NIS Agents Tearing Up the Japanese Empire - Chapter 134



Only Krnovel

The nature of infantry (6)

Even when General Kim Gyeong-cheon’s unit slowly arrived at Baekam-eup after walking down the snow-covered mountain for four days, there was not a single trace of the Japanese army.

Even the Korean Independence Army did not advance by forcibly breaking through rough mountain paths or creating a new road that did not exist.

They marched comfortably south along military roads built and maintained by the Japanese military.

Yet, the Japanese military cannot be found.

“Do Japanese people also not want to come out because it is winter and it is cold?”

“Oh… … . That makes sense!”

“Well… … How would the Japanese survive the winter cold in Hamgyeong Province? They’d just be cooped up in the base and shivering.”

“Kukuk.”

Hamgyeong Province in the middle of winter, when the snowy wind blew, was a very harsh place.

The cold wind that felt like it was tearing at your skin and the huge snow storm that reached almost up to your waist made you wonder if this was really a place where people could live.

Moreover, even the locals in Hamgyong Province were fed up with this winter situation and wanted to leave for cities like Hamheung or Hoeryong as soon as they could save up some money, so how could the Japanese, who came from the warm south, endure this harsh winter?

“According to information from local residents, each regiment of the Japanese 20th Division was currently calling back their scattered troops to their bases to prepare for winter.”

“Did you even call in the military police from the riverside outpost?”

“Oh, that’s not it. I think they’re still stationed there.”

“What about the report?”

“It seems that they don’t report separately. According to information sent from Gyeongseong, unless the Amnok or Duman Rivers freeze over, there will be virtually no contact throughout the winter.”

“okay?”

A smile appeared on General Kim Kyung-cheon’s lips.

“That’s right… … .”

That means that the 20th Division was currently in the Liaodong Peninsula, which was the exact opposite of the Kwantung Province of the Empire, where the Korean Independence Corps was growing in strength, and the Tumen River was not frozen over, so it was highly likely that they judged that there was no immediate threat here.

‘So, even in this chaotic situation, we prepare for winter as usual.’

According to the latest information sent by Mr. Lee from Gyeongseong, the military warehouses in Nanam, Hoeryong, Hamheung, and other places where the regiments of the 20th Division are currently stationed are completely empty.

This is because Lieutenant General Shinnosuke Kikuchi, who commands the Japanese army deployed in Korea, withdrew troops and equipment from the 20th Division to help the 19th Division, whose strength was greatly weakened by the large-scale arrest incident that occurred at the Yongsan base.

That is to say.

‘The 20th Division troops currently in Nanam, Hamheung, and Hoeryong are likely to be poorly armed and not numerous.’

Then, General Kim Gyeong-cheon’s plan changed slightly, just a little bit.

‘Then wouldn’t it be a good idea to just send the troops south and completely clear out Hamheung?’

Hamheung was located in South Hamgyong Province under the administrative unit of the Governor-General’s Office and was quite far from the border.

To exaggerate a bit, Gyeongseong, where the Government-General was located, was closer than Yanji, the base of the Korean Independence Army.

It was dangerous, and if you were not careful, you could easily end up trapped in the middle of enemy territory, isolated, and without proper supplies.

‘But if we succeed, it’s also a great place to spread our name throughout Joseon.’

This was not just news of a surprise victory over the disorganized Kwantung Army, but rather a victory over the regular Japanese army on Korean soil.

If this news becomes known to the world, the way the Joseon people look at themselves will change a little.

And the same goes for Japan.

‘Hmm. What should I do with this?’

It was quite an appealing prospect, but it was also true that I was reluctant to do it when I thought about the aftermath.

If we were to accidentally pluck out the nose hair of a sleeping lion, it would be a great disaster for the independent army that has no future.

“What are you so worried about?”

“Huh? Oh, you’re the Hongdae leader.”

“I was just coming back from being teased by the soldiers a little while ago, so please, Comrade Battalion Commander, please bear with me just this once.”

As General Kim Gyeong-cheon gazed at the snow-covered mountain and sat lost in thought for a long time, his company commander, Captain Hong Yong-hwan, approached him quietly.

“Comrade Battalion Commander, you seem to have a lot on your mind.”

“My worries are not much different from what your father had. How can I save more of the soldiers over there? How can I inflict more damage on the Japanese army? … That’s what I was worried about.”

“Hey… … My father didn’t have such worries.”

“What? General Hong?”

“Yes, usually, rather than worrying about that… … .”

Captain Hong Yong-hwan took out a few pieces of jerky from his backpack, put one in his mouth, and handed the other to General Kim Gyeong-cheon.

“They say that when it’s cold, you have to eat a lot to keep your body warm.”

“General Hong was that kind of person.”

“My father was originally like that.”

Captain Hong Yong-hwan pointed to the soldiers pulling the cannon below, grumbling while chewing on the jerky.

“If it were my father, he would have been pushing the cannon with his comrades down there instead of worrying about such things.”

“That’s true too.”

General Kim Gyeong-cheon, who had been quietly watching the scene, asked.

“Why don’t you go to a nearby village and get a few sora instead? It might be better for your health.”

“Haha, who would give up a cow in this winter? In this mountainous region, a cow is more precious than gold.”

“That was a stupid question.”

A brief conversation did help loosen up my stiff head and make it soft again, but it didn’t solve my worries.

“hmm.”

“What are you worried about that makes you do that?”

“Hmm… … I think I should attack Hamheung… … once.”

“It’s Hamheung.”

Captain Hong blinked several times and then asked General Kim Gyeong-cheon a question.

“But where is Hamheung?”

“… … .”

General Kim Gyeong-cheon’s eyes widened at the answer that he could never have imagined coming from an officer’s mouth.

Then Captain Hong also made an excuse in a hurry.

“Ah, no… … . I have the geography of Gando and the Manchurian people spread out on the palm of my hand, but I only lived in Joseon for a short time when I was young… … .”

“Whew… … At our current marching speed, it takes a full fortnight to walk south from Baekam-eup, where we are, to reach a large city.”

“A big city… … .”

“It is the best city in Hamgyeong Province.”

“Is it a bigger city than Nanam?”

“Originally, Nanam wasn’t even a city. The next largest city in Hamgyeong Province after Hamheung was Gyeongseong County.”

“Oh. Is that so? You’re learning something new.”

General Kim Kyung-cheon touched his forehead to Captain Hong’s words, which seemed to be the first time he had heard of it, even though he was clearly from there.

“Aren’t you too indifferent about your hometown?”

“That’s true. When I think of hometown, all I can think of are the fields and alleyways where I used to play with my friends when I was young.”

Captain Hong looked around as if he was trying to find his unknown hometown.

But in these rugged mountains, it was difficult to know where my hometown was.

“By the way, where is your hometown?”

“It’s a bit awkward to call it my hometown, but… … . The place I was born is Bukcheong-gun, which is also my mother’s hometown. It’s also where my mother, who had been separated from me by a group of evil bandits, met my father, who was a volunteer soldier, again.”

“Bukcheong… … . Let’s see, if it’s Bukcheong… … .”

General Kim Gyeong-cheon took out the military map he had brought from headquarters and looked at it from all angles.

Then, we found Bukcheong County near Hamheung.

“It’s near Hamheung.”

“Oh. Is that so? Now that the commander says it, I feel a little more interested.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

hometown.

It was only a two-letter word, but it touched the hearts of many people.

And among them was Captain Hong Yong-hwan, the only remaining son of General Hong Beom-do and a member of the Korean Independence Corps.

“It’s not something to be dealt with so emotionally. We may or may not succeed in attacking that place… … and even if we succeed, it could provoke the Japanese Empire too much and lead to terrible results.”

Then Captain Hong put the last remaining piece of jerky into his mouth and said.

“I’ve always carried a gun and ammunition in my hands rather than books or pencils since I was a child, so I don’t know much about difficult words or complicated politics. My father is a little better than me, but he’s probably about the same.”

“Hey, Captain Hong.”

“Commander, don’t overcomplicate things. This teacher in Gyeongseong will take care of all these complicated matters.”

“This teacher?”

General Kim Kyung-cheon looked unsure of how to react to the unexpected name.

“Yes, from the uniforms we are wearing now, to the guns and ammunition we are carrying, to the food, and even to the cannons those soldiers are pulling over there… … .”

These were all items that Mr. Lee from Gyeongseong had brought to me.

I’m exaggerating a bit… … No.

To cut out the exaggeration and speak based on the facts, it would be safe to say that the independence army before this teacher appeared and the independence army after he appeared were completely different organizations.

Until then, the independence army was a group of dozens that had been in power in only a few villages, each with their own ideology, political inclination, or class.

Although the independence army, which had been divided through the Bongodong and Cheongsanri incidents, managed to unite into a large group, the independence army that had gathered together was dragged into a foreign war and torn apart.

Of course, many independence fighters tried to gather independence forces together after that, but even after gathering them together, they often fought among themselves or dispersed because they had no way to secure military funds.

But what about now?

Although it was a haphazard effort, the independence army still united as one under the Taegeukgi of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in Shanghai.

Whether they were pro-royalists, leftists, rightists, or anarchists, they all put aside their personal feelings and ideologies and came together with the determination to fight against the Japanese.

This teacher provided shelter for the independence fighters who were exhausted from long battles and life on the run, food to eat to their fill, and even medicine to their compatriots who were always suffering from illness and dying due to a lack of medicine.

That wasn’t all.

Mr. Lee of Gyeongseong provided the independence army with the latest German-made weapons and ammunition so that they could go out and fight at any time, and as if that wasn’t enough, he even revived the Shinheung Military Academy in Yanji.

Similarly, even the family of Lee Hoe-young of the Gyeongju Lee clan, the wealthiest family in Joseon who supported the independence army, squandered their family fortune along the way, but Mr. Lee of Gyeongseong did not spare support not only for the independence army but also for the provisional government in Shanghai.

“Isn’t it amazing?”

“It’s an amazing amount of wealth.”

“Haha! What’s great about this teacher is not just his wealth. Isn’t that map that the battalion commander is holding right now sent by this teacher in Gyeongseong?”

General Kim Kyung-cheon glanced down at the map.

Then think about it for a moment.

‘It really is true that everything I have is the result of the help of this teacher from Gyeongseong.’

The thick winter uniforms and winter coats he and his soldiers were wearing, the long rifles they carried on their shoulders or the small pistols they carried on their waists, and the sturdy, warm leather boots that did not leak a single drop of water… … all of these were things that were difficult to obtain in Manchuria.

“That’s the kind of person this teacher is.”

“… … .”

“So, please trust me and leave it to me.”

Captain Hong’s words completely captured the heart of General Kim Gyeong-cheon, who was shaking like a reed.

Soon, he gave his subordinate soldiers an order that would change the course of the war of independence.

“Good. Then, our army will move south and attack Hamheung, destroy the Japanese forces there, and raise the Taegeukgi flag in the city of Hamheung.”

“Yes, I will follow your orders.”

“And one more thing.”

General Kim Gyeong-cheon tried not to give even the slightest opening.

“Send a quick soldier as a messenger to Yanji, inform Comrade Kim Dong-sam of the change in our operation, and tell him to organize additional reinforcements as soon as possible, cross the Tuman River, and attack Nanam directly.”

“Yes? But even if we send a messenger now, it will take at least a month to reach Yanji and send reinforcements from there to Nanam.”

“Yeah, I know.”

It’s mid-November now.

If we were to spend another month here, in a time zone spanning late fall and early winter… … .

“Winter is coming.”

And when winter comes, the Tuman River freezes over, and Hamgyeong Province, with its rough roads, is hit by such severe cold that even non-locals can’t travel the roads.

General Kim Gyeong-cheon aimed for this very point.

“We will attack Hamhung and cut off all communication lines between the South and Hamgyong Province.”

“Does that mean that after attacking Hamheung, we will not just retreat, but will occupy the place altogether?”

“That’s right. But that period won’t be long.”

General Kim Gyeong-cheon spread out a map and quickly drew a picture on it with a ruler and pencil.

“The Japanese 19th Division is currently being held back by the Government-General, so before this winter ends, we will erase the existence of the 20th Division in Hamgyeong Province and leave this place.”

It was a simple yet terrifying plan.

NIS Agent Tears the Japanese Empire Episode 135