NIS Agents Tearing Up the Japanese Empire - Chapter 221



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NIS Agent Tears the Japanese Empire Episode 221

A tall man leaves home and never returns (6)

The Korean Independence Army had barely surpassed 8,000 troops in just over half a year since its reorganization.

At first, we expanded the size of the unit by forming a lower unit with many people who joined, but internally, there were many people who needed to be weeded out.

For example, after filtering out those who were old, physically disabled, or had chronic diseases, and weeding out spies, these were all the combat troops left.

Including the new soldiers currently training in Yeonil, the number would have increased slightly, but since they were not yet at a level suitable for combat, these were the best troops the independence army could deploy for now.

“They say there are more than five times as many enemies as us… … Isn’t that too few?”

“At Bongodong and Cheongsanri, we were able to cut off the Japanese army’s pursuit with a much smaller force.”

“There are more friendly ships now than before, so what is there to be afraid of?”

“That’s right. Just go out and defeat all the enemies!”

The number of independence fighters was by no means small, but the Japanese army was several times more powerful than the independence fighters.

“It will definitely not be an easy fight.”

“Maybe we’ll all die.”

“They’re all dead? Why are you saying that?”

“… … That was a slip of the tongue. I meant that it seemed like it would be a difficult fight.”

“Hmm.”

Of course, it wasn’t entirely unfavorable for the independence army.

“According to the report this teacher brought, the Japanese army is so large that they seem to be concerned about securing drinking water. That’s why they chose Hakpo as a crossing point.”

“Hmm… …! According to the operation plan, the enemy will advance northward along the Tuman River to Hasambong or Namyang.”

“In the meantime, they say they will send small detachments here and there to target the villages of our Korean compatriots.”

The officers looked over the enemy’s confidential documents that the teacher had brought and looked over the enemy’s operational plans and battle deployments.

“Hmm… … . Then there are two main tactics we can choose from.”

All they could do was to either wage guerrilla warfare as they always had, or wait for the enemy at Hasambong and Namyang and then launch a counterattack.

“Maybe we can do both.”

“Anyway, we can decide the battlefield.”

“okay.”

General Kim Dong-sam, who had been listening quietly, nodded and immediately gave an order.

“First, we will evacuate the residents from the Korean villages located in the path of the Japanese army and move them to Yanji, and burn or remove all food and supplies that could be used by the enemy.”

General Kim Dong-sam ordered that all supplies that could be used by the Japanese army be cleared away before the decisive battle.

“Comrade Commander, wouldn’t the residents object? After all, they all have jobs… … .”

“Everyone will say that our actions are unjustified until the Japanese army comes running in front of us.”

“Well… … . It’s not like we really supported or helped them… … .”

Many officers, including the staff, agreed with General Kim Dong-sam’s words, but on the other hand, they were worried about the cold backlash from the local residents.

but.

“If you’re worried about people stealing and burning their property, why don’t you just buy it?”

“… … ?”

Teacher Lee, who had been quietly taking a few photos in the corner of the conference room, suddenly opened his mouth.

“Are you saying we should compensate with money?”

“yes.”

“No, that… … . Do we have enough money for that… … ?”

“As far as I know, it’s hard to even buy ammunition and food.”

“I know that the amount of money you give to Zhang Zuolin every month is not small… … .”

Although the Korean Independence Army had an ambiguous sphere of influence spanning the Soviet Union and Joseon, its headquarters in Yanji was clearly within the sphere of influence of Zhang Zuolin’s Fengtian clique.

The very existence of the independence army created an awkward diplomatic situation with the Japanese government, so in order to avoid the inevitable friction with the Fengtian clique, the owners of this land, a considerable amount of money was paid to them every month.

The time will soon come when you will have to give Zhang Zuolin some money on the side.

In that situation, it was natural for the officers to be worried when the teacher suggested solving the problem with money.

but.

“When have I ever been short on money?”

“ah.”

Mr. Lee’s pockets in Gyeongseong were never empty.

It’s so amazing.

“Haha, where does this teacher’s granary get its money from? It seems like he spent quite a bit of money, but when he looked back, the granary was full.”

“Ahem… … . It’s an industry secret.”

“… … ?”

“Anyway! Don’t worry about money, and use it as much as you want if you need it!”

General Ji Cheong-cheon, commander of the 1st Division of the Korean Independence Army, who had been quietly listening to these words, spoke up.

“If that’s the case… …. We can also use this incident as an opportunity to expand our influence in the Gando region.”

“Expanding power?”

* * *

“Okay, get on quickly.”

As soon as the instructions came down from above, the independence army went to the Korean village along the expected route of the Japanese army and began introducing the residents.

“Please take only your livestock and valuables, and leave everything else behind.”

“You want me to just pack my valuables? Don’t even pack my clothes?”

“Yes, if you go to headquarters, they’ll give you food, clothes, and even a house to live in.”

“What if I go there? Go there and suck your thumb?”

“If you go to headquarters, the government agents there will compensate you for what you lost.”

The soldiers repeatedly promised compensation, but they destroyed every building that had walls and roofs to protect them from the wind and rain, including houses, warehouses, and even stables.

Is that all?

They drove people out, even setting fire to the barley fields that were growing well.

The residents were very indignant at the actions of soldiers and bandits, and they came out with farming tools in their hands and matchlock guns hidden in the corners of their houses, threatening to immediately beat to death both soldiers and bandits.

“Okay, everyone, take your rice!”

“rice?”

I was naturally disarmed in front of the pure white rice.

“What is this? Are you here to return the matchlock gun?”

“Return it? What else do you get for that?”

“Would you like me to exchange it for money? Or rice?”

“… … How much is it in rice?”

“Let’s see… … . A matchlock gun is worth one sack of rice and two mal.”

“… … I came to return it.”

The winter winds that had been blowing fiercely for a while were gradually subsiding, and the season of warm spring breezes was approaching.

The rice harvested in the fall was used up throughout the winter, so the granaries were slowly emptying and people were worried about the barley harvest. When the soldiers started distributing rice, people who had been angry like a pack of ferocious wolves became docile lambs.

“That… … . Will you accept the knife too?”

“No knives allowed.”

“It’s a military knife, but… … .”

“What is it?”

While saying that, there was also someone who brought a Japanese military officer’s sword that he had hidden.

“Will you accept a slightly larger gun?”

“How big is it?”

“As much as our calf?”

Some people even took out machine guns they had hidden.

“… … Where on earth did you get something like this?”

“No, what… … .”

“It was used by a group of pirates… … .”

“Ahem… … . As I was collecting the body… … .”

“… … .”

In this way, the independence army, which had instilled trust in the residents by collecting illegal weapons, sent people up to Yeongil indiscriminately.

Officials of the Shanghai Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea’s Jiandao Office, who had been conducting basic censuses only in Yanji and its surrounding areas, smiled broadly as they looked at the residents being sent up indiscriminately by the soldiers.

“How many people are there in all!”

From their perspective, sorting people and distributing supplies was a lot of hard labor, but if they could settle in, they would all become potential taxpayers.

It was a good thing because it filled in the gaps in the census of the Gando region that had been insufficient, thereby increasing the provisional government’s influence in Gando.

“Come on! There’s a lot of rice, so everyone, stop pushing and come here and get some rice!”

“The rice sack is quite heavy. Why is a woman carrying it?”

“Just put it on and it will go well.”

“Ugh… … . Since we’re not going to steal this, go over there and get the address of your residence, that is, the address where you’re going to be given the house, and bring it here and we’ll deliver it to you.”

“You’re giving me a house too?”

“It’s a temporary place to stay. You can continue to live here if you want.”

By distributing rice and housing in this way, even the people who were forcibly dragged to Yanji were greatly satisfied.

“The house is already getting old and it’s time to fix it… … . It’s a good thing… … .”

“No, and if you just write your name on the resident registration card here, they’ll write down some kind of number, and if you just have that, they’ll teach your son for free at school.”

“They said that if you go to the government office in the middle of the city and say you want to live there, they’ll give you some land.”

“What?! To the ground?”

When the independence army and the provisional government came forward and began to distribute things to the residents without restrictions, the rumor quickly spread throughout the Gando region.

“What? The Japanese army crossed the river and invaded?”

“What! The independence army is giving us rice and even land for our house!”

“What?! You kid just said you were a member of the independence army… …!”

If there’s one thing that’s funny.

“That… … . I want to be Korean too… … .”

“… … ?”

“That’s because I was born in mainland China, but if you look into my roots, I’m definitely Korean.”

There are Chinese people who immediately claim to be Korean.

“Can’t I be Korean too?”

“Where did you come from, teacher?”

“I used to live in mainland Japan, but when things got crazy there, I just ran away… … .”

Even refugees in mainland Japan heard the news and gathered in groups of three or four.

And to take it a step further.

“Give us some food to eat.”

“What is this?”

Even people who spoke unfamiliar Russian streamed into the smoke.

“Where did you get all these guys from?”

“It seems like the kids are going around the whole town and sending everyone who looks like a human here?”

“Huh, really… … . You’re working hard.”

Anyway.

Yanji was bustling with Koreans who had fled from Joseon, Chinese who had fled from mainland China, Japanese who had fled from Japan, and even Russians from the White Army who had fled from the Red Wave of the Soviet Union.

“… … .”

“Isn’t it really nice to look at?”

“… … .”

The heart of the water owner who was looking at this… … No, his wallet was torn apart.

It wasn’t a big blow since I still had a lot of money left over from beating Beria, but I couldn’t help but feel a little sorry, as I’m only human.

“… … Aren’t there too many people?”

“Haha, didn’t I tell you to bring as many as you want?”

“That’s true.”

The streets were crowded with people.

“hmm…….”

“Is that… too many? Then let’s just limit the work to Koreans… .”

“No, it’s okay.”

“huh?”

“I just had a good idea.”

Seeing all these people bustling around gave me a good idea.

“Can I just write a telegram?”

“A telegram? Where are you sending it?”

“To Gyeongseong.”

“?”

* * *

“I beg you… … . I beg you… … . God, Buddha, Supreme Laojun, Allah, ancestors… … .”

In Gyeongseong’s Byeoksusanjang, our great lord Daegal was praying to heaven in a shrine where someone’s memorial tablet was kept.

“Please, let Gyeongseong Trading Co. ride the upward trend… … . I will take exactly the principal, no more, no less. Even for the sake of this poor guy… … .”

Our great lord Daegal was diligently offering a sacrifice to heaven with an expensive pig’s head.

“Nari~ Nari~”

Then, the servant called for Lord Daegal.

“Who’s there? Are you finished?”

“Yes, it’s the last one. I got a telegram from the post office today, and Nari’s name is written on it~”

“Really? Bring it.”

When Daegal heard that someone had sent a telegram, he naturally thought of this teacher.

‘Come to think of it, I heard something big happened in the North… … .’

A while ago.

When Daegal Daegam heard the news that the Japanese army in the north was making large-scale movements, he recalled the time when General Kim Gyeong-cheon and the independence army, who were resting at Byeoksu Mountain Lodge, had advanced north.

‘I wonder if everyone went up okay? If something goes wrong in the middle, I’ll end up being the only one to blame… ‘

The great lord slowly unfolded the telegram, feeling irritated by his needless worry.

Then there was something in it that caught his interest.

[Securing business items in Yeonil. Need agent.]

It was news that smelled like money just by looking at it.

“Butler, butleraaaaaaaaa!!!!”

“Yes? You called… … .”

“Go to Jongno right now and find some businessmen who want to work for me! Quickly!”

“Yes? A businessman… … ?”

“Yeah! Bring me someone who looks smart and honest, whether he’s a swindler or not!”

“???”

The butler looked puzzled at the strange order of the great lord, but our great lord was very happy at the thought of making money.