NIS Agents Tearing Up the Japanese Empire - Chapter 65



Only Krnovel

Rabbit Hunting (2)

Lord Noda.

It was the name given to Song Byeong-jun, one of the seven traitors of Jeongmi who betrayed the country by pushing for the Jeongmi 7 Treaty, which would have delegated all internal affairs of the Republic of Korea to Japan in 1891.

This is because people called him Lord Noda, after his Japanese name, Noda Heijiro, which of course did not mean it in a good way.

Song Byeong-jun.

What kind of person is he?

He was born the son of a gisaeng, the product of a one-night stand in a noble family, and had a difficult childhood. He was a servant who lived off the land as a concubine of the Yeoheung Min clan.

However, this bastard also had talent for physical exertion, as he passed the military service examination and became a government official. He then went to kill Kim Ok-gyun on the secret orders of Emperor Gojong, but was persuaded by him. After being caught up in the whirlwind of history and being swept up here and there, he succeeded by holding on to Japan.

He was the kind of person who sold out his country and even today, he collects blood and tears from others while living comfortably with his back warm and his stomach full.

However, this person was a thug among thugs who did whatever he wanted, whether it was because he had little education or because he couldn’t forget his habits from his childhood.

However, the difference between Song Byeong-jun and the common thugs on the street is that, unlike other thugs who break down when the police show up, his voice gets louder when the police show up.

“No, didn’t I say I don’t have money?! I said I’d pay you later! How many times do I have to tell you!”

“You said that, but you still haven’t paid for the drinks you had last time.”

“I told you that I would pay for it all at once later! Really… … The people of Hwawollu are so cruel… … .”

Our Lord Noda made a lot of noise in the streets today as well, as he seemed to have enjoyed drinking and having sex with women at a restaurant without spending a single penny.

“… … Then please pay for the hospital bills of the children who got hurt when you threw something at them last time.”

“Why me? Is it my fault? Those bitches treat their customers like shit.”

“But it was a bit harsh to throw objects and hurt the children.”

“What’s so bad? No, even if your mouth is crooked, you should speak straight. Since the landlady of Hwawolru couldn’t properly discipline her subordinates, I educated them in her stead, but shouldn’t she be paying for my education?”

Every word and action was so superficial and absurd, it was like seeing the typical example of someone who rose from the bottom without any education.

“Considering the affection we’ve had over the years, I won’t be accepting tuition, so please use that to cover the cost of drinks last time and today.”

“… … .”

“Oh, what are you doing? Aren’t you going to answer?!”

“Phew… … .”

It was a really good dog.

I would like to describe him in other nice words, but I have watched him from the side.

He was a dog.

I don’t know if it’s because his parents were like that or if he’s just a particularly asshole, but given the current situation, he’s no ordinary asshole.

I followed Song Byeong-jun’s footsteps today, and it was difficult to tell whether this was the daily life of a former bureaucrat who sold out the country or the life of a neighborhood punk with nothing to do.

It was considered noble to drink and cause trouble at bars, and it was common to walk down the street drunk and beat up citizens for bumping shoulders.

‘A personality that gets easily irritated when things don’t go the way they want.’

While following him, he closely monitored and recorded Song Byeong-jun’s every move.

I investigated Song Byeong-jun’s movements by investigating who he usually meets and where he usually goes, and while investigating, one strange thing caught my eye.

“Ahem… … I’m going back now for today.”

“All right.”

Song Byeong-jun returned home around 6 or 7 p.m., and he would send his bodyguards home every time.

Of course, it could be because the Japanese military was guarding his house, but they only stood guard outside the house and did not follow him into the house.

There was nothing particularly strange about the situation, but this was the only thing that could be called special.

‘Hmm… … They let employees in, but they don’t let soldiers into the house?’

There was a faint smell of something fishy.

Although I don’t have any evidence, my sense of smell, which has developed over time from rolling around in the field, caught the pungent smell of Song Byeong-jun’s body with incredible precision.

‘Is there something hidden inside?’

Come to think of it, Song Byeong-jun had been active as a pro-Japanese figure since before the Japan-Korea annexation and had operated the Iljinhoe together with Lee Yong-gu.

And this Iljinhoe was a group created by the Black Dragon Society, which controlled politics and business behind the scenes in the Japanese Empire, in order to annex Joseon, so it is possible that Song Byeong-jun also had some connection to the Black Dragon Society.

‘Things are getting more and more interesting.’

In my head, a picture was being drawn with the Black Dragon Society, Song Byeong-jun, Governor-General Saito, and Yeonpanjang all interestingly intertwined.

Naturally, I was standing at the center of the picture that was drawn in my head.

‘I guess I’ll have to dig around a bit first.’

* * *

If you wanted to know someone’s information or weaknesses, you had to meet someone who was under that person’s command, hated that person the most, and was also good at gathering information.

Of course, finding such people is not an easy task.

In the first place, it was rare for someone to work under someone they disliked, and it was also strange for someone to go around investigating the weaknesses and flaws of someone they disliked, so it was usually difficult to find such people.

“Song Byeong-jun? Why are you bringing up the name of that crazy Susanno who only has money and women in her head? Hey, you’ve just thrown away your ears.”

“Not long ago, I called a shaman and had him eat his flesh, telling him to just get rid of that bastard. But seeing as he’s fine, it seems like even the Jade Emperor has given up on that bastard.”

“What is the ghost of Gyeongseong doing? Can’t you take our Lord Noda away as soon as possible?”

It would have been difficult to find someone like that for anyone else, but Song Byeong-jun, the anti-Seong representative, had many such people.

I can confidently say that if you were to ask people who like Song Byeong-jun, the owner of the Chosun Ilbo, to raise their hands, not a single person would raise their hand because they would all be watching what others think.

The atmosphere at the company was that tense.

‘The popularity of Lord Noda has spread throughout Gyeongseong.’

Just like the great general Xiang Yu, who had conquered the world with just his military force and spirit in the past, Song Byeong-jun seemed to have taken Gyeongseong by storm with his dog-like personality and popularity that even the neighborhood dogs would call him big brother.

Since he was such a popular person, it was very easy to research information about him.

If you call in the Chosun Ilbo reporters and treat them to some drinks and food, information about Song Byeong-jun will come out like a bell.

“Have you ever been to Lord Noda’s house? Probably not any of us.”

“It seems like that old man has hidden a golden calf in his house or something, and he never lets outsiders into his house.”

“Isn’t it true that other traitors like Lee Wan-yong, who were close to Lord Noda, were not even allowed to set foot in our Lord’s house?”

“What on earth could it be? Is it really like the rumors say, that he has taken advantage of his daughter-in-law and created a child out of her?”

“I don’t know about His Excellency the Marquis of Rinoie Kanyo, but Lord Noda is definitely someone who would do that.”

Although the reporters did not know what was in Song Byung-jun’s house, they were able to hear that he was trying to hide something from people.

But I know this much.

“Is there anything else besides that?”

“Um… … anything else?”

“It’s different… … .”

“Ah! Wasn’t it Shin Seok-woo who came over from Shanghai a while ago? I heard that he told Lord Noda to sell this newspaper company.”

“Oh, that news? I heard that too. But didn’t Lord Noda say he wouldn’t sell it?”

“Yes, I don’t understand why someone who normally vows to get rid of the Chosun Ilbo right away is doing that.”

“Shin Seok-woo… … .”

It was someone I knew.

When I was settling down in Shanghai, he was a person who often came to my house to play with Kim Gu and was in charge of the transportation bureau of the provisional government.

But it was the first time I heard that such a person had come over from Shanghai.

‘I had a feeling I hadn’t seen you in Shanghai for a few weeks before I left, but it turns out there was a reason.’

I guess I’ll have to ask Madame about this.

“Wow… There’s no good news.”

As I finished my investigation and closed my notebook, I let out a small sigh, and the reporters who were having a few glasses of soju at the codfish stew in front of me burst into laughter.

“Haha! Our newbie doesn’t know anything yet?”

“That crazy old man is at his best and most comfortable when he has no news.”

“That’s right! If that crazy old man comes to the company by some wind, that day will be very… … Ugh… … .”

“On that day, it was easier to just avoid it and say I was going out to report.”

“Okay, okay.”

They thought I was a new reporter for the Chosun Ilbo.

Since it was common for reporters to be fired and new ones hired, no one seemed to suspect me of anything.

‘I guess I can use this status for a while.’

If you contact Shin Seok-woo and help him take over the Chosun Ilbo, then you will have one more person who can legally operate in Gyeongseong.

When I heard about the internal situation of the newspaper company, Namgung Hoon, the current president of the Chosun Ilbo, received a promise of management independence from Song Byeong-jun and succeeded in increasing newspaper sales by delivering news of the provisional government and overseas independence movements. However, as a result of this backlash, the company seemed to be in financial difficulties due to the persistent censorship and restraint of the Government-General.

‘But it’s a bit strange.’

In that sense, Song Byeong-jun, who thought he could make a lot of money by starting a newspaper company, must be very dissatisfied with the current situation of the Chosun Ilbo, which is eating up money like a whale but not generating even a pittance in income.

However, the fact that he was not selling the newspaper company was like saying to Song Byeong-jun that he really needed the Chosun Ilbo right now.

‘What could Song Byeong-jun gain by holding the newspaper company in his hands? … .’

Even if I tried to infer something, there wasn’t enough information to use as puzzle pieces, so it was useless.

‘I need more information.’

I thought it was just a plan to scare Governor Saito a little, but as the Black Dragon Society and other forces got involved, the scale of the plan grew bigger and bigger, but what do you think?

Since these guys were all going to take care of it later anyway, it was good for me that they were all gathered together like this.

‘Song Byeong-jun and the Black Dragon Society… … It seems certain that there is some kind of connection between the two… … .’

My intuition, built up over time, was telling me that there was some secret here.

‘Should I go in once?’

In the case of Jongno Police Station or Shanghai Bank, people would frequently come and go, and there were separate building guides, so it was easy to figure out the internal structure, but Song Byeong-jun’s house was not like that.

Outside, there were only security forces stationed to protect Song Byeong-jun, and the exact structure of the inside of his mansion is unknown.

There were also many additional employees hired by Song Byeong-jun inside the mansion, and there may have been someone connected to the Black Dragon Society hiding among them.

In other words, this incident boasted a level of difficulty that was completely different from the previous infiltration of Jongno Police Station or Shanghai Bank.

‘I don’t know about anything else, but I’d like to take a quick look at the internal structure, at least to secure an escape route… … .’

If we could just take a quick look inside Song Byeong-jun’s house, it would be a huge help in infiltrating the mansion.

But there was no proper method.

“Ugh… … I’m drunk.”

“This alcohol is a bit strong… … .”

“This is something called codfish roe or something… … I didn’t even realize that alcohol was in the drink when I ate it with this.”

“Ugh, I’m dying!”

Other reporters, who may not have known that I was having these same concerns, had all lost their minds a long time ago after gulping down alcohol while being entranced by the sweet and sour codfish stew.

Still, they didn’t lose their minds to the point of vomiting on the floor, as they ran to the bathroom one by one.

“Hey… … The toilet is going to get clogged today.”

“Should I call Mr. Poopper?”

A reporter’s thoughtless words pierced my ears and struck my mind.

NIS Agent Tears the Japanese Empire Episode 66