Free Web NovelThe United States was, at present, the strongest nation in the world. With the Soviet Union collapsed, no one could check America.
Together with the hyenas of Wall Street, they used the dollar as a weapon to pressure other countries. If that did not work, they would not hesitate to use force as the last resort—literally the world’s policeman, and at the same time, the world’s gangster state.
And yet, an Asian branch director of an intelligence agency belonging to such a haughty nation had waited an entire week just to meet me.
I could not even imagine how twisted Jessica’s guts must have been. ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com
Back in the parking lot, when she was coldly treated, she had worn a face of utter disbelief.
With her pretty looks, dazzling credentials, and the power she held, her pride had to be sky-high.
Yet she hid it well, smiling as she approached me first.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Jessica.”
Jessica greeted me in clumsy Korean. To her, I answered in fluent English.
“If you set an appointment properly like this, I will not refuse the meeting. I would prefer you not to repeat the rudeness from last time.”
I released her hand after our handshake and smiled back. The warning was subtle, but she brushed it off as if it meant nothing and continued the conversation.
“I did not expect you to be this kind of person.”
“This kind of person, you say... well, let us sit down.”
I took my seat first and gestured for Jessica to sit. Once she had, I looked straight into her eyes and asked.
“What kind of person did you take me for? Someone who tolerates rude behavior? Someone idle enough to meet whoever barges in unannounced?”
“...I thought a young businessman would be more open. But surprisingly, you are quite rigid.”
I laughed loudly at Jessica’s reply, which blamed me even after her rudeness.
“It is a matter of manners, Jessica. No matter how kind a person is, they would have been angry at what you said and did that day.”
“...”
“What is it? Do I seem like a mere businessman from a small country, foolishly picking a fight with mighty America?”
It was obvious what she was thinking.
She was the type who took pride in being from a superpower like the United States, and mistook that pride for her own strength.
“I did not disregard America. I disregarded you, Jessica, for your rude behavior. Do not equate your country with yourself. One day, that will bring you disaster.”
Even at my provocation, Jessica kept smiling.
She only smiled, showing nothing else. After rolling her eyes as if choosing her words, she spoke again.
“It was rude, yes. Fine. I admit I made a mistake that day. But Charlie, I only wanted to approach you in a friendly way.”
“Hm... friendly, you say.”
“Of course. Friendly. That is just my nature, who else can I blame?”
She laughed out loud as she said it. I shook my head slightly.
Her mental strength was something to acknowledge, at least.
“Fine. If you say you only wanted to be friendly, I will let that part go. And I understand the surveillance as well. From America’s perspective, I must be a person of interest. But please, do not make it so obvious. It does not feel pleasant being watched.”
“I apologize for that as well. I only thought there might be some way I could help...”
“Let me add one more thing. Do not lie in front of me. You already know everything. What help could you possibly offer? Were you not trying to shake me, thinking you had found my weakness?”
When I cut her words coldly, Jessica closed her mouth.
Nonsense. There was no reason for her to help me.
The disturbance at the warehouse had already been taken care of cleanly. A few had died, but even the bodies had all been disposed of.
There was risk in the fact that some of them had Japanese nationality, but I had received reports that even the injured Japanese had been killed to prevent loose ends.
So, for her to bring it up was not to offer help, but to use it to pressure me.
She meant: we could tell Japan, or tell your government—so behave.
“You may tell Japan, or tell our government. It will not affect me. I was merely present there, nothing more.”
“...”
“Once again—do not lie or make excuses before me. Do not try to test me with cunning words. I believe trust is necessary between people. If that is broken, there is no reason to continue talking.”
Jessica bit her lip, then nodded. I decided not to press her further.
“So, what brings you here? The fact that you came looking for me the very day I returned from Busan to Seoul means it is urgent, doesn’t it?”
“That’s right. I came under orders from Washington. I have already been reprimanded by the administration over the recent incident.”
A faint shadow crossed Jessica’s face.
“Washington wants to know the progress of the task entrusted to you.”
“How much do you know?”
Depending on how much she knew about the secret U.S.–North Korea negotiations, I could gauge her level of clearance. Perhaps she guessed my thoughts, for she smiled broadly again.
“I know most of it. Kim Jongil, peace, participation.”
Just a few cautious keywords, but they contained the entire essence.
So, she knew everything. That meant she was practically at the core of the Bush administration’s circle, closer than the information publicly revealed.
“It is such an important matter that they ordered me to meet you in person. A phone call could always be tapped. But here, at Charlie’s house, there is no such risk, is there?”
I nodded slightly. Given the sensitivity of the matter, a single eavesdrop would mean disaster.
“That is why I came directly. We have already conceded much. We could have gone to Busan, but after what you went through in Pyongyang, I thought it would be rude to disturb someone who was resting.”
To think that someone who knew courtesy had ruined our very first meeting so badly. I laughed inwardly.
“Nothing has progressed. In Pyongyang, I merely experienced something interesting.”
“I heard you spent the whole day with Kim Jongil.”
“Yes, it just happened that way.”
“Can you tell me the details? What you and Kim Jongil talked about, his expressions, his behavior... everything related to him.”
“...”
At her brazen request, I kept silent, staring at her face.
Under my gaze, Jessica seemed to realize something, bowed her head slightly, and added.
“Right now, all information from Pyongyang is blocked. Not just us, but even China and Russia have lost all their human intelligence networks. That is why we need your help.”
Among intelligence methods, HUMINT—information from spies—was the most valuable.
No matter how advanced science and technology became, they could not replace human sources.
Of course Kim Jongil, carrying out bloody purges, would have shut down all flows of information.
Neither the pro-China nor the pro-Russia factions would dare risk crossing him now.
In this total blackout, no one knew more about Pyongyang than I did, having spent so much time with Kim Jongil.
“And why should I tell you? Unless there is some benefit to me.”
“Won’t you someday need our help?”
“You will not persuade me with a promissory note of no maturity.”
While Jessica was flustered, I spoke leisurely and lifted my coffee cup.
To tease her, I decided to toss out a small bait.
“The negotiations with Kim Jongil broke down. More precisely, America’s position was delivered, but before we could hear his reply, a coup took place, and the talks could not continue.”
As I set down the cup after a sip, I felt Jessica’s stare piercing me.
“Really? That’s unexpected. The one in a hurry should be Kim Jongil. He must know America can create a pretext to invade North Korea at any time.”
“For Kim Jongil, internal stability mattered more than negotiations with America. I have already told you what matters. Do you really need more?”
“Of course. I came here for accurate information. So please speak. In return, we will give you one piece of information you want.”
For her to say that to me, who already held knowledge of the future—it must have been a big decision. I could not help but chuckle.
And Jessica caught it. For the first time, the smile disappeared from her face.
“Why are you laughing? Do you think I’m a joke?”
Her voice turned cold in an instant.
“Apologies. It just sounded strange when you said you would give me information I want. To me, it sounded like you know what I want.”
“...”
“It was not meant as provocation. Go ahead. I am curious myself what I might want. If it is real information, then I will tell you everything I know about Pyongyang.”
I wondered what card Jessica was holding.
Confidence returned to her cold face.
“It is the information you will be most curious about. The whereabouts of China’s Vice Premier—and your friend—Wen Jiabao. Is that enough for a deal?”
“Wen Jiabao?”
The last name I expected to hear came out of her mouth. I had indeed been searching for Wen Jiabao’s whereabouts, but it was not easy.
Partly because it had not been my top priority, partly because I lacked sources inside China.
“Hm.”
In the original flow of time, this was something I could never have known. That only made me more curious.
His downfall, the coup in Pyongyang—both were consequences of the altered timeline I had created.
“Well?”
Jessica raised the corner of her mouth, asking boldly.
“I am curious. But whether his whereabouts equal the weight of the information I hold—that is questionable.”
“You could not learn this from anyone else. It is managed directly by China’s top leadership.”
“Top leadership? You mean President Jiang Zemin himself?”
“If you want to know, agree to the deal.”
“Hm...”
Her overconfidence irked me, but I wanted to hear it nonetheless.
“Let us hear it. If I am satisfied, I will tell you everything I know.”
Jessica gave a mischievous smile and wagged her finger.
“No. Empty promises are not trust. Give me your word, and then I will speak first.”
I was caught. She threw my own words back at me, leaving me no ground to argue.
I sighed lightly and nodded.
“Fine. Let us exchange information.”
“Okay. Charlie, I like how short your hesitation is.”
Jessica clapped her hands happily.
Was it really something to be that happy about? But then I realized—it was the first time since we met that I had shown agreement.
“Wen Jiabao is currently detained in a safe house outside Beijing. He has been charged with three crimes: bribery, abuse of authority, and leaking state secrets.”
Bribery and abuse of authority made for good excuses for purges.
The Chinese might not see it as bribery, but their peculiar guanxi culture made exchanging favors an everyday affair.
The higher the rank, the more normal it was. And bribery was always cited when someone high-up was purged.
But leaking state secrets was no small crime. One could not slap that charge without solid grounds.
“Leaking state secrets, you say?”
“Yes. It is confirmed.”
Was Wen Jiabao to be discarded? This was beyond anything I could help with.
“What state secrets, exactly, did he supposedly leak?”
“Well, who knows. Frankly, isn’t it just President Jiang Zemin’s whim? He gave the order himself, and signed the arrest warrant. And now they are erasing all traces of Wen Jiabao across China. You know what that means, Charlie.”
“...”
In a communist state, erasing all traces of a man meant his purge was nearly complete.
“Jiang Zemin’s will is firm. Before he hands power to Hu Jintao in two years, he intends to eliminate every possible rival.”
“So Wen Jiabao is not the only one purged.”
Jessica, her smile gone, nodded.
“The sudden rise of Wen Jiabao’s influence in Shanghai, his allies, and Jiang Zemin, the head of ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) the Shanghai clique—those two were bound to clash eventually.”
The weight I had given to Wen Jiabao’s political standing had turned into a boomerang, twisting history.
