WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS
Translator/Editor: Ryuu
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◈ The Little Prince of the Ossuary
00011 <-- The Little Prince of the Ossuary -->
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#Intermission, Nationalism and Totalitarianism
When the defense of a collective's interest becomes a pretext, nationalism can easily transform into totalitarianism. Every totalitarianism in history has birthed an empire of evil. The Empire of Japan committed harsh colonial rule and the Nanjing Massacre, while Nazi Germany perpetrated the Holocaust.
On the other hand, totalitarianism is one of the fastest ways to unify a diverse crowd with conflicting interests.
At the crossroads of human extinction, totalitarianism might be an inevitable necessary evil for the sake of species survival. Whether moral extinction or immoral survival is a greater tragedy is a matter of personal opinion.
Can evil be pursued for the sake of good? What would you choose?
#Faction (3), Camp Roberts
The tension escalated. Warnings of decreased favorability mixed with immutable corrections appeared. Amid a bizarre silence where no voice could be heard except for a Japanese girl's scream, Im Hwa-su gestured.
"Get rid of her for a second."
The girl, trapped between Makriji and the boy, was dragged aside. She was treated like luggage. She didn't realize the threat of assault had passed. She was too terrified to make any rational judgment and kept screaming. Im Hwa-su shouted angrily.
"Shut her up! Make her stop!"
Violence was the method. Words were useless, so after several harsh reprimands, a slap was delivered. The scream grew louder, but it only needed to continue until she quieted down. It was chilling that even among women, such actions could occur, albeit in a virtual reality setting. Finally, after the girl's face swelled terribly and she nearly fainted, silence returned.
Hwa-su glared at the boy.
"You little brat, lacking manners... it's the end times, the end times! The radiant spirit of our nation, the learnings from our ancestors, is nowhere to be found! It must be because the Japanese have weakened our national spirit...."
"Are you not doing exactly what those Japanese did?"
"Your brain must be completely rotten!"
His face contorted with anger as he roared.
"Those bastards committed beastly acts and haven't properly repented even after centuries! Just a formal apology to get it over with! How can you not understand that if we don't act, we'll be victimized again in the same way! Blood is the reason! That's just how those people are born! There was definitely a chance for forgiveness! It's their fault for rejecting it! If you commit a crime, you must pay the price! Our nation still has an unlimited claim against Japan! We're justified in doing anything! This is both a preemptive war and self-defense!"
It was sophistry. The front was correct but the back was wrong. Japan holds responsibility for its past actions. However, the right to commit mass murder as compensation for mass murder cannot be granted. Why do we need apology and reflection? To hope such events never occur again. And for the victims still alive, to find a little peace before they pass.
Im Hwa-su's logic was nonsensical: "You raped my daughter, so I'll rape yours." This was bad. People should be respected as humans. Gyeoul, having never respected this in his lifetime, was excessively angry and sharply retorted.
"Could you not justify masturbation in the name of our nation? It's quite distasteful as a fellow national."
"You little...!"
‘Survival Instinct’ and ‘Crisis Detection’ reacted. He twisted an incoming arm, neutralizing it, and snatched the knife to press it against the throat. His agile and swift body seemed almost alien. A highly skilled character simply 'defends and subdues' with astonishing precision based on the general intent.
Whether it was a burst of uncontrollable rage or a pretense to show loyalty, the man who suddenly rushed in turned pale. If the boy proceeded, it would be the end.
However, Gyeoul had no intention of killing him. It was about controlling the intensity. If the hot-headed crowd paused to consider their own lives, that was enough. There was a low chance of escaping by taking on everyone here, and he didn't plan to die here either.
"There won't be a next time if this happens again."
After saying this, he tossed the knife aside and casually released the man. The man, who soon fell to his knees, groped at his throat, gasping for breath, likely having had trouble breathing due to the tension.
Hwa-su's face flushed with humiliation, but he didn't yell to kill him right away. Instead, he gestured to hold back his subordinates. It was a rational AI calculation. A hasty temperament wouldn't have built such an organization.
"Look here."
Now dropping all pretenses of respect, he spoke.
"Do you really think you can leave here alive after all this? Against so many?"
"No. If we were to fight, today would be my last, but kill me if you're prepared for the consequences. It won't be easy for you."
"Big talk. You think your pathetic status as a reserve soldier will protect you?"
"I see myself as a living advertisement. If there are trustworthy and exceptional people among the refugees, they'll be treated well, according to the standards set by the US military. If you spill blood on that advertisement, the US military won't overlook it for their own dignity. They're outnumbered, after all. Isn't face a significant issue when a minority controls a majority? So, esteemed Makriji, it might be difficult for you to kill me here. At least not here."
"Ridiculous. You're staking your life on that?"
"Sorry, but I'm not just relying on the US military. I trust my own abilities too. It's not impossible for me to kill everyone here and escape."
"You can't be serious."
"Would I lie in this situation? If you find it hard to believe, shall we actually start killing each other?"
"......"
"How many do you think will risk their lives in loyalty? Want to find out?"
After stewing in his anger for a while, the guild leader tried to persuade again.
"You naive and bold thing, don't you know that your great talent and courage come from being born into our glorious nation? Our nation has a sacred mission! Like all other nations before, America will soon collapse! Then, we, the descendants of Hwanung, will establish a new homeland for our people in this fertile Americas, creating a great nation!"
"My high school world history teacher used to say, any nationalism that isn't based on cosmopolitanism is a devil's creed. Leader, are you a devil?"
Hwa-su was speechless again at the outright provocation. Given his status, it must have been even more shocking to receive such an insult.
Actually, this was something Gyeoul really heard from his teacher during his freshman year in high school. That teacher had retired a decade before Gyeoul was born, but the lectures approved by national examination were still used in classes for subsequent generations. Although there were plenty of lectures available in the virtual reality environment, all others recorded afterward felt somewhat lacking.
Perhaps it was because that teacher's lecture was the last record of the classroom generation.
"I can't talk to you anymore. Your mind is not just rotten, it's beyond repair."
Hwa-su pressed a hand to his forehead and sighed. Despite his convincing appearance, which could make him seem like a sage bearing the world's woes, this too was a talent of a conman.
"I agree. I'm starting to hate being here. The stench of rotten minds is unbearable."
The false sage's eyebrows shot up.
"Maybe your confidence is justified. We can't kill you here. But what if it's not here? You wouldn't want a life always on the run, would you?"
"I mentioned this before. Let's try killing each other. I'm not keen on fighting, but if it starts, I'll make sure to repay in kind, with interest."
He could afford the bravado. Thanks to the talent advantage, his current abilities were beyond what was possible in the early stages. Unless he was swarmed by a large group, the chance of physical harm was low. Assassination attempts were a different story, though.
Standing up, the boy walked towards the direction that wasn't an exit. People there, regardless of gender, hesitantly stepped back. The boy's firm grip on the greatsword's hilt was an unmistakable threat, even though it remained sheathed.
"I'll take this person with me. If you intend to stop me, be prepared to die."
His words, as he looked around, were met only with raised voices of protest, but no one actually stepped forward. A particularly large brute among them, who seemed stronger than the others, was especially noticeable. But upon locking eyes, he made no move, likely possessing ‘Survival Instinct’, ‘Crisis Detection’, or ‘Insight’.
"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, backed by skill correction, conveyed the intended meaning. He had a 6th-grade proficiency in ‘Japanese’. Although not native-level, it was enough to avoid misunderstanding. The trembling girl, hearing a familiar language, chose to trust him. She took his hand and followed. No one dared to stop them until the end. Turning back, only Hwa-su's deep gaze followed them.
He had no intention of keeping her with him. She would become a liability. They headed straight for the Japanese expatriate district. After the ‘Sumiyoshi-kai’ collapse, it was surprisingly stable, as the various Japanese factions had united in the face of a greater threat. Although the Japanese refugee population was the smallest, they could not be ignored if they didn't fight among themselves.
"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 only brought one of your compatriots. I don't intend to cause any trouble.)"
At the border of the Japanese district, the men guarding it seemed taken aback by Gyeoul's words. He pushed the woman he had brought forward. Without asking her name, she sobbed bitterly yet kept looking back hesitantly.
Though he didn't intend to eavesdrop, their conversation reached his ears. ‘Survival Instinct’ enhanced his senses, and ‘Insight’ partially read their intentions. Whispering was futile. The men, glancing suspiciously at him, didn't seem like good people, probably members of some faction.
"Are you Japanese?"
"Y-Yes. I'm Kushinada Setsuna. I was kidnapped by a group of Koreans."
"And this guy?"
"He seems Korean... He fought the people who kidnapped me and saved me. He's my savior."
"All those Chōsen are the same. Savior, my foot. Do you have family?"
"My parents might still be alive... if they haven't died yet."
"I see. Hey, Daisuke, go with her and help find her family."
"Okay!"
Hearing up to this point, Gyeoul turned away. He hadn't expected gratitude, nor did he think he would receive it.
A Japanese faction member shouted at Gyeoul's retreating back.
"Hey Chōsenjin! Tell me your name! I'll spare you when I take my revenge!"
Gyeoul glanced back indifferently and responded.
"No need."
He continued walking, encountering several more factions along the way. None were particularly new, except for the ‘Full Gospel Saints’, which stood out. Instead of harping on about the nation, they spoke of being God's children.
Pairs of Saints were zealously preaching to passersby. One of them recognized Gyeoul, drawing dozens of focused gazes. They surrounded him, clamoring.
"Brother! You must believe that the only begotten Son of God was resurrected from death. The Rapture has come, and the Second Coming of Lord Jesus is near! It's not too late, brother. If you repent and have faith in the name of Jesus Christ, you can be graced by God. Enoch was taken to heaven by faith without experiencing death. Faith is the shortcut to eternal life!"
"Our Saints were led by the righteous man of the East, Pastor Park Tae-sun, who had long prophesied this Rapture. Only those with faith can be saved from this disaster!"
"If I tell you that all these hardships of our times are mentioned in the Bible, would you believe it? 'I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the LORD. I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumbling blocks with the wicked; and I will cut off man from off the land, saith the LORD.' Thus, the Bible is indeed the word of God."
"Also, the Bible says, 'Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORD is at hand: for the LORD hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests.' Therefore, those infected who attack the living are 'the guests for the sacrifice'! We are the sacrifice offered to the Lord! Truly, the only way to survive the Lord's wrath is through faith!"
"Prophet Park Tae-sun will show us the way to live! Just meet him once, and you'll feel the shiver of revelation! The thrill of the prophecy! Come, young brother. It will only take a moment. Join us."
The rantings of the zealots were overwhelming. Gyeoul tried to ignore them and pass.
"Excuse me, but I need to get through. I'm not interested, so please step aside."
"Those who do not heed the Lord's voice are of Satan's kin!"
An elderly man attempted to strike Gyeoul with a "Heaven for Believers, Hell for Nonbelievers" sign. He casually blocked and twisted it away, tossing it aside. The old man ran after it, wailing.
The crowd only dispersed after Gyeoul crossed into the US military zone.
Footnotes:
[1] Hwanung is an important figure in the mythological origins of Korea. He plays a central role in the story of Dangun Wanggeom, the legendary founder of Gojoseon, the first kingdom of Korea. Hwanung is the son of Hwanin, the "Lord of Heaven".
[2] Chōsenjin: Koreans in Japan (在日韓国人・在日本朝鮮人・朝鮮人, Zainichi Kankokujin/Zainihon Chōsenjin/Chōsenjin) comprise ethnic Koreans who have permanent residency status in Japan or who have become Japanese citizens, and whose immigration to Japan originated before 1945, or who are descendants of those immigrants. They are a group distinct from South Korean nationals who have immigrated to Japan after the end of World War II and the division of Korea.
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