Chapter 50
Chapter 50
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Purge (1)
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Germany and the Soviet Union stood on the brink of their fateful clash in April 1941, but the spring was far from warm.
Both sides pointed fingers at each other, accusing one another of violating the non-aggression pact.
The world held its breath amid the tense atmosphere of a storm about to break.
But in the Korean Empire, far removed from Europe, the fear of war was nowhere to be felt.
On the contrary, sprouts of militarism itching to plunge into war were popping up here and there.
No matter how many you smashed and stomped, you couldn't change this country's nature.
"Let's side with the Soviets and snatch the French colonies—Germany's lapdogs—if we're not allying with the Germans!"
"The Krauts won't even be able to help France once the German-Soviet war blows up. What's there to be scared of?"
Before these poisonous mushrooms could grow, I decided to take action.
If temporary measures didn't work, I'd have no choice but to make a law.
"Any objections to the Public Security Maintenance Law?"
"None."
"None."
"None. Passed!"
Public Security Maintenance Law enacted!
If you're thinking of the Chairman's third-term constitutional amendment, that's a misunderstanding.
"Wh-what? Public Security Maintenance Law? What's that?"
"Oh, that's the club for sweeping away society's unsavory elements. It's the law that feeds rice to militarist wannabes like you lot. Alright, time to enforce it."
The Imperial Korean Assembly was my rubber stamp.
I'd draft a bill at the Prime Minister's residence, pass it to the Assembly without looking, and it'd be legislated and back on my desk in under an hour.
Idiots.
Did they really think they could get away with doing what I told them not to under this dictatorship?
Part of me wanted to revive the revolutionary labor camps and make them read the Yi Seong-jun series three meals a day.
'Hold back. My inner dictator power.'
Amid all that, a corruption scandal broke.
It was embezzlement from an armory by a general on our National Salvation Military Committee.
He'd siphoned off expired tank engines to buy himself some rice cakes?
The scandal didn't make a single line in the papers thanks to the Security Command's preemptive censorship, but it was enough to piss me off.
'I'm already bleeding political capital clamping down on the militarists, and now my own followers are causing trouble.'
Army Minister Kim Seong-ju rushed to me and prostrated himself in apology.
"Your Excellency, I've failed to manage the military. I have no face left."
New Security Commander Lee Jeong-yoon bowed his head as well.
"Your Excellency, it's my fault for failing to monitor the army. I'll take responsibility and step down as commander."
Ha.
"Never mind. What fault is it of yours subordinates? What's that bastard's name?"
"Major General Han Chang-seok. He was the commander of the 120th Regiment in the 16th Reserve Division."
"Cut that bastard out. Discharge him immediately!"
My subordinates' eyes widened in shock at my word.
Even though he was a comrade of the revolution, they were stunned that I wasn't just relieving him of duty but stripping him of his uniform entirely.
But in times like these, you needed shocking measures.
Revolutionary comrade or not, if they became a burden to my power, they had to go.
How could I let anyone undermine Yi Seong-jun, His Excellency, who bore the grave mission of modernizing the fatherland and preserving the nation?
Kim Seong-ju spoke cautiously.
"Um, Your Excellency. Too harsh a measure might unsettle the military."
Of course. It would.
When a general they'd risked their lives for ends up getting his head chopped off for buying rice cakes with public funds, who'd not be dazed?
That's why this was a warning.
No one eating rice cakes with public funds under me gets a pass, revolutionary comrade or otherwise.
Here I was, Yi Seong-jun, living frugally without extravagance, puffing only on cigars— what right did they have to splash out on luxury foreign cars, grand mansions, and stacking gold bars inside?
If they'd lived under Stalin, they wouldn't have even dreamed of it.
So Yi Seong-jun here had no choice but to wield power and show them the bitter taste.
"You there."
"Yes, Prime Minister."
"Why did we stage the revolution?"
"To rejuvenate the Empire."
"And this is rejuvenation? Is this revolution?"
"I-I'm sorry."
I fixed them with a sharp glare.
"I'm making this clear: In the Korean Empire, anyone caught buying rice cakes with public funds won't be spared. No matter who they are."
It was a chilling warning.
"We'll keep it in mind, Your Excellency."
"Go handle it."
The Security Commander and Army Minister bowed at ninety degrees before withdrawing from the office.
I'd been lenient with revolutionary comrades until now, but no more.
As this country's sole ruler, it was time to show even my closest aides the face of an absolute powerholder.
"Chief."
"Yes, Prime Minister."
Jeong Gil-i answered, holding approval documents.
"Do you think I went too far?"
"Not at all. Your Excellency has made a just decision for the country and the people."
"Good."
I'm human too.
Sometimes I wanted someone to understand my decisions, to affirm them.
In that regard, Jeong Gil-i made a fine sounding board.
"Many comrades will be losing their uniforms ahead."
Han Chang-seok was just the beginning.
A military audit would snag plenty of corrupt revolutionary comrades.
Purging them all would inevitably cause unrest in the ranks.
Even so, it had to be done.
Why else would Stalin, who beat so many to death, be hailed as an outstanding ruler?
'Because he eradicated corruption.'
At least in the Stalin era, the Soviet Union had largely escaped the 'corruption' problem.
That's how it rose to superpower status.
If our Korea wanted to become a first-rate power, we had to eliminate corruption too.
The way to do it was simple.
Punish corrupt officials harshly, regardless of regional ties, blood relations, or school connections.
No exceptions meant the elite wouldn't dare commit corruption.
The risk of getting caught was too great.
Without elite corruption, the nation's overall corruption level would drop.
"Care for a light?"
Jeong Gil-i's words made me crave a cigar, but I waved it off.
If I became too much of a chain-smoker, even Yi Seong-jun wouldn't lead the Korean Empire for long.
Since I'd toppled the country in a coup, I had to at least leave it in proper shape before going.
Failing that would make me worse than Spain's dictator Franco.
I, Yi Seong-jun, couldn't end up inferior to that human butcher Franco.
"More importantly, you. There's work to be done."
"Yes. What is it, Your Excellency?"
"Prepare a press conference."
"Pardon?"
"You heard right. Contact the top ten dailies and have them come to the residence."
"Understood."
I sent out the reluctant Jeong Gil-i.
Truth be told, right after the corruption case broke, the thought had hit me.
How could I turn this to my advantage?
That's where the press conference came in.
I had no intention of burying this incident under the rug.
'Crisis is opportunity.'
I wouldn't forgive the corrupt, not even my inner circle.
I wanted to plant that razor-sharp image in the public's mind.
Goebbels had shown just how useful that was in politics.
The only hitch was that this corruption probe might exceed my expectations.
Military crimes usually involved massive profit cartels.
Well, if it got that bad, I'd have to wash my hands clean and cover it up at a suitable point.
I couldn't topple my regime's foundation just to uphold one principle.
Ring ring.
Just as I was lost in thought, the phone rang.
The secretariat must have screened and connected it directly.
Normally, Chief Jeong Gil-i would have taken it, but not this time.
We didn't have many staff at the residence.
"This is Yi Seong-jun."
"Hello, Prime Minister. Jo Tae-su of Taejeong Industries."
Ah, Taejeong?
Our coup army's funding source?
But why was Taejeong contacting me?
Our deals were all wrapped up.
That he'd called the moment I touched the corruption case felt somehow meaningful.
"Good to hear your voice after so long, Chairman. You sound as hale as ever."
"You're the one whose voice carries even more strength, Prime Minister."
Enough chit-chat.
"Chairman."
"Yes, Prime Minister."
"I don't have much time, so I'll give you three minutes. Tell me why you called. My time is very expensive."
I heard Jo Tae-su swallow hard over the line.
Then he spoke cautiously.
"Truth is, I called about Major General Han Chang-seok. I heard he's been arrested—is that true?"
Asked?
More like pressure.
An implicit demand to release him.
I smirked.
This old man had coasted on good terms with our regime solely because he'd funded the coup.
He still hadn't grasped just how powerful a ruler Yi Seong-jun had become.
Time to show him.
Even if I had to bare my teeth and claws.
"Chairman."
"Yes, Prime Minister."
"You just crossed a line."
"Pardon?"
"How dare a civilian meddle in military personnel matters!"
I bellowed, and Jo Tae-su's voice cut off abruptly.
"Let me spell it out once so you get it. I don't know if Han Chang-seok is your military connection or whatever, but I cut him loose. No reversing that decision. So watch yourself. This is your final warning as a comrade from the revolution."
". . ."
I heard Jo Tae-su hang up.
He wouldn't dare treat me casually from now on.
Once hierarchies are reaffirmed, you can't revert to the old relationships.
Even though I'd rightly chewed him out for overstepping, a bitter taste lingered.
I pulled out the cigar I'd been holding back and lit it.