad head to toe in such equipment. 

Despite their medieval armor, their weapons were considerably more advanced, with the G25 bolt-action rifle being the standard issue weapon of the infantry. Perhaps in a moment of ingenious innovation, the Ming cavalry had cleverly mounted MG25 machine guns on the back of horse-drawn wagons creating a vehicle similar to the Russian Tachanka which was used by the red army during the Russian Civil War during Berengar's past life. 

Combining the rapid fire capabilities of the bolt-action rifle, along with the mobile firepower of a heavy machine gun, the Ming Army had advanced through the jungles of Indochina with relative ease. 

Currently, Zhu Zhi, who was the Crown Prince of the Ming Dynasty, sat in the passenger seat of one of these Tachanka knockoffs as his army pressed forward into South Indochina. He could only sigh in defeat as he thought back on what had occurred these past few years. 

The Ming Dynasty had found itself dealing with two superpowers who were at odds with one another. Though they maintained friendly relations with Japan and had long since established trade with the Empire, the reality was that the Ming Emperor was fearful of their neighbor's rapid rise to power.

To combat this growing threat, he had sent his eldest son to the mysterious German Empire in the west. The result was a growing friendship, and despite the Kaiser's assurances that he had no ambitions for East Asia, the Ming still felt unsettled. 

This campaign was enacted as a means to counteract the Japanese Empire's rising industry by denying them a critical resource that the Germans had been particularly vague about its uses. Though the Ming had stayed neutral in the conflict between Germany and Japan, they had often covertly sided with Germany, seeing the Reich as the lesser of two evils. 

Thus, this invasion of Indochina that was yet to be seen as an act of hostility against Japanese Interests could not be anymore vicious. Once the Japanese Empress came to this realization, it was likely that her fury with the Ming Dynasty would not be easily curbed. 

As Zhu Zhi was reflecting on this, he heard a shout come from the front of his marching formation, followed by the crackle of gunfire and the blood-curdling screams of the locals who dared to resist the invasion. 

It was clear that the Indochinese had jumped out of the nearby forests and attacked his troops in an ambush. However, the moment the Tachankas shifted their guns onto the rampaging enemy, the battle was swiftly decided. 

The slow chug of heavy machine guns resounded in the air, as the scent of blood overwhelmed the senses of all who could smell it. Zhu Zhi swiftly pulled his revolver out of its holster and pulled back the hammer in fear that perhaps the enemy would make their way to his location. 

As he expected, his entire column was soon beset on all sides as thousands of Indochinese warriors rushed through the jungles and attacked the Ming troops, who quickly fixed their bayonets and fired the cartridges which were loaded in their chambers. 

The Ming Prince raised his revolver with one hand and gazed down its sights before pulling the trigger towards the oncoming opponent. The .38 special cartridge flew down range, and burst through the enemy's chest, tearing through his heart, and ending his life on the spot. However, Zhu Zhi did not dare to hesitate to shift the direction of his handgun before firing another round. 

While he was firing his weapon at the enemy, the gunner behind him pulled the trigger of his machine gun, and sprayed lead towards the enemies which surrounded him. In a matter of minutes, hundreds of rounds flew into the chaotic battle and impacted the torsos of the enemy, blasting their chests apart, while splaying blood and bone fragments across the land. 

Several of the Ming Infantrymen grabbed the stick grenades that existed on their belts, before pulling the fuse and throwing the explosives towards the tree line where the enemy archers stood behind the cover of the thick foliage. 

The screams of those who were affected accompanied the explosive blasts, as their limbs were torn apart. The bloody scene quickly faded away as those few Indochinese warriors who survived fled for their lives back into the thick jungle. Despite this, the Ming did not pursue the enemy, and instead treated their wounded.

Zhu Zhi let out a cold sigh as he reloaded his revolver, which had used up all six of its shots. It was a slow process which forced him to remove each spent cartridge with an ejection rod, but after nearly a minute of reloading, he had completed the task before stashing the revolver back in its holster. 

The General beneath his command quickly approached the Ming Prince as he checked on the royal figure's condition.

"Your highness, are you alright?"

The Ming Prince silently nodded his head before asking the question in his mind.

"How many men did we lose?"

A frown appeared on the General's face as he answered the question to the best of his ability.

"We're still counting the dead, but a few dozen at the most. Nothing you need to concern yourself with. If we continue like this, the rest of the region should fall in another half a year. It is clear that they are getting desperate judging by their repeated ambushing tactics."

Zhu Zhi nodded his head once more before responding to the General's statement.

"Half a year, huh? I wonder just how long it will take that man to bring India under his control. If we fail to subject the southern half of Indochina to our rule before then, the Japanese Empress will know that we have conspired alongside her enemies. Though I have never met her, I a must shamefully admit that I fear her. Just look at what she has done to my little brother."

The General frowned once more, but he did not openly voice his belief on this matter, for such a thing would most certainly offend the Crown Prince. In the eyes of the General, the Prince Zhu Li was a wastrel who was not even worth considering in the same breath as his elder brothers.

However, ever since the boy returned from the Empire of Japan, he had become absolutely obsessed with the Empress Itami, even if she had been excessively rude to him. So much so that the fool had never once slept with his concubines upon his return, as if the venomous words of the Japanese Empress tamed his lustful nature. 

Judging by the woman's ambitious nature, and her allegedly bewitching beauty, Zhu Zhi was right to fear Itami Riyo, even if he had not met the woman in person. Thus, even though he was given command of this campaign, he felt rather anxious as the days passed, fearing that perhaps the Japanese Empress would discover the Ming's intentions within the region, and declare war on the entire Dynasty. 

Ultimately, the General bit his tongue regarding his thoughts, and instead spoke words of encouragement to the Crown Prince, knowing that his actions had brought with them a successful deterrence that even the Japanese Empire had to fear. 

"You do not need to worry so much, young master. Empress Itami will have to think twice before attacking our lands. After all, the Germans have guaranteed our independence, and to do attack us would be to invoke their ire. Something she is not yet willing to do. During this time, you should focus on the campaign, and how to win it most effectively. Rather than your internal dread towards that woman..."

Zhu Zhi could only sigh and accept his advisor's words as truth.

"Indeed, I will do as you suggest..."

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