January 20, 1929. Three days after the Ruthenian and Francois Legation evacuated the International Legation Quarter, news about the massacre that took place inside the Legation Quarter spread across the world.
Expeditionary forces from the Britannia Empire were first to arrive in the International Legation Quarter. They were the beacon of hope to the citizens trapped in the Legation but instead of having to meet them and face the Boxers, what they had seen inside.
Military correspondents were brought with them, acting like a journalist with a camera filming the concluded tragedy that had transpired in the International Legation Quarter. And those films were quickly delivered back home for the television broadcast station to transmit the video to the televisions, allowing the citizens and high-ranking officials of the states to watch.
Every nation, especially the nine great powers, watched dreadfully as they heard the news and watched the scenes before the television screen where foreigners, diplomats, military guards, and civilians were mutilated and burned under the hands of the Boxers.
The scene is so gory and obscene that the broadcasting stations of each country put a pixel blur on every corpse. Such a horrendous act caused by the Boxers made the head of state of the nine great nations fumed with anger and every one of their citizens is calling for revenge.
The first one to react is the Deutschland Empire. Kaiser Wilhelm was discussing with his prime minister, Erik Jan Hanussen, about a possible retaliatory strike against not only the Boxers but all Hanese.
"Those inferior fools! They have fucking done it! They killed my diplomat and my ambassador. Erik, I want those inferior beings to be erased from the face of the earth. Make them know that the Deutschland Empire is not going to tolerate this."
"Yes, Mein Kaiser. I have already made talks with our allies who were affected by the tragedy. They are also considering military action against the Boxers."
"Who are they?"
"All the nine great powers except the Francois Republic and the Ruthenia Empire."
Kaiser Wilheim arched his brow. "Ruthenia Empire and Francois Republic? Why are they not joining? We should unite and exterminate those inferior beings once and for all and divide the land for ourselves."
"Mein Kaiser, the Francois Republic, and the Ruthenia Empire evacuated before the International Legation Quarter got overrun by the Boxers," Erik reported.
"So are you telling me that those two nations fled and left them there to die?" Wilheim shouted incredulously.
"No, Mein Kaiser. According to the Ambassador for the Francois Republic here in Deutschland, the ambassador to the Francois to Han said the Ruthenians offered the ten great powers to evacuate with them. At first, everyone disagreed and decided to stay and fight. But when things are not going their way, they change their decision. Knowing that the Ruthenia Empire will have to protect their citizens against the Boxers, they conducted an airstrike outside the International Legation Quarter and decimated all their forces. Knowing that the eleven great powers convened a meeting again and 9 out of 11 decided to stay again in the Legation since the Boxers' forces were neutralized by the Ruthenians. They were again given a last chance to go with them but they refused. So the Ruthenians and Francois left, leaving them all behind," Erik concluded the summary of events in the International Legation Quarter.
"Is that so?" Kaiser Wilheim calmed down a little. Since the decision was voluntary and was not actually left there without saying a word, then the fault lies with the ambassadors themselves. They could have saved their lives if not for their false bravado.
However, even if that was the case, the Boxers still committed an atrocious act against not only the Deutschland Empire but also all western powers.
"Mein Kaiser, are you going forward with the decision of sending military troops in the Han Dynasty and declaring war not on the Boxers but on the Han Dynasty?" Erik asked carefully.
"I will deliver a speech to the Council, making it official to the people and to the world that the state of war between the Deutschland Empire and the Hanese Dynasty exists."
Two hours later.
In the Europan continent, an emergency broadcast interrupted morning talk shows, movies, and drama. The people across the continent watched as Kaiser Wilheim stood behind the podium, glancing over the troops that will be sent to Han.
"If you come before the enemy, he will be defeated! No quarter will be given! Prisoners will not be taken! Whoever falls into your hands is forfeited! Just as a thousand years ago the Huns under their king Etzel made a name for themselves, one that even today makes them seem mighty in history and legend, so may the name Deutschland be affirmed by you in such a way in Han that no Hanese will ever again dare to look cross-eyed at a Deutschlander!"
After the speech, the band played the Heil Kaiser Wilhelm Dir as the soldiers saluted to their emperor, filled with nationalistic fervor, etching their emperor's words into their minds and heart. No prisoners will be taken, no quarter will be given to any Hanese who fall into your hands.
***
Meanwhile, in the Winter Palace. Alexander was watching the television in his office along with his National Security Advisor, Sevastian.
"So what you said to me two days ago was true huh? That my uncle is going to wage war against the Hanese and is rallying all the western powers under his banner in the fear of Yellow Peril," Alexander said.
"That's right, Your Majesty," Sevastian agreed.
"Is this going to be bad news for us? Because the Kaiser said that he is declaring war not only on the Boxers but on all Hanese?"
"We can't say for sure, Your Majesty. The Kaiser made a decision when he was in a bad mood. Well, who wouldn't be when one of the people killed in the Legation was a close friend to the Kaiser, a diplomat? And I don't think this will lead to an all-out war, a concession will be made and new unequal treaties to be signed."
"So, you're suggesting that we sit this one out? Am I right?" Alexander glanced at Sevastian.
"The situation will cool down, Your Majesty. But we have to inform Sun Yat Sen and continue providing them with intelligence in the air."
"Fine. Oh, and what's the reaction of the remaining great powers who were affected by the tragedy. How are they going to respond?"
"We've been looking into that, Your Majesty and based on the information we have on hand, we can assume that they will not go as far as to declare war on the Hanese. They'll just send more troops to tighten up the leash."
"Well, none of this would have happened if they had accepted our generous offer," Alexander sighed.
