The Most Untrustworthy Advisor

I didn’t feel like talking to Tikhonov any longer. Her words were inflammatory and provocative, but in reality, they contained almost no substance. She discussed China’s fate as if she were a medieval scholar predicting the rise and fall of empires. It’s just a very theoretical statement. It can be made to sound plausible anywhere you apply it.

The fact that Chiang Kai-shek’s successor is unclear, and that commanders with superpowers are watching intently across the country, are just circumstances that China ‘might’ fall, not issues that can be acted upon.

In China, there are as many opinions refuting crisis theories as there are crisis theories themselves. Not just within China, but scholars outside China, such as in Europe or America, are skeptical about the view that China will fall just because Chiang Kai-shek dies.

Tikhonov said about the nature of Chinese people, “When united, they divide.” But that should be seen as the Chinese view of the world, not that Chinese people divide and start civil wars at any time.

Rather… when divided and faced with an unmanageable huge external enemy, Chinese people tended to unite or consolidate. Today’s Russia is such an opponent for China. Japan across the sea is also a communist superpower that, judging by its national power alone, is considered capable of threatening China.

If one asserts that they will divide based on Chinese habits, it’s also possible to predict that they won’t divide based on those same habits. Such arguments and counterarguments are meaningless. Tikhonov is hiding something. Either there’s some political significance in her prediction that China will fall, or she knows something I don’t that allows her to assert that China will fall.

Of course, she wouldn’t want to say it. If that was all, I would know and be at ease… but Duey’s words still bother me. Catherine Duey, called by the cute nickname ‘Katyusha’ by Colonel Tikhonov, says she saw a huge personal ambition in Tikhonov’s heart. It doesn’t feel good.

About 3 hours after the short conversation with Tikhonov. After finishing a simple dinner in the dormitory room, I received a summons from Major Zhou Lizhi and headed to her office. The supervising instructor, Major Zhou Lizhi, seemed to have not yet gone home, wearing the yellow-brown uniform of the National Revolutionary Army and flipping through documents in Chinese.

“Major, it’s Shin Eun-young.”

“Ah, you’ve come. Sit down. There’s something I need to talk about.”

It doesn’t seem like she called for personal business or desire. Of course, such talk might come up incidentally, but it was clear she had called for some truly important matter.

“What’s the matter?”

“It seems something is going to happen in China after all.”

“…What’s going to happen?”

Tension involuntarily entered my voice. Maybe I’m even more tense because it’s right after having a very irreverent conversation about China with Tikhonov.

“I mean the Generalissimo’s birthday. I’ve received a request to participate in the guard duty. Judging by the fact that it’s a request letter and not an order, it’s not a serious stage yet, but it makes me feel strange to be called to the center.”

“…You mean you’re being called to Nanjing, Major?”

“The last week of October, just one week. It’s a request to come to Nanjing and take charge of one of the Generalissimo’s guards. Honestly, I’m troubled. I’m not in a position to leave the school at will, but it’s also burdensome for a mere major to refuse a request from Nanjing.”

“Hasn’t this happened before?”

“Not usually. Among my duties is also being responsible for the safety of this school. Of course, I failed in my mission and allowed someone to die, but still, my presence and absence are completely different. Especially during weeks like the Generalissimo’s birthday, incidents occur in various parts of the country every few years, so I can’t help but be concerned.”

“With such a big event, I suppose many terrorists and extremists will gather.”

“Yes. And that event is not only in Nanjing but also in Guangzhou. But to summon this Zhou Lizhi to Nanjing during such a week…”

“Have you decided to go?”

“I haven’t sent a reply yet. I’ll have to decide by this week.”

To discuss this issue with a foreigner like me. Maybe there’s no one else to consult but a foreigner.

“If there’s someone you can ask for advice, you should try. In my opinion, it doesn’t seem like something to decide easily…”

“Advice? From whom?”

“Fellow faculty members, or senior students… There must be many students among the 2nd to 4th years who have received your guidance, right? It seems like it would be good to ask a student or professor with whom you have a suitable relationship…”

“Hmm.”

Zhou Lizhi cleared her throat lightly.

“You haven’t forgotten which country you’re in, have you, Lieutenant?”

“This is the Republic of China.”

“Yes, this is the Republic of China. Not a soft country like the Republic of Korea. And even in Korea, you’d know that you can’t carelessly consult just anyone about this kind of situation.”

If she knows that, she should also refrain from asking me, a CIA agent, about this issue without recognizing it. How much does Zhou Lizhi trust me? Or maybe… is she testing me again because she doesn’t trust me at all? No matter how I think about it, there’s no reason she should trust me, so is this perhaps Zhou’s own way of testing?

“Major. Are you testing me again now?”

“It’s not that kind of issue. You’re the second most suspicious person in this school after Tikhonov right now. What’s the point of testing someone I’ve already marked as suspicious?”

“Then? While you can’t even trust your fellow faculty members and can’t consult about the summons from Nanjing, why are you calling me like this?”

“Because you beat me.”

Zhou said.

“The kids here in the school, they’re all brats. Of course, there are some strong ones, and students whose potential is superior to mine… but there’s virtually none except Churchill. Moreover, Briar Churchill doesn’t seem like she’ll stay in this school for long, anyway. In terms of brains, power, skill. They’re all inferior compared to this Zhou Lizhi.”

“You’re confident.”

“It’s not arrogance, it’s fact. But that’s why I have to be careful, right? If one of them is a spy planted by the Chinese government to monitor me. If I fail to detect just that one thing and get caught in the Generalissimo’s dismissal, losing my head. I’d be dying trampled by someone inferior to me. How pathetic would I feel about myself if that happened.”

“That’s… a unique perspective.”

“But Shin Eun-young. You caught me. In the wilderness, and in bed. You caught me. Even if you’re my enemy hiding your true intentions, and you win my favor to cut off my head, I don’t think I’d feel pathetic about myself. I was just weak. I can die thinking that. That’s why I called you. Not because I think you won’t betray me, but because being betrayed by you might hurt less.”

“Fortunately, I have no intention of cutting off your head, Major.”

“That’s fortunate indeed. So, what do you think I should do about this issue?”

“Major, since you’re trusting me and asking about this issue, I’d like to hear your honest feelings about one thing.”

“Ask away.”

“Do you dream of ruling the world? Not the ambiguous answer you gave in bed last time, but sincerely. Are you aiming for this China?”

Because depending on her true intentions, whether it’s okay to go to Nanjing or not changes dramatically.

If she’s sincerely dreaming of ruling the Central Plains, she shouldn’t go. In a world where superhumans are rampant, someone might have seen her true intentions. Even though Rebecca Katerfeld couldn’t look into Zhou’s mind, there might be a mind reader more excellent than her, and if so, Zhou’s ambition might have been discovered.

But if she’s not dreaming of seizing China at all, this request might really be just a request for Chiang Kai-shek’s protection. With the party atmosphere unsettled due to large-scale purges of the Central Executive Committee members, it’s reasonable for the Presidential Office to wish for strong superhumans to guard the aging Chiang Kai-shek.

“You know, I’m a woman who put on a military uniform to save China.”

“Don’t go.”

I answered immediately. The Major furrowed her brow as if puzzled by my words and fidgeted with her fingers.

“What’s with that immediate answer?”

“You just said ‘save China’, not ‘protect China’.”

Zhou’s expression froze at my words.

“Who wouldn’t understand what that means? Since ancient times, loyal subjects have propagandized about protecting the country, while traitors have propagandized about saving the country. Even if you’re not dreaming a fearsome dream… if that’s your habit of speech, you’ll surely make a mistake if you go to Nanjing. Don’t go.”