Free Web NovelI had now fully understood just how far an uncontrollable madman could complicate a situation.
My head throbbed. A sharp pain tightened behind my temples, and I pressed down hard with my fingers.
Manager Ma, who had immediately handed me headache medicine, watched me with worried eyes.
“Anyway, it looks like we can somehow prevent a war for now. But the problem is, who knows what else he’ll do... it’s frustrating. And that damned Jang Songthaek still hasn’t contacted us. What on earth is he doing?”
“He’s probably gathering people. He can’t pull off something that big alone.”
“He should at least contact us. What a suffocating man...”
Just then, Manager Ma’s phone rang. He checked the caller ID and turned to me.
“Boss, it’s Jang Songthaek.”
“That man couldn’t be polite even if he tried. Put him through.”
I took the phone from Manager Ma and checked the screen. The satellite phone number I had given Jang Songthaek was clearly displayed.
I pressed the call button and raised the phone to my ear.
I said nothing. It wasn’t impossible that Kim Jongil might have detected the satellite call.
— Hello. Is the connection working?
Jang Songthaek spoke first, his voice uneasy. Good. That meant he hadn’t been caught.
“Yes, it’s connected, Deputy Director Jang.”
— Mr. Kim, it’s Jang Songthaek. Where are you right now? Are you in the U.S.?
“No. I’m in China. Did you activate the anti-wiretap device before calling?”
— Of course. It’s a dangerous time.
Only after hearing that he had activated the counter-surveillance device did I ask what I really wanted to know.
“Why is Kim Jongil acting so recklessly? A nuclear test is one thing, but firing two missiles in such a short interval? Has he gone completely insane?”
— ... The missile launch early this morning was something the Chairman decided on his own last night. I only found out when I was summoned.
“So even you didn’t know this was coming. Why did he do it?”
Jang Songthaek spent a long time explaining everything that had happened yesterday.
Listening to him, I could roughly piece together Kim Jongil’s psychological state.
China’s backlash had been far stronger than he expected, which seemed to reinforce his belief that only nuclear weapons could protect him.
“So, what happened? The people who gathered yesterday — they wouldn’t just sit still and watch.”
— Today... he summoned everyone who ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) had been at that meeting. And right there, he dismissed the Minister of State Security who had been leading the gathering. Then he ordered me to serve as acting chief for a while. He also ordered me to root out anyone collaborating with China.
“He ordered you to root them out? Kim Jongil knows full well you’re pro-China.”
— Exactly. That’s why I contacted you in such a hurry.
And that was the reason for his sudden call.
His own head was now on the line — of course he’d panic.
“It might get dangerous. Have you secured enough allies?”
— Allies or not, the atmosphere in Pyongyang is terrible. No one can be free of resentment over the Chairman’s tyranny. Just look at who attended that meeting yesterday — all people too important for him to kill outright. That’s why he only used the State Security Minister as an example. But like people say — the calm before the storm — and that frightens me more than anything, Mr. Kim.
It seemed resistance to Kim Jongil was building far more intensely inside the regime than even I had expected.
“Deputy Director Jang. China, Russia, and the United States all want North Korea to change from within.” free𝑤ebnovel.com
— ... No one knows how much blood will be shed. And honestly, I’m not confident.
“UN sanctions currently being drafted are enough to strangle the entire country. On top of that, China will shut the border completely. Why didn’t he at least notify China before conducting the nuclear test?”
North Korea usually notified China at least a week before a nuclear test or missile launch.
This time, for whatever reason, they had sent unilateral notice only hours before.
That was why their only ally, China, was furious.
There was no political advantage. No matter how I looked at it, it made no sense.
— Everyone opposed it. We said he should at least get China’s permission. No — even without permission, a simple advance notification would have been enough. But the Chairman carried it out without warning.
“Hm.”
His mental state was worse than I expected. I swallowed and began considering how to clean this mess up.
First, I would need a large amount of funds prepared in advance.
“Once the sanctions pass, the dollar supply heading to North Korea will dry up completely. So bring in as much money as possible before that. Use it to secure allies. I’ll arrange everything. Is there a way to bring the money inside?”
— Didn’t you say China would seal the border?
“Yes. And likely even before the resolution passes, China will deploy troops. That means the China route will be nearly impossible. Any alternatives?”
After thinking briefly, he spoke.
— Hm. If China is blocked, there is still the Russia side. But to bring anything in through there, you’d need cooperation from the Russian government or military. Otherwise it’s impossible even to attempt.
“There’s a Russia route?”
— Of course. There’s a separate smuggling route. They even bring in luxury goods using submarines. Money could come through that route. But whether Russia will tolerate it now...
I had underestimated North Korea. Smuggling using submarines, of all things.
Still, it meant there was another route.
“I’ll handle that. Once I finish my schedule in China, I’ll fly to Russia. Prepare everything.”
— Understood. I’ll prepare it.
The word “smuggling” gave me an idea. He said he was acting Minister of State Security, didn’t he?
“Wait. Deputy Director Jang, even though you’re acting minister, you still have full authority, right?”
— Yes. I’ve served as acting minister once before in this manner. All authority is mine.
“You can move forces as well?”
— Of course. The problem is: if I move forces, the Chairman will know in under five minutes. I can’t move State Security troops. My head will roll before I can do anything.
Under Kim Ilsung, the State Security Department held unlimited power.
Under Kim Jongil, its authority was drastically reduced.
Paranoid after an attempted Pyongyang coup, Kim Jongil had ignored all constitutional structures and elevated the National Defense Commission to the supreme ruling organ.
He trusted no one.
He created four- and five-layer overlapping surveillance systems so officials would watch each other, and prohibited any armed unit from moving without his personal approval.
But rules could always be broken.
“Could you move troops through that smuggling route without Kim Jongil knowing?”
— ... Troops, you mean?
“Yes. I’m thinking of infiltrating mercenaries into North Korea to subdue and capture Kim Jongil.”
— Are you talking about the South Korean military?
“Hardly. No state military is allowed to intervene in Pyongyang. I’ll send mercenaries.”
The U.S., China, Russia — and of course South Korea — could not intervene.
Mercenaries were different. They moved for money, bound to no state.
— Mercenaries... can mercenaries defeat regular troops?
He sounded doubtful. But mercenaries were far more capable in infiltration and guerrilla warfare than any regular force.
“In a full-scale war? Maybe not. But infiltration and seizing Kim Jongil? Not a problem. Once he’s secured and you move simultaneously, you can seize power with minimal losses.”
— If we secure the Chairman’s person, the rest isn’t difficult. The Guard Command and State Security won’t be able to move without his orders.
“Good. Then can you move troops through that route? The operation window will be when Kim Jongil holds a party or retreats to a secret villa outside Pyongyang. You’ll have to find out when that happens.”
He hesitated, still conflicted.
“Or you could lure him yourself. One way or another, plan the operation with the objective of securing Kim Jongil and overturning the regime. The mercenaries will follow only your orders.”
— I’ll find a way to bring them in without the Chairman knowing.
“Once sanctions pass and the borders close, internal unrest will erupt. I want everything finished within this year. The longer this drags out, the harder it gets. I don’t know what he’ll do next. He might even fire a nuclear weapon at Seoul. Have you confirmed the location of the nuclear warheads?”
Silence. Silence usually meant yes.
“So you know where they are?”
— The Chairman told me himself. That he had nuclear weapons — and where. I haven’t seen them with my own eyes, but judging from what I inspected around the area, I’m certain they’re there.
“We must secure Kim Jongil and secure the nukes. And those nukes must be handed over to Russia.”
— Is that really necessary? If I seize power, can’t I just... keep them?
What the hell kind of bullshit was that.
The entire international community was in chaos because North Korea possessed nuclear weapons.
“Deputy Director Jang, don’t be greedy. When people have nukes, they want to use them. Even if you don’t fire them, you’ll want to use them as leverage in negotiations. I don’t want you repeating Kim Jongil’s mistakes.”
— ... Understood.
“This is not a request. If you don’t hand over the nuclear weapons, I will do nothing. If the U.S. invades, if China annexes the North, if Russia moves troops demanding the nukes — I won’t lift a finger.”
He swallowed loudly at my cold, realistic threat.
“Do you have any idea how much I’ve lost because of this? And if you betray me for your own profit... the ending won’t be pleasant.”
— ... I understand.
“Contact me once the smuggling route is ready. I’ll have everything prepared.”
The call ended, and I slammed the phone down.
“These bastards, every single one of them only thinks of their own damn greed. Irritating as hell.”
Manager Ma picked up the phone carefully.
“Boss, are you alright? Is something wrong...?”
“I’m fine. Jang Songthaek is the problem. Even with the fire lit under his feet, he still doesn’t want to give up the nukes. Even knowing full well why all this is happening.”
Manager Ma frowned.
“Then why force it? Isn’t the whole point to retrieve the nukes and help Jang Songthaek seize power so we can conduct business afterward? If he’s already acting like this, who knows how he’ll change once he actually takes the regime.”
“There’s no alternative for now. I’ll just have to find a way to keep him on a leash.”
I sighed and checked my watch.
“Anyway, we should get ready to head out.”
The appointment time was approaching. The person Hu Jintao sent would be arriving soon.
As soon as all preparations were finished, Hu Jintao’s envoy arrived with perfect timing.
Following him, we soon arrived at a French-style mansion on the outskirts of Beijing.
And the moment I stepped inside, I couldn’t help but stop in surprise.
Hu Jintao, Wen Jiabao — and someone I had absolutely not expected — were waiting for me.
