NIS Agents Tearing Up the Japanese Empire - Chapter 300



Only Noblemtl

Episode 300

Homecoming? (3)

Shanghai Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea building.

At the top of a Western-style building that was a dozen stories high, overlooking the entire Shanghai Concession, was the presidential office of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea.

When looking out the window of the Provisional Government Presidential Office, it was made to look as if the concession area was at your feet.

It literally meant a place created to arouse men’s lust for power and dominance.

And right there, sitting was Park Eun-sik, the president of the provisional government.

“It’s been a while, Your Excellency the President.”

“What is between us… … I have no intention of recommending such formalities to you, let’s treat each other comfortably like before.”

Park Eun-sik’s face, which waved his hand as if it was a burden, had traces of time that were deeper than before.

It seemed as if his end was drawing near after he had spent nearly half his life fighting for his country’s independence.

“What do you mean by formality? Your Majesty is the leader of a country, and I am merely an agent under him, so I should be respectful.”

As I said that, I bowed again.

Then, the shadow of death that had been hanging over Park Eun-sik’s face slightly disappeared and he smiled.

“Haha, unlike other people, you always speak so nicely, which is nice.”

“Is that so?”

“By the way, I wonder why other people are so angry inside… … When I see everyone fighting one way or another, I feel suffocated too.”

“A fight? What, did the Communist Party and Baekbeom ever fight?”

President Park Eun-sik laughed heartily at my words.

“If it had ended at that point, I would have laughed it off too.”

“So you’re saying there were other arguments besides that one?”

“Why do you look so scary?”

“Me?”

I looked at Park Eun-sik with a bright smile as usual.

Then Eunsik Park was startled and said to me.

“Every time you laughed like that, something always broke out… … .”

“Was that so? Hehe, it was all a coincidence.”

“I wish that were so… … .”

“So who are these people who are fighting within the provisional government? Why are they fighting?”

“Umm… … That’s what I mean.”

The current political structure of the provisional government was divided into the Korean United Party led by Ahn Chang-ho, the head of the provisional assembly, equivalent to the modern-day Speaker of the National Assembly; the Joseon Manmin Party led by Baekbeom Kim Gu, the commissioner general of the police bureau, equivalent to the modern-day Commissioner General of the Korean National Police; and the Koryo Communist Party led by Yeo Un-hyeong, a senator in the provisional assembly.

In addition, there were minor political parties such as the Korean Freedom Party, which was founded by anarchist Lee Hoe-young when he returned to the provisional government, but these three were the only major political parties within the provisional government.

They were not just people with titles like members of the House of Representatives or president; they were people who were truly elected through voting within Joseon.

In the North, where the influence of the independence army was strong, the Japanese military and police were openly driven out and direct voting was held, while in the South, where Japanese influence was still strong, indirect voting was held by electing national representatives.

The total number of seats in the House of Representatives elected in this way is 300.

Originally, at least 500 seats had to be elected from each of the eight provinces of Joseon, but sadly, there were not enough people to elect 500 members of the provisional government.

In any case, the lawmakers elected in this way were busy creating a new constitution that would become the foundation of the liberated country under Ahn Chang-ho’s leadership.

They have been translating, analyzing, and comparing laws from various countries for several years now, trying to create a constitution that suits Korean sentiments and principles… … .

“That’s where the fight broke out.”

“Hmm… … If you say there, where exactly are you referring to?”

“The problem started with defining the first sentence of the Constitution.”

“The first verse?”

When I heard the story, the situation was like this.

The Unified Party under Ahn Chang-ho tried to simply call the Republic of Korea the ‘People’s Republic,’ but Kim Gu’s Joseon Manmin Party tried to use the term ‘Democratic Republic,’ and Yeo Un-hyeong’s Shanghai Communist Party tried to use the term ‘Democratic People’s Republic.’

“… … What are the differences between the three?”

“The Korean Unified Party wants to focus on the ‘people,’ the Joseon Manmin Party wants to focus on ‘democracy,’ and the Shanghai Communist Party wants to focus on the ‘democratic people.’”

“???”

I originally just went around shooting and detonating bombs, so I couldn’t tell what the difference was.

“What is the difference between the three?”

“There were a lot of differences at first, but now it seems like those things are a good thing.”

“yes?”

“I’m saying there’s no difference.”

Park Eun-sik waved his hand and tried to pass the words, perhaps because he found it bothersome to explain.

“No, but if I know why you’re fighting, I won’t be able to intervene.”

“Intervention? Stop it. There’s no need for you to get involved in this mess and get your butt kicked.”

“Is this shit water?”

President Park Eun-sik looked thoroughly fed up with this political squabble.

“Is the fight that bad?”

“It’s bad, it’s bad… … but it’s not like before, when people were fighting to the death over whether to disband the government or not. In fact, compared to that time, the current debate is a constructive debate.”

“Is that so… … .”

President Park Eun-sik seemed to be flustered by this quarrel, but on the other hand, he seemed satisfied with this reality.

“Still, when I see everyone having such healthy discussions, I feel like the world has changed.”

“The world has changed.”

President Park Eun-sik looked down at the Shanghai Concession with eyes filled with excellence and recalled old memories.

“Thanks to you, I am now living in such a luxurious place, wearing nice clothes, eating good food, and living comfortably.”

“… … .”

“Compared to the days when I couldn’t even get a bowl of porridge to eat and was left to fumble, this is truly a luxurious life.”

“… … .”

“Besides… … Compared to the past when everyone raised their voices about disbanding the provisional government because of conflicting interests, isn’t the current debate about making the liberated homeland a better place in the near future?”

President Park Eun-sik looked back at me with a broad smile, like a god who had just finished preparing to board the ship.

“In that sense, looking back on the past, things that had been stuck since you came to Shanghai started to unravel smoothly.”

“It was just the right timing.”

“It was a perfect fit… … Are you saying that coincidences keep happening?”

“Let me just say I was lucky.”

“Then you are a luck maker.”

President Park Eun-sik sat down with a grin.

Then he lightly ran his hand over his nameplate that read “President of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea.”

“I thought I’d been doing this for quite some time, but looking back, I think I’ve done more since I met you than before.”

“No way.”

“Haha, don’t deny it. Everything we eat, drink, and wear now is thanks to your help.”

President Park Eun-sik took a final deep breath and picked up a small picture frame on his desk.

It contained a group photo of members of the provisional government taken when Syngman Rhee visited the provisional government.

“In the past, I thought that if my country achieved independence, I would have no regrets even if I lived and died like this, but now that that day is near… … I feel regretful.”

“What are you so sorry about?”

Park Eun-sik looked at me.

“My body is old, and so is my mind, so I find myself looking back on the days I have lived rather than thinking about the days ahead.”

Park Eun-sik seemed to be slowly preparing for the end of his life.

This year he turned seventy-one.

In the meantime, thanks to health food that was good for the body and good health care from excellent doctors, I had lived for several years longer than my original age, but it seemed that even that had reached its limit.

“This teacher.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Can Korea become independent?”

Park Eun-sik asked.

I answered without a moment’s hesitation.

“Of course.”

“Yeah, that’s what I wanted to hear.”

President Park Eun-sik laughed heartily.

I laughed along with him and said to him,

“Your Majesty, don’t worry too much. I promise that I will bring you back to your homeland before I die.”

“This teacher’s promise… … is truly reassuring.”

“I am a man of my word.”

“I know, I know.”

“So please live long.”

“Let’s try to do that.”

President Park Eun-sik also seemed to have regained some of his spirits after hearing my words.

I took this momentum and explained my plan.

“Your Majesty, the reason I came to Shanghai so suddenly is because I have something to tell you.”

“Words? What are you trying to say?”

“Of course, it’s a story about Korea’s coming independence.”

“?!”

* * *

Zhang Zuolin, the leader of the Fengtian clique.

He once boasted such enormous power that he almost swallowed up all of China.

He was once a bandit, but his skills were so great that it was hard to believe he nearly took over all of China.

But that was only for a moment.

Now, he was pushed back by Chiang Kai-shek and had fled to his home base in Manchuria.

They say that they are trying to regain power by cracking down on the internal situation and increasing their power, but is that an easy task?

Now, all he did was support Feng Yuxiang and other minor warlords, instigate rebellions, and wait for an opportunity to arise.

But these days.

One thing worried him.

That’s another warlord in Manchuria.

It was the Korean independence army.

To Zhang Zuolin, the Korean independence army was like a fishbone stuck in his throat.

Contrary to their appearance, they possessed dozens of tanks, which even they could not dare to possess, and reportedly even acquired fighter planes, boasting an incredible force.

To make matters worse, behind them was the Soviet Union, which Zhang Zuolin was terribly afraid of.

The point was that if they were messed with wrongly, it could provide an excuse for the Soviet army, which was eyeing Manchuria.

Because of this, Zhang Zuolin had no choice but to do nothing about them.

If it had been his original personality, he would have squeezed them out like a dry rag and then sold them off in a deal with the Japanese Empire, which was concerned about their existence.

“Write… … .”

But the reality was not so easy.

“We have one proposal. If you accept our demands, we will not attack you while you are out to attack Chiang Kai-shek. In fact, we are willing to sell you military supplies at a good price if you want.”

“… …What are those requirements?”

The Korean Independence Army had only one demand.

“We hope you will acknowledge our sphere of influence and not intrude or show any interest in it.”

“… … .”

This was a declaration that from now on he would no longer be concerned about Zhang Zuolin’s feelings, but at the same time, that he could clash with him at any time.

“Are you threatening me now?”

“If that’s what you heard, then you can think of it that way.”

“… … .”

“Anyway, what you want is the continent, and what we want is the Korean Peninsula, right? So, let’s both get what we want.”

“… … .”

In fact, Zhang Zuolin didn’t have many choices.

After all, even if they fought against the independence army, it was Zhang Zuolin who suffered losses, not the independence army.

However, if the Independence Army, or rather the Soviet Union behind it, supported the Fengtian clique, Zhang Zuolin could temporarily escape the threat of the Soviet Union that had threatened his power and truly aim for the continent.

After conquering the continent, what’s there to fear from the Soviet threat?

So Zhang Zuolin had only one choice.