Chapter 1: Leaving the Novice Village Upon Arrival

In December 17, 1927 (the sixteenth year of the Republic of China, the second year of Japan’s Showa era), at Lushun Port in northeastern China, a supply freighter carrying Kwantung Army provisions sailed from Tokyo to Lushun. On the ship’s deck stood a young man, excessively youthful and handsome, clad in a Japanese army uniform with the rank insignia of a lieutenant colonel. Alone, he gripped the railing, his eyes fixed excitedly on the distant city, which drew nearer, its outline shifting from a hazy silhouette to solid reality.

Three years had passed since his arrival in this era, and at last, he was setting eyes on the land of his homeland for the first time.

As the freighter docked, the young officer, unable to restrain his excitement, slung his military bag over his shoulder, and before the ship had even come to a full stop, he leaped ashore, formally setting foot on the soil of northeastern China.

No sooner had his feet touched the ground than a voice sounded in his mind.

“Congratulations, Host, you have stepped onto your homeland. The novice protection period has ended, and a new chapter begins.”

Chen Jiehua, still in half-kneeling position from landing, remained motionless, bewildered.

“System, what did you say? Does stepping onto the homeland mean leaving the novice village?”

“Host’s understanding is correct. The system will now return to the singularity. The three cubic spaces previously opened for the host shall be considered gifts.”

“Please do your best, Host!”

By now, Chen Jiehua was not merely confused; his mind buzzed.

“The novice protection period is over! The system is leaving!”

“Why? Why? Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

He finally understood why the system had been evasive the last time he inquired. Was it afraid he would refuse to step onto the homeland? How little it knew him! Still, it could have at least prepared him mentally.

“System, do you have a name? I never learned it!”

Suddenly, Chen Jiehua realized something—he asked for the system’s name, aware that its departure was irreversible, but after more than three years of companionship, it was not easy to let go.

“…Hongluan.”

At this moment, as soldiers unloaded cargo from the docked ship, none noticed the young officer’s peculiar behavior. But following him ashore was Okada Senri, a fellow student from the Army Academy, who noticed and was puzzled.

The system “Hongluan,” which had accompanied Chen Jiehua for more than three years, left him.

A spy behind enemy lines is destined to walk alone in darkness.

Having undergone “special training” from the system for over three years, Chen Jiehua quickly recovered from his sadness, rose, and saw the expression on Okada Senri’s face, realizing that his lack of control had aroused suspicion.

“Let’s go, Okada, let’s report to headquarters.”

“Aoki, why did you act so strangely just now?”

“Oh, Okada, you mean my behavior? China is where my grandfather lived for decades. I’ve long yearned for this place, and now I’ve finally arrived—ready to make my mark! I was a bit excited, pardon my manners.”

After a brief mental calculation, Chen Jiehua offered a plausible excuse. Whether it could fool Okada Senri was a matter of fate—Okada’s fate, to be precise.

The two walked up the dock, boarded a car sent by the Kwantung Army to pick them up, and drove to its headquarters.

In the car, Chen Jiehua gazed at the scenery of the northeastern land outside the window—everything seemed splendid.

On October 28, 1924 (the thirteenth year of the Republic, the thirteenth year of Japan’s Taisho era), Chen Jiehua lay on a wooden bed in the school’s detention room, staring at the stone ceiling, thinking, “This is too miserable! I’ve never heard of a transmigration story starting off so rough!”

At 16:43 local time on August 8, 2024, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck the waters near Hyuga Beach in Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan.

The Japan Meteorological Agency held a press conference at 19:45 local time, releasing “Nankai Trough Earthquake Temporary Information (Major Earthquake Precautions).” According to the Disaster Countermeasure Headquarters of the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, as of 14:00 on August 9, the earthquake had caused sixteen injuries and one death across Miyazaki, Kagoshima, and Kumamoto Prefectures.

That “one” unlucky soul was Chen Jiehua, a medical graduate from China, self-financed and studying in Japan.

It was the height of summer, and he had gone to the beach for a sunbath, falling asleep in comfort, so deep that neither the earthquake nor the fleeing crowds roused him. Swept away by the first wave from the tsunami, Chen Jiehua perished.

His soul, carried away by the waves, transmigrated into the body of Chen Jiehua—a new recruit in the seventeenth class of the Japanese Army Academy’s infantry division in 1924. (The Academy’s seventeenth class was new; there are also references to the thirty-seventh and thirty-ninth classes, but such accuracy matters little in a novel.)

He bore the same name as the original owner, who had just passed the preparatory course and entered the Academy proper for only a few days. Chen Jiehua and Aoki Seigen, from Miyazaki Prefecture, looked nearly identical, had similar builds, and wore identical uniforms. Teachers and classmates often confused them.

A dispute arose over who should change their hairstyle to distinguish themselves. What began as a civil discussion escalated unexpectedly into conflict. During the scuffle, Aoki Seigen accidentally choked Chen Jiehua to death. He never intended to kill; when he realized Chen Jiehua was truly dead, he was petrified.

The transmigrated Chen Jiehua’s soul took over the body, confused at first. In desperation, he launched a sneak attack and killed the stunned Aoki Seigen.

With the system’s guidance, the helpless Chen Jiehua activated a cubic space, temporarily storing Aoki Seigen’s corpse within.

His current predicament was that the Academy’s roll call was missing a person. Several witnesses stated that the last time they saw Chen Jiehua (Aoki Seigen), the two were together, talking. Now, only one was seen, and no matter how they questioned him, he refused to speak, so he was placed in detention pending investigation by military law.

Inside the Army Academy’s detention room.

A female voice sounded in Chen Jiehua’s mind, “The system recommends the host switch identities and continue life as Aoki Seigen. Though Aoki appears somewhat down-and-out, his hidden identity is exceptional, and in this era, as a student of the Japanese Army Academy, a Japanese identity offers more advantages than being Chinese.”

Pressed for time as the military law investigation approached, Chen Jiehua responded without hesitation, “System, I choose to switch identities.”

“Please wait, Host. Extracting Aoki Seigen’s memory… Memory implantation complete.” Chen Jiehua’s head throbbed slightly.

Meanwhile, at the Academy’s military law office, section chief Nagatomo Tsunao was interviewing several infantry cadets. He learned of the issue with Chen Jiehua and Aoki Seigen’s nearly identical appearance. Ever suspicious, Nagatomo cross-examined many and extracted key information.

Though Chen Jiehua, from Jiangsu province, had spent two years in the preparatory course, his spoken Japanese was poor—halting and awkward, barely able to comprehend, with daily communication requiring assistance from fellow countrymen.