NIS Agents Tearing Up the Japanese Empire - Chapter 283



Only Noblemtl

Episode 283

Promises should be kept carefully (2)

When I returned to the Shanghai Provisional Government building after a long time, members of the Provisional Government came out in droves to welcome me.

It seemed as if they had called in independence fighters from the North, and even a somewhat shabby-looking military band was on standby.

“Welcome.”

“What is all this?”

“Government officials have rolled up their sleeves to welcome you.”

“hmm.”

The welcoming ceremony, with provisional government members huddled together under large placards and a military band playing with awkward tones and beats, was even more chaotic than expected.

It was so bad that even Kim Gu, who was watching this, smiled awkwardly and joked with me.

“I thought a lot had changed over time, but when it comes to protocol, it’s not what it used to be.”

“This is enough.”

I held the small Taegeukgi flag that an unknown boy had given me and waved it lightly.

“It’s the first time in my life that I’ve been so warmly welcomed by so many people.”

“I’m glad you said that… … but it’s a bit surprising that someone like you hasn’t had this kind of experience.”

“That’s true.”

I briefly recalled the old days.

Those were the days when I was out and about every day, doing all kinds of dirty work, but getting nothing in return.

Looking back, isn’t it possible that the difficult experiences back then have only just begun to blossom?

At least I thought so.

“This teacher.”

At that moment, a familiar figure appeared through the crowd.

“Ah, Comrade Yak-san.”

Kim Won-bong of Yaksan came through the crowd and grabbed my hand.

“What do you mean by ‘comrade Yak-san’ between us? Just call me Hyung Kim.”

“… … ?”

Kim Won-bong approached me with a bright smile and became closer to me than before.

“Chief of Information, I am currently in the middle of a conversation.”

When Kim Gu saw Kim Won-bong, his expression turned sour and he responded somewhat indifferently.

Then Kim Won-bong answered with a sly expression.

“Oh, I was wondering who this was, and it turns out it’s the Chief of Police? Hehe, I was so happy to see you that I ended up being rude.”

“The welcoming ceremony hasn’t even ended yet. What kind of rudeness is this?”

Then Kim Won-bong answered calmly.

“No, everyone in the government welcomes this teacher equally, so is it really necessary to make it this complicated?”

“But there is something called protocol… … .”

“What kind of protocol is this? Isn’t it more important to recover our lost country than to have a protocol right now?”

“Our government is currently laying the foundation of the country from the ground up, and in that situation… … .”

Looking at the way Kim Gu and Kim Won-bong were growling at each other, it seemed like their relationship wasn’t all that good.

Seeing the people from the Information Agency and the Police Bureau behind them glaring at each other, it seemed like this was a power struggle between the two departments rather than an individual problem.

‘Is it the same thing as the power struggle between the police and the intelligence agency?’

It was a situation where it was obvious to anyone that they were keeping each other in check.

‘The National Police Agency is an organization that manages national security… and the Intelligence Service is an organization that manages national counterintelligence, so from a broad perspective, their scope of activity overlaps… ‘

I didn’t think it would be something that would keep them in check to this extent.

It was truly embarrassing, as if the National Intelligence Service and the police were fighting over power in modern terms.

‘No… … Rather than interpreting it that way, should we interpret it in terms of ideological conflict?’

If we really try to interpret it, this would be correct.

Kim Won-bong was a notorious communist, and Kim Gu was a notorious communist hunter.

If you think back to the Kim Lip incident, you can guess why the two of them are on such bad terms.

‘Now we are united under the cause of independence, but after independence, the two groups may become political forces and serious problems may arise.’

If this is the number of people who gathered for the cause of independence, what would happen if a random person got involved in the chaotic political situation after independence?

I bet no one here could have controlled this situation and we could have started shooting each other internally.

“… … So what I’m trying to say now is that although this is a foreign country, it is South Korean territory, and in South Korea, there is definitely law and order, so I’m asking you to follow that.”

“Haha, when have I ever broken the law and order? Don’t find fault with me for just coming to see you a little earlier out of a happy heart.”

“Finding faults? If that’s what you really think, then I feel a little disappointed… … .”

“Ahem.”

I intervened in their increasingly heated conversation and poured cold water on it.

“I’m a little tired after being on the boat for so long. I’m going to go in and rest, so you two finish fighting and when you’re done, tell me who won.”

“… … .”

“… … .”

As I left those words and ran away, the excited atmosphere suddenly died down.

* * *

Anyway, I returned to my Shanghai mansion after a long time and was reunited with the bio-robots I had missed so much.

“Are you here, teacher… … .”

“Hey, number 1, how have you been?”

“Number one… … ?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I couldn’t remember your name.”

“… … .”

“Why is your expression like that? Are you upset that I don’t even remember your name or something?”

“Oh, no.”

If you look at it this way, Shanghai has always been the same.

In the Shanghai mansion, the cries of bio-robots could be heard every day, and the provisional government building focused on communicating with ambassadors from each country every day and making the existence of the provisional government known to the world.

However, with the global economic depression looming, it was impossible for governments around the world to be interested in a small country in the East.

“Then isn’t it all in vain?”

“Maybe so.”

“Rather than wasting such effort, wouldn’t it be better to divert the resources that would go into it elsewhere?”

After finishing greetings with people I hadn’t seen in a long time.

Late at night.

I sat across from Inspector Sasaki on the terrace of the Shanghai mansion and had a leisurely drink.

I don’t know if it was because he was drunk or because he was trying to look good to me, but he was particularly passionate about these kinds of stories.

As if it were his own business.

Who would look at this Japanese person and think that he was once a vicious Shanghai detective who beat up independence activists?

Even I sometimes forget what kind of person Inspector Sasaki was.

“Thanks to this kind of futile effort, we can inform the world about the situation in Joseon.”

“Huh? I don’t think Westerners will understand Joseon’s work just because of this.”

“Maybe so.”

“Then isn’t it all in vain?”

“No, it wasn’t in vain.”

“yes?”

“If you keep talking like this… … there will be one or two people who will think of the small country in the East at a crucial moment.”

“yes?”

Inspector Sasaki looked at me with an expression asking what that meant, but I just laughed and didn’t answer.

Even if I told him about the history of Korea’s independence process, I was sure he would laugh it off, saying it made no sense.

But I did give a hint.

“When these actions pile up and the leaders of several countries gather at a critical moment to hold a meeting that will determine the fate of the entire world, wouldn’t it remind some of Joseon?”

“Hey… Could that really be happening?”

“Haha, I guess I can at least think about it.”

I couldn’t tell Inspector Sasaki that the Japanese Empire in that world would be hit by two nuclear weapons, and hundreds of millions of its citizens would die and be injured before the country would collapse.

I didn’t think anyone would believe me even if I told them anyway.

“Haha, if that’s what you say, teacher, then I guess that’s what it is.”

Inspector Sasaki laughed and picked up his glass again, taking a refreshing sip.

Then he asked me, wiping the few drops that ran down the corner of his mouth with his sleeve.

“So now that you have returned, sir, you will be going straight to Gyeongseong?”

“hmm.”

“Huh? Isn’t it?”

“I have to go.”

I plan to return to Gyeongseong someday.

But not right away.

“It seems like the atmosphere in Shanghai is not good.”

“Huh? You’re saying the atmosphere in Shanghai is ominous?”

“Well, there are many reasons.”

Even the work of the provisional government is like that right now.

In the past, there was a huge enemy called the Empire of Japan, but now that huge enemy has been weakened and no longer shows the same power as before.

There, the provisional government joined forces with the independence army and effectively ruled the northern part of the Korean peninsula.

The Government-General of Korea and the Japanese government were aware of this fact, but they took no action.

No, to be exact, it would be correct to say that no action can be taken.

The damage suffered by the Japanese Empire in recent years has been greater and more severe than the damage suffered during the Meiji Restoration several decades ago.

The economy was in complete ruin, the Japanese military was keeping a close eye on the government, and the threat of a coup d’état was prevalent throughout the regime.

In this situation, even the imperial family, who should have been holding the line, were lying in bed due to chronic illness or attacks by communists… … In reality, the current Japanese government was barely holding its breath.

“To make matters worse, the Great Depression made it difficult to ask foreign governments for help.”

“Ah… … I see.”

“Rather, since governments around the world will all suspend the gold convertibility under the pretext of an economic crisis, the value of the Japanese yen will skyrocket.”

“Uh… … Then what happens?”

“What happened?”

The rise in the value of the yen meant that it would have a negative impact on Japan’s already difficult exports.

This means that the Japanese manufacturing industry, which cannot compete with Western powers in terms of quality and therefore has to compete on price, may completely collapse.

“Uh… …Isn’t that a big deal?”

“This is a big deal.”

In a situation where pressure was suffocating on all sides, the Japanese Empire had to make a decision.

“Whether it’s Hirohito or Yasuhito… … it’s time for one of the two to make a decision.”

“hmm…….”

The full moon in the clear, cloudless night sky shone brightly like a light bulb hanging from the ceiling.

“The alcohol tastes good.”

“Hehe, I think it tastes better because I bought the beer from the Germans in Qingdao.”

“Yeah, thanks for the drink.”

“you’re welcome.”

Inspector Sasaki laughed and raised his glass even after hearing that his country was going to perish.

Really… … He was a person you knew but didn’t know.

* * *

“……older brother.”

“Phew… … .”

Crown Prince Hirohito of the Japanese Empire, who had been ill from the aftermath of a previous assassination attempt, has recovered and resumed his position as regent.

Then, a mountain-like pile of work came crashing down on him.

The Great Depression, the Fulminjin, the ghost of Gyeongseong, the conflict between the Army and the Navy, endless corruption, and the collapse of the Japanese economy…

None of these were easy to solve.

Just looking at the suffocating situation made Hirohito feel resentment toward his younger brother.

“… … You’ve had a hard time.”

“… … .”

However, Hirohito consoled his younger brother, praising him for his efforts in keeping the throne in his stead.

“Phew… … .”

Hirohito sighed deeply.

“I really don’t know where to start.”

“Brother, may I introduce you to someone who can solve your problem?”

“You’re introducing me to someone? That’s unexpected.”

“He is that trustworthy.”

Hirohito was slightly surprised by his brother’s promise to introduce him to someone who could solve his problems, but he also felt a little hopeful.

“Who is that?”

“Yes, I am someone who can be called an expert on economics.”

As Yasuhito gave the signal, the door opened and a familiar face appeared.

His confident face and his protruding belly, as much as his greed, are impressive… … .

“His Majesty the Crown Prince of the Empire of Japan, His Majesty the Crown Prince of the Empire of Japan!”

He was a great man.

“Ah, you’re from Dongyang Mining… …?”

“Yes, I am Joseon Viscount Yun Deok-yeong.”

“hmm…….”

“Shin Yun Deok-yeong, I have something to tell Your Majesty, and I have come here despite the rudeness.”

“That’s what I said.”

Yun Deok-yeong spoke to Hirohito with a confident expression.

“Now that the global economy is in trouble and the value of the yen has skyrocketed! We need to invest more actively in overseas assets.”

“Invest in overseas assets… …?”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

The mustache of the great lord, intoxicated by the smell of money that was everywhere, trembled.