NIS Agents Tearing Up the Japanese Empire - Chapter 301



Only Noblemtl

Episode 301

Homecoming? (4)

It has been said that life is a series of choices between birth and death.

That’s exactly my situation right now.

It’s a situation where there are so many choices that you can’t decide which one to choose.

“An official letter arrived from the Generalissimo of the Republic of China in Nanjing a while ago.”

As I was quietly contemplating my future in my separate room in the Shanghai Provisional Government building, Kim Gu, as usual, came by and started talking about work.

“I already know because I heard about it.”

“Is that so? Then the story will be quick.”

Kim Koo wanted to support Chiang Kai-shek.

“I think our government should support Chiang Kai-shek and help him complete the unification of the continent.”

“… …Why are you telling me that?”

“Well, if that’s what you have to say, His Excellency the President will listen to it.”

“Oh, so you’re asking me to convince the President?”

“yes.”

“Huh, really… …Why on earth do you want to support Chiang Kai-shek? Let me hear your reason.”

Kim Gu’s thoughts were simple but clear.

“When I watched the turbulent situation on the continent for so long, I thought that the only person who could calm the current chaos and conquer the continent was Chiang Kai-shek.”

“So are you saying that you just judge important national affairs based on your feelings?”

Kim Gu frowned at me for the first time, perhaps because he didn’t like my choice of words.

“Intuition? Do you really think that I decide important national issues based on my personal intuition?”

“I didn’t mean it that seriously… … I just wanted to say that it needed a little more explanation. I apologize if you felt offended.”

When I bowed slightly, Kim Gu seemed to relax a little, as the deep furrow on his forehead slightly widened.

“Yeah, I guess my explanation was a little lacking.”

Then he added an explanation.

“If we objectively judge the path Chiang Kai-shek has walked so far, we can find the answer.”

“Be objective… … .”

Kim Koo focused on the fact that Chiang Kai-shek rose from the bottom with nothing and seized continental hegemony in just a few years.

“… … This not only means that Chiang Kai-shek’s personal ability is outstanding, but it is also proof that he is being guided by the will of heaven.”

“A thousand?”

“Yes, it is the will of heaven!”

“Use it.”

I tilted my head, but Kim Gu continued to speak with an air of confidence.

“With only 50,000 troops, he took control of the area south of the Yangtze River, and later defeated both the Zhiji and Fengtian clans that held hegemony over the continent, and nearly unified the continent!”

“It’s a great achievement.”

“Isn’t that right? In the future, the only one left before Chiang Kai-shek’s unification of the continent is Zhang Zuolin of Fengtian. But is Zhang Zuolin likely to be Chiang Kai-shek’s opponent?”

I shook my head.

“Zhang Zuolin is a hero, but he probably won’t be able to defeat Chiang Kai-shek.”

“That’s right! So we should support Chiang Kai-shek and establish a relationship with the leaders of a unified China in the near future, and achieve independence based on their help and support!”

It seemed that Kim Gu, or rather Baekbeom, already had his own plan in mind.

But unfortunately, his plan was different from what I had thought.

That’s why I shook my head at his suggestion.

“I think that might be a bit difficult.”

“It’s hard? Why?”

“Well, that’s because I’m not interested in that.”

“… … .”

Kim Gu looked slightly disappointed.

But what can we do?

I have no intention of supporting you.

“What does our independence have to do with Chiang Kai-shek unifying China?”

“But if we receive support from you, wouldn’t our country’s independence come a little closer?”

“Mr. Kim, receiving support from others also means that you have to be mindful of their opinions, whether you like it or not.”

“Could it be that you are reluctant to be in a situation where you have to watch Chiang Kai-shek’s face?”

I nodded.

“China has been exerting a strong influence on the Korean Peninsula since ancient times. Now, they are reaching out to us because they feel sorry for Chiang Kai-shek’s situation, but I don’t think that will be the case in the future either.”

Kim Gu nodded quietly.

“I see. If that’s what you think, then I won’t advise you any more.”

“Yes, I don’t think Mr. Kim is wrong. But I can tell you that I would use a different method.”

“Okay.”

Kim Gu looked a little offended, but he was not the type of person to get angry just because someone did not listen to what he had to say, so he just accepted it and moved on.

So, let’s send Kim Gu back. This time, Yeo Woon-hyung came to me and said to me.

“Oh, are you the ghost of Gyeongseong?”

“… … ?”

“I heard that you have close ties to the Soviet Union. I think that in order to secure independence for our country, we should seek help from the Soviet Union… .”

“???”

As I removed one lump, a new one came back to torment me.

* * *

The situation at the Government-General of Korea did not improve at all.

No, it would be more accurate to say that the situation is getting worse every day.

Based on Gyeongseong, the northern part of the Korean peninsula, that is, Hamgyeong-do, Pyeongan-do, Hwanghae-do, and northern Gangwon-do, had long since left the hands of the Governor-General.

Although it was nominally under the rule of the Governor-General, in reality it was under the rule of the armed group of the Northern Bulyeongseon, commonly known as the Korean Independence Army.

The Government-General and the Korean Military Command had already withdrawn all police stations and military units in the north and evacuated Japanese from the northern part of the Korean peninsula, effectively half-recognizing their rule.

Originally, I would have requested support from the home country and somehow destroyed the northern rebels and regained control… … .

“The problem is that even in our home country, there is no spirit to support this right now.”

“… … I guess it must be because the economy is struggling.”

“Rather than that, it seems like they are completely turning their attention away from Joseon and focusing on internal unity.”

“Is that so?”

“okay.”

Lieutenant General Shinnosuke, who had been the provisional governor-general of Korea and commander of the Korean army for several years, was feeling anxious.

Even when he was appointed to the North Korean military command, this was a land of opportunity.

He planned to build a decent career here, return home, rise to a suitable position, and then end his military service.

No, I mean, originally I was going to be satisfied with the position of governor and retire at an appropriate time.

In that sense, he had achieved his dream to some extent.

Anyway, he was appointed Governor-General of Joseon.

But he wasn’t happy about this situation at all.

In the past, I would have laughed and shared this joy with the people around me, but now I couldn’t laugh at all.

The Government-General of Korea was a place that could not possibly operate its colony normally without support from the Japanese Empire, just like an animal in a zoo that cannot survive without the help of a zookeeper.

But for several years now, there has been no support from the mainland.

Shinnosuke continued to ask for support from his home country, but they only repeated that they could not help.

So what?

It is not for nothing that the current situation in Joseon is becoming more and more dire day by day.

“More and more people are joining the general strike of workers in the North.”

“It seems that the South is also being affected by this and is gradually faltering.”

“I think it will also affect the recovery work.”

“… … .”

The general strike by workers that occurred recently is also like that.

Originally they were supposed to be paid a proper salary, but now the Governor-General has no money.

Originally, the Joseon colony was a place where it was difficult to run the government-general with only its own taxes.

To begin with, Joseon was not a place that made a lot of money, and sporadic resistance broke out here and there, so the police force was increased and the military was deployed, which only added to the money.

So, support from the home country was almost essential, but the home country actually refused it, citing economic difficulties as the reason.

This was the complete opposite of the Yuan Dynasty’s history, which showed that it never stopped supporting the Japanese Government-General of Korea no matter how difficult the situation was.

But looking back, the Japanese government’s decisions did not seem that strange.

That would be the case. How many Japanese military divisions, battleships, and public institutions have disappeared from Joseon territory?

There was also considerable dissatisfaction among the Japanese who had gone over to Joseon with the government in their home country, which did not provide any help.

It was so bad that these Japanese people took the lead in submitting a petition to the Japanese government, saying that if they were going to leave them like this, they should be granted independence instead.

Given this situation, the Japanese government could not help but look at Joseon with some suspicion.

No, if you think about it, that’s true.

Just one person.

It was impossible to call it normal that the entire great nation of the Japanese Empire was being toyed around by a single unidentified terrorist known as the Ghost of Gyeongseong.

“Huh… … Is there still no answer from the home country?”

“Yes, we will maintain the attitude that support is difficult for now, but if possible, we will seek self-development.”

“Huh, self-generation and self-reliance… … Easy to say.”

The people in the Governor-General’s Office were thoroughly fed up with the Japanese government’s behavior of forcing children who could not even stand on their own two feet to run.

These people guard the scene with a sense of crisis that they might die at any moment every day, but those who are actually living comfortably in a safe place do not even try to know their circumstances.

“Phew… … .”

“Your Majesty, please mobilize the army now… … .”

“Didn’t we talk about that last time? If we send the troops up now, the puppet armed groups in the North will come down.”

Even if the Japanese Government-General of Korea and the Korean Army (Japanese Army) were to gather all their power, they would not be able to deal with the Korean independence army.

The police under the Government-General were literally there to maintain public order, so it was difficult to deploy them in actual combat, and the Joseon Army (Japanese Army) had been decimated by the past several turmoils and was reduced to half… no, a quarter of its original strength.

On the other hand, what about the Korean Independence Army?

Although the information coming from that side was not very plentiful and inaccurate, the size that was known was 20,000 infantry, a small number of cavalry, a tank brigade-sized unit, artillery, and even a few fighter planes.

Compared to the Joseon army (Japanese army) which consisted of only a few thousand pure infantrymen, it could be said to be a fight between David and Goliath.

Oh, of course, David will not win this fight.

Because the Goliath they were fighting was covered in strong armor from head to toe.

“If we stay still like this, endless riots will break out in the South as well.”

“That’s right. This kind of thing needs to end at the earliest possible moment. Otherwise, it will only cause greater damage.”

“Well then, I ask you, who will go up north and suppress the workers’ strike?”

Naturally, everyone kept their mouths shut.

Everyone was talking about suppressing it somehow, but they didn’t have the confidence to suppress tens of thousands of workers with just a few hundred troops.

“There are only two ways left for us now. Either we get support from the home country and wipe them out! Or we just sit still!”

“… … .”

Unfortunately, they only had one choice.

“Huh… …Any other opinions?”

“… … .”

How could that possibly happen?

Everyone was quiet.

“Then that’s right.”

Lieutenant General Shinnosuke stood up from his seat with a gloomy face and spoke to his staff.

“First, let’s make sure we secure the area under our control, then we can take care of the rest.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Although he said that, Lieutenant General Shinnosuke also felt a strange sense of unease.

‘Something feels strange. It feels like something unknown is moving under the water.’

But Lieutenant General Shinnosuke didn’t know what it was.