00011 - The Little Prince in the Ossuary
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#Intermission, nationalism and Totalitarianism
When used as a justification to defend the interests of a group, nationalism can easily transform into totalitarianism.
Every totalitarian regime in history has given birth to an empire of evil.
The Japanese Empire committed harsh colonial rule and the Nanking Massacre, while Nazi Germany carried out the Holocaust.
Meanwhile, totalitarianism is one of the fastest ways to unite a broad crowd with conflicting interests.
At the crossroads of human extinction, totalitarianism might be an inevitable necessary evil for the greater cause of the survival of the species.
Which is the greater tragedy: moral extinction or immoral survival? It's a subject on which opinions may differ depending on the person.
Can we pursue good through evil? What is your choice?
#Faction (3), Camp Roberts
The logs shot up. Warnings of decreased affection modification. There was even some invariable adjustment mixed in.
Amid the strange silence where only the screams of the Japanese girl could be heard, Im Hwasu gestured.
"Get her out of the way for a moment."
The girl, who was between the chief advisor and the boy, was dragged aside. She was treated like baggage.
She hadn't realized that the threat of being assaulted had passed. She was too terrified, rendering her unable to assess the situation properly.
She kept screaming incessantly. Im Hwasu roared.
"It's noisy! Shut her up!"
The method was violence.
Since words were ineffective, after shouting a few times, he abruptly slapped her.
Her screams got louder, but if he continued hitting, she'd quiet down eventually.
Even though it was only a description within the virtual reality, it was chilling to see women treating each other like this.
Finally, after the girl's face swelled up and she practically fainted, silence resumed.
Im Hwasu glared at the boy.
"A young one with no discipline...what a degenerate era this is! The radiant spirit of our people, the spirit of the Eastern courtesy nation, is nowhere to be seen! It's all because those damn foreigners have weakened our national spirit...."
"Aren't you just doing what those foreigners did now?"
"Your mind is thoroughly rotten!"
He convulsed in anger.
"They committed beastly acts and have not properly reflected for centuries! Their apologies are just token gestures to make us leave them be! Why can't you see? If we leave them alone, we'll suffer the same fate again! That's in their blood! They are inherently like that! They had the chance to be forgiven! They missed that! They committed a crime, and they have to pay for it! Our nation has an unlimited claim to Japan! We deserve forgiveness no matter what! This is a preventative war and a legitimate self-defense!"
This is sophistry.
The beginning may be true but the conclusion is false. Japan has a responsibility for its historical past.
However, no right to collective killing should be given as compensation for past collective killings.
Why are apology and reflection necessary?
It's to ensure that such incidents never happen again and for the still-living victims to find some peace before they pass.
Im Hwasu's logic is as absurd as saying, "Since you raped my daughter, I will rape yours."
It's wretched. People deserve respect as human beings.
Gyeo-ul was angered excessively because he had not been able to uphold this principle during his lifetime and replied sharply.
"Could you please not justify masturbatory acts in the name of the nation? It's unpleasant as a fellow countryman."
"You impudent brat!"
「Survival Sense」and 「Crisis Detection」reacted.
He twisted the approaching arm and neutralized it, snatched the knife, and pressed it against the throat.
His agile and-nimble body felt almost alien.
A character with high technical proficiency remarkably refined even a vague intent like 'defend and subdue' into a precise action.
The man charged suddenly, perhaps overwhelmed by anger or perhaps to show off loyalty.
His face turned pale. If the boy slit his throat, it would be over.
However, Gyeo-ul had no intention of killing him. It was about managing pace. As long as the enraged crowd was wary of their lives, that was enough.
Anyway, there was little chance of confronting them all and getting away, and he had no intention of dying there.
"If this happens again, there won't be a next time."
He spoke, then tossed the knife and freed the man by pushing him away.
The man, kneeling, clutched at his throat and coughed, indicating he was too tense to breathe properly.
Im Hwasu's face flushed with humiliation but he refrained from shouting for the boy's execution.
Instead, he gestured for his subordinates to stand down. A rational AI calculation.
He couldn't have established such an organization if he were only impulsive.
"You, boy."
Dropping the pretense of respect, he spoke.
"Do you think you can walk out of here alive after this? Against these numbers?"
"No. If I fight, today would be my last day. But if you're ready, go ahead and kill me. It would be hard for you to handle the aftermath."
"You sure talk big. You think your pitiful auxiliary status can protect you?"
"I think I'm like a model example. If there is a trustworthy and exceptional person among the refugees, the U. S. military has set me up as a living advertisement to show their favor. If you spill blood on this advertisement, I doubt the U. S. military would overlook it, given their pride. They are few in number. Isn't honor important for those who control the majority? So, great chief advisor, it will be difficult for you to kill me. At least here."
"What a nerve. You dare risk your life on that?"
"Sorry, but I don't just trust the U. S. military. I trust my skills too. There's a slight chance I could kill all of you and escape."
"You must be joking."
"Of course not. This isn't a place for jokes, is it? If you find it hard to believe, shall we really kill each other?"
"..."
"I'm curious to see how many are willing to risk their lives for loyalty. Would you like to check?"
The meeting leader simmered for quite some time before attempting persuasion again.
"You young, impudent thing, don't you realize that the great talents and bold courage you possess are thanks to the excellent heritage of our nation? Our nation has a sacred mission! Just like all the other nations, the U. S. will soon crumble! Then we, the descendants of Hwanwoong, will establish a new homeland for the Korean people in this fertile Americas and create a great nation!"
"My high school world history teacher once told us that nationalism without cosmopolitanism is devil's faith. Are you a devil, Sir?"
Im Hwasu was speechless at the bold provocation. Considering his position, he probably never suffered such severe insults, adding to the shock.
In fact, this was something Gyeo-ul had actually heard from a teacher in his first year of high school.
The teacher in question had retired more than a decade before Gyeo-ul was born, but the lecture records, having passed national vetting, were still utilized for the education of subsequent generations.
There were many other lectures available in virtual reality settings, but any recorded afterward felt somehow lacking.
Perhaps it was because that teacher's lecture was the last record from the classroom teaching era.
"I can no longer speak with someone as rotten as you."
Im Hwasu sighed, resting his forehead on his hand.
With his seemingly plausible appearance, his actions could make him look like a sage burdened with the world's worries.
This was also a swindler's talent, though.
"I concur. I'm growing tired of being here. The rot from the mental decay makes it unbearable."
The fake sage's eyebrows rose.
"Perhaps your confidence is not misplaced. We might not be able to kill you here. But what if it were elsewhere? Surely, you wouldn't want to live life constantly pursued by fear?"
"I mentioned earlier—let's kill each other. While I'm not particularly keen on fighting, if it starts, I'll repay you with interest."
The boy could act this bold.
Thanks to advantageous talent, the current abilities he possessed were at a level unimaginable at the beginning.
Unless overwhelmed, the chances of getting hurt were low. Assassination attempts, however, would be a different story.
The boy stood and walked in a direction away from the exit. Those in that path, regardless of gender, backed away.
The boy's hand gripped the bayonet tightly. Though not drawn, it was a clear threat.
"I'll be taking her with me. If you're going to stop us, be prepared to die."
As he spoke while scanning the area, though voices of condemnation were raised, no one dared to actually step forward.
One large figure stood out among the crowd, appearing notably strong. However, after their eyes met, he remained motionless.
Likely, he possessed either 「Survival Sense」, 「Crisis Detection」, or 「Perception」.
"生きたいなら, 私の手を取ってください.(If you want to live, take my hand.)"
The words, supported by technical modification, were conveyed as intended. A level 6 proficiency in Japanese, it wouldn't reach native speaker level, but the message was clear.
The trembling girl chose to trust the person speaking her familiar language. She held his hand and followed as he led her out.
No one stopped them. When he looked back, Im Hwasu was merely watching with hollow eyes.
Having taken her out, he had no intention to keep her. It would become a weakness. He headed directly to the Japanese enclave.
After the collapse of 「Sumiyoshikai」, the area surprisingly stabilized, as scattered Japanese factions united in the face of a looming threat.
Though Japanese refugees were few, when united, they became a force not to be taken lightly.
"お前はだれだ!(Who are you!)"
"落ち着いてください. あなたの同胞を連れてきただけです. 悶着を起こすつもりはありません.(Calm down. I've brought your compatriot here. I don't intend to cause any trouble.)"
The men standing guard at the boundary of the Japanese enclave seemed taken aback by Gyeo-ul's words.
He pushed the woman he brought forward. She, whose name he didn't even ask, sobbed sorrowfully, hesitantly glancing back repeatedly.
Though he wasn't eavesdropping, their conversation reached the boy's ears.
「Survival Sense」heightened all five senses, and 「Perception」partially read the other's intentions.
Leveled voices were meaningless. The men, casting sideways glances this way, didn't come off as particularly good people. Likely, they were action team members of some organization.
"Are you Japanese?"
"Yes. My name is Kushinada Setsuna. I was kidnapped by Koreans."
"Who's that man?"
"He seems to be Korean... He fought those who kidnapped me and freed me. He's a benefactor."
"Benefactor, you say. Still, aren't they just all the same chong? What about family?"
"I believe my parents are still alive... if they haven't passed yet."
"I see. Hey, daisuke. Go with her and find her family."
"Yes, Sir!"
After listening that far, Gyeo-ul turned away. He neither expected nor thought he could receive thanks.
A Japanese action team member shouted at the boy's back.
"Hey, joseonjin! Say your name! When the time for vengeance comes, you'll be the one we spare!"
Gyeo-ul glanced back briefly and replied in a dispassionate voice.
"No need."
Then, he walked away, and several organizations approached him. Nothing new came from them besides one peculiarity from the 「Full Gospel Church」.
They didn't speak of nations but rather of being children of God.
The members of the Full Gospel Church, moving in pairs, energetically preached to passersby.
One among them recognized Gyeo-ul. Immediately, dozens of eyes focused on him, surrounding him eagerly, and they clamored on.
"Brother! You must believe that Jesus, the only begotten, has risen from death. As the Rapture is upon us, the return of Lord Jesus is imminent! Even now, it's not too late. Under the name of Jesus Christ, repent and believe to receive God's grace. Enoch was taken up to heaven by faith and did not experience death. Faith is truly the shortcut to eternal life!"
"Our church is led by Pastor Park Tae-sun, the righteous man from the East, who prophesied this Rapture. Only those with faith can be saved from this calamity!"
"Would you believe it if we told you that all the tribulations of this era are detailed in the Bible? 'I will sweep away everything from the face of the earth—people and animals alike. I will sweep away the birds of the sky and the fish of the sea. I will overthrow oppression and the wicked, and I will destroy humanity from the earth.' Therefore, the Bible is indeed the word of the Lord."
"It is also written in the Bible, 'Be silent before the Lord God, for the day of judgment is near. The Lord has prepared a sacrifice; he has consecrated those he has invited.' So, the infected who feast on the living are precisely the 'consecrated' ones! We are offerings unto the Lord! Truly, the way to survive the Lord's wrath is faith alone!"
"Prophet Pastor Park Tae-sun shows us the path to survival! If you come with us and meet him once, you'll feel the electrifying thrill of revelation! So, young brother, it will only take a moment. Come with us."
The babbling of the fanatics was dizzying. Gyeo-ul tried to ignore them and pass through.
"Sorry, but I need to get through. I'm not interested, so please back off."
"Those who do not heed the Lord's voice are cronies of Satan!"
An elderly man attempted to hit the boy with a "Heaven for believers, hell for unbelievers" placard. He warded it off and wrested it away, tossing it aside. The old man cried out and scurried to retrieve it.
They retreated only after Gyeo-ul crossed the border into the U. S. military zone.
Clacky's Corner:
Joseonjin(조센징) - Literally means 'Person from Joseon', but commonly used as an offensive slur akin to "Korean bastard" or "Korean scum" depending on tone/context.