Ch. 32 The Day After the Storm
3:10 PM, March 13th, 1919, Shanghai, China
The busy metropolis of Shanghai was full of ships, carriages, automobiles, and many other Western-style elements. This was primarily due to the fact that one part of the city was part of the International Settlement while another was part of the French Concession. These two Western-influenced areas were nominally under Chinese sovereignty, but the foreigners and governments inhabiting the area enjoyed extraterritorial rights. The International Settlement was monitored by the various European powers, the USA, and Japan while the French Concession was solely ran by the French.
The International Settlement's area bordering the Huangpu River, The Bund, was the location of the city's most extravagant buildings. Various different architectural styles ranging from Neo-Classical and Neo-Baroque to Neo-Rennaissance and Neo-Gothic could be seen standing tall by the river. These buildings were primarily being used to house corporations, banks, social clubs, and other facilities meant to preserve foreign economic interests in the city.
The Black Army's boats that had just fled from the Korean Peninsula arrived and docked at one of the wharfs in the International Settlement. The Dangun, which had arrived earlier, was docked at a wharf further down the river.
Further inland was a large, multi-storied hospital facility. Located in the building was Zero, wearing his casual trench coat, shirts, pants, and worker's cap, along with Kim Gu, wearing his typical suit and tie. Zero was standing in the Office of the Hospital's Administrator while Kim Gu waited outside by the door.
"This facility here will be enough to handle all the patients I am about to bring here. I want you to treat and care for them with everything you have. Send several ambulances to the designated spot on the map I gave you. I also expect you not to ask them anything regarding their background, affiliations, and other details regarding on how they got their injuries. Only ask anything you feel is absolutely necessary in saving their lives. You will also tell all other staff members to be answerable only to me and my associates." instructed Zero, who was holding a pair of contacts on his two fingers.
"Of course sir." said the Head Administrator and some other head doctors in the room simultaneously.
Zero then placed his contacts back into his eyes before exiting the office.
"Let's go." said Zero as he passed Kim Gu.
"I'm glad you made it back safely sir." replied Kim Gu as he and Zero walked down the hallway.
"Same to you. Hopefully the losses we have suffered won't be as large now that we have a way of getting our forces proper medical treatment without having people questioning us." said Zero. "By the way, you said you set up a temporary meeting spot in the city?"
"Yes. I managed to get a hold on some connections me and the council have in the city. They were kind enough to allow us to use an unused storage depot nearby." replied Kim Gu.
"Good. As you know the council is planning to have a meeting tonight regarding the current situation." said Zero.
"I do. They are probably wondering what went wrong with the situation." said Kim Gu.
"I know, which is why I'm already composing a case to present to them." Zero replied.
He and Kim Gu then walked into an elevator car and told the elevator operator to take them to the ground floor.
7:00 PM, Storage Depot, International Settlement, Shanghai
Down one of the various streets located in the International Settlement was a large building primarily used for storage. The storage building, however, was empty except for a long wooden table with some chairs placed around it. Several sets of lamps hung from the ceiling above, resulting in the room to be lit.
Sitting at the table was Zero, Kim Gu, the council members, and the Black Army Ministers. Papers and reports were strewn all over the table, resulting in the table being cluttered.
"The loss the Black Army and the Korean resistance has suffered recently is one of the largest we've faced in a while." said Yang Gi-tak. "Zero, how do you explain yourself?"
"Mr. Yang, Zero's leadership is not being questioned here." said Minister of Defense Gang. "The Japanese utilized equipment and tactics we were unaware of."
"What of the intelligence networks you had set up? Was there any hints regarding these new factors?" asked Yi Dongnyeong.
"My team looked at every file, connection, and messages throughout the peninsula. We found no evidence of anything regarding the sudden introduction of planes." answered Dietrich.
"As for the Black Army, what is the status of the organization?" asked Park Eunsik.
"According to communication lines Dietrich managed to arrange and restore, the situation is pretty bleak. Many of our outposts in the major cities and some of the smaller communities have been overrun or abandoned. Many of our men have either been killed or been imprisoned. Hideouts have been discovered via confessions. The only forces we have available are some undercover agents and a few small outposts." said Zero.
"General Rozhkov managed to communicate with us and said he and the remaining fraction of his forces are currently based in the training facility in the North. General Park has said his remaining Southern forces have been forced to halt all activities since Japanese security has spiked." said Chief of Staff General Jo, who's right hand was heavily bandaged due to it being partially bayoneted in the previous battle.
"The fact that the training facility was formerly an abandoned mansion in a ghost town makes it an unlikely spot for the Japanese to look in." added Kim Gu.
"Ok. Approximately how many of your men were lost?" asked Hong Jin.
"If I would have to guess, I would say that about 48% of our forces were either killed or captured." answered Zero.
Suddenly the council members sitting at the table started whispering to one another.
"Zero, what is your plan regarding this situation?" asked Park Eunsik.
"Currently I have Foreign Minister Won trying to get support from overseas while Minister of the Treasury Yoo is rebalancing the books. With the Japanese looking under every rock in Korea, our activities in the area are limited for the time being, which is why the Black Army will focus more on reorganization and intelligence gathering for the time being." explained Zero.
The council members once again started to whisper to one another.
"Anything else you want to mention to us Zero?" asked Park Eunsik.
"There is. I think someone outside of our knowledge has interfered with the operation." replied Zero.
"Excuse me Zero but what do you mean someone else?" asked Yang Gi-tak.
"I have analyzed every battle and skirmish we have had with the Imperial Japanese. In almost every confrontation we've had, the Japanese usually attack us head on. However, the Japanese in this recent battle adopted a different tactic. General can you explain?" asked Zero.
"Of course." said Jo as he stood up and read some papers he was holding with his good hand. "The patterns exhibited by the Japanese recently do not match the patterns of previous battles. Instead of attacking us with one giant blow, they attacked our divisions as they were in the process of organizing themselves. These small, but multiple strikes prevented reinforcements from coming to our aid. This sudden change in tactics shows that someone else was involved with the Japanese battle plans."
"But General, there is a chance that the enemy commanders simply learned from past experiences and simply tricked you. What makes you so certain an outside force was involved?" asked Yi Sang-ryong as he stroked his long beard.
"The planes we mentioned earlier sir is why I am certain outside sources were involved." said Zero as he rose out of his seat once more while Jo sat back down. "The fact that our intelligence networks didn't pick up any evidence of the colonial authorities getting their hands on such machinery along with the fact they weren't using them before tells me that the acquisition was recent."
"Also analysis shows me that the Korean peninsula doesn't have the industrial infrastructure needed to make so many planes in such a short amount of time." interjected Dietrich. "They had to come from somewhere else, meaning someone not part of the colonial government was behind the production of these planes."
"Then who do you think it was?" asked Park Eunsik.
"We don't know exactly sir." said Foreign Minister Won. "However potential candidates include someone from the Japanese home islands, several corporations, and the British or American governments. However me and Minister Ried have agreed to share info between our two ministries in order to trace where the planes came from and hopefully who produced them."
"Thank you Minister." said Zero. "As for you and the rest of the council, what are you planning to do? Are you going to go through with the declaration you approved before?"
Park Eunsik and the rest of the council members looked at nodded at one another before focusing on Zero once more.
"Well, we absolutely want to fulfill the promise we made by approving the signing of the Declaration of Independence. However, me and my constituents here and overseas are unsure about how such a government structure would be built. As a result, we have decided that we won't publicly declare an independent Korean government until the time is right." replied Park Eunsik.
"Very well. I just hope that the deliberation won't take too long. The longer we do nothing, the more the Japanese gain." said Zero.
"We will do our best." replied Park Eunsik.
The meeting was then adjourned and everyone at the meeting table got out of their seats and proceeded to exit the building.
11:35 AM, March 14th, The Dangun, Shanghai
Zero was working in his office as the Dangun rocked slightly back and worth as it sat on the Huangpu River. He was reviewing various maps of Black Army and Japanese outposts located on the Korean peninsula. Several red x's were drawn on spots where Black Army outposts and bases Zero couldn't contact, presumably due to abandonment or Japanese capture. Black arrows pointing Northward, symbolizing the movement of Black Army divisions, were also drawn all over the peninsula. A large black circle could be seen in the Northeastern area, indicating the location of the abandoned mansion, which was now the Black Army's strongest if not only outpost on the peninsula.
"DAMN IT!" thought Zero as he slammed his fist on his desk. "With these kinds of losses, it could take me months to recover to our pre-battle status. And if the Japanese have more of these planes or something of the sort, then we are at a severe disadvantage. The only plane we have is the ShinkirÅ, and that was practically destroyed. We need better weapons. The only problem is getting our hands on them."
Suddenly a knock on his door could be heard.
"C'mon in!" yelled Zero.
The door opened and in came Foreign Minister Won.
"Zero, I have urgent news to report to you." he said.
"What is it and who is it from?" asked Zero.
"It's a message from the contacts we've established in Ireland." said Won as he held the message in his hand. "It says that the Irish Republic sympathizes with the Black Army fully for they too wish to break the chains binding them to Great Britain. Also it says here President Cathal Brugha and Foreign Minister George Noble Plunkett thank you for the financial aid you have given them. Minister of Home Affairs Michael Collins also says you're a true inspiration and symbol for justice and independence."
"Well, please tell them I am flattered by their compliments and thanks." replied Zero.
"The message also here says that they are sorry for your recent loss. As a token for our aid and support to them, they have decided to give us a submarine along with a squad of some of their best men." said Won.
"Wait a submarine?!" said Zero with a surprised look on his face. "I didn't even know the Irish had naval capabilities."
"Actually it says here that the submarine was originally German and apparently decided to dock in an Irish port once word that the Imperial German Navy was mutinying." said Won. "Since the Irish Republic fears that using the submarine themselves could result in diplomatic repercussions in the international sphere, they have decided to give it to us for we aren't technically an independent sovereign nation, making any claims and allegations placed on us by a government extremely difficult." explained Won.
"I see, well tell the Irish Republic we give our utmost thanks along with a shipment of ammo via the black market." ordered Zero.
The Foreign Minister nodded before leaving the room. Zero then returned to reviewing his maps.
"A submarine and a squad of Irish soldiers. This couldn't have come at a better time." thought Zero.
Authors' Note: I know it's a short chapter, but I felt I addressed the aftermath of the battle enough.
About Ireland and the submarine, the Irish Republic doesn't want to use the submarine that mutinied (the Imperial German Navy really did mutiny at the very end of WWI) in their waters because they fear Germany might be offended if they found out the Irish, who are calling themselves a sovereign nation despite not being recognized as one, took in one of their own subs without alerting them, which could potentially result in Germany interfering in the Irish War for Independence. However, the Black Army, a privately-run organization, non-sovereign entity, isn't under the same conditions that the Irish Republic is under.
If there are any other questions, feel free to ask.