The Eastern Knight (3)
If the person who caused the accident is someone I know, wouldn't the world's logic make me more surprised?
Startled by the sudden appearance of Lee Wan-yong's name, I froze and dismissed the meeting.
Then, from the Wolf's Lair, I went straight to the Public Security Committee to find Director and Vice-Chief Yun Chi-ho.
To my surprise,
"It seems I was planning to come find you directly if I had time."
"Hmm?"
Before I could ask, Yun Chi-ho had already read my surprised and displeased expression and understood everything.
He offered me the top seat in the office and himself brought two neatly organized file folders from the bookshelf, handing them to me politely.
"Here are the personal details of Jeon Bong-jun, whom you requested an investigation on, and Lee Wan-yong, whom you were curious about."
"Hah, fast as always."
Surprisingly, Jeon Bong-jun's file was much thicker.
As I flipped through a few pages, striking words caught my eye.
"Unstable, Donghak, vigilant, dangerous...?"
"Although the Youth Committee Chairman vouched for him, I couldn't conduct the investigation half-heartedly."
In fact, Jeon Bong-jun, currently a wild man, was a candidate for review under the recommendation of Kim Gae-nam, the Vanguard Commander and Youth Committee Chairman.
But Yun Chi-ho, the Public Security Vice-Chief, had deployed informants to monitor them in response to my request to purge corrupt bureaucrats and eliminate Dongbi, reactionary groups, and forces across the nation simultaneously.
As I scanned the investigation report, Yun Chi-ho approached, knelt beside me, and spoke.
"Approximately five years of Donghak school life, from entry into the sect to formal preaching activities, lasted about two years."
"Ambiguous number of years."
"Still, he was a major district leader who gathered considerable power in Gobu. He had many followers. However..."
"However?"
"After you, Your Excellency, were exiled to Namwon, didn't the situation of the Donghak change a lot? Similarly, the Youth Committee Chairman's hometown is Gobu, and his relatives were local landlords there, so the treatment of the Donghak changed greatly. I hear that after the Alliance Association branch was established in Gobu, unlike before, the prestige of the Donghak was somewhat diminished and gradually declining."
"Hmm."
According to Yun Chi-ho's explanation, the report also stated that the formal activities of the Alliance Association, speeches on the Three Principles of the People, and the great currents leading to revolution played a decisive role in completely tempering the prestige of the Donghak in various localities.
I silently read the entire report to the last page and calmly assessed Jeon Bong-jun's current situation.
"So, he abandoned the Donghak and joined the Alliance Association."
"Yes, Your Excellency. It's necessary to have a certificate of absolution for himself and for the people of Gobu who briefly joined the Donghak because of him. Currently, the Alliance Association member recruitment in Gobu shows nearly 70% activity, unlike other Jeolla Province branches."
"A friend with a sense of responsibility and the ability to attract people."
70% of Gobu residents as Alliance members is a surprisingly high figure.
'If all the Dongbi and his relatives who were persuaded by Jeon Bong-jun join, it would be quite a few.'
By the way, the Donghak is currently illegal.
Well, I haven't uttered the strange claim that our Republic is a 'religious freedom country!' in official settings or among close associates, so the Donghak was illegal like before.
After setting aside Jeon Bong-jun's file, I clasped my hands in prayer and closed my eyes.
"What is your thought, Vice-Director?"
When I asked for his opinion, Yun Chi-ho, who had developed some sociality by trying various things, straightened his posture and tried to answer honestly.
"I believe it is not a matter for me to decide, Your Excellency."
"Just asking for an opinion."
"Through this investigation, I have felt that this opinion should not be taken lightly."
"Hmm?"
"If I had simply accepted the Youth Committee Chairman's request and not known that Jeon Bong-jun was a Donghak district leader, wouldn't I have evaluated him as a mere enthusiastic party member and not submitted a report? The Public Security Committee needs people who are impartial and can coldly analyze people."
"..."
After Yun Chi-ho finished answering, he looked up again to gauge my reaction.
And from that appearance, I felt a slight emotion.
'People are evolving.'
It's truly difficult and emotionally moving to see humans grow mentally.
The Yun Chi-ho who used to blame others for everything, claiming he was the best in the world but Joseon was ruined so the Korean race was fine even if it perished to Japan, is now unexpectedly praiseworthy.
'... Is this the butterfly effect of successfully achieving the cause of revolution in the pure youth period when passion remains?'
Yes, that was certain.
Yun Chi-ho was also not someone who twisted his body to sell the country as a true pro-Japanese traitor from the beginning, but a human broken by hatred for Joseon after tiring of successive failed modernization movements starting with the Gapsin Coup.
It seemed adults were saying that education in childhood is important.
Having elevated my internal evaluation of Yun Chi-ho, I decided on Jeon Bong-jun's treatment.
"Have him come up to Hanseong. Give a plausible reason."
"Is it an interview?"
"If it's as evaluated by the Public Security Vice-Chief, I would feel satisfied if I saw him directly."
"I will arrange a quick boat passage."
Leaving Yun Chi-ho scribbling something in the small leather notebook I had seen before, I picked up Lee Wan-yong's report.
A new feeling.
The most memorable future collaborator in the history of the Republic of Korea's citizens was in my hands.
"Hmm."
However, unlike Jeon Bong-jun's file, flipping through a few pages revealed a report with little nutritional value.
When blank pages came out, I felt something was off.
"Address, name, birth year, position, school."
Unlike Jeon Bong-jun's report, which was rich with various information such as several years of political activities, assets, and connections, Lee Wan-yong's report was very poor, so I tilted my head.
It couldn't be?
So clean?
After staring at the poor report for a while, I asked Yun Chi-ho.
"Isn't this strange? Isn't this material from before the investigation was fully completed?"
Upon folding the report with that stark difference, I showed my doubt, and Yun Chi-ho, who had been organizing content in the notebook, raised his head and answered.
"It has been properly confirmed, Your Excellency."
"Hmm? This is? Is this all?"
"Yes."
After silently glaring at Yun Chi-ho's eyes for a moment, I realized he was not lying.
It was also the fact that Yun Chi-ho had no need to defend Lee Wan-yong.
So even stranger.
Why was there only such a poor amount of information about Lee Wan-yong?
"It is strange. According to the regular meeting today or the generals' denunciations, he is not a normal human being."
First, giving a high score for understanding Park Yung-hyo and the military generals' interests and submitting that horrific plan.
It is content that no one can easily submit such high-level conspiracy.
Then, Yun Chi-ho tapped his knee with a memory-recalled expression and answered.
"Hmm, he might not be a normal human being."
"What?"
My puzzled expression made Yun Chi-ho feign a chin rest and slowly began to explain his impression of Lee Wan-yong.
"About a month ago, I interviewed him. He came recommended as an Interior Ministry document section manager, and I heard he was competent in English and had opinions on foreign language education, originally planning to apply to the university or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs."
"However?"
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, since Park Jung-yang, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, had some grudge, he couldn't even properly do the interview and was sent away. He entered the university but there are quite old-fashioned people there, so he couldn't endure and left on his own."
He continued, frowning his eyebrows and wrinkling his forehead as if trying to recall Lee Wan-yong's impression.
"His first impression was like a doll."
"Doll...?"
"Yes, I couldn't see even a trace of emotion in the person. I had never seen such an uninteresting human being. At that time, wasn't the Public Security Committee still bustling with people?"
He proudly recounted the time when they arrested people, threw them into jail without questioning or debating, and labeled them as reactionary corrupt bureaucrats.
In summary, I don't know if he is emotionless or fearless.
"Everyone else, upon hearing that the Public Security Committee had come, hugs their family like a farewell forever, but this human had none of that."
"Is it that there's no affection between family? I see he didn't even get married."
"No, it was that there were no emotions at all. He acted as if he was not Lee Wan-yong and responded."
"?"
What kind of talk is that?
Acting as if he was not Lee Wan-yong?
As his explanation plunged deeper into the mire, my expression became strangely distorted, and Yun Chi-ho also seemed troubled, scratching the back of his neck.
He himself had hit the wall while explaining.
Eventually, Yun Chi-ho let out a deep sigh, shook his head, and spoke.
"...He was a mechanical human being. No emotional expression like a doll, and he didn't like anything either. He didn't like women, and there was no information about receiving bribes."
"First, the behind isn't dirty?"
"According to the investigation, yes, it is, Your Excellency."
After the ambiguous report ended, I swallowed a sigh.
About Lee Wan-yong, all I knew was that he was a typical opportunist who switched sides to survive and a collaborator image.
So the remaining method was ultimately.
"Arrange a date for this person too."
"Yes, Your Excellency."
I had no choice but to face him directly.
*****
On the interview day that came like that.
Jeon Bong-jun's impression was not much different from the textbook photo I remembered.
Clear light poured from his eyes, and his firm eyebrows seemed tougher than rubber.
Ah, if there was any other difference, he was a bit more refined person?
"Honored to meet you, Your Excellency!"
"I am glad too."
He was much more refined, not just a little. Much.
"Please take this!"
He smiled at me, left his cane in the corridor for the staff, and handed his black overcoat similar to his suit jacket to the employee.
Then turning back to me,
"It is not an act, Your Excellency! It is truly an honor to meet you directly, President. You are the hero of the people!"
Stunned by his overly flamboyant first impression, I avoided eye contact and changed the subject.
"You shaved all your facial hair?"
"It is not possible to come out like a bandit in a place where a guest is being welcomed."
Unlike the content in the personal information, Jeon Bong-jun's clothing and appearance had changed greatly.
So, unlike the Public Security Committee's investigation, Jeon Bong-jun was.
"Have you prepared new clothes?"
"Ah, did it show to Your Excellency too? This is something the hometown friends in Hanseong prepared so that the country bumpkin wouldn't be looked down on, but it was useless."
"No, it wasn't that meaning..."
It was very neat.
It was not yet at the level of reformed hanbok, but wearing Hanseong clothing similar to that was surprising for a Jeolla Province person, and Jeon Bong-jun was wearing Western-style shoes he had procured and wool socks covering his calves.
What kind of talk?
Modern boy, modern boy!
Jeon Bong-jun had become the modern boy I knew!
'A feeling as if the common sense I knew was crumbling...?'
No matter how he coordinated or what he heard from Kim Gae-nam who recommended him, his topknot was neatly trimmed short like an Enlightenment Party member, with no single hair sticking out, and his facial hair was completely shaved so that his smooth jaw was shiny from the light of the light bulb on the ceiling.
Surprised by the transformation of Jeon Bong-jun that I had never imagined, I stood still, and he swept his jaw and talked to me.
He must have felt something in my meaningful gaze.
"Recently, rare things are being landed in Gunsan, where Western ships come and go. What I am using is also shaving foam from a pre-shaver."
"Completely..."
"Young people these days say that wearing narrow-sleeved clothes with the hem coming up to the waist is the trend. Indeed, there are many people in Hanseong wearing overcoats similar to Western suits. It was completely different from Gobu."
"Ah."
"This shoe was ordered from Namwon. We people don't know Western customs well, but if we look at it, we can make it. The price is high, so we can't afford it!"
"..."
"We read newspapers too! A day or two late, but the telegraph branch came to Gobu and the situation improved a lot. With good security, peddlers increased, and in remote villages like Gobu, the market expanded to two or three days! All thanks to Your Excellency's wise guidance-."
And he talked a lot. Too much.
Unlike the textbook photo of him being carried in a palanquin with a firm resolve to be executed, this 'modernized' guy talked a lot.
Kim Gae-nam, what have you done?