Ch. 15: Blood Soaked Soldiers
2:22 PM, Black Army Makeshift Hospital
Zero, Capt. Gang, and the soldiers accompanying them, eventually caught up with Lt. Jo and the rest of the Black Army that managed to evacuate the hilltop. Lt. Jo had decided the best place to rest at would be a nearby sympathetic village. Once arriving, the villagers immediately helped the Black Army set up a makeshift hospital in whatever leftover space they had along with providing some extra food and medicine. In order to increase space for the wounded, the Black Army set up every tent they had available at a clearing, thereby creating one large covering.
Wanting to see how many casualties the Black Army suffered in this past battle, Zero decided to visit some of the wounded soldiers recovering. He went to the large tent and saw a hundred or so soldiers lying on either their backs or on crudely made stretchers provided by the villagers. Some of the soldiers had minor bruises and scratches while others were covered in bloodied bandages. The painful moans of the severely wounded filled the air.
"Zero! Nice to see you're unscathed." said a voice in the distance.
Zero immediately turned around to see Lt. Jo in the distance. The lieutenant's arm right arm was in a sling while a blood-stained bandage was wrapped around his forehead.
"Ah Lieutenant!" Zero called out. "How are you healing?"
"Very well in fact. Simple injuries like these won't slow me down that easily." responded Lt. Jo. "Still, it's amazing you managed to stop Hasegawa's army! There must've been at least a 1,000 men in that regiment. You're truly the leader our country needs."
"However it was your maneuvering and oversight of the evacuation that was the most impressive. I had simply held off the Japanese forces." said Zero.
"No! You were the one who gave us victory today. Don't pretend to be humble." answered Lt. Jo.
He then stepped on a nearby box as if it was a stepping platform.
"Everyone! Everyone!" cried out Lt. Jo. Suddenly all the soldiers in the vicinity, from the healthiest to the ones wrapped in red bandages, stopped what they were doing and looked at Lt. Jo. "Today was a victory for the Korean people! The Japanese have just tasted our true potential! Because when they come again, we will give them more! And it's all thanks to Zero, the man who makes miracles! ZERO! ZERO!"
"ZERO! ZERO! ZERO!" chanted all the soldiers. Suddenly Zero found himself surrounded by energized soldiers. Some of them were even in crutches or had severe scarring.
As Zero exited the area, the surrounding soldiers dispersed, therefore creating a pathway. As he triumphantly walked down the pathway, the blood soaked Black Army continued their chanting.
Once finished with greeting the wounded, Zero entered one of the houses in the village. The owner of the house allowed the Black Army to use it as a temporary communications control center. Using the telegraph he had set up, Zero sent a telegram back to Kim Gu, who was overseeing the Dangun docked at the port of Inchon.
Heian-nan Army Barracks
The area around the Japanese barracks was covered in either wounded or dead Japanese soldiers. Streams of ambulances coming back from the front lines brought even more injured soldiers back. Due to the local army hospital being full, most of the injured had to lay outside on stretchers or sheets. Since they were recovered from the landslide, all the soldiers were covered in dirt. Some of them were even coughing up dirt due to them accidentally breathing it in.
Walking towards the main army hospital was Lt. General Ikeda. As he was walking, he passed many soldiers with severe injuries ranging from bullet wounds, fractured bones, and patched up eyes to missing limbs and severe lacerations. Soldiers who had severe injuries had makeshift tourniquets wrapped around their arms and legs, which basically were rags and belts drenched with blood.
Once inside the hospital, Ikeda saw a sight similar to the one outside. Stretchers and beds were laid out all over the hospital, each one holding soldiers with varying injuries. Due to the hospital being overcrowded, sanitation was slightly overlooked, resulting in a foul smell to hover in the air. Ikeda continued walking pass soldiers in casts and crutches until he found one of the doctors. Turning down one of the hallways filled with bloody soldiers still covered with dirt, Ikeda found one of the doctors talking to some nurses.
"Doctor!" called out Ikeda. The doctor immediately turned around and excused himself from the hospitals before walking towards the general.
"General, as you can see I am flooded with patients." responded the doctor.
"Doctor. I command you to escort me to the Viceroy immediately." commanded Ikeda.
"General, as one of the main doctors of this facility I highly discourage any strenuous activites until..." answered the doctor.
"Escort me to the Viceroy! That's an order!" said Ikeda. The doctor then complied and escorted Ikeda to a door down a nearby hallway. Ikeda thanked the doctor before dismissing him.
"Viceroy! It's me Lt. General Ikeda! May I enter?" asked Ikeda as he knocked on the door.
"You may enter!" responded Hasegawa.
Ikeda opened the door and entered the room. Inside was Hasegawa, who was found by a Japanese search party after miraculously surviving the landslide. His face had some cuts and bruises, but otherwise he looked fine. Ikeda also noticed Hasegawa's military jacket and cap hanging on the wall. Before speaking, Ikeda took off his cap, faced Hasegawa, and slightly bowed his head.
"My Lord, how severely hurt are you?" asked the concerned general.
"It's nothing. Just a few scratches along with lots of bruising. However, though I am not young, this won't hinder me a bit." answered Hasegawa. "Anyway, you're not here just to check on my health are you."
"Well, my Lord, that depends if you feel well enough to..." said Ikeda.
"I may feel a little discomfort here and there for now, but that is no reason for someone like me to not take his post." answered Hasegawa as he got up and put on his military jacket and cap.
"Very well. What I came here for was to update you on the situation at hand." responded Ikeda.
"And how is it general?"
"My Lord it's not pretty." answered the general.
"By which you mean...?" asked a reinvigorated Hasegawa.
"May we walk outside so you can see for yourself?" asked the general. Hasegawa approved, and the two of them left the hospital room and walked back to front entrance of the hospital.
Once Hasegawa saw the physical state of his army, he was internally devastated and shocked. What made him feel this way was the fact that Zero was able to take out a force multiple times larger than his along with seeing the suffering of his soldiers.
"What about those who haven't been accounted for? What's the status on them?" asked Hasegawa.
"My Lord we currently have search teams digging out soldiers by the second at the front line. We're practically overflowing with casualties, which is draining our medical supplies at a significant rate." responded Ikeda.
"How about Colonel Kanaka? What's his status?" asked Hasegawa as they stood outside of the hospital entranceway.
"My Lord, come see this."
Hasegawa followed Ikeda to a whole field full of a hundred or so soliders laying down on the ground motionless. All of them had sheets covering them, except for their feet, which were protruding from the bottom end of the sheets.
"This can't be. You're telling me all these men right here are all..." said Hasegawa.
"Dead. Sir." said Ikeda.
Both men silently walked passed the various deceased soldiers seemingly sleeping on the ground. They then reached one particular body. On top of the sheet covering the body was a Japanese colonel's cap.
"We believe Kanaka here died as a result of being crushed by a tree during the landslide." said Ikeda.
"Kanaka was a soldier who honorably died for the Empire." said Hasegawa. "And his death will not be in vain. For I will kill Zero once and for all! Do you her that Zero! I will find you! And I will eradicate you and your whole army!".
"My Lord, maybe you should rest some more." suggested a concerned Ikeda.
"NO!" yelled Hasegawa as he turned around. "Every second I rest is another second gained by Zero! And that is unacceptable!"
Ikeda suddenly noticed that Hasegawa was gritting his teeth like never before. Hasegawa was also sweating a lot and appeared a little red.
"What shall I order the troops to do right now?" asked Ikeda.
"For now we are retreating and reorganizing our forces. Though I do despise the events of today, I do recognize when we are defeated. Continue the search for anymore casualties. Try to save as many men as possible. We'll need them in the future. Also get the engineering corps to clear the paths covered by the landslide." commanded Hasegawa as he sternly walked away.
"Very well my Lord!" yelled Ikeda as he proceeded to slightly bow his head forward.
Ikeda then walked the other way to oversee the situation at hand. As he walking, he noticed another truck in the distance pull in. Nearby officers came to the truck to assist in unloading what it was carrying. From his distance, it looked like they were pulling out stretchers carrying dead soldiers. Wanting the image out of his head, Hasegawa ignored it and continued walking pass wounded soldiers.
3:58 PM, Privy Council, Tokyo Imperial Palace
The Tokyo Imperial Palace was an extravagant piece of land. Stone walls and water surrounded the lush gardens and beautiful buildings. The architecture of the palace complexes ranged from classical Japanese to modern Western-style.
Inside one of the palace complexes was a pair of large doors that led to a partially secluded room. The room was full with so many Western-attributes that it looked like it was transplanted from a European palace. The few large windows were covered with expensive curtains made of the finest materials. Two sets of large chandeliers hung from the ceiling while ornate woodwork could be seen decorating the whole room.
The most unique aspect of the room however was the the u-shaped table in the center of the room. It was covered in a simple tablecloth and various men in suits and uniforms sat at the chairs behind the table. Another table was also present in the room. This table was instead covered in an ornate tablecloth and it was totally separate from the u-shaped table. This lone table was also positioned in the room so that everyone sitting down at the u-shaped table would have a clear view of it.
"Good afternoon everyone! I appreciate your arrival for this emergency session." announced Prince Yamagata Aritomo, the 80-year old, militaristic, mustached President of the Privy Council. The Prince's uniform consisted of a sash along with golden epaulettes, medals, and unique embroidery. "I have decided to call this meeting in response to urgent news I have received from Viceroy Hasegawa. It states here that during one of his searches for the elusive figure known as Zero, fighting broke out around Heian-nan. Hasegawa reports that the enemy through trickery and deceit managed to crush almost all of his men."
All the men in the room suddenly gasped for a second before giving a few glances and whispers to one another.
"My Grace, your saying that our well trained army, consisting of hundred of well trained men, equipped with the best rifles and pistols, using the best pieces of artillery, was crushed by a simple backwoods militia?" asked Marquis Matsukata.
"Apparently Zero exploited Hasegawa's strategy of charging up the side of a hill by using what sounds like planted explosives to cause a massive landslide." said Aritomo.
"This is proof of Hasegawa's incompetence." yelled a middle-aged man wearing a suit. "Every day the colonial authorities are sending reports about the Black Army doing this and that. Obviously Hasegawa doesn't know what he's dealing with exactly. That's why I am advocating for his dismissal."
"I respect his Grace's opinion, but I personally disagree. Hasgeawa is a proven leader and celebrated war hero. I find it more believable that we are just simply underestimating our enemy here. I therefore advise allocation of more resources to capturing Zero and destroying the Black Army." said another man in a suit.
"Allocate more resources? I believe that would cost us in the long run. We're already at war with Germany and we're about to invade Russia. Also such an allocation could affect our economics severely. It's already happening to the price of rice. Rice riots are exponentially increasing in frequency." said a bearded man in his fifties. "I think the Prime Minister would agree with me. Wouldn't you sir?"
Everyone in the room turned their heads towards Count Terauchi Masatake, the bald, mustached, goatee-bearded, 65-year old Prime Minister of the Empire of Japan. Due to injuries received in a past conflict, Matasake's right hand was missing. Like his associates in the military, the Prime Minister was wearing his uniform and many medals.
"Yes I would. Rice riots are popping up all over Japan, and the rising prices are making it worst by the second. We are somewhat low on funds, and I fear raising taxes will only fuel the flames even further." said the Prime Minister. Everyone around the room nodded to one another in agreement. "We have definitely underestimated the potential of the Black Army. As a former Viceroy of Chōsen, I understand the behavior of the Chons. They are definitely strong with patriotism. There's no doubt Zero is exploiting this for his own purposes."
"So how do you expect to focus on the Black Army without raising taxes?" asked one of the other counts.
"Well seeing that Zero could potentially spread his influence to our other colonies, I suggest we postpone our invasion of Russia." replied Masatake.
"I object!" bellowed Aritomo. "The military has already decided to go through with the invasion. Not only must we stop the Red Bolsheviks from spreading their vile disease to our Empire, but we must act now if we want to proceed with pursuing our national interests! The world must know that we are not weak! We won't have another chance to grab Russian territory in the future!".
"Prince Yamagata, I understand your interest in expanding into Russian soil, but more and more people are either resisting the authorities or joining the Black Army. Production output from Chōsen has shown a decrease since the appearance of Zero. My political allies and enemies within the Imperial Diet are expressing deep concern..." said Masatake.
"The Imperial Diet has no right to interfere with the affairs of the military! The people and their supposed elected representatives have no right to dictate political decisions! That is why we should raise taxes! It's the only way we'll have enough resources to fully defend this Empire!" challenged Aritomo.
Suddenly all the Barons, Counts, Marquesses, and Princes in the room were debating with one another. All of them were divided between those who had connections with the political sphere and those who had connections with the military.
Watching this whole discussion was a Japanese man with a slightly curved mustache in his late thirties. He sitting in a throne-like chair at the lone table covered with the ornate table cloth. His uniform was so prestigious that it made everyone else's look simple. It black and consisted of a stiff gold collar, golden buttons, gold epaulettes, a blue sash across the chest, medals of various colors, yellow embroidery around the wrists, and gold-colored tassels.
"Gentlemen!" announced the man as he raised his hand into the air slightly. Once he said those words, everyone in the room immediately silenced and turned their attention towards the man, Emperor Yoshihito.
"Your Majesty?" asked Aritomo.
"I've had heard enough of your constant rabbling. I am annoyed of being bothered with these petty situations and mundane affairs. But before I adjourn this meeting, I will state what I approve of and disapprove of. The invasion of Russia is already underway so proceed with the mission. Prevent any signs of what appears to be a rice riot. We can't have anarchy on our soil. And relocate Marshal Tōdō Isamu to Chōsen. Maybe he can get the job done." replied the Emperor as he slightly shook his hands.
"Your Majesty, you're talking about the Marshal Tōdō Isamu? The Shinigami himself?" asked a surprised Matsukata.
"He is well suited for the task at hand. He is practically the best warrior in the Empire, for he always reliable for carrying out whatever order you give him." said the Emperor. "I now hereby declare this meeting adjourned!"
The Emperor rose from his seat, which was immediately followed by everyone in the room getting up out of their seats as well. Everyone faced the Emperor and bowed their heads in silence as the Emperor proceeded to leave the room with his personal aides. Once he left the room, everyone raised their heads and started exiting the room.
"His Majesty sure has an interesting choice regarding how to deal with Zero and his Black Army. The Shinigami himself is going to be in Chōsen. I wonder how this will go with Hasegawa. However, what concerns me is how His Majesty referred to our problems as petty situations and mundane affairs. This is just more proof that he is deteriorating at a faster rate. This news will definitely please him" thought a smiling Aritomo as he exited the meeting room.
Author's Note: Purpose of this chapter was to depict the aftermath of the battle along with preparing the plot for the next chapter. We finally meet the Emperor, along with some of the highest officials within the Empire of Japan. In terms of Japanese aristocracy, a Count is equivalent to an earl. Just to keep track of the major Japanese characters, there are:
1. Count Hasegawa Yoshimichi - Viceroy of Chōsen
2. Prince Yamagata Aritomo - President of the Privy Council/"Father" of Japanese Militarism
3. Count Terauchi Masakate - Prime Minister of the Empire of Japan/Former Viceroy of Chōsen
4. Marquess Matsukata Masayoshi (initially depicted in Ch. 10)- Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal of Japan
5. Emperor Yoshihito (he's shaking his hands as he talks due to his poor health)- Emperor of the Empire of Japan
6. Prince Ito Hirobumi (the guy Lelouch saw killed in that "dream" in the beginning) - 1st "Viceroy" of Chōsen/Former 1st Prime Minister of the Empire of Japan
As you can tell by some of the dialogue, similarities with the actual series are becoming visible.
Also the person Prince Yamagata is thinking about in the end ("him") will be play a very important role in the future. Here's a hint, he will be a counterpart to a pretty prominent Code Geass character.
If anyone has any reviews or questions regarding the chapter or the whole story in general, please post. I will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.