Prologue Jakarta "Crystal Night"

  “……Chinese immigrants had slowly migrated to Southeast Asia long before the Europeans arrived. In the Philippines, there were never as many Spanish people as Chinese at any time. By 1603, when the Spanish colonial rule in Manila was already 32 years old, there were nearly 20,000 local Chinese but less than 1,000 Spanish. The Chinese had actually completely controlled the economic life of the Spanish in this colony and were expanding their influence to the entire archipelago. It was in this year - 1603 that the Chinese in Manila suffered a massacre, but this massacre was tolerated by the Chinese government at the time. The Chinese in Manila, as well as those throughout Southeast Asia, still suffer periodic massacres and looting to this day.”

  Stavrianos' "A Global History"

  "Whoever controls the Indian Ocean will control Asia. The Indian Ocean is the key to the seven seas, and in the 21st century the fate of the world will be decided on its waters."

  Ma Han's "On Sea Power"

  Prologue: Jakarta - "Crystal Night"

  "I solemnly swear to faithfully discharge the high duties of the President of the Republic of Indonesia, to uphold the Constitution and to execute all laws and regulations in a just manner for the sake of the country and the nation."

  August 16, 2007 at 10:00 AM, in the heart of Jakarta, Indonesia's capital city, almost every television set on the streets was broadcasting the inauguration ceremony of the new Chinese-Indonesian President, Lin Guangzhao. The bustling streets were filled with only children playing happily, unaware of the event. For Java Island, which was in the midst of a dry season, today was a rare good day - sunny with a high temperature of 24C and a refreshing sea breeze that made one feel carefree. In Indonesia's morning, everything seemed peaceful and calm. At the same time, in an upscale villa district on the outskirts of Jakarta, a stretched Cadillac limousine carrying General Tarmidzi, Commander-in-Chief of the Indonesian Armed Forces, slowly stopped in front of a French-style mansion. "Pick me up in half an hour," General Tarmidzi said, glancing at his wristwatch with 48 South African diamonds and tapping on the driver's shoulder before pushing open the car door.

  At 11:15 am, five ethnic Chinese men wearing black suits walked into the Chinatown area of Surabaya, Indonesia's second-largest city. They entered the Tay Kak Sie Temple, which commemorates the five heroes who assassinated the Spanish governor in the 14th century. After lighting incense sticks, they bowed in unison. However, after leaving the temple, they vanished into thin air, disappearing into the crowds on the streets of Surabaya.

  In a French-style villa on the outskirts of Jakarta, General Tamrin was lounging on a leather sofa, leisurely puffing on a Cuban cigar. Across from him, seven Indonesian military officers were exchanging nervous glances, their faces tense with anxiety.

  "Is there anything else? Gentlemen, my time is limited! At 12 o'clock, President Lin Guangzhao has invited me to attend his private dinner party! If you have something to say, let's get straight to the point!" Tamrin extinguished his cigar and glanced at his opponents with a hint of disdain in his eyes.

  "General Tamrin, I just want to know why you betrayed Indonesia, betrayed the military, and betrayed the professional group?" Just then, the door to the room on the far right opened, and a young officer appeared before his superior.

  "I appreciate your frankness and courage, Major General Daburaki. However, please understand that it was not I who chose Lin Guangzhao, but the Indonesian people. I did not betray anyone; the professional group's representatives in the People's Consultative Assembly receive more money than I do." Tamrin faced the stormy situation with the calmness of a seasoned sailor.

  "Good! I don't want to pursue General Tamrin's responsibility in this presidential election. I only ask that you stand up now and save this country!" Savito Daburaki, 35 years old, was currently the commander of Indonesia's special forces and had made outstanding achievements in several anti-terrorism operations in Southeast Asia.

  Facing his subordinates, who were emitting a chilling aura of murder, Tamrin forced a smile and glanced at his gold watch again. He stood up and said, "It's just to let those 'Eastern Jews' revive the country's economy. The Chinese themselves say that 'power comes from the barrel of a gun.' Real power will always be in our hands as military men. It's getting late; let's talk about it tomorrow at my office! Gentlemen!"

  As if trying to avoid Daburaki, Tamrin quickly turned around and walked towards the door. Just as his hand grasped the doorknob, a bullet from a German-made USP pistol pierced his skull. The last thing Tamrin heard was the icy phrase "Traitors must die."

  At 12:15 pm, in front of the Indonesian Republic's National Assembly building located in South Jakarta, a group of Indonesian "people's representatives" with sycophantic smiles surrounded their leader - newly elected President Lin Guangzhao as he appeared before countless flashing cameras. Meanwhile, Lin's bodyguards were well-prepared and quickly cleared a path through the crowd to protect the new president as he stepped into his luxurious sedan. At 47 years old, Lin has had a legendary personal history: born into the wealthy Indonesian oil tycoon Lin family, he was once rebellious and was "exiled" overseas by his family. However, when the Lin family suffered consecutive setbacks in business, he returned to Indonesia with massive funds, reviving his family's fortunes while starting his foray into politics. Perhaps at this age, he is a bit too young to grasp control of an entire nation.

  "Lin... oh! No, Mr. President, where are we going now?" The man who closed the car door and sat down beside Lin Guangzhao was his personal security assistant, Nguyen Quoc Viet, a former Vietnamese special forces lieutenant who had defected 2 years ago. "No need to be so formal, just call me Mr. Lin! According to the schedule, at 12:30 I have a celebration banquet at the Chinese Party headquarters, let's go there directly!" Lin Guangzhao replied casually. The motorcade slowly drove away from the National Assembly Building, where a crowd of people flowed like a river, and a man wearing sunglasses whispered something into his collar...

  The presidential motorcade still had a motorcycle police escort, but since it was a private event, only three accompanying vehicles provided protection. As they drove up to Jalan Supomo Doktor, Nguyen's mobile phone suddenly rang. "It's Mr. Jiang!" After taking a look at the number displayed on the screen, Nguyen carefully handed the phone over to Lin Guangzhao. "Hello!……" Just as he answered the call, a crisp gunshot was heard, and one of the motorcycle police leading the way fell to the ground. At the same time, two armored vehicles belonging to the Indonesian special forces suddenly appeared in front of and behind Lin's motorcade. All the motorcycle police were forced to stop, but before they could react, 9mm H&K MP5 submachine gun bullets rained down on them like a storm, turning them into sieves. "Attention all personnel! Emergency situation, execute plan number 9, protect the president's safety. OVER" After issuing instructions to the bodyguards in other vehicles through his wireless earpiece, Lin Guangzhao's car quickly entered the protective circle formed by the other vehicles. Although Nguyen had hardly used a gun since taking over protection duties for Lin - an Indonesian shield could solve most problems. However, he always required himself to keep his Chinese-made 92-style 5.8mm pistol in top condition. After giving his sidearm a simple check, Nguyen pushed open the car door and ran towards the front of the vehicle, crouching low. At this moment, the attackers had already formed a skirmish line from the armored vehicles' flanks and were charging towards the motorcade. They were clearly well-trained soldiers from the Indonesian national special forces, wearing identical uniforms, with MP5s (the famous B31) glinting in the sunlight, black helmets, and bulletproof vests. Faced with such opponents, Nguyen and his men's 92-style pistols and "Colt" military handguns were clearly outgunned, and they were quickly suppressed. But if it weren't for the Indonesian military sniper on the 30th floor of the nearby "Biksler" building, they might have been able to hold out for a while longer.

  Lieutenant Serl is the top sniper in Indonesia's national special forces, but today his mission isn't just about sniping. From his vantage point, he's also responsible for transmitting the situation on the ground to the forward command vehicle downstairs. The commander of this operation, codenamed "Eagle Shield", is Colonel Panhirach, one of General Dabriki's right-hand men. He and his reserve team are hiding in a command vehicle disguised as an ordinary bus. "The bodyguards are resisting fiercely, but 4 have been injured and 6 are still fighting back. No signs of heavy weapons have been found. OVER." Putting down the high-powered binoculars, Lieutenant Serl continues to speak into the AN

  PRC-126 (US Special Forces model) personal wireless radio to Lieutenant Colonel Panhirachai. Soon, the hoarse voice of Panhirachai came through the earpiece "Participate in the action, complete the task as soon as possible, we don't have much time!" Then Lieutenant Sel's right eye approached the scope of his beloved sniper rifle again.

  "Mr. Lin, please put on the bulletproof vest, I'll cover you as we make a run for it." Under intense fire from the enemy, Ruan Guoyue retreated to Lin Guangzhao's car, firing his gun while saying to Lin Guangzhao, who was still sitting in the car, "No! Thank you. You go first!" But Ruan Guoyue had already reached for the door handle. "Want to run?" Sel slowly moved the muzzle of his gun, aiming at the unknown bodyguard crouching by the car door, and gently pulled the trigger.

  "Quick." Just as Ruan Guoyue opened the car door, a blood column sprayed out from the back of his neck. He weakly slumped down, facing his master, and Ruan Guoyue forced a smile before falling onto the cold road surface. In the face of this scene, Lin Guangzhao could only gently close the car door.

  "It's almost done." Lieutenant Sel killed two more bodyguards of the presidential motorcade, looking at the Indonesian special forces gradually closing in on Lin Guangzhao's car. He slowly raised his head, but suddenly found himself completely shrouded in shadows - there was someone behind him. But before he could turn around, a giant hand had covered his mouth, and an icy pain had flashed across his neck. "Who is it?" Covering the mortal wound on his neck, Lieutenant Sel's lifeless eyes finally revealed his killer - a Thai man over 1.85 meters tall. Taking over Lieutenant Sel's sniper rifle, the man adjusted the scope slightly before firing directly, and the first Indonesian special forces soldier to rush towards Lin Guangzhao's car fell to the ground with a bullet in his forehead. "Damn it, no energy! TUOER, you bastard, hurry up." Although he looked like a Thai person from skin to face, when he opened his mouth, he spoke fluent Chinese. The man called TUOER was a pure Chinese, and he was fiddling with a strange-looking satellite antenna, muttering "Haven't you seen me busy? TIGER, just bear with it!" As his fingers frantically pressed the keyboard of a handheld computer connected to the satellite antenna, the clear wireless communication of the Indonesian special forces was reduced to only "zzt... zzt" noise. "We are being interfered with, almost all our communication frequencies have been blocked." The communications officer reported to Colonel Pan Huiru with a helpless expression. "From now on, I declare that the first team's action is a failure, and we will adopt the backup plan." Through the camera installed on the first team's armored vehicle, Colonel Pan Huiru could clearly see his subordinates hiding around Lin Guangzhao's motorcade, constantly being picked off by the enemy's snipers. His plan did not include electronic warfare, so it was almost impossible to restore communication now, so he decisively adopted the second plan. "The second team is ready to attack." Taking off his earpiece and putting on a famous red beret and camouflage assault uniform, Colonel Pan Huiru took over an AK-74 automatic rifle from his subordinate, pushed open the door of the command vehicle, and rushed out with 40 Indonesian "red berets" special forces soldiers armed with high-powered AK rifles. The mission of the first team was only to capture Lin Guangzhao, but their order was to kill without mercy. Just as Colonel Pan Huiru's assault boots stepped onto the ground, a massive shockwave swept him up like a leaf and slammed him into the window across the street - a rocket shell loaded with high-explosive zha medicine had hit the Indonesian special forces' command vehicle. And on the rooftop platform of the "Bixler" building, the Chinese man named TUOER was holding a German-made "Iron Fist 3" 60mm rocket launcher, admiring the struggles and screams of the Indonesian special forces below who were engulfed in flames. TIGER had also replaced his M24 with a "Barrett" large-caliber sniper rifle, and now every shot he fired could directly penetrate the bulletproof vests of the Indonesian special forces. As he pulled the trigger, the Indonesian special forces soldiers who were hit would immediately be disabled. But as several smoke bombs exploded in the center of Lin Guangzhao's motorcade, they quickly put down their weapons and left this excellent sniping position. Five Chinese men wearing infrared aiming mirrors on their heads suddenly appeared in the smoke, starting to mop up the already defeated Indonesian special forces. The five Israeli IMI MTR21PDW short assault rifles that were rare on the international arms market dominated the chaotic close combat, and the Indonesian special forces' elite was swept away like a beehive in this artificial fog. Taking off their aiming mirrors, the five Chinese men walked towards Lin Guangzhao's car, one of them lightly knocked on the window, and after getting permission from the other side, opened the door...

  At 1 o'clock in the afternoon, at the headquarters of the Revival Chinese Party located in West Jakarta. The hall that was originally used as a venue for celebratory banquets had been completely taken over by the rebels. Soldiers from the Indonesian special forces, armed with M16 automatic rifles and wearing red berets, were conducting body searches on everyone present. Standing at the podium where Lin Guangzhao was supposed to give his speech, Daburaky looked down at the prominent Chinese businessmen and politicians who had once been so influential in Indonesian society. A look of disdain spread across his face as he began to speak. "Ladies and gentlemen, you may be surprised and shocked by what has happened today, but I assure you that as the leader of Indonesia's new military government, I will protect the lives and property of all law-abiding citizens present here. However, those 'Eastern Jews' who have exploited our country's ethnic policies for years, sucking the blood and sweat of the Indonesian people, are not included in this protection!" Daburaky paused for a moment, waving his hand in a mock gesture of humor. "Perhaps some good citizens outside may think we are rebels because we overthrew an elected government that was supposed to represent the will of the people. But you all know better than anyone else what kind of dirty deals were made under this Chinese-dominated government... Of course, I will give you all a chance. If you hand over evidence of how the Chinese have stolen the rights and blood sweat of the Indonesian people, I, representing the Indonesian Salvation Military Committee, will declare you not guilty." Daburaky looked at the representatives of the Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly with confidence, his eyes fixed on the dark holes of their guns. How long could they maintain their composure?

  In the midst of the commotion, a refined and elegant Chinese-Indonesian woman emerged from the crowd and confronted Dablaqi directly: "No matter how much so-called 'evidence' you have, my husband has not betrayed the will of the Indonesian people. And please pay attention to your words, all the esteemed guests present today are law-abiding citizens of Indonesia, and there is no such thing as the 'Eastern Jews' you mentioned. Yes, we are Chinese, but that cannot be a reason for you to insult and despise us." Dablaqi, of course, recognized this woman - she was Lin Guangzhao's virtuous wife and right-hand man, the beautiful "Javanese Flower" Liu Rujia. Unlike Lin Guangzhao, Liu Rujia, who had already become a seventh-generation immigrant through mixed marriage, had a very faint sense of being Chinese. When Dablaqi saw her photo, he couldn't help but think of a Chinese idiom: "A noble lady, why follow a thief?" And now, facing her questioning, Dablaqi could only smile slightly and reply: "Perhaps you are unaware of your husband's actions, but I believe the Indonesian court will give him a fair trial." But just as Dablaqi was looking down at the crowd with satisfaction, a flustered lieutenant colonel suddenly appeared in front of him.

  Inside the Indonesian Army Command building, Daburaky kicked open the door to his office with a loud bang and slammed his military cap onto the desk. "A bunch of useless people!" he roared in anger. "Two companies were deployed, but Lin Guangzhao still managed to escape! And they couldn't even figure out who he was, what a waste!"

  Downstairs, another Indonesian Army AMX-13 light tank sped by, and news of the military coup had already spread like wildfire. Although the streets of Jakarta seemed calm, Lin Guangzhao's unexpected escape had put a damper on Daburaky's supposedly perfect plan.

  Rumors were circulating in the streets, and the army's occupation of the television station was slow to respond. Someone had beaten them to it, using the TV broadcast to call on the Indonesian people to rise up against the rebels. Intelligence personnel sent by the military to the Chinese residential areas discovered that the Chinese were quickly organizing themselves.

  After the anti-Chinese riots in 1995, the Chinese in Indonesia had been preparing for self-defense, and many had stockpiled weapons. With some underground organizations also involved, the consequences of any unrest would be unimaginable. "The top priority is to find Lin Guangzhao as soon as possible," said Indonesian Army Colonel Nangapino, who had been following Daburaky since he entered the room. "With him as a hostage, the Chinese won't dare to cause trouble."

  "Find him?" Daburaky looked at the map of Indonesia on the wall with disdain. With over 1,000 islands and an area of 1.9 million square kilometers, the air force and navy had been ambivalent about the coup from the start. Now they would not easily agree to seal off the country's airspace and territorial waters. Even if they did, it was uncertain whether the outdated equipment of the Indonesian Air Force and Navy could effectively block Lin Guangzhao's escape.

  "Get me the Army Command on the phone," Daburaky ordered. "Implement a curfew immediately. I want all Indonesian troops on Java Island to prepare for battle. Tonight... we'll sweep the streets." The term "sweeping the streets" referred to special operations against organized crime and underground industries, but tonight Daburaky had clearly made up his mind to take preemptive action and launch a crackdown on Jakarta's Chinese residential areas.

  As an Indonesian, Li Shuyuan was very averse to his Chinese identity. Just because he was Chinese, his tuition fees were twice that of his peers, and in class, he had to do more public service than other children. Compared to the neighbors' houses, theirs wasn't particularly wealthy, but in others' eyes, their different bloodline from the Malays represented wealth. Li Shuyuan clearly remembered that whenever there was a wedding or funeral at home, the neighbors would swarm over like flies smelling blood and have a big feast. But now things were better, Indonesia was about to give birth to a president of Chinese descent - Lin Guangzhao. He had rushed back from his university dormitory to his new home in Chinatown, but what he saw was a group of fellow Chinese with solemn faces. The leader of the community, Huage, led over a dozen brothers and was gathering people on the street - three men for every two women. Liujiu, the owner of the bar, was moving crates of liquor out of his store, while more than ten "sisters" from the bars were busy converting them into Molotov cocktails. "The Indonesians are coming to kill us again," Huage said. "Shuyuan, you're a scholar. Run away with those sisters later, and take this for self-defense." One of Huage's underlings, Kangkang, who had grown up playing with Li Shuyuan and now sported a head of red hair, hastily ran over and handed him a rusty Colt military pistol. "What about you?" Seeing that it was the real thing, Li Shuyuan felt both nervous and curious, and asked quickly. "Huage has long been prepared, he'll give us heavy artillery later. Don't worry, I've got your dad to take care of. Hurry up and run, bookworm. Remember to treat Xiaoyun well, if you don't live up to her expectations in the future, I won't forgive you even as a ghost." As he spoke, Kangkang's eyes began to redden. He hastily placed the pistol in Li Shuyuan's hand and turned to chase after Huage. Back at home, Li Shuyuan's father had changed into a suit that he never wore normally, and on the table in front of his mother's memorial tablet was a high incense stick emitting its unique fragrance. "Take care of yourself from now on, and Xiaoyun too. Don't be like your dad, who has been a coward all his life and couldn't even protect your mom... Go to the dock! The boat is about to set off."

  On the dock, on dozens of Chinese fishing boats, almost all the women and children from Chinatown had boarded. Du Yun was still standing on the dock waiting for Li Shuyun, several sailors had already started untying the ropes, she also had to turn around and step onto the gangway. "Little Cloud." Suddenly, a familiar call came from behind her, it was him. But at that moment, the first gunshot sounded in the distance. Li Shuyun, who was rushing towards the dock, stopped his footsteps, he almost used all his strength to shout to Du Yun: "I love you, forever and always." Then turned around and headed towards the home that had already become a battlefield. Under the sunset, dozens of fishing boats sailed away into the distance, and on the bow of one boat, a young girl was silently crying.

  The first batch of Indonesian police who rushed into Chinatown were no match for the armed Chinese, and a dozen or so police cars were shot at with Galil assault rifles by Ah Hua's men, bursting into flames in an instant, like a street barricade. The Indonesian police, equipped with batons, lay dead all over the place. A few brave brothers were unloading their handguns. Kangkang was squatting alone in a corner of the wall, chewing on betel nut. He had been mixed up in this for 8 years, but today was his first time killing someone, and it was his former arch-nemesis, the "cops". Holding the Israeli-made Galil assault rifle in his hands, Kangkang's heart was racing like the first time he went to a Thai bathhouse with Ah Hua - both nervous and excited. "I didn't think I'd be so fierce!" But before Kangkang could finish his excitement, another roar of engines made him tremble all over again - the tanks had arrived.

  The AMX-13 light tank, produced in France, burst through the wall of flames formed by burning police cars. Soldiers from the Indonesian Army's Airborne Infantry Battalion crouched and followed close behind. The Chinese armed group, lacking combat experience, fired desperately, almost exposing all their firepower. The AMX-13 light tank, hit by rifle bullets, calmly used its 90mm cannon to start dismantling the defensive line formed by a row of shops along the street. A loud explosion was heard as the signboard of "Hua Mei Cinema" across the street was blown to pieces. Kang Kang saw it and turned around to run for his life. After basically dismantling the Chinese resistance, more AMX-13 light tanks and BTP-40 armored personnel carriers appeared on the streets of Chinatown. The Indonesian soldiers, eager to do great things, didn't wait for the vehicles to stop before pushing and shoving each other to get off, but what greeted them was a rain of Molotov cocktails, also known as "Fire Maidens". The AMX-13 light tank, with armor thickness of only 20mm on both sides, was almost a mobile iron coffin in urban warfare. The Chinese armed group's "Iron Fist-3" anti-tank rocket launcher made short work of them. The exploding ammunition easily sent the AMX-13 light tank's distinctive "oscillating turret" flying dozens of meters into the air. Before the Indonesian paratroopers could get up from being knocked to the ground, the Chinese armed group's assault riflemen had already charged forward. Kang Kang stepped on an Indonesian soldier's chest and emptied his remaining bullets into him. Da Niu, carrying an "Iron Fist-3" anti-tank rocket launcher, came over and ripped off the Indonesian soldier's shoulder badge. Kang Kang knew that Da Niu had always wanted to join the army, but Chinese people were not allowed to serve in the military in Indonesia.

  Jakarta, an alternative "Crystal Night" is being staged.