NIS Agents Tearing Up the Japanese Empire - Chapter 80



Only Krnovel

Thief (1)

Byeoksusanjang.

It was a building owned by Yun Deok-yeong, the older brother of Yun Taek-yeong, the father of Empress Sunjeong, the wife of Sunjong, the last emperor of the Korean Empire and the last king of Joseon, and thus the uncle of the Empress.

This Byeoksusanjang, which Yun Deok-yeong is said to have built by selling out the country, was not only large in scale, but was also a building built by purchasing all sorts of good materials from overseas with the money earned by squeezing the Korean people like dry rags.

Naturally, Byeoksusanjang boasted a magnificent exterior that was different from the buildings outside.

And Yun Deok-yeong, fearing that he might run into lowly people, bought all of Byeoksusanjang and the hundreds of miles of land around it and made it his private property, so he had a yard so large that he could drive around in his car when he toured his own house.

In order to prevent any conflict between his wife and concubine, he built a house for his beloved concubine within the premises, and also built a building for his beloved daughter, so the entire Yun Deok-yeong family came to live together at Byeoksu Mountain Villa and its surroundings.

“So if your family doesn’t want to hold funerals one after another… … . You understand?”

“… … .”

One gloomy night, when only streetlights twinkled pitifully on the street.

A guest came to Byeoksusanjang.

A gentleman wearing a black long coat that was not suitable for summer and a suit underneath came to see Yun Deok-yeong and immediately held a knife to his neck.

And then all of a sudden, that’s what he said.

“I have to… behave well, right?”

“Wh, what kind of behavior are you talking about?”

“Huh? Your words are a bit short.”

“Huh!”

The sharp tip of the knife gently poked the slender spot between Yun Deok-yeong’s plump body and head.

There was a stinging sensation and a few drops of red blood flowed.

“This is our first time meeting, right? So let’s be polite to each other… … Okay?”

“… … .”

“answer.”

“Yes, I guess so.”

For a moment, the intruder’s expression turned sour.

“Soda? Use it… … . Have you not yet grasped the situation?”

“Yes, I will do that!”

Clearly, the Byeoksu Mountain Lodge where Yun Deok-yeong resided and the surrounding area were places under special management by the Government-General and the Korean garrison.

In particular, since the death of Song Byeong-jun, the safety of the Joseon aristocracy has become a serious social problem (only for them), so security would have been strengthened.

But this intruder barged into the bedroom where Yoon Deok-young was staying as if such things were none of his business.

‘What on earth are you doing out there… …!’

If the idiots outside weren’t blind idiots, this kind of thing couldn’t have happened, and it shouldn’t have happened.

But something happened, and an intruder’s knife was placed on Yoon Deok-yeong’s neck.

“Why do you look away like that, Your Majesty?”

“… … .”

Yoon Deok-young was very annoyed by the intruder’s remarks mentioning the nickname he hated the most, but he could not get angry.

He had no choice but to bravely keep his mouth shut because he felt like he would get his throat slit if he said the wrong thing here and would have to talk to Song Byeong-jun, who had already left.

“Yes, let’s take a look at how much our great lord has stored in the safe.”

“… … .”

The intruder put the dagger to Yoon Deok-yeong’s neck and let him go, but Yoon himself could not understand what the other person was saying and just blinked.

“What are you doing? Should I open the safe?”

“Why the safe… … ?”

“Why? Because I have to pay taxes.”

“Taxes… …? If it’s taxes, I pay them regularly… …?”

Yoon Deok-yeong couldn’t help but be taken aback by the words of a self-proclaimed Ministry of Finance official who came out of nowhere and said he wanted to collect taxes.

He already paid a huge amount of taxes every year from this Byeoksusanjang and other properties, so it was mind-boggling what kind of taxes they were talking about.

“Tsk tsk… … The taxes you’re paying right now are being paid to a terrorist organization that illegally occupied Joseon, and what I’ve come to collect is the only legal organization in South Korea… … .”

“T, a terrorist organization… … ? No, then… … ?”

Only then did Yoon Deok-young notice the presence of the so-called Ministry of Finance… no, just an uninvited guest right in front of him.

“Huh, I heard that there’s a ghost or something like that in Gyeongseong these days… … . Now it looks like some kind of petty thieves are running wild too.”

“Oh… …. You’ve become a little braver?”

“I don’t have a single penny to give to a thief like you!”

Yoon Deok-yeong had no intention of giving even a single penny to that thief.

Even without that, the money to increase security personnel was not easy because the terrifying presence of the ghost of Gyeongseong had returned to Gyeongseong, and there was no money to be given to a thief like that.

“Hmm… … . Our Yoon-ssi… … . It seems like he… … . doesn’t think?”

“Hey! What kind of rude nonsense is that!”

“No, why… … . Do you call someone who can break through the tight security of Byeoksusanjang on a dark night like this and enter the bedroom where our Yoon Deok-yeong sleeps with a concubine just a thief?”

“!!!”

Come to think of it, that’s what happened.

Come to think of it, Yoon Deok-yeong’s concubine, who had been sleeping with him, showed no signs of waking up despite the commotion, and the surroundings were also strangely quiet.

‘Even while I was sleeping, two or three employees were supposed to be waiting around me… …!’

Yun Deok-yeong hurriedly checked the condition of the concubine who was sleeping next to him.

“Master! Master! Get up!”

“Why do you wake up a sleeping person?”

“owner!”

But no matter how much he shook her, his concubine would not open her eyes.

Then, Yoon Deok-yeong looked back, trembling with fear.

“Don’t worry, he’s not dead. He’s just sleeping deeply.”

“You’re sleeping… … ? But how… … ?”

“You didn’t drink coffee this evening, did you?”

“… … !!!”

Yoon Deok-young was not the type of person who usually enjoyed coffee.

Especially if it’s dinner before bed.

That’s why I didn’t drink coffee even though it was served in the evening…

‘There’s some medicine in there!’

Mr. Yoon was so shocked that his spine went cold and the hairs on his body stood on end.

If he was drugging his own dinner, it was hard to guess how many evil spirits were living in his mansion.

Mr. Yoon sat there in shock, lost in thought, but the other person thrust the dagger at him again, as if not giving him time to think.

“Your Majesty, let’s think about it later… … First, shall we try opening the safe?”

“… … .”

“Shall I open it? Or would you like our Lord Daegal to open it for you personally?”

Yoon Deok-young woke up to a cool, sharp sensation on his neck and got up from his seat.

Then he slowly walked to his study where his personal safe was and stopped in front of a large bookshelf in a corner of the study.

“Okay, can you step aside for a moment?”

“Okay.”

When the knife that had been hanging on his neck was removed, Yoon Deok-yeong stroked his neck to check if it was still attached, then placed his hand on the bookshelf again.

Then, as I moved the bookshelf around, it moved to the side, revealing a huge safe hidden behind it.

“Why did you hide such a big safe in your house?”

“… … It’s a personal matter.”

“Do you hate paying taxes that much?”

“… … .”

Yun Deok-yeong opened the safe door without saying anything.

The safe door, which was almost as thick as a person’s head, opened, and what was inside was… … .

“to?”

All he had was a few gold bars, a few stocks or bonds, and a few wads of cash.

For an owner of such a huge home, the contents were quite meager.

“Look, as you can see, I don’t have much wealth… … .”

“Hmm… … . This can’t be happening?”

The intruder tilted his head and looked lost in thought.

Yoon Deok-young must have used all his strength to make excuses to send him back.

“Oh, I paid my taxes a while ago, and it cost me a lot of money. People say I’m the richest person in Gyeongseong, but I’m just a commoner who has to pay my taxes regularly!”

“Um… … . Can you step aside for a moment?”

“Huh? You’re saying… … .”

“Come out to the side.”

The intruder pushed Yoon Deok-young away and walked towards the safe.

Perhaps he is trying to collect whatever contents are lacking.

Yoon Deok-young smiled secretly at his appearance.

‘How stupid, you’re putting in so much effort without even knowing what’s behind it… … .’

But he ran his hand through the safe and started searching for something.

“Isn’t this the place?”

“What are you doing now… … .”

“Oh, sir, just stay there. I will take care of the rest.”

“… … .”

Yoon Deok-young was anxious about his actions.

‘Did you come knowing everything?’

That was impossible.

This safe is an item he bought overseas and paid a high price to bring it in.

So, no one in Joseon, Japan, or even China knew about this safe.

“Ah! It’s here.”

However, the intruder fiddled with the safe a few times like a bear poking through a beehive, and then finally swung open the hidden secret safe door.

When the secret safe that had been hidden was opened, inside were revealed the precious metals that Yoon Deok-yeong had painstakingly collected, a huge amount of gold bars, and bundles of cash.

“Wow… … It’s not even the season for crabs, and they’re full of roe.”

“Now, wait a minute.”

Yoon Deok-yeong opened his eyes and ran to stop the thief, but he was kicked in the stomach for no reason and fell backwards.

“Ugh!”

While he was clutching his stomach and retching on the floor, the thief emptied all the gold, jewels, and cash into a sack he had taken from somewhere.

The bastard robbed the safe with such skill that it seemed like this wasn’t the first or second time he had done this, and it took less than three minutes for everything inside the huge safe to be put into a sack.

“Tch, tch.”

“T, Inom… … . That won’t do! That… … !”

Yun Deok-yeong, who was about to be robbed with his eyes wide open, was furious and grabbed the thief’s pants and tried to grab him, but all he got in return was a brutal kick.

“Oh my, why is someone who knows everything doing this!”

“Ugh!”

“Don’t feel too bad about it, because our Shanghai Provisional Government will collect it.”

“Housekeeper (a nickname for the Shanghai Provisional Government)? You bastard! Do you think you’ll be able to return to Shanghai safely! I’ll definitely chase after you… … .”

“Who is going back to Shanghai?”

“What… … ?!”

At that moment, a dagger was stuck in front of the nose of Yun Deok-yeong, who was rolling on the floor, clutching his stomach.

“Eek!”

Yoon Deok-yeong was startled and stepped back.

“Daegal Lord, do you know why I spared you, Daegal Lord, unlike Noda Lord?”

“Noda… … ?”

Yoon Deok-yeong was dumbfounded by the thief’s words that immediately mentioned Song Byeong-jun.

Why did you suddenly bring up the name of the deceased?

No, before that, what does it mean that Song Byeong-jun and I are different?

Yoon Deok-young felt dizzy.

“Our great lord Daegal is very resourceful, so he must have the talent to save up money in any way he can.”

“… … ?”

“Do you understand what I mean?”

“What is that… … ?”

The thief approached Yun Deok-yeong with a smile, sat him down on the floor, and met his gaze.

“Your Majesty, I think it would be a good idea to collect a bit more than this next time I visit.”

“… … .”

“Oh, and while you’re at it, don’t harass your fellow Koreans. If you hear that I’m squeezing Koreans out of the street to make money… … . The next time you come, I don’t know what I’ll do.”

As he spoke, he pulled out the dagger stuck in the floor and put it away.

Then he took out a ten-won bill that was sticking out of the bag and placed it on Yun Deok-yeong’s cheek.

“They say losing money makes you feel bad, so go out and buy a bowl of seolleongtang with this money and save it diligently.”

“… … .”

The intruder slapped him a couple more times on the cheek and then got up.

Meanwhile, Yoon Deok-young continued to rack his brain, thinking about who his opponent was.

‘Song Byeong-jun and I are different? Does that mean that guy went to see Song Byeong-jun before? But Song Byeong-jun is dead, right? Does that mean that guy killed Song Byeong-jun?’

The Government-General said that Song Byeong-jun died in an accident, but the public said that he would be murdered.

And the culprit is… … .

“Hey, the ghost of Gyeongseong… …?”

Yun Deok-yeong said that without realizing it and then quickly covered his mouth.

The thief who was carrying the bag also heard Yoon Deok-yeong’s words, turned his head slightly, put his index finger to his lips, made a gesture telling him to be quiet, and disappeared into the darkness.

“ah.”

Yoon Deok-young looked at the wide open safe door.

NIS Agent Tears the Japanese Empire Episode 81