NIS Agents Tearing Up the Japanese Empire - Chapter 164



Only Krnovel

NIS Agent Tears the Japanese Empire Episode 164

John Burr wins… … ? (2)

The transportation and storage facilities had been taken care of through the Daegal Daegam, so now it was time to actually procure the bomb.

Ironically, obtaining a bomb from Gyeongseong was not as difficult as expected.

It’s actually easier than getting a truck and a warehouse.

“How may I help you~?”

An early morning that drags on for no reason.

The Government-General Building, which has been busy with various things, has now regained its leisurely routine.

After a quiet night, a gentleman in a neat suit appeared in front of the Governor-General’s staff who had just started work.

“Well, I heard that the mining industry is booming these days, so I’m thinking of starting my own company.”

“Oh, for the business opening report, please fill out the report form over there and bring it to me so I can process it right away.”

“A report? What report do you want me to write?”

“Haha, sir, if you want to open a company in Joseon, you need permission from the Governor-General, and to do that, you need an official document, right? That’s why I’m asking you to write an application.”

“I see.”

Until then, it was difficult, if not impossible, for either Koreans or Japanese to open a new company fairly due to the company ordinance promulgated by the Governor-General.

The 10s were a time of unprecedented economic prosperity as the Japanese economy grew and benefited from the windfall from the Great War, so there was not much dissatisfaction with maintaining the company order. However, as the war ended in the 1920s and the Japanese economy entered a depression and fell into the abyss, dissatisfaction erupted from all over the place.

Since the March 1st Movement in 1919, the Government-General of Korea had been trembling whenever it heard voices of discontent, so it immediately abolished the company order.

At that time, the Japanese government was desperate to secure gold as the economy, which had barely been contained last year, was on the verge of collapse due to the recent earthquake, various political disputes, and military and security crises.

“It has been processed.”

“Is it over now?”

“Yes! The company address and identity verification are complete. Just write the company name here.”

“So, if I just write my name here, I can hear from the boss?”

“You should write the company name, not the president’s name.”

“Um… … . The name… … .”

The young man, after thinking for a while, wrote the Chinese character 光復 (liberation) in the blank space.

“Liberation… … . What does it mean?”

“It literally means the return of light. It also means to return with sparkling, pure gold.”

“Wow~ That’s a good idea. Liberation… … Liberation… … It’s so catchy and feels great on the lips.”

“I feel so embarrassed because you like me so much.”

The Governor-General’s official chuckled, took out a large seal, and stamped it on the bottom of the application for opening a business just a moment ago.

“It’s over.”

“Are you done?”

“It hasn’t been approved by the higher-ups yet, but it will probably be processed tomorrow or next week at the latest.”

“Then, before that, is it okay to buy some things to prepare for the company’s business?”

“Are you buying something?”

“It’s about buying some land to build a mine, hiring people, and getting the equipment to put in their hands.”

At the mention of buying equipment, the Governor-General’s official chuckled and made a light joke.

“As long as you don’t throw a bomb at the Governor-General’s Office or storm it, it’s okay~”

“What? Hahaha! This guy is funny.”

“Hehe, I hear that often. Well, have a good day today too~”

“Kukuk.”

The young man left the governor’s office, giggling like a madman.

The civil servants had finished work early, and since there was no one working at the Government-General from that early hour, the spacious square in front of the Government-General was deserted.

Even the police officers guarding the entrance had sunken eyes, perhaps because it was before their shift change, and it was suspicious that they had died standing up.

In fact, even when I passed by, he just stared straight ahead and didn’t even turn his head in my direction.

The condition of the building looked so bad that it looked like it would fall over if you hit it, and it seemed like it would be better to put up a signboard than to just leave the corpse standing there.

‘Until a few weeks ago, they were monitoring every single person passing through here and even making a list, but now they’re just letting their guard down and like, what the… ?’

It’s just mind-boggling that people who used to be so concerned about security to the point of being a bit excessive now act like security is not their business after news of Ghost’s death spread.

This was no different from not locking the front door because you caught a big thief.

‘I don’t know if it’s a reaction to the obsessive focus on security that we’ve had all this time, or if it’s just people being easygoing.’

It would have been better for me if the Government-General had not paid any attention to security, but seeing them so blatantly disregarding it made me suspect that it might be a trap.

‘Could it be that Governor Saito doesn’t believe the news of my death? That’s why he set the trap?’

But then again, would you have set a trap knowing when I would show up again?

The more I thought about it, the more it didn’t make sense.

‘What the heck? Did they really not care about security in the first place? That’s strange in its own way… ‘

At that moment, I was briefly glancing at the guard at the entrance and worrying about the dark future of the Government-General on his behalf.

“What? It’s over already?”

Inspector Sasaki, who was leaning against the wall of the Governor-General’s Office and eating a cloud cookie, pretended not to know me.

“Ah, yes… … . Thanks to your help, things went well. Thank you, Inspector Sasaki.”

“Huh? Oh… … That was the setting.”

“Settings? I don’t know what you mean, Sir. Sasaki.”

“… … .”

Inspector Sasaki seemed to panic as if he had finally realized where he was standing, and then he let out a few unnatural coughs.

“Ahem… … I’m glad things worked out well for you.”

“It’s all thanks to Inspector Sasaki.”

On the surface, it sounded like a light greeting, but inside, it was mixed with criticism about why he was surprising people by pretending to know them in a place like this.

Inspector Sasaki seemed to have understood what I was saying, but he avoided my gaze with an embarrassed expression.

“What am I… … .”

“I’m going back to the company this way to order some necessary materials. Please take good care of it, sir. Please.”

This also meant that I would go back and prepare my things later.

“… … I will discuss it with Manager Miwa.”

Inspector Sasaki begged me to please look after him.

“Is that necessary? I understand that Chief Miwa is quite busy with work, so I would like you to take care of this matter.”

“… … .”

“Oh, by the way, I just got something good from my hometown. I’ll send it to you later.”

“… … .”

But I told Inspector Sasaki that I had nothing to say to you, so just do the work I gave you until I got back.

And he never forgets to tell me what to expect when I return.

“Well then, I will take my leave now.”

Now that we have the warehouse, the transport, and the route to get the bomb, it’s time to get moving below the surface and prepare for the action.

The Government-General of Korea killed the ghost of Gyeongseong and even ended hostilities with the Joseon Army (Japanese Army), thus restoring peace.

Of course, not everything is solved.

There was a mountain of work to be done, including the Korean Independence Army that was actively operating in the North, the Shanghai Provisional Government that was slowly starting to establish itself again on the Korean Peninsula while the Government-General was distracted, and various small independence movement groups that had begun to operate underground.

But for now, Gyeongseong is safe.

This fact put the minds of the Governor-General and the Joseon Army Command at ease.

So, both the Imperial Police of the Gyeongmu Bureau and the Joseon Army (Japanese Army) of Yongsan tried to enjoy the peace that had come after a long time and return to their previous leisurely lives.

‘I popped the champagne too early.’

I turned around from the main gate of the Government-General and looked at the Government-General of Korea building.

It is a neat building that shows traces of time here and there, perhaps because it has been around since the days of the Residency-General.

It was right there that the first Resident-General of Korea, Ito Hirobumi, planned to devour Korea, and his successor, Terauchi Masatake, put Ito’s plan into action and devoured Korea.

‘If both of them were alive, I would have held their hands and sent them to the Lord… ‘

It’s unfortunate, but we can’t turn back time.

So now is the time to think about what’s next.

While the Government-General of Korea pops the champagne to celebrate the return of peace, the great villain who disturbs the peace of the Japanese government, the Ghost of Keijo, will hatch a wicked plan to destroy their peace.

“Your Majesty.”

“Yes, yes?”

“It’s January 1st. I heard that the Government-General is holding a ceremony in front of the new Government-General building to celebrate the Lunar New Year. I hope that the ceremony goes well.”

“… … .”

Finally, before leaving the Governor-General’s Office, I gave one order to Inspector Sasaki.

Unlike Korea, where New Year’s Day is celebrated on the lunar calendar, Japan has been celebrating New Year’s Day on the solar calendar since the Meiji Restoration.

So, the upcoming Lunar New Year, January 1, 1924.

On that day, we will gather the Governor-General, the Joseon Army Command, and the citizens of Gyeongseong in front of the new Governor-General building and announce to the world that the ghost is not dead.

“Next year’s New Year, Lunar New Year, event in front of the new Government-General building.”

“… … .”

“Remember, it’s ‘absolutely.’”

Although Inspector Sasaki’s position in the Government-General is ambiguous, he may be able to make a suggestion like this.

Given Governor-General Saito’s personality and the current political situation in colonial Korea, he will likely want to continue the atmosphere of reconciliation with the military, and so will accept Inspector Sasaki’s proposal.

No, it’s okay if you don’t accept it.

If Inspector Sasaki failed, then all that was left to do was send Major Daegal.

What if the Great King fails?

After that, you can send the Marquis to Linois.

If you put a few pennies in the pocket of the Marquis of Renoye, he will take care of it.

Because that’s the kind of person he is.

“Then, let’s really go.”

“… … .”

Since I came to Gyeongseong, there hasn’t been a single day that I wasn’t busy.

I endured my busy schedule, some days with patriotism, and other days with a sense of responsibility.

In these complicated days, there has never been a day as refreshing as today.

And there never will be another time.

“Ugh… … . Tea!”

I left the Governor-General’s Office, stretching slightly.

If you want to get the bombs by the end of this month, under the pretext of mining explosives, the best way is to go to Japan.

It’s a tight schedule, but there’s no such thing as impossible in my dictionary.

It has been that way so far, and it will be that way in the future.

“So, you’re saying that the independence fighters in the north emptied Hamheung and disappeared?”

“Hey… … . Those guys retreated after abandoning Hamheung, which they had worked so hard to capture? Talk about something that makes sense!”

“Even if it’s true… … . My friend in Pyongyang told me this himself!”

As I was about to leave the Governor-General’s Office, I heard the conversation of two Imperial police officers who were just arriving at work.

“It is clear that he fled in a panic upon hearing the news that the Governor-General and the military had reconciled. Otherwise, he would not have fled, abandoning all his military supplies in Hamheung.”

“You threw away military supplies? Where did you hear that?”

“Of course in Pyongyang… … .”

“I know you have a friend, but where did you hear about that friend?”

“You said the military police told you?”

“The military police? Did they go there themselves?”

“Ehehe… … . Did the heavy-assed military police go there themselves? Of course, they heard it while interrogating the Japanese prisoners who came over from there.”

“Prisoners? Are you saying that the independence army released prisoners?”

“That’s what they said.”

The conversation between the two was very interesting.

‘I gave up on Hamheung.’

The Korean Independence Army gave up Hamheung.

At first glance, it seems as if the independence army had made a strategic retreat because they could not overcome their inferiority in military power.

‘A strategic retreat… … We reclaimed our hometown, and now we’re abandoning it again?’

The image of the independence army I had in mind was not that kind of image.

The many independence fighters I met in Shanghai, including Kim Dong-sam, all looked shabby, but their eyes were filled with passion.

There is no way such people would return their homeland without even putting up a proper fight.

‘It looks like they’re doing something in Hamheung.’

My steps towards the train station stopped for a moment.

‘Um… … . Hmm… … .’

When I heard those words, my steps towards crossing over to Japan stopped.

‘Shall we go north?’

My heart was drawn to the north.

The original plan was to go to Japan and get explosives for mining, but if you think about it, wouldn’t it be possible to airlift explosives from the independence army in the North?

If the independence army had not really retreated but was planning another operation, we could help them and receive explosives, or we could even change the plan a little to make it more interesting.

‘For example, by taking some of the independence army units to Gyeongseong, we could turn Gyeongseong into a battlefield starting from New Year’s Day.’

I turned back again.

And I looked at the Japanese flag waving on top of the Government-General Building.

“hmm.”

I created a square frame with my hands and placed the Japanese flag inside it to try to compose the shot.

‘Let’s hang the Taegeukgi over there and take a picture.’

The composition was fine.