NIS Agents Tearing Up the Japanese Empire - Chapter 95



Only Krnovel

Kyungsung Blues (3)

“I won’t make it long, how much do you want?”

Judging from the fact that he was talking about money right in front of me while I was just picking up my spoon, it seemed that Lieutenant General Shinnosuke, the commander of the Korean garrison, was a bit impatient.

“Heh heh… … . What do you mean… … ?”

“Rumors are spreading all over Jongno that Kuroda Kyuichi of the Chosun Ilbo is in league with the Governor-General of Korea and is acting as the Governor-General’s trumpeter.”

“That’s just a rumor spread by Koreans who like to interpret other people’s circumstances to their own taste.”

“There is too much evidence to say it is just a rumor.”

Lieutenant General Shinnosuke held out a few photographs in front of me.

All of them were photos of Kuroda enjoying a secret meeting alone with Governor-General Saito.

‘It seems like you’ve been following me around very persistently.’

I wondered why the back of my head had been tickling, and it seems there was a reason.

There was no sign of soldiers or anything like that following him around, so I wondered where he got this photo.

“This is a photo sent by the military police.”

“It’s the military police.”

Now that I think about it, I remember that the Japanese Empire did not have a separate intelligence agency that specialized in handling national intelligence-related work.

Most of the tasks such as counterintelligence and overseas operations were handled by the Imperial Police or Military Police, and since Shinnosuke was a soldier, it seems he used the Military Police among them.

‘But how could I not have noticed until I took a picture this close?’

I guess I was a little less nervous when I was disguised as Kuroda, but it still makes no sense that I didn’t notice until I was taking pictures this close.

“hmm.”

“We know where you were, who you were with, and what you did. I hope you remember that.”

Lieutenant General Shinnosuke had a triumphant expression on his face.

Is this an expression of intoxication that says he has completely gained the upper hand?

But my interest was not directed at Shinnosuke, but at the photo.

‘How did you take the photo?’

If it were an era like today where you could just take out your cell phone and take a quick picture with the silent mode on, that would have been understandable, but in this day and age, the only cell phone I had was one that was sleeping in the safe in my Shanghai mansion.

So, if someone was taking my picture, I would definitely hear a sound.

But I didn’t even know that such a photo existed until Lieutenant General Shinnosuke showed it to me.

‘So, you’re saying this picture wasn’t taken of me?’

This is not some kind of display of confidence that cannot be achieved.

At least if the Japanese had tried to taunt me in Gyeongseong, I would have heard about it right away.

Because all the birds of Gyeongseong during the day and the mice of night are on my side.

So I came to the conclusion that this is not my picture.

‘Did you edit other photos to make them look like me?’

In modern times, it is common to intentionally damage and manipulate visual materials such as photographs and videos, but not in this day and age.

‘Um… … isn’t it?’

Looking closely at the photo, there were more than a few awkward parts here and there.

In particular, I noticed slight water marks around my face, as if it had been scratched or scraped with something sharp.

It was a trace so faint that it was difficult to find with the naked eye, but it was also a trace that could be seen if you focused a little.

‘Oh, I was nervous for nothing.’

Well, I’ve been walking around a bit carelessly, but I wasn’t careless enough to let these idiots catch me.

‘Are you trying to blackmail me by fiddling with the photos to get a favorable position for yourself? How cute.’

Still, I felt relieved to confirm once again that my actions had not been exposed to the enemy.

Now, he could focus on tricking Lieutenant General Shinnosuke and extorting money from the Japanese military.

“We just met briefly and had a meal together. It’s not uncommon for a businessman like me to meet with high-ranking officials… … .”

“What would happen if it was revealed that the owner of the most successful newspaper in Joseon was close to the Governor-General of Joseon?”

“well.”

“Marquis Rinoue and his group merely sold out the country, but Kuroda Kyuichi, the owner of the Chosun Ilbo, sold out a country that didn’t even exist… … . That’s what they’ll say.”

“Hahaha, you have a rich imagination.”

Shinnosuke threatened to expose my close relationship with the Governor-General of Korea and damage the credibility of the Chosun Ilbo.

‘Is this the first time you’ve threatened me verbally?’

It was a threat that made me yawn.

Even though I was friendly with the Governor-General of Joseon, the Joseon people didn’t really care about such trivial things.

The reason is simple.

Before Kuroda Kyuichi, the owner of the Chosun Ilbo was Song Byeong-jun, who was the second most vicious pro-Japanese collaborator after Lee Wan-yong.

But did the Chosun Ilbo, which was under Song Byeong-jun, show a friendly attitude toward the Japanese Government-General of Korea or write good articles for them?

Not at all.

Rather, these crazy guys criticized the Japanese Government-General of Korea head-on, pointed out their faults, and wrote an editorial saying that the Japanese Government-General, who couldn’t even do his job properly, should get out quickly.

It is well known to everyone in the 13 provinces of Joseon that the newspaper was suspended or censored several times.

But are you going to tarnish the credibility of the Chosun Ilbo over something like this?

It was a threat that even the neighborhood kids would laugh at.

‘If it were me, rather than trying to solve it with words, I would have just thrown it in a room with no light and left it for three days without doing anything.’

In order to seek cooperation from an unknown person, it was important to recognize that I was in a distant position to the other person.

However, Lieutenant General Shinnosuke, who could not possibly know this, is forcing me to cooperate with him by pushing useless information on me, calling it my weakness.

“Oh my… … General Shinnosuke, why are you doing this?”

I almost burst out laughing at the thought of giving in to such a lame threat, but I clenched my teeth and held it in as long as I could.

“I won’t make much of a long story, you help me out.”

“Uh, how can I help you… … . Ahem… … . You have to tell me how I can help you… … .”

“The Korean garrison… … No, write an article praising the Japanese army!”

“An article praising the Japanese Army… …?”

“Yes, if possible, I wish they would promote the large-scale purge currently underway in the mainland as a major army reform that will overthrow the old regime and reorganize the army into a new one.”

“hmm.”

So, what Shinnosuke meant was that he would use my mouth to suck Ugaki’s butthole all the way over to Tokyo.

The series of events that took place in Tokyo this time caused the Choshu faction to lose power, and the anti-Choshu faction’s leading figures, Army Minister Yamanashi Hanzo, Army Vice Minister Ugaki Kazushige, and Army Ministry Chief of Staff Hideki Tojo, emerged as the central figures of the army.

So, it seems that Shinnosuke also did not go against the trend and tried to cover up the past incident by giving the impression that he would cooperate with them.

‘But I don’t think Dojo will spare Shinnosuke.’

To those he considered his comrades, Hideki Tojo was as kind and compassionate as Buddha, but to those he considered his enemies, he was as cruel as the demons of hell.

In my opinion, Shinnosuke was closer to an enemy than a friend or colleague of Dojo.

‘Tsk tsk… If you wanted to save your seat, you should have gone to Governor-General Saito, not me.’

Shinnosuke stood in the wrong line.

In my opinion, I would have chosen a dog like Miuna or Gouna over a seal, but Tojo and Ugaki already had many dogs loyal to them.

In other words, there were more than enough substitutes to take Shinnosuke’s place.

On the other hand, by embracing Shinnosuke, Governor-General Saito was able to relieve himself of the headache of strengthening the Governor-General’s authority.

However, General Shinnosuke, unaware of this fact, ordered me to suck the rear of the Imperial Japanese Army.

‘How stupid.’

Shinnosuke was a soldier who distinguished himself in the field during the Russo-Japanese War during the turbulent Meiji era, but now he has become someone who goes with the flow, unable to read the flow of the times.

“That… … . Does it matter how I write the content?”

“If possible, I would like to criticize the Navy for spending money without showing any significant results.”

“Oh, yes.”

Shinnosuke said that and handed over an envelope with money.

When I took a quick look, it was a paltry sum compared to what Saito had given me last time.

However, Shinnosuke, who could not have known this fact, spoke to me with a solemn expression as if he had done me a great favor.

“You put in plenty.”

“Oh, thank you.”

The words were already vivid in my mind.

This is the first article I’ve written in a long time.

“You will never regret it.”

“Don’t expect it.”

Only then did Lieutenant General Shinnosuke let out a sigh of relief and picked up his spoon, and I followed suit and picked up my spoon as well.

* * *

And a few days later.

A new editorial column was serialized in the Chosun Ilbo.

[The Invincible Imperial Army of the Empire of Japan. Stand on the Earth!]

It was an editorial written by the owner of the Chosun Ilbo, Kyuichi Kuroda, and it chronicled the changes in the Japanese army over the past several decades of the Japanese Empire.

This editorial, which is easy to read with simple yet stylish illustrations and elegant writing, was published at the end of a serial novel, so readers who had finished reading the novel naturally turned their eyes to the editorial.

[Imperial Army, why are they invincible? Are they invincible because they are the Imperial Army that protects His Majesty the Emperor? Or are they the Imperial Army because they are invincible?]

Kuroda’s editorial praised the Japanese Army from beginning to end, but was also filled with subtle ridicule and contempt for the Navy.

In Joseon, the Governor-General’s dog laughed it off, saying that this time it was taking money from the Japanese military, but the situation in Japan across the sea was a bit different.

[The soldiers of the Imperial Army could have stood up and overthrown the incompetent and corrupt government, unable to stand to see the continued corruption of the government.

But they didn’t.

why?

That’s because it was wrong!

Instead, the invincible imperial army focused on uprooting the roots of corruption that had dug into their very being like a cancer.

For a warrior, showing one’s shameful appearance to others is the most shameful thing, but what is more shameful is turning away from the problem oneself!

Therefore, His Majesty the Emperor’s honorable warriors took upon themselves the rotten roots within the Imperial Army.]

In particular, the part where the large-scale purge operation unilaterally carried out by the Ugaki faction, including the previous Tojo, was described as some kind of decision to save the country, and the part where the shortcomings of the civilian government stained with corruption were pointed out made even those who had some knowledge of the matter tilt their heads in puzzlement.

“I thought the army was full of corrupt people… … . I guess that’s not the case?”

“Wherever you go, there are bound to be one or two people with deep meaning in their hearts.”

“Ugh… … A warrior who stands up for his country and draws his sword!”

In particular, the image of the army, packaged as a warrior who drew his sword even when it was wrong for his lord, fit very well with the emotions of the Japanese people.

The last sentence, which hammers home the image of such a well-packaged army, was also impressive.

[If this invincible army commits a wrongdoing, even Heaven will not forgive their actions!

If their actions are wrong, the earth will shake, the ground will split open, and the wrath of heaven will shake all of Japan… … People of the Empire of Japan, do not be afraid!

The Invincible Emperor is with us!]

“Isn’t it better to have an army that works for the country than government officials who just take money and eat it?”

“What I mean is~”

“Hmm… … . But don’t you think it’s a bit odd for the military to be walking around like this?”

“Haha, this guy is also… … If that was really a problem, someone would have stopped it.”

“Where in the world can you stop the military… … Is it right for the military to intervene in politics in the first place?”

“What if it wasn’t right? If this situation was wrong, His Majesty the Emperor would have stepped in. Wouldn’t that be right?”

“What can His Majesty the Emperor, who has no real power, do? Why don’t you just say that he will punish you from heaven, like the private sector says?”

“Haha! That makes sense. Yeah, if the military really did something wrong, then a natural disaster would come down from the sky.”

This column has helped Japanese citizens view the army in a more favorable light.

Of course, intellectuals still resented the military’s intervention in politics, but they were a relative minority, so no one cared.

“The military should protect the country!”

“Politics for the politicians! War for the soldiers!”

Even though the intellectuals shouted at the top of their lungs, the citizens just laughed at them and said things like this.

“When a country is in chaos, it is natural for the military to step in and sort things out.”

“Their actions are guaranteed by Heaven. If they did something wrong, Heaven will punish them!”

In such a chaotic situation, the night of August passed, and a new morning, the morning of September, rose.

As soon as the news of Prime Minister Kato’s death, who had been battling an illness for a long time, spread to the world, the ground began to shake.

NIS Agent Tears the Japanese Empire Episode 96