WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS

Translator/Editor: Ryuu

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ The Little Prince in the Ossuary

00029 <-- The Little Prince of the Ossuary -->

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#Negotiation at Camp Roberts (1)

The Heishehui was the most powerful organization in the refugee zone of Camp Roberts, but it was not a single entity. It included a multitude of large and small groups, such as the Triad, the An Liang Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Henan Manor, the Sunhua Group, the Shanxi Hall, the Zhili Hall, the Heshi Gang, and the Jinan Clique, all of which united under one banner for external strength.

Among these, the Triad was the strongest. The head of the Triad also served as the leader of the Heishehui. It was a Triad executive who came to negotiate with Gyeoul, though their appearance was quite different from what he had expected.

“It is an honor to meet you, Mr. Han. I have long admired your esteemed name. I am Li Ailing.”

She was a very young and beautiful woman. She wore a sleeveless qipao and a fur coat. Amid the faded scenery, she alone was vividly colorful, embodying the typical image of a Chinese beauty. Everyone around her was dumbfounded. The women showed clear signs of jealousy.

The fact that she could walk proudly in the Korean settlement with such an appearance proved the Heishehui’s formidable power. She was accompanied by five men who seemed to be enforcers.

One of the bodyguards served as an interpreter. It seemed he was of Korean-Chinese descent. His Korean was somewhat awkward. However, Gyeoul had already acquired the 「Chinese Language」 skill. At level 6, he was proficient enough to communicate without hindrance, though he might sound slightly off to native speakers. As for dialects, his speaking and listening skills were weaker. After some consideration, Gyeoul used experience points to raise his 「Chinese Language」 skill to level 7, reaching the expert level. The boy responded in Chinese.

“An interpreter won’t be necessary, Miss. May I ask who I have the honor of speaking with?”

She smiled intriguingly.

“Amazing. I heard that you spoke Chinese, but I didn’t expect you to be this fluent. It differs somewhat from what our comrades told me.”

Ailing waved the hesitant Korean interpreter aside.

“Let me answer you. You’re curious about my position, right? I’m a Xiangzhu, assisting the Great Elder. Any negotiation can go through me without any doubts.”

Gyeoul was surprised. That meant only two people were above her: the Longtou (Leader) and the Er Yuan Shu (Deputy Leader). Considering her age, he had expected her to be a Caoxie (Envoy), responsible for negotiations and communication. It was a significant figure beyond his expectations.

He decided to be more careful with his words.

“By any chance, Xiansheng Li, are you related to the Longtou or the Er Yuan Shu?”

He corrected the way he addressed her. Though "Xiansheng" was usually a title for men, it was acceptable to call a respectable woman by this title as well. He referred to the augmented reality guide for this approach.

Ailing responded with a vague expression.

“You’re asking because of my age, aren’t you?”

“Honestly, yes. I apologize if I’ve offended you.”

“No, it’s nothing to be offended by. You’re right. The Longtou Da Laoshi is my father. But please don’t misunderstand—I didn’t get this position just because of my connections.”

“If that were the case, the Great Elder wouldn’t have sent you to a place like this. There’s no reason for any misunderstanding.”

Her pretty smile returned, perhaps pleased by Gyeoul’s smooth talk.

“Please call me ‘Miss’ like you did earlier. For some reason, hearing ‘Xiansheng’ makes me uncomfortable, as if I were older.”

“Understood.”

At that moment, Yura unexpectedly brought out tea and snacks. The tea set was quite impressive. Gyeoul was secretly surprised. Where did she get this? Glancing around, he saw vice-captain Min Wan-ki mouthing two words with his thumb pointing at himself: "prestige" and "modesty."

Understanding his intention, Gyeoul complied silently.

“I'm sorry we can’t offer you a better reception under the circumstances. I hope you’ll understand if it’s somewhat lacking.”

“It's a tough time for everyone. There's no need to apologize for it.”

Her hand, lifting the teacup, moved gracefully. She didn’t seem like a woman from a criminal organization. She added with eloquence.

“Do you know the art of tea?”

“I’m a novice.”

“Let me tell you a bit. The quality of tea isn’t just determined by the type of leaves. No matter how good the leaves are, if you drink it hastily, it’s no different from dirty water. Tea preparation is an etiquette.”

She took a sip, closed her eyes, and silently swallowed. Then she continued.

“And etiquette defines a person. Without it, how miserable would we be? You honor me with your courtesy, and I respect you in return. That’s the dignity of a person.”

Her sweet voice implied that the important thing was not the material but the spirit. Gyeoul, who had prepared extensively, understood easily. He also knew how to respond appropriately to a Chinese person who valued face and propriety.

“Now that I’ve heard you, the tea tastes much better. This must be the essence of etiquette.”

A quiet moment passed. During this time, Gyeoul managed to fend off several viewer quests to slap Ailing. He did so without showing any reaction. Different viewers kept placing the same quests, increasing the amounts each time.

After finishing their tea, they continued their conversation.

“Since you understand etiquette, I’d like to talk about righteousness.”

The main topic finally surfaced. Gyeoul nodded.

“I’m listening.”

Words did not come immediately. It was a pause filled with calculations. With her hands clasped neatly, she stared at the boy for a long time before finally speaking.

“Join the Triad or kneel to the Heishehui. Choose one.”

Gyeoul was impressed.

“That’s very straightforward.”

She was also slightly impressed. She had 「Perception」 that the boy understood immediately.

“I felt you were worthy of it.”

On the surface, it was a threat, but Gyeoul didn’t take offense and simply acknowledged her honesty.

Why did she distinguish between the Triad and the Heishehui? It indicated internal strife—a disadvantageous fact. Revealing this alone showed how she evaluated Gyeoul, based on their brief conversation.

While conveying this information to the viewers, he didn’t need a pause for the game’s world view. He seemed to have gotten used to using the 「Teletype」 and broadcasting.

Gyeoul tilted his head.

“I’m Korean, and so are the people who follow me. Do you think we can perform well in the Triad?”

“Even Korean-Chinese eventually became part of China. More importantly, you have no other choice when considering the future. The Heishehui is strong.”

It was arrogant and provocative—the confidence of the powerful. But there was a gap.

Consider this. For now, Gyeoul had the upper hand in terms of position. However, the Chinese had no reason to be anxious. They knew Gyeoul was an advertisement for the U.S. Advertising ultimately meant selling something, implying that he offered the same privileges to anyone loyal to the U.S.

It would be difficult to use a Korean like Gyeoul to control Japanese or Chinese refugees. The person the U.S. modelled Gyeoul after, Colonel Kim Young-Oak, did lead Japanese troops. But the situation was different back then.

To control Chinese and Japanese refugees, it was better to appoint new advertisement figures from those origins.

They had started to see individuals from those groups emerge. With life-risking missions and corresponding achievements, there would soon be people like Gyeoul among the refugees from China and Japan.

Therefore, merely knowing that Chinese organizations were divided wasn’t enough to attempt recruiting Gyeoul.

“Isn’t the leading candidate from the Triad?”

“That’s right.”

Ailing affirmed his sharp insight without hesitation.

Such behavior wasn’t always trustworthy. Without superhuman 「Insight」, the truth often lay between deception and lies.

But in this case, it should be interpreted as a sincere engagement in this conversation. Gyeoul decided to trust his senses.

“It might be a meaningless question, but... where is it?”

“TheAn Liang Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Zhili Hall are competing. Our Triad had three Hongkun and one Baizishan as candidates, but all met with accidents within a week.”

Hongkun referred to a field commander, and Baizishan was a managerial position. The Triad suffered significant losses, more than expected.

It needed further investigation.

“Was it their doing?”

“I heard they went missing during operations.”

A heavier tone. Calm anger. Perhaps one of the deceased was a relative. It was an internal thought, not to be expressed outwardly. An uncertain speculation.

The mention of righteousness was just lip service. It meant, "We are in a difficult situation, so if you help us, we will surely accept you as our brother." It had no substance.

It was also a threat. It implied that without their proposal, the united Heishehui would crush the Korean and Japanese organizations.

“So, you’re saying you want to recruit me, who’s already recognized by the U.S., to counter those people...”

What they ultimately wanted was Gyeoul’s position, authority to form units, and leadership in external activities. With that, they wouldn’t be outdone by other factions within the Heishehui.

「Insight」. Augmented reality provided many graphs and fragmentary future predictions. However, such system assists didn’t always guide the right path. Two prophets offering opposite predictions. Each with valid grounds, leaving the choice always to the boy.

The signposts of the future diverged between optimism and pessimism. Gyeoul chose one to read.

“There’s no guarantee I won’t be used and discarded.”

Ailing showed a sad expression. She knew how to use her charm. Though it didn’t affect Gyeoul, there were other watching eyes to consider.

When language skills reached an extreme, it was easy to manipulate the opponent with voice and speech. Her following words were astoundingly soft and pitiful.

This influenced the player’s 「Insight」, causing information distortion. One reason not to trust system assists entirely.

“We are bound by an oath. The price of betrayal is always death. The 「Gyeoul Alliance」, as a subsidiary of the Heishehui, will always be maximally respected. You will be given a vanguard position, Mr. Han. This is a proposal offered in righteousness and cooperation. Please trust us.”

A vanguard position meant the same rank as a Xiangzhu, although the duties would differ. It was likely an honorary title without influence over existing members, but still a remarkable offer.

The subsidiary association was also a good position. Only those who had been with the organization for more than three years and were recognized by the Longtou could establish it.

But even this lacked substance.

“I’m sorry. I still can’t trust you.”

“Why...”

“Even if I concede a hundred times and trust you and the Longtou, I can’t trust all the Triad members. Chinese people are proud, aren’t they? Many have despised Korea as a small country for a long time. It must be worse now. Do you really think there will be no discrimination or insults?”

“As I said before, the Triad’s rules are not to be taken lightly. One rule states, ‘Comrades must not quarrel or sow discord among themselves. Violators will pay with their lives.’ Once someone becomes a comrade, there will be no trouble using ethnicity as an excuse. I swear it. If there is anyone who violates this, they will be punished with death.”

Her pride was firm within her soft words. A direct gaze. But Gyeoul once again denied her words.

“Then let me say this. I can’t trust my own people.”

Footnotes:

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