One-Sided Massacre
One-sided massacre.
“Get your troops out safely before we kill your crown prince and turn your entire country into a wasteland.” In short, they wanted to trade the withdrawal of Japanese forces for the safety of the Korean mainland. They figured we’d accept since we couldn’t win anyway. Even with the troops left on the peninsula, Kuroki couldn’t do a thing. The Korean Empire really was meant to collapse. But the more I thought about it, letting these Japanese soldiers go now would only create bigger problems later. To prevent a new war from breaking out, some sacrifices had to be made. If we were going to overturn the Korean Empire this time, we couldn’t accept that offer. Or… there was another way. Just as America wanted a U.S.-Korea-Japan alliance, we could form a Britain-Korea-Japan cooperation that truly recognized Korea as an independent nation in the Far East. Britain would probably prefer the latter if we guaranteed real independence. After all, negotiating with us would be far more reasonable than allying with a nation of idiots who assassinated an emperor.
“Will the British Empire truly protect our Korean Empire?”
“I’ve already received instructions from my government. After the war, we will guarantee Korea’s complete independence and, if necessary, station British troops in Gando.”
British troops in Gando. It wasn’t about claiming the territory outright, but rather dipping their toes into Manchuria while also blocking Russia’s southward advance. That was probably their calculation. Though I doubted the British would go that far themselves. They wouldn’t want to shed the blood of their own citizens—the precious subjects of Great Britain. In the end, it meant we could become Japan’s replacement.
“Can we trust you?”
“As expected, Countess Ok, you’re quick with words. That is correct.”
The fact that the minister himself had rushed here suggested he was quite busy. Moving even the local minister meant they had chosen the path of saving Japan. If Britain openly declared they would save Japan, then we had no choice.
“Very well. We cannot afford any more losses either. What about reparations? More importantly, these are the men who assassinated His Majesty the Emperor.”
“We, the British Empire, will assist Korea and Japan in negotiating reparations at a later date. As for the assassination of your emperor, we will hand over the responsible party, General Kuroki Tamemoto of the First Army, to stand trial in your courts. We will also ensure a formal apology is issued.”
So reparations would be negotiated between Korea and Japan later—meaning, in practice, they had no intention of paying. Accepting this offer would open a new future, but what that future held was still unclear. There was nothing more to say here, and no point in pressing further.
“Understood.”
Jordan left with a relieved expression. This was fucking annoying. I understood their desire to pull Korea into Britain’s sphere of influence, and the reparations issue too—they wanted to mediate and handle things their way. All of it was fucking annoying. Maybe Britain even planned to pit me against Japan again to check Russia, but that wasn’t what I wanted. If Korea achieved complete independence through this proposal, it would only be an extension of the doomed late Joseon era, whose fate had long since declined.
“You’re just letting them go? What kind of bullshit is this? You’re really going to send those bastards home? Did you seriously call that a negotiation?”
Commander Bak Seung-hwan looked thoroughly displeased.
“No. We strike Oyama Iwao while he’s disarming and withdrawing.”
This was actually better. Capturing Oyama Iwao while he disarmed and retreated would be far easier.
“Do you understand what that means?”
“You and the Gando Administrator don’t want to let them go. With Britain involved, the ideal outcome we wanted is impossible. It’s better to wipe them all out.”
Since Britain had intervened, we had to move in our own way—somewhat radically and aggressively.
“Then His Highness the Crown Prince’s safety will be in danger.”
“They won’t be able to touch the crown prince anyway.”
If those bastards had any sense, they wouldn’t lay a hand on the crown prince. After all, there wasn’t only the British legation in Hanseong. I wasn’t sure if they thought we were foolish enough to ignore their threats, but I already had plans for that side.
“How can you be so sure?”
“Japan is already internationally condemned and isolated for assassinating the emperor. If they assassinate the crown prince as well, how would they handle the consequences?”
At that point, even Britain wouldn’t be able to do anything. Even if we slaughtered every last Japanese soldier, would Britain shed blood for Japan? I didn’t think so. They would rather use a somewhat useful monkey than a castrated one to sow discord with Russia.
“Indeed, that makes sense.”
“We never had a choice to begin with. Even if Britain declares direct military intervention, Russia is right next door. What if Russia uses His Majesty’s betrayal as justification to invade and seize Korea before Britain can intervene?”
In short, Russia was the game changer now. If we sided with Britain in this situation, Russia wouldn’t stay still. They’d definitely come south, declaring they would kill us all.
“Hah, I hadn’t thought of that.”
Exactly. We had no choice. At the very least, we had to firmly establish our own value. If I died, that would be fine too—that was what I wanted. It might be troublesome later if they held me responsible, but between one idiot and hundreds of thousands of Japanese soldiers, which was better? Obviously, wiping out the Japanese army gathered in Manchuria with just this one body was far more profitable.
“Britain is already being criticized for allying with Japan, the nation that murdered an emperor and empress. No matter how filthy these colonial empires are, would they really massacre the monarch of an allied nation?”
Yi Beom-yun trusted me, and I succeeded in persuading Bak Seung-hwan as well. If Japan truly abandoned everything, the crown prince might die too—but whether they killed him or not, it would actually be convenient if the Japanese killed that bastard Icheok. The British seemed to think they could get something by threatening us, but I had no intention of playing along. Manchuria’s development could be funded with goods taken from the Qing anyway. Should I ask the gallery again? It’s hard to ask everything in detail, so I’ll only ask what’s necessary.
After Oyama Iwao advances, what if British troops intervene?
[Comment]
Daebungi01: Japan was already branded as the nation that killed an allied monarch. They were already treated like idiots for allying with uncivilized countries because of that. A self-proclaimed gentleman nation that cares about appearances wouldn’t help easily. Even if they did, Russia had troops deployed throughout Manchuria, and if Countess Ok Jin-seo—the Gando Administrator and the Tsar’s favorite—requested it, Russia would’ve driven out the British troops from Korea to maintain their sphere of influence. The answer got long, but the fact that they answered the premise of “if Britain intervenes” means that in reality, Britain won’t intervene militarily here. After all, the Far East Army has already tacitly approved us wiping out the Japanese. No matter how inferior Korea’s combat power is, they’re not idiots who can’t defeat a disarmed army. So let’s kill them without mercy.
Since Britain had already tacitly approved us dealing with the Japanese army, there was no need for restraint. Even if Korea’s combat ability was lacking, they weren’t so incompetent that they couldn’t defeat a disarmed force. Then we would slaughter them without mercy.
St. Petersburg began reviewing mediation proposals, and orders to withdraw were issued to the Japanese Manchurian Army.
“Since Korea has permitted the Japanese withdrawal, return home quickly.”
The British side assured them of safety and told them to go back. The Japanese army had to disarm and hand over all their weapons to the Russian army.
“I still don’t like this. We have 250,000 troops here. The Imperial Army hasn’t lost yet! Handing over all our supplies and leaving like this…”
“There’s no other way.”
Britain had guaranteed their safety. It was proof that Britain hadn’t abandoned the empire yet, so even if things were difficult for a while, they could look to the future again. But something unexpected happened. The Japanese army had planned to return home via Port Arthur—the very place they had desperately wanted—receiving help from the Russian fleet. But before they could even leave Fengtian, an army blocked their path. An army waving the three-legged crow flag and the Taegeukgi. The Korean Empire’s army.
“How can we call ourselves men of Korea if we don’t avenge the military?”
“You may have withdrawn after starting the Imjin War in 1592, but you won’t this time!”
We would capture them all here. The Korean Empire army, united for the emperor’s revenge, prepared to attack the 240,000-strong Japanese force.
“Those crazy Joseon bastards! Are they defying Britain?”
Britain had clearly said something, hadn’t they? They claimed to have tied down the Joseon bastards. They said they had bought enough time for the Japanese Manchurian Army to withdraw. So these Joseon bastards were really willing to fight the British Empire for the sake of avenging their emperor? Yes. If you were hit, you should hit back. It was strange that Joseon had stayed still until now after being beaten. But still, the opponent was Britain. Had the Joseon bastards gone mad with revenge? No matter how blinded they were, they should know Britain was the world’s strongest power.
“How can Korea be so faithless in international relations!”
At Oyama Iwao’s cry, a woman on horseback at the very front stepped forward and sneered.
“You, who killed an allied emperor to seize Korea after the war, dare speak of faith?”
“!!”
If she put it that way, there was nothing to say—but did she have no sense of reality?
“Not a single one of you will return alive from here!”
A declaration that she would kill them all. At the same time, an unpleasant laughter spread widely among the Korean Empire troops. They meant it. They intended to kill every last member of the Imperial Army. That was what they were saying. Oyama Iwao calmly assessed the situation in an instant. ‘At this rate, I have to surrender to the Joseon army. Otherwise, we’ll really all die!’ In the end, Oyama Iwao knelt before the Korean Empire army. For the sake of the future, he could kneel for a moment.
“I-I surrender to you Joseon—no, the Korean Empire! I offer my life, so please treat my soldiers as prisoners of war! If you can collect ransom for the prisoners—”
“Open fire.”
Shots rang out from the Korean Empire troops surrounding the Japanese army. Bullets rained mercilessly toward the Japanese soldiers.
Tududududu! Tang! Tang tang! Tadadang! Tang! Boom!
“N-NOOOOO!”
“Do you think you’ll properly pay ransom by relying on Britain? You’ll probably beg Britain like a loyal dog to get your prisoners back. And your life is obviously forfeit!”
The moment she finished speaking, bullets and shells flew from all directions, slaughtering the Imperial Army. A one-sided massacre with no mercy. This shocking slaughter that could never happen in a civilized nation.
“Aaaagh! Save me!”
“Mother… I want to see my mother!”
The Japanese army collapsed completely. The once-proud Imperial Army scrambled in panic, desperately trying to survive.
“What are the cavalry doing? Kill every last one of those fleeing bastards!”
The Japanese soldiers trying to flee were swept away again by cavalry from Manchuria. The Japanese troops were thoroughly stripped clean by the Korean Empire army, only the order differing. Even those who prostrated themselves begging for mercy, or those who lowered their weapons and tore their clothes to wave white flags—none were spared. The merciless trampling continued. Oyama Iwao could only watch with a devastated expression as his Imperial Army died before his eyes in this futile scene.
“N-No… The soldiers are dying. The Imperial Army is dying without even fighting…”
Watching his men being turned into minced meat with a hollow expression, Oyama Iwao glared at the woman who had given the order to fire.
“You bitch… You won’t die peacefully either!”
At Oyama Iwao’s resentful cry, Ok Jin-seo smiled faintly and raised her gun to her own head. The bullet that lodged in Ok Jin-seo’s head simply fell out. Yes—she proved with her own gun that she wouldn’t die.
“I don’t die, you see?”
“You… what the hell are you?”
Her tone was a bit arrogant, wasn’t it? Ok Jin-seo waved her hand dismissively.
“That’s not something a bastard like you needs to know. You’re just a worthless piece of trash who means nothing in the world I’m trying to survive in.”
In this war that would be called the Russo-Japanese War in this world, Korea would achieve true independence. Oyama Iwao was merely one soldier dying in Manchuria. For Ok Jin-seo, this war was a struggle to survive—a determination to erase as much of the colonial history as possible.
“Y-You bitch!”
Crack.
Oyama Iwao could say no more. Before he knew it, the saber Ok Jin-seo had thrown had severed his neck. Oyama Iwao’s head rolled to Ok Jin-seo’s feet, his face frozen in terror as if he had seen a ghost.
Tadadang! Tudududang! Tang!
The Korean Empire army carried out a one-sided massacre against Oyama Iwao’s main force. Ironically, the various weapons that had been handed over to Russia during disarmament were quietly supplied to the Korean Empire army, creating the bizarre scene of Japanese soldiers being slaughtered with Japanese weapons. And regrettably, this Battle of Fengtian became one of the most complete victories in Korean history, following the Battle of Sal-su. Of course, it was merely the massacre of unarmed Japanese soldiers, but let’s set aside such trivial matters.