In the military theory Kita Ikki learned in China, People's War was repeatedly emphasized. The People's Party had not yet had the opportunity to practice People's War in all aspects, so Chen Ke put extra effort into the military theory of People's War. The People's War in Korea was the best place for the People's Party to research People's War.

The theories in this area were all public. The People's Party had no intention of launching an imperialist war of aggression abroad, so they had absolutely no fear regarding this. Seeing the few Second Lieutenants terrified of dying in battle after going to Korea, Kita Ikki simply discussed the concept of People's War with them.

"Therefore the skillful fighter puts himself into a position which makes defeat impossible, and does not miss the moment for defeating the enemy. Thus the victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterwards looks for victory." Kita Ikki mentioned this passage to the Second Lieutenants. The Party School and Cadre School were not military academies, so not much military theory was taught. This was the People's Party's summary and induction of the theory of People's War. No matter how many lies filled the Japanese military academies, they wouldn't be foolish enough not to study *Sun Tzu's Art of War*. The Second Lieutenants all knew this was the original text from *Sun Tzu's Art of War*.

The essence of People's War is very simple. The highest principles are the "just nature" of the war's occurrence, the "mass nature" of participation in the war, and the "integral nature" of war practice. In the content of military practice, these concepts are implemented as the basic guidelines and principles for war guidance, army building, and national defense construction.

Although Chen Ke had never participated in a People's War, when he asked himself, he never considered any war of New China to be a war of aggression. Even if New China's traitors might have completely different thoughts. So in the eyes of the broad masses, every war of New China was a just war. The soldiers coming from the people thought the same. Only by firmly believing that they were just could they have sufficient fighting will in war.

Inheriting the line of thought of People's War, the People's Party's internal and external propaganda only spoke of "recovering lost territory" and never mentioned expanding territory. The Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army accepted this line of thought, and combined with the domestic political system, this exploded with powerful combat effectiveness.

The Koreans were the same. Even the vacillating Korean upper class was not dead set on being Japanese. The slogan "Restore the Korean Nation" always had appeal to Koreans. The only problem lay in who would bear the cost of restoring Korea.

Back then, Korea thought the Japanese could pay the bill for Korea to get rid of the Manchu Qing's control. Now the exploited classes of Korea had already deeply tasted the results. Japan's bone-sucking exploitation in Korea made the entire Korea wish they were dead. Even the Korean upper class felt their choice was wrong. They very much hoped someone would stand up and pay the bill for Korea's restoration, and then they could continue to be the rulers in a liberated Korea.

The Korean lower classes and Korean patriots had already stood up to resist Japan's colonial rule, and the old Korean upper class adopted a strategy of secret support for this.

As the few Second Lieutenants listened to Kita Ikki unhurriedly analyze the situation in Korea, their expressions became heavier and more surprised. This shock was not only because Kita Ikki analyzed it in such detail as if he had seen the Korean situation with his own eyes, but also because the intelligence from various angles brought back by the military academy seniors who returned from Korea could be pieced together like a puzzle in Kita Ikki's analysis. With a comprehensive guiding line of thought, a large amount of details were completely strung together, reasonably displayed before the eyes of the young officers.

"No wonder the seniors said Koreans can't be trusted, and the more they are officials, the less they can be trusted!" Second Lieutenant Miyazaki said as if waking from a dream. Because of strict military discipline, Japanese soldiers didn't dare say just anything. Now he finally understood the meaning behind his seniors' words.

Second Lieutenant Matsumoto also nodded repeatedly. "Indeed! Koreans cannot be trusted."

Towards these cute youths, Kita Ikki really didn't know what to say. The unjust nature of imperialist war had been revealed to such an extent, yet these young people only sighed that Koreans were untrustworthy, without the slightest reflection that they should negate unjust wars. Kita Ikki found it very strange what kind of ideological education was conducted inside the Japanese army. In China, an organization like the People's Party couldn't even launch a war of aggression. After all, the purpose of a war of aggression is profit, while the people are the ones paying for the war. This kind of propaganda was completely open. Japan and China were indeed two completely different worlds politically.

"Mr. Kita, you are such a great talent, do you have a solution to the Korean problem?" Second Lieutenant Ando, who had once fiercely criticized the Army Ministry as untrustworthy, asked.

Kita Ikki shook his head. "As long as Japan's policy towards Korea doesn't change, this war will have no end."

Second Lieutenant Ando sighed and stopped speaking. Second Lieutenant Miyazaki said angrily, "What People's War? Kill all the Koreans, and where will there be any People's War?"

This time it was Kita Ikki's turn to smile bitterly. "Second Lieutenant Miyazaki, after you arrive in Korea, unless you are fighting, you won't see the Korean guerrillas armed to resist the Japanese army. Those you can kill are all Koreans who haven't joined the Korean guerrillas. These Koreans even pay taxes and grain to Japan. If you start killing them now, besides striking the Koreans who obey the Japanese government, at the same time, the Koreans who haven't been killed yet will know your policy of killing all Koreans, and will flee to the Korean guerrillas before being killed. You are adding troops to the Korean guerrillas again. If you truly support the war, your thoughts go against your original intention."

Second Lieutenant Miyazaki blushed first, then suddenly realized, "No wonder the seniors back from Korea said the garrison in Korea is strictly enforcing military discipline now, absolutely not allowing the army to be rude to Koreans."

Looking at Second Lieutenant Miyazaki only now understanding the military orders, Kita Ikki had a great interest in the Army Ministry's education system. Heaven knows how conflicted those guys in the Army Ministry are when facing thorny situations. If they don't use lies to deceive and drive the army, the Japanese army has no fighting will. And no matter how many monstrous lies are told, a crow's wings can't block the sun. Looking at these few Japanese Second Lieutenants who feared war, one could know what level the morale of the Japanese garrison in Korea was at.

Second Lieutenant Matsumoto was a relatively calm one. He didn't join in Second Lieutenant Miyazaki's nonsense, but looked at Kita Ikki seriously. Matsumoto asked, "Mr. Kita, if without China's support, we could definitely solve the rebellion in Korea. But can we really not beat China? I heard from classmates that you stayed in China for a long time and even met His Excellency Chairman Chen Ke of the People's Party. I hope you can give a real explanation."

Hearing Matsumoto say Kita Ikki had met Chen Ke, the other Second Lieutenants were all stunned. They already admired Kita Ikki's insight, but didn't expect Kita Ikki to have such a background. Since the First Sino-Japanese War and the Eight-Nation Alliance's invasion of China, Japan, from top to bottom, had begun to gradually look down on China. But this situation didn't last too long. Since the People's Party conquered Qingdao, which was held by the Germans, ten years ago, and then wiped out the Japanese troops attacking Qingdao, Japan once again felt the powerful pressure brought by China, and that mentality of despising China changed greatly.

After the Japanese army suffered a tragic defeat in Northeast China, they dared not underestimate China even more. Even facing Chen Ke, the leader of the enemy country, young Japanese soldiers couldn't help but add the honorific "His Excellency". Kita Ikki, having met Chen Ke, appeared even more valuable.

Kita Ikki said, "If you want to go to war with China, it's not like there's no chance. This year, because the lease for Lyuda has expired, the Chinese government wants the Japanese army to withdraw from the Lushun and Dalian area. They publicly stated that if the Japanese army is still in the Lyuda area on January 1st of next year, China will launch military operations against the Lyuda area. If Japan wants to go to war with China, this is the best opportunity."

Hearing there was really a chance to go to full-scale war with China, the few Japanese Second Lieutenants showed no excitement of establishing merit, but looked very grim.

After looking at each other several times, Second Lieutenant Miyazaki, who seemed to be a hardliner, said timidly, "Could it be that China can't accept the Japanese army staying in the Lyuda area?"

"They absolutely will not accept it," Kita Ikki answered very decisively.

With the opportunity to go to war with China, Second Lieutenant Miyazaki couldn't say any tough words about fighting the Chinese to the death. Because young people cared about face, although he puffed up wanting to say something, in the end he said nothing.

"The victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterwards looks for victory." This was the only art of war Kita Ikki learned in the Cadre School, and also the art of war he truly understood. "The purpose of war is victory. China has prepared for victory; what they have to do is merely seek the opportunity for battle. Therefore the skillful fighter puts himself into a position which makes defeat impossible, and does not miss the moment for defeating the enemy. Whether it is China or Korea, as long as they stand on the basis of People's War, they are already in an invincible position."

"Mr. Kita, is there no way to defeat the Koreans?" Second Lieutenant Ando asked seriously.

Kita Ikki remained silent on this question for the time being. The discussion environment in the People's Party School was quite loose, and the cognitive level regarding "Materialism", "Seeking Truth from Facts", and "Marxism" was very high. According to the popular view, if one understood historical materialism and seeking truth from facts, one could be a slave owner in the slave era, an official or landlord in the feudal era, a capitalist in the capitalist era, and a qualified laborer in the socialist and future communist eras. In the final analysis, historical materialism and seeking truth from facts were entirely methods for cultivating the ruling class.

How high the revolutionary level of the Koreans was, Kita Ikki had no right to speak without investigation, but analyzing from the perspective of historical materialism, it wasn't that there were no ways to deal with Korea. But Kita Ikki didn't want to scheme for this unjust war, and even less did he want to serve the Japanese ruling class. Revolution required one's own class consciousness first. No matter how insufficient Kita Ikki felt his consciousness was, he couldn't stand on the side of the Japanese rulers.

"Mr. Kita, why are you unwilling to instruct us? Do you not trust us?" Second Lieutenant Matsumoto asked nervously.

"What use is it if I tell you? Can you change Japan's overall strategy? Let alone the upper echelons, would your superiors listen to your suggestions? Do you think the Japanese army is the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army?" Kita Ikki simply spoke very bluntly.

"What's the difference?" Second Lieutenant Matsumoto was very puzzled.

Kita Ikki simply told them about the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army's pre-war seminars, "immortal meetings" (democratic discussion meetings), mobilization meetings, and corresponding detailed ideological work; wartime Party members taking on the most dangerous work, Youth League members taking on the next most dangerous work, as well as battlefield party admission, wartime promotion, and post-war summary meetings. Especially during merit evaluation, combat heroes were basically all grassroots soldiers and commanders, while mid-to-high-level commanders were only evaluated for ability, but rarely given merit awards.

As he spoke, the young Japanese officers were dumbfounded. They really wanted to question if Kita Ikki was making up stories, but this didn't seem like something that could be made up. This talk went on for a long time, until curfew. Although the few officers wanted to stay out all night, they still feared military law. They sincerely asked Kita Ikki to meet again the next day, but Kita Ikki didn't dare agree casually. The group of young soldiers before him had become physically stiff from excitement. If he dared to agree to see them tomorrow, there was no guarantee who would show up.

"I've been very busy with school matters recently, so I definitely can't make it tomorrow. How about in a few days?" Kita Ikki said with a kindly attitude.

Japanese people attach great importance to hierarchy, and even more to seniority. Since Kita Ikki said so, the young officers didn't dare to be presumptuous. They sincerely requested Kita Ikki to come to "Songhewan" when he had time, and then left the wine shop.

Kita Ikki had rarely considered military issues recently. Having stayed in China for so long, he knew the People's Party's style well. If the People's Party dared to put out the word, it could absolutely not be a desperate move. Whether an organization is mature is shown in its patience. Even if the People's Party encountered a situation where their pants were on fire, as long as they weren't prepared, they could endure it. The saying "Self-reliance and ample food and clothing" was definitely not just a slogan. Since the People's Party put out the word about Japan withdrawing from the Lyuda area in 1913, then likely as early as two years ago, the People's Party had already begun comprehensive war preparations.

However, Kita Ikki wasn't too worried about the war issue. Judging by the virtue of the Japanese army struggling incredibly just to deal with Korea, as long as the Army Ministry had the minimum rationality, they wouldn't be stupid enough to go to war with China. But they probably wouldn't choose to withdraw from the Lyuda area either; the whole matter would probably still be solved through diplomacy. Thinking of this, Kita Ikki couldn't help but feel a sense of sympathy for the current Prime Minister, Yamamoto Gonnohyoe. Becoming Prime Minister in this period was no glory at all, but a tangible torture.

The owner of "Songhewan" didn't dare provoke the soldiers. When Kita Ikki left the shop, it was already late at night. Although the owner looked like he was about to fall asleep from sleepiness, he still bowed politely.

Compared to the brightly lit former capital of the People's Party, Wuhan, Tokyo at night was a world of total darkness. Those on night patrol held lanterns and struck clappers, shouting "Watch out for fire" every now and then. The entire Tokyo was immersed in a peaceful sleep.

Kita Ikki walked slowly. He felt very tired, yet very happy. Reasoning with others was also a process of organizing his own thoughts. Over these days, Kita Ikki felt he was gradually integrating what he had learned. Even the formerly biggest difficulty, the concept of "proletariat", had seen a major breakthrough. Leaving Japan for several years, while educating students, Kita Ikki also learned a lot about Japan's current situation from social investigations and students' questions. The current situation used to confuse the old Kita Ikki greatly, but now he felt he could already recognize the inherent inevitability of these situations. The thing that troubled Kita Ikki most now was how to teach what he realized to those around him.

Thinking about things slowly along the way, it was already 2 AM when he returned to his residence. Kita Ikki fell asleep immediately and didn't wake up until nearly 10 AM the next morning.

The students didn't dare disturb Kita Ikki. When Kita Ikki got up, he felt somewhat embarrassed. It was almost lunch time, so he could only consider what to eat first, and decide what to do in the afternoon later.

As a result, just after eating lunch, a guest came to visit. The person who came was a Colonel, which made the students feel some awe. Kita Ikki went to the door and saw Colonel Okamura Yasuji of the Army Ministry standing under the sun outside in a summer military uniform. Next to him was Okawa Shumei, who had gone out to welcome him first.

Seeing Kita Ikki come out, Okamura Yasuji first looked Kita Ikki up and down carefully, and then slowly said, "Mr. Kita, I heard you drank with a few army soldiers yesterday and spread quite a few untimely remarks. Is this true?"