The Joseon Prince Went To America And Didn’t Return – 175



< Shinheung Training Center (2) >

‘this.’

Kim Joa-jin couldn’t move an inch because of the strangers who barged in last night.

Because of them both my hands and both my feet were not free.

“Ugh ugh- Ugh ugh-”

His mouth is also gagged so he cannot speak properly.

“Ugh ugh- Ugh ugh-”

This was the same for other motives as well.

“Ugh ugh- Ugh ugh-”

“Ugh ugh- Ugh ugh-”

However they all had better facial features than Kim Jo-jin.

Unlike Kim Jo-jin who caused a commotion during the kidnapping process his comrades were so drunk that they didn’t even realize that someone was carrying them away.

“It’s a moonfish.”

A group of masked men approached them.

“omg-”

As a representative he released Kim Joa-jin from his reins.

At this Kim Joa-jin glared at them with a venomous gaze.

“Who are you?”

“He’s a bit impatient. That’s the question we wanted to ask.”

The one who appeared to be the leader looked down at Kim Joa-jin and asked.

“You guys are from Mokseoga?”

“….”

Kim Joa-jin instinctively felt that something was wrong.

That’s why he chose silence rather than answer.

At this another tall masked figure crouched down and exchanged glances with Kim Joa-jin.

“There is no answer.”

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“….”

“Ha! Are you going to remain silent?”

“….”

“Then let me introduce you to our true identity which you are so eager to know. We are… from Iljinhoe.”

“Ugh-”

“Ugh-”

As soon as the word ‘Iljinhoe’ comes out the other classmates who had been holding their mouths shut start to glare and have fits.

This is because the group called Iljinhoe was the most vicious of the pro-Japanese groups.

“It’s an atmosphere that I didn’t expect at all.”

“Ugh-”

“Ugh-”

“The Japanese army is not allowed to enter and exit the North Gando region but aren’t we any different? We are also Koreans. Why do you make such an expression as if we are not allowed to enter this place?”

Graduates from Tijuana began to shed tears of sorrow at their inadequacy.

The masked men looked down at them with contemptuous eyes.

“What advanced information do you have?”

“Ugh-”

“Ugh-”

“I’m really curious. How much money it will make.”

“That’s right. If you do this well you can eat beef until your stomach explodes. Isn’t that right sir?”

Hehehehe-

Masked men laughing out loud in an unpleasant way.

Kim Jo-jin and his classmates looked at them with fearful expressions and began to tremble.

Because their personal safety was exposed in front of traitors worse than the Japanese.

* * *

“Eww!!!! Oww!!!”

An eardrum-piercing scream echoed throughout the area.

If this had happened in the city another Korean would have come running and rescued them long ago.

However the movie theater they originally stayed at was located on the outskirts of Hunchun.

The place where they were taken and imprisoned was an old house deep in the mountains further away than the movie theater.

‘Damn.’

The scenery outside the window caught Kim Jo-jin’s eye.

Outside there were only trees.

An environment where noise is difficult to spread widely.

Is that why?

The Iljinhoe members seemed to have no hesitation in torturing those they captured.

“Ugh.”

The smell of salt spread more and more.

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My stomach was growling from starving for four days but the smell of my colleagues’ flesh was truly repulsive.

“I will tell you my story.”

The colleague who had been dragged to the next room eventually declared surrender and said he would tell everything.

This is the second one.

He ended up succumbing to torture.

“See? I told you that hot skewers are the best!”

“No. I said soaking it in water for a while is the best!”

Creepy expressions are exchanged among the members of Iljinhoe.

Are you confident now?

All the masks were taken off.

“Ugh. It smells.”

Since there was no separate place to relieve themselves the area where Kim Jo-jin and the cadets were was filled with excrement.

One of the Iljinhoe members who returned to the place briefly blocked his nose with his right index finger and thumb.

“Our students. It’s already been four days. It’s time to go to sleep. Please cooperate.”

The man raised his right hand and continued speaking.

“Let’s raise our hands and shout ‘It’s me.’ Oh I asked my brother and he said we can take only a few of the people who provided information. We can kill the rest and take only their ears so raise your hands if you are willing to tell the truth.”

It is a place where extreme fear reigns.

A place where you can be easily swayed if you don’t usually have an unwavering spirit.

“It’s me.”

“Me too.”

One by one the cadets from San Francisco begin to speak.

My hands were tied so I couldn’t lift it.

“Why are only the guys from San Francisco raising their hands?”

“Oh no how.”

“How did you know? I know because all the guys who were dragged away earlier blew it up.”

The man snickered and mocked those who declared their cooperation.

“Hey. But seeing my comrades being tortured. I guess my heart has broken a little. Unlike those guys here in Tijuana.”

“….”

“….”

“You guys? Are you going to keep your mouths shut until the end?”

It was even reported to have come from Tijuana Mexico.

Then one man closed his eyes and started screaming at the top of his lungs.

“Damn it! I’m on the same side. I have someone to prove it so please spare my life.”

Eventually one graduate unable to bear the intimidation volunteered.

“huh?”

The man made a strange expression for a moment then gestured to the person next to him.

“Take him over there. Is there nothing else? Is there really nothing?”

The remaining nine kept their mouths shut.

hereto.

A masked man approached Kim Joa-jin.

“You still have life in your eyes! You’re about to die.”

“….”

“Let’s take it easy. We’re just trying to eat and live… We also need to send a few people to prison so if you cooperate well I might be able to spare your life.”

“Caak- Whoa!”

Kim Joa-jin gathered all the phlegm in his stomach with all his might and spat it on the masked man’s face.

Then the man got angry and slapped her ear with all his might.

“Take this guy first. We need to take care of the fearless guys first. Things will be easy.”

Kim Joa-jin was dragged into solitary confinement.

He was scared but he kept staring at the masked man throughout his stay in solitary confinement.

“Yes. Where did you come from? Who is behind this? And more importantly what is your name?”

“….”

“Is this kid deaf?”

puck-

Another round of beatings followed.

Then a loud roar rang out.

“name!”

But Kim Joa-jin kept his mouth shut in the end.

dripping-

Someone is knocking.

The man who comes in next.

Wearing glasses.

A man with a very warm impression was pointing to the pocket watch he was holding and making an unknown gesture.

Then

“after-”

The man sighed deeply.

“….”

“….”

It was understandable that Kim Jo-jin who didn’t say a word until the end was annoying.

The man just approached Kim Joa-jin with a look of great satisfaction in his eyes.

And whispered softly.

“You pass.”

* * *

“Haha. It’s been a while. How are you all? Oh! You all remember my voice right?”

In Tijuana Ahn Myung-geun’s face was hardly known to the graduates because he wore a mask.

But if you have some sense.

Especially anyone who had completed some level of intelligence training would have noticed.

I’m talking about Ahn Myeong-geun’s true identity.

“You all must have had a hard time coming. You must have been very tired all night. Your shadows are drooping all the way to your eyes.”

The four successful candidates including Kim Joa-jin looked at Ahn Myeong-geun.

But since he was soon to become my superior I couldn’t swear at him.

“Come on everyone let’s loosen up our expressions and look around.”

“….”

“….”

“How many of you are still left by my side?”

Memories of the past fill their minds.

When I thought that it was all Ahn Myung-geun’s fault my mouth wouldn’t open easily.

Because I didn’t want to even talk to him.

“There are four.”

But a ball is a ball and life is life.

Kim Jo-jin also thought that the previous test was a stepping stone for the arduous task ahead.

So he answered out loud leaving his personal feelings aside.

“Yes. When I came to the Maritime Province I was fifteen… No I was ten. Now I’m only four.”

An Myeong-geun walked slowly in front of the first round of successful applicants exchanging glances with each one.

“Some failed the test and some volunteered to return. That’s why you are the only ones left.”

Kim Joa-jin clenched his fist and asked Ahn Myeong-geun.

“Was all this… a test?”

“Yes. You said that this is all a test.”

At this Kim Joa-jin narrowed his eyes.

“Are you saying that torturing us is also one of the tests?”

“Ah. Are you talking about the cadets from San Francisco who were taken away earlier?”

When Kim Jo-jin nodded Ahn Myeong-geun confessed.

“Those are all our employees.”

“yes?”

“I tried to trick you guys a little. We don’t even know if you’ll become our family or not so how can you treat your bodies so carelessly?”

The screaming was a consensual performance.

The smell of burning flesh wafted from the pork that had been prepared in advance with a soldering iron.

The same goes for various sound effects.

“Oh I’m sorry for hitting you. According to my colleague he had to hit you a few times to keep your acting natural.”

“….”

If you think about it the successful candidates including Kim Joa-jin did not directly see the advisors from their colleagues who came from San Francisco.

Now it really feels like this is all a real show.

Kim Joa-jin made a slightly vain expression.

“Whew there’s only one final test left. If you pass this test you’ll be able to enter the Shinheung Training Center.”

Jinwoo Lee who had passed the first test together with Joajin Kim asked back with a tired expression.

“You mean there are still more tests left? Against us the top graduates of the Tijuana Military Academy?”

“then.”

An Myeong-geun raised one corner of his mouth and approached Lee Jin-woo.

“You didn’t think you’d be able to become an agent so easily did you? I took the first test out of my heart for you all.”

“….”

“If I get caught while I’m out and about this is what’s going to happen. I’ve only given you a small taste so what if you can’t stand it?”

An Myeong-geun shrugged his shoulders and said the following.

“Moreover we are the shadow of the empire. Above all we must become the people of… Him who sits at the very top.”

If you are the person sitting at the very top within the Korean Empire.

Although the current emperor Sunjong or the abdicated Emperor Gojong come to mind as candidates.

In the minds of those present at this moment there was only one face.

Of course it was Lee Kang.

Unlike the incompetent Gojong or the bumbling Sunjong the only person who actually leads the Hapseong Association which is no different from a government-in-exile is Lee Kang.

When Lee Kang’s name was indirectly mentioned Lee Jin-woo swallowed hard.

Even Jinwoo Lee who is usually quite boisterous and even a bit light-hearted can’t help but feel his mouth dry in front of Kang Lee’s huge name.

“In order to meet his expectations we must filter out the unqualified in advance. If an unqualified person comes in the water may be muddy.”

The successful candidates remain silent as to whether they agree.

An Myeong-geun smiled faintly and headed towards the table that had been prepared in advance.

A table covered with black cloth.

When I kicked them out a pistol was clearly visible.

“Pick them up one by one.”

The cadets looked slightly nervous and timid.

Kim Joa-jin was no exception.

When he was suddenly told to take out a gun even his calm heart started pounding.

“You’re not asking me to kill my fallen comrades with my own hands are you? For the sake of confidentiality?”

Lee Jin-woo spoke on behalf of those students.

At this Ahn Myeong-geun chuckled.

“Would you really want to fight with fellow Koreans? Furthermore the students who fell are just like you ordinary people who have committed no crimes. They just aren’t strong enough to carry out this mission.”

Although they may not be considered as talents fit for the Ikmunsa they are talented enough to be utilized as soldiers.

So there was no reason to remove them.

“Follow me.”

The four successful candidates armed with guns quietly left the room.

I moved to the house built right next to it.

As I opened the door and entered a room a man with his eyes and mouth covered was groaning.

“Ugh ugh- Ugh ugh-”

Is it because I hear noises?

He throws a tantrum begging to be let go.

An Myeong-geun watched this for a long time and then said something.

“Those held here… are spies and traitors who sold our information to the enemy. The ones in the other room are the same.”

The graduates’ gaze turned back.

The house they entered had a total of four rooms.

In each room one captured spy was imprisoned.

“Among them there is the one who caused the massacre of 300 of our troops in the Battle of Yeongheung. Ah! I won’t reveal who it is. It could easily affect this exam.”

An Myeong-geun raised his chin and gave an order to Lee Jin-woo who was closest to him.

“Each of you take one and kill them. You’ll be a perfect fit.”

“yes?”

An Myeong-geun answered with a sly smile.

“The bullet is a single shot.”

“….”

“If you fail to kill the enemy instantly you will fail the final interview of this entrance exam. Be careful about this.”

An Myeong-geun carefully patted Lee Jin-woo’s shoulder.

After that he removed the blindfold and mouthmask that had been covering his face.

The traitorous spy who had been tied up started to get angry.

“Please save me. Please save me. Please save me. I am Korean. This has been unfairly treated.”

“Fuck fuck…..”

Ahn Myeong-geun left the embarrassed Jin-woo Lee and took the other three successful candidates out of the room.

And he chose the targets to kill one by one.

“Okay! Now it’s your turn. Get ready mentally.”

Not a single shot has been heard yet.

That means that not all of the motives have pulled the trigger yet.

Kim Joa-jin narrowed his eyes and glared at the room next door.

“Are there any who don’t pass?”

“then.”

An Myeong-geun answered with a bitter but slightly sad expression.

“It’s not easy to take someone’s life by looking into their eyes.”

“….”

“You have to be a human being to do something like that.”

What choice will Kim Joa-jin make?

An Myeong-geun was quite curious.

“Okay. What choice will you make?”

Kim Jo-jin said

Clank-

I loaded the bullet given to me without a second of hesitation.

“My father said this.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Good intentions should be repaid with good intentions and evil intentions with evil intentions.”

Kim Jo-jin held the pistol in his hand in a stable posture and fired at the tied up spy.

bang-

With blood splattering everywhere.

Kim Joa-jin was seen checking to see if the enemy was alive.

After that he returned to Ahn Myung-geun and shouted.

“For the sake of Korea’s true independence I will become a human Baekjeong.”

< Shinheung Training Center (2) > End