In May 1944, large-scale preparations had concluded, and the war was about to flare up anew.
Sitting in the conference room, Nimitz and the others studied the intelligence reports in their hands, their expressions grave.
"Deploying bombers from central Sichuan for air raids? I think their incendiary bombs are far too outdated. You need to use our Silver Rock Group's ordnance instead. Ours produces a much more stable destructive effect and can deliver the decisive blow required!"
Tapping his fingers against the table, Liu Ren looked around at the men in the room.
Hearing Liu Ren's words, quite a few people nodded in strong agreement. Silver Rock Arms' contributions to World War II had been nothing short of indispensable; after all, anyone who used their weapons and gear knew just how potent they were—and the Japanese had certainly never left a single bad review!
"The T-13 incendiary bomb can rapidly incinerate anything. It can't even be smothered by mud or sand, and its destructive yield is devastating. If anyone catches so much as a speck of it, it's enough to remember for the rest of their life!"
Liu Ren delivered the line with mock levity, a sinister smirk curling the corners of his mouth.
To set Tokyo ablaze, he had researched no fewer than twenty types of incendiary bombs, and the most effective by far was his own group's product. Packed with cutting-edge technology, the incendiary payload it released was so intense it could instantly vacuum all the oxygen from the surrounding air...
Setting things on fire wasn't the point; lethality was what truly mattered.
When countless incendiaries rained down on Tokyo, Liu Ren could already imagine just how joyful the sight would be.
"What about the price? I'm worried..."
Looking at Liu Ren, Nimitz couldn't help asking.
"You write the report, I'll sign off on it, and everyone will be happy!"
Explaining it to Nimitz with a broad, proud smile, Liu Ren looked thoroughly self-satisfied.
"Liu, I can hardly believe the contributions you've made to this country!"
Nimitz stared at him in astonishment.
"It's only what I ought to do. After all, I've bled for this country too!"
Looking resolutely at Nimitz, Liu Ren replied without hesitation.
Once the plan was finalized, both sides quickly ironed out the details.
As a steady stream of T-13 incendiary bombs was loaded into B-29 bombers, the skies over Tokyo seemed to heat up in anticipation.
Right now, don't ask if the Japanese mainland was hot—if you asked, the answer was that the incendiaries were already on their way!
As night fell, bombers broke through the clouds one by one, steadily closing in on the targets below.
Once everything was aligned, a pilot ordered coldly, "Prepare to open bomb bays!"
*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!*
The bomb bay doors swung open, and whistling ordnances plummeted through the dark, blanketing everything like falling rain.
When the first incendiary pierced through two layers of roofing and crashed straight into a home,
the family eating dinner inside shrieked in terror. Even an amputee scrambled backward in horror.
Yet just as they thought it was a dud, the bomb abruptly burst open, spewing torrents of flame in all directions.
*Boom!*
Temperatures exceeding a thousand degrees erupted alongside the blaze, turning the fire a brilliant orange-yellow.
As the terrifying white phosphorus scattered, the house and the entire family melted away in an instant amid bloodcurdling screams.
*Boom!*
Engulfing flames swept across the city, churning up billows of dense, suffocating black smoke.
When rescue workers rushed toward the area, they suddenly recoiled in horror, clawing frantically at their throats—the surrounding air was being consumed, leaving them completely unable to breathe.
Seeing rescuers collapse to the ground even before getting near the fire, neighbors looked on in dread.
Yet where could they run now? The entire city had turned into a sea of fire.
Miserable wails echoed everywhere. Watching their world burn down around them, many wept bitter tears of anguish.
Standing amid the boundless inferno, countless souls struggled in agonizing torment before collapsing to the ground in despair.
Back at the front,
everyone examined the results of the previous day's bombing. Frowns replaced their earlier smiles as they asked in bewilderment, "That's impossible. How could the casualties be this low? Our incendiary bombs should have inflicted far greater devastation in a single night..."
"Hey, fellas, don't get worked up. We all know their tactics. They think if they hide their losses, no one will know!"
Looking calmly at Liu Ren, Nimitz told him not to lose his temper.
Anyone who had witnessed the T-13 incendiary bomb in action would never believe the Japanese military's reports; they were utterly fraudulent.
An entire city had been set ablaze, and they claimed casualties were only a few hundred? What a damn joke.
"Keep stepping up the bombing missions. I'll speak to high command. Any lost B-29s, I'll pay for them myself!"
Liu Ren spoke coldly, his expression dead serious.
Hearing this, Nimitz gasped in shock. "Good God, do you know how much it costs to build a single B-29?"
"A mere six hundred and forty thousand! I don't care about the money; what I care about is the lethal effectiveness of our weapons. That's what matters most!"
Slapping the table, Liu Ren looked every bit the mad warmonger.
Seeing Liu Ren's attitude, the others fell silent.
As president of a defense corporation, Liu Ren genuinely did not care about the money; his company's products were what mattered. Future sales of these incendiary bombs alone would easily cover any wartime losses!
With orders coming from the naval command above and Silver Rock Group's "persuasion" from below, the Army Air Forces threw up their hands and continued the bombing campaign.
As an endless stream of B-29 bombers swept over the skies, the entire island of Kyushu came to realize one thing: the enemy didn't view them as human beings at all—in fact, not even as beasts!
Fields and mountain forests, industrial cities, harbors, and even abandoned roadside temples were swallowed by flames.
Although Tokyo had not yet suffered large-scale carpet bombing due to the flight range limitations, that day was not far off.
Even as the relentless bombing continued, Liu Ren had no time to dwell on it. He now had to lead the Special Operations Brigade to invade Iwo Jima.
Once Iwo Jima was taken, the range issue would vanish completely; B-29s would easily be able to make two round trips a day.
Yet just as they prepared for the offensive, Curtis "Master of the Grill" LeMay took a different approach, launching strikes from Guam.
This time, he had prepared nearly six thousand tons of incendiary bombs—all manufactured by Silver Rock Arms.
When the searing heat erupted across Tokyo, people suddenly realized just how brutal war truly was.
Viewed from above, the island of Honshu was ablaze, flames spreading relentlessly as if seeking to swallow everything.
Rolling on the ground in agony, people engulfed in flames let out desperate screams, yet nothing could extinguish the fire consuming their bodies.
Slowly, their cries faded until complete silence fell.
Yet this was not the end, only the beginning, for the same tragedy played out across Honshu.
Cries, shrieks, pleas for help, screams, and despair formed a stunning tableau, freezing this moment in time forever.
And the instant tropical winds swept through, terrifying fire whirls whipped across Tokyo, carrying white-phosphorus flames on the gale to claim even more lives of those wartime zealots.
Looking down at the aftermath of the bombing, even the pilots couldn't help clicking their tongues in awe: "Damn, this stuff really works like a charm! Hahaha!"
Chapter 66