Chapter 562: World Powers
North of the Miyako Strait, Naha City.
Naha was once the political center of the Ryukyu Kingdom and now served as the administrative seat of Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It was a maritime hub linking Manila, Honshu, and Hawaii via key sea routes.
So Naha had a relatively active economy and commercial scene—at least compared to the rest of the Ryukyu Islands. But compared to cities in nearby nations, Naha fell far short.
Recently, many ships had gathered in Naha's harbor. They regularly headed south through the Miyako Strait to harass East African vessels.
At dawn, a Japanese officer addressed armed men disguised as fishermen.
"The Empire shall not be humiliated. Remember, the moment you board your boats, you fight for the Empire—for His Majesty the Emperor!"
Japan wasn't ready to completely offend East Africa but couldn't bear the shame of losing the Southern Ryukyu Islands. Instead, it sent naval forces disguised as fishermen to intercept East African vessels.
These fanatical "fishermen" were filled with zeal, ready to die for the Empire. Though the seas were rough and East African ships were much larger, their "patriotic fervor" gave them no fear—even if their tiny boats risked capsizing.
With blazing passion, they shouted, "Long live the Empire! Long live His Majesty the Emperor!"
The naval officer, pleased with their spirit, waved his hand. "Depart!"
Under clear skies, the Miyako Strait gleamed. A fleet of fishing boats departed south from Naha—an impressive sight.
"The Japanese armed fishing fleet is back again!" shouted an East African lookout, spotting them through his telescope.
These vessels roamed the Southern Ryukyu waters like they owned them. East African forces couldn't engage—not because they lacked will, but ships.
Still, the Japanese didn't dare approach the shore. East Africa's coastal artillery was fully deployed. If the Japanese tried to land, they'd be destroyed. In fact, East Africa would welcome a landing attempt.
Everyone knew Japan's real strategy—encircle and isolate. The islands were small and lacked resources. Eventually, East Africa's stored supplies would run out.
While troops remained alert, island laborers also discussed their changing circumstances.
Because of the sparse population, most laborers on the islands were brought from the Far East by East Africa.
With Japan's blockade in place, they were now stranded alongside East African soldiers.
"These damn Japs—always showing up at meal time. Hope they hurry up today so I'm not eating late," grumbled Liu Dazhuang, a Far Eastern laborer working on the military base.
"Dazhuang, what's for lunch?"
"How should I know? Aren't you buddies with Captain Wang? He'd know."
"Hah, we're only acquaintances from the same region. He's from a different province."
"Whatever it is, it's probably the same—sweet potatoes, soybeans, seafood. I really miss veggies and beef. Ever since those bastards blocked supply ships, we've been living off reserves. Portions are smaller now too," Luo Wen complained.
"Damn Japs, ruining everything. It was nice here until they showed up."
"Well, don't worry too much. Captain Wang says Japan is no match for East Africa. Japan only created that 'Leave Asia, Join Europe' slogan because they want to be Westerners. But East Africa is actually a Western nation—so naturally, it's stronger."
"San'er, what kind of official is Captain Wang in East Africa? And how'd he get a job with foreigners? I heard he used to be a farmer like you."
"I asked him that myself. East Africa is a Western country—but not quite."
"Huh? Is it or isn't it?"
"Haha, let me explain. East Africa was founded by Germans. Germans are Westerners, but not all Westerners are the same."
"Dazhuang, I thought all Westerners came from the same place."
"Let me put it this way: in the Far East, you have the Far Eastern Empire, Korea, Ryukyu, Japan, and others. In the West, Germans are just one group. You also have Russia, France, and Britain—all Western, but they don't get along."
"So are the Germans as powerful as Britain and France?"
"Absolutely. Captain Wang told me the Germans have three major countries: Germany, Austria-Hungary, and East Africa. The first two are top-tier global powers. East Africa isn't far behind, though not quite as strong."
"Dazhuang, what's a 'top-tier global power'?"
"It means one of the most powerful nations on Earth—they shape the world's destiny."
"So is the Far Eastern Empire one of them?"
"In size, sure. But its military is too weak. Having the title means little without strength."
"If they're so influential, why haven't we heard of Germany or Austria-Hungary before?"
"Because their influence isn't here—it's in Europe. Westerners come from Europe. Germany and Austria-Hungary are top powers there, so they're powerful globally. Europe is the strongest continent."
"But you said global powers control the world. If that's true, why haven't we heard of them?"
"I didn't say they control everything. Look at Britain, France, and Russia—they bully us, right? Captain Wang said our empire is stronger than many others but still weaker than the top-tier powers. So yes, strength defines status."
"What about East Africa?"
"It probably counts too. Captain Wang didn't say for sure, but East Africa's military ranks in the global top ten. It's just weaker in other areas."
"Strong military is enough! If we had that, Westerners couldn't bully us."
"Exactly. Captain Wang said East Africa rose through military strength alone. But in our culture, we call that warmongering. A country that only builds up its military might run into problems."
"True global powers excel in everything—economy, military, population—they reach the top by combining many strengths."
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