NIS Agents Tearing Up the Japanese Empire - Chapter 188



Only Krnovel

NIS Agent Tears the Japanese Empire Episode 188

Distrust (3)

The Army Ministry on the mainland organized an army under the orders of Emperor Taisho to suppress the unrest in Korea and suppress the armed groups that were disrupting public order.

The Army Ministry formed an expeditionary force centered on the 1st, 4th, and 14th Divisions of the Japanese Army that had been on the Imperial Palace perimeter during the so-called “Tokyo Battle” that took place in Tokyo last time.

The 1st Division of the Army not only took the lead in invading the Imperial Palace but also destroyed its walls, while the 14th Division was the unit that fought most fiercely against the Navy’s Land Forces and was suspected of firing shells at the place where the Emperor resided, so neither of them had any major complaints.

However, the 4th Division from Osaka was dissatisfied with their inclusion in the expeditionary force.

“We have never committed treason, and when fighting broke out, we stayed away and only focused on maintaining order. Why should we go there?”

The 4th Division from Osaka, the Empire of Japan, was summoned by the Army Ministry during the Tokyo Campaign, but they went up to the capital via Suro. However, they never participated in the battle.

Everyone retreated to the rear and devoted themselves to maintaining public order and rescuing the injured.

However, since they were treated the same way as the previous rebel unit, it was only natural that the division commander, Lieutenant General Chotaro Muraoka, would vent his anger.

But what can we do?

“His Majesty the Emperor is very angry… … He even gave instructions that all the units that participated in the last Tokyo Campaign should volunteer for this expedition and prove their loyalty.”

“No, we didn’t do anything… … .”

“It doesn’t matter what you did or didn’t do! Right now, His Majesty the Emperor is doubting the loyalty of the army itself.”

So, at times like these, the Army Ministry had to prove that the Army’s loyalty to His Majesty the Emperor still existed.

Otherwise… … . Even if they are just puppets, the wrath of the imperial family, who sit as the monarchs of a country, will be poured out on the army.

And the army, which was hit hard by that wrath, will be torn apart by the winds of disarmament.

“So, please let me pass just this once.”

“… … .”

“Please.”

“Phew… … .”

In the end, Lieutenant General Muraoka had no choice but to put aside his personal grievances for the sake of the army and cross the Korea Strait.

“Huh… … So you’re telling us to head north now, join up with General Kanno’s force, and attack the navy in Heungnam?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“What the hell is this!”

Clearly, the expeditionary force’s purpose was to wipe out the armed group of rebels who had occupied the northern part of the Korean Peninsula.

But when you actually arrive at the location, you are told to fight the navy instead of the Bulyeongseon people.

“Has Commander Shinnosuke finally gone mad? Why on earth do we have to fight the Navy?”

“At a time when His Majesty the Emperor is already looking upon the deep rift between the Army and the Navy with displeasure, this… … .”

“If we make a mistake, there is a possibility that we will be accused of being traitors.”

The intentions of other division commanders were not much different from Muraoka’s.

The 1st and 14th Divisions were already suspected of being loyal to the Imperial Palace because they had a history of destroying it and injuring His Majesty the Emperor while fighting the Navy. If they fight the Navy again… … .

“We will never be able to prove our loyalty again.”

“Perhaps the whole division will disappear.”

“Let’s go up to Yongsan first. We need to go and meet Commander Shinnosuke in person and hear his story!”

Naturally, the industrial complex managers were collectively angry.

But it wasn’t as if Commander Shinnosuke hadn’t expected this.

“This is a letter sent directly from His Excellency the Commander to each division commander. Please… … .”

“letter?”

Commander Shinnosuke wrote a detailed account in his own handwritten letter of what had happened in Joseon and what Admiral Hara was currently doing in Heungnam.

Of course, there were some parts mixed in between that looked at the incident from the army’s perspective, but it was not a significant distortion or error from the facts.

However, depending on the viewer, it contained content that could make their blood boil or cause anger.

“What?! The Navy guys hunted down the Army officers like rabbits in a hunting ground?”

“… … Not only do they torture us to extract false confessions, but they even attack our own soldiers to cover up their mistakes?”

“From now on, all communication lines have been cut off and all communication is being refused… … . Heh heh… … .”

Anyone who looked at the Navy’s appearance in Commander Shinnosuke’s letter could tell that it was thirsting for blood.

“In the end… … . you want to see blood.”

“We’ve already seen the blood. Now it’s time to see how we react.”

“Anyway… … .”

Crumple.

Muraoka crumpled up the letter and threw it roughly on the floor.

“… … From the moment we set foot on Joseon soil, we have been indirectly involved in this problem.”

“… … .”

“Oh my head… … .”

There was no way out of this.

Here, they are ignoring the demands of Commander Shinnosuke of the Korean Army (Japanese Army) Command, who is nominally their superior, and only faithfully carrying out their own roles?

Yeah, you guys helped the Navy by moving independently without listening to orders from your superiors~

You are traitors to the army~

Then, what if we follow Commander Shinnosuke’s orders and head north to Heungnam to attack the navy?

You destroyed the palace where His Majesty the Emperor resides, and now you are attacking the Emperor’s army to benefit the enemy.

Yeah, you guys are traitors~

“You’re going to turn back.”

It’s a multiple choice game of death.

Will you be a traitor or a rebel?

That was the problem.

“… … What are you all going to do?”

Lieutenant General Muraoka watched the reactions of the other division commanders.

But it seemed like the two had already made up their minds.

“Ahem… … . It is an order from above… … .”

“Since you have lost face, I think it would be my duty as a junior to cheer you up.”

“… … .”

At the same time, he secretly invited Lieutenant General Muraoka to join as well.

“This is… … . What on earth were those Navy guys thinking when they did something like this?”

“When did those guys ever think? They all seem to have stopped at a level of thinking before the Yushin era, and they always think that they are the lords of the Warring States period in their own territory.”

“Huh… … . So you’re saying that you think of the Navy as your territory… … . This is really a big problem.”

“So, Lieutenant General Muraoka.”

They were smiling, but their hearts were dark.

“In these difficult times… … . I think it would be a little bit more powerful if people who have worked together in Tokyo during these difficult times got together and got on the same side.”

Muraoka sighed.

‘The Navy guys did this… … If I leave here, it’ll only hurt my reputation.’

And if you really look at it, the Army is a tightly knit group centered around the huge academic networks of the Military Academy and the Army University.

Here, it’s like the saying that a square peg hits a round hole, and if you try to stand out, you’ll only end up getting hit.

The successful one becomes king, the defeated one becomes a rebel.

This is an old Chinese idiom that says the winner becomes a king and the loser becomes a thief.

Incidentally, there is a similar saying in Japan.

‘If you win, you are the government troops, if you lose, you are a traitor.’

Muraoka wanted to remain in the government army if possible.

That’s why I smiled bitterly and looked at the other division commanders.

“The Imperial Japanese Army is all on the same side.”

Everyone burst into laughter at Muraoka’s words.

* * *

As the chilly weather continues.

The year has changed.

In the temple, the bells were rung to welcome the new year, and the people of Heungnam went to the temple to express their anticipation for the new year and pray for good fortune.

But the soldiers did not.

The sailors of Heungnam realized that the new year had arrived only when they heard the temple bell ringing from afar.

“Fuck… … . It’s going to be a mess starting from the new year.”

“That’s true.”

“Phew… … .”

While everyone in the world was regretting the past year and filled with anticipation for the new year to come, the Imperial Japanese Navy soldiers in Heungnam were trembling with a sense of crisis, not knowing when they might die.

“Did you see the big fight between Admiral Hara and the captain who came from the mainland a while ago?”

“No, I was cleaning the deck at that time.”

“Ugh… … . Don’t be ridiculous. I was cleaning the bridge corridor at that time, and you were yelling so fiercely… … .”

“Why? How serious was it?”

“Um… … . I didn’t hear it in detail… … . They said that if we lose the fight, the Army might brand the entire Navy as traitors.”

“What? Then we’re in big trouble!”

“yes…….”

Moreover, the atmosphere was in turmoil as rumors spread among the soldiers.

“But who are you?”

“What? Hey you little punk, can’t you even recognize your motives?”

“Motivation… …? I don’t have any motivation?”

“Um… … . Really?”

puck.

There were even rare incidents of sailors disappearing while on duty, and morale was heading towards its worst.

The higher-ups said that the desertion was caused by terrified sailors, but… … the soldiers did not believe it.

“It’s all a ghost’s curse.”

“The Ghost’s Curse? What is that?”

“Why, last time, our guys had a fight with an army agent called the Ghost of Gyeongseong on Heungnam Street.”

“Ah… … . That? Why is that?”

“At that time, I accidentally killed an old man who was with an agent… …. They say that because of that, the ghost of Gyeongseong held a grudge and put a curse on us.”

In these ominous times, ominous rumors spread, and the morale of the soldiers quickly fell.

“In a world like today, what is a curse…?”

“What? You don’t believe in ghosts?”

“Would you believe me? Enough with the nonsense, and get to work properly.”

But as they say, rumors stop when they reach the wise.

Not all soldiers believed these ominous rumors.

“Is that so because I said it’s true?”

“Stop whining and just do your work.”

“Oh my… … .”

“I’m going. Take care.”

The sailor was about to return to his hammock after his night shift.

It was always eerie to walk the desolate deck in the dark of night, relying on a single gas lamp, but I didn’t mind because I was more tired.

“Eww! Ugh… … It’s so fucking cold.”

On a cold day like this, I desperately wanted to eat the red bean porridge my mother made for me.

If you put a chewy rice cake on sweet red bean porridge and top it with sour pickled plum, it will be like…

“Ugh… … .”

Wow… … It was a taste I missed.

When it was cold like this, his mother would boil red bean porridge and give it to her father and herself when he came home from work.

It was just a bowl of plain red bean porridge, but the whole family smiled happily.

“Should I try to persuade the cook to make me just one bowl of red bean porridge tomorrow?”

As I was walking back, thinking about this and that.

“Hey! Hey!!!”

“?”

The shift changer who was supposed to be on duty came running from afar, calling out to him desperately.

“What? What are you doing here instead of working?”

“Gasp gasp… … . You really don’t believe in ghosts?”

“What? What the hell are you talking about?”

I was starting to get annoyed when a guy who was supposed to be on duty suddenly came running up to me and started telling me old ghost stories.

“Enough with the useless ghost talk, and go do your job properly, you idiot… … . You idiot… … .”

That moment when anger was rising.

Something occurred to me and my anger subsided.

‘By the way, today’s replacement is Cookie… … ?’

It was dark so he couldn’t see the face very well, but this guy… … This guy was a bit bigger than the Cookie he knew… … A lot bigger.

“You… … are you a cookie?”

“Is that right?”

“… … !”

In that moment, the hairs on my back stood on end and my legs gave out.

“Who, who… … .”

“I told you I was coming.”

“A, again… … ? Ah!”

He recalled the ghost story from earlier.

Then a ghost asked in the darkness.

“You still don’t believe in ghosts?”

“Me, me… … .”

His mouth was barely moving due to fear.

But there was no need to say it.

In this situation, there was no need to say anything.

After a while.

When Private Cookie, the replacement, came up onto the deck, yawning, all he could see was a gas lamp that had lost its owner.

The worker was not visible.

“What? Kuroda~ Kuroda~ Where did that kid go?”

In this way, ghost stories never ceased.