Traveling through 1937, I came to fight against the Kwantung Army

The sky over Tokyo was covered with a thin layer of clouds. The sunlight tried hard to penetrate the clouds, but only cast a few dim shadows.

There were few pedestrians on the street, and occasionally a car would pass by, raising a cloud of dust.

In a traditional Japanese courtyard, the wooden gate was half-open. The cherry trees in the courtyard had passed their flowering period, with only some withered petals scattered on the ground.

Yumiko Watanabe, wearing a simple kimono, was busy in the kitchen, preparing lunch for the family. Her eldest son Taro was serving in the Self-Defense Forces, while her youngest son Jiro was quietly reading a book in his room.

Near noon, a knock on the door broke the tranquility of the courtyard. Yumiko wiped her hands and walked to the door in confusion. When she opened the door, she saw two Japanese soldiers in neat Self-Defense Force uniforms standing outside. They had serious expressions and their eyes seemed to reveal a hint of pity. Yumiko's heart tightened and an ominous premonition came to her mind.

"Excuse me, are you Ms. Yumiko Watanabe?" one of the soldiers asked in a low and heavy voice.

Yumiko nodded slightly, her lips trembling, but she couldn't say a word.

"We regret to inform you that your eldest son, Taro Watanabe, a soldier of the 1st Division of the Ground Self-Defense Force, was unfortunately killed in the line of duty." The soldier said, handing over a death notice.

Yumiko felt a black screen in front of her eyes, and the notice in her hand almost slipped. She subconsciously grabbed the door frame and managed to stabilize herself.

A strong sense of grief came over her, her legs went weak, and she almost collapsed to the ground. Her youngest son Jiro heard the noise and ran out of the room. Seeing the two soldiers at the door and his mother's grief-stricken look, his eyes widened and a look of horror appeared on his face.

"This is impossible, Taro will be fine!" Yumiko cried out in a trembling voice, with a hint of despair. Her tears burst out, slid down her cheeks, and wet the front of her shirt.

The two Self-Defense Force members were silent, just standing there quietly, with a hint of sympathy in their eyes. They had seen such scenes too many times today, and they knew that any words of comfort at this moment would be pale and powerless.

Jiro rushed to his mother, hugged her tightly, and cried out, "Mom, this is not true, my brother will not die!" His cries echoed in the courtyard, sounding particularly miserable.

Yumiko tightly grasped the death notice, as if it was her son's last relic. In her mind, every detail of Taro's life from childhood to adulthood emerged, his smile, his voice, at this moment, became so clear and so distant.

She remembered the day when Taro left home to serve in the army. He was wearing a brand new military uniform, looking heroic, and he smiled and said to her, "Mom, don't worry about me. I will be back safely soon." But now, all this has become a bubble.

The two soldiers saluted Yumiko and Kenta, then turned and left silently.

Yumiko watched them go away, tears blurring her vision. She hugged Jiro, and the mother and son cried bitterly at the door, their cries seemed to be an accusation of fate and endless grief for the loss of their loved ones.

The sun shines through the gaps in the clouds and shines into the courtyard, but it cannot dispel the deep sadness. Yumiko knows that her life will never be the same again. The home that was full of laughter and hope is now filled with endless pain and longing.

Yumiko Watanabe quickly recovered from her endless grief and decided to take her youngest son Jiro to visit the Yasukuni Shrine. In her heart, the soul of her husband Watanabe Kamio was still enshrined there.

The sky was gloomy, as if it was also mourning the family's experience. Yumiko Watanabe, wearing a plain kimono, looked haggard and numb. She held Jiro's hand and walked towards the Yasukuni Shrine with heavy steps.

The torii gate of the Yasukuni Shrine is still tall and eye-catching, and the vermilion pillars are particularly dazzling under the gray sky.

Jiro was only in his early teens. He didn't quite understand why his mother had to come to this gloomy place so often. He just followed her closely, his little hands being held so tightly by her.

There were people coming and going around, including women and children who looked as sad as Yumiko Watanabe. They walked silently through the Torii Gate.

It seems that many families received death notices today!

Stepping onto the stone path leading to the inner part of the shrine, the pine and cypress trees along the road are like silent guards, rustling in the wind, as if telling stories of the past.

Entering the shrine, the smoke of incense curled up and the atmosphere was oppressive. Some clergymen in traditional costumes were busy in front of the altar, chanting something.

Yumiko Watanabe took Jiro to the altar, she knelt down slowly, put her hands together, closed her eyes, and tears flowed down involuntarily. She seemed to see the familiar face of her husband Watanabe Kamio and the sunny smile of her eldest son Taro.

"Kamio, Taro is here to keep you company too," Yumiko muttered, her voice choked with sobs.

Jiro knelt down like his mother, but his heart was full of doubts.

He secretly opened his eyes and looked at the war relics and portraits displayed around him, feeling an indescribable strange feeling in his heart.

On one side of the shrine, a group of people gathered together, listening to an old soldier in old military uniform telling about his "glorious achievements" in the past.

The old soldier was beaming with joy, and his words were full of glorification of the war and praise for the so-called "heroes".

Yumiko Watanabe took Jiro over and listened quietly. Jiro frowned, thinking that the old man's words sounded a little wrong, but he didn't dare to say it out loud.

"Child, you must remember that your father and brother are heroes who sacrificed their lives for their country." Yumiko said softly to Jiro. Jiro nodded, but there was a hint of confusion in his eyes.

After the worship, Yumiko Watanabe and Jiro slowly walked out of the Yasukuni Shrine.

Yumiko's back looked so lonely and helpless, and Jiro's heart was full of confusion and uncertainty about the future.

Suddenly, a loud bang like thunder exploded behind him, as if the door of hell was kicked open.

Yumiko's body trembled, and she subconsciously protected Jiro behind her, and turned her head in horror. She saw thick smoke and flames rising from the direction of the Yasukuni Shrine behind her, and rubble and debris flying everywhere like raindrops.

A heavy object whizzed down from the sky, and with a "puff" sound, it landed right in front of Yumiko. It turned out to be a bloody head, with sparse white hair soaked in blood and tightly attached to the scalp.

The head's eyes were wide open and there was a strange and twisted smile on his face. It was the Japanese veteran who had just been talking about his so-called "glorious achievements" in the shrine.

Yumiko stared at the scene in horror with her eyes wide open, and a suppressed scream came from her throat.

The smile on the skull seemed to have a magical power, penetrating her soul and making the blood in her body seem to freeze. Jiro was also frightened and cried loudly, covering his eyes tightly with his hands, not daring to look again.

The crowd at the door fell into chaos instantly, with screams and cries coming one after another. People ran around like headless flies, pushing and trampling on each other.

Yumiko hugged Jiro tightly and tried to keep her balance in the chaotic crowd.

They ran all the way to a remote alley before finally stopping. Yumiko leaned against the wall, breathing heavily, her heart still beating violently.

Jiro curled up in her arms, his body still shaking.

"Mom, what's going on?" Jiro asked with a trembling voice. Yumiko's lips trembled, but she couldn't say a word. She just felt as if she was in a nightmare, but she couldn't wake up no matter what.

In the Yasukuni Shrine behind him, flames shot up into the sky and huge explosions continued to be heard!