Passing the Buck

Perhaps because it was news from the American side, the CIA seemed to have moved quite quickly. Thanks to Rebecca Katerfeld, who uncharacteristically delivered the news hurriedly while sweating, I was able to get a general understanding of the train accident that occurred in Yunnan Province.

“Was it a fighter jet bombing, artillery shelling, or a derailment caused by planting bombs on the rails?”

“I don’t know. That’s not what’s important.”

Katerfeld said. I agreed with her statement.

“What on earth… what on earth is happening? Killing an American celebrity with superpowers! It must be an accident, right? There’s no conspiracy lurking behind this, is there?”

“I’m not close with the CIA, so they only contact me to relay messages to you, not to pass detailed investigation information to me. But in my opinion, I don’t think the American intelligence agencies have a clear understanding of this incident either. Everyone’s in the dark. They’re having headaches not knowing how to handle this situation.”

“Can’t you detect spiritually if she’s really dead? You’re a spiritualist. Last time, during the Chen Yayuan incident, you spiritually…”

Katerfeld shook her head with her eyes closed after hearing my words.

“It’s too far away. Curoo wasn’t that powerful a soul either. Someone like Chiang Kai-shek might be able to detect death from hundreds of kilometers away, but Julia Curoo… such a slight soul is difficult. But I don’t think it’s false information. The CIA has nothing to gain by fabricating this, and moreover, since the fellow passenger Shradha Bhatt is reported to have survived, there’s no point in making a lie that would be exposed immediately.”

It’s truly strange that I have to communicate with my organization through a German detective. But somehow, during this period, communicating through this woman actually gives me a sense of security. Relations with headquarters have become strained, making direct communication more frightening. It’s partly my responsibility for not actively seeking communication channels, using Chinese security as an excuse.

“I can’t tell how this will affect the situation. The United States won’t try to make a military intervention in China, but…”

“We can’t say for certain they won’t.”

I flinched at Katerfeld’s words.

“Don’t talk nonsense. Military intervention against another permanent member of the League of Nations? Even if China is reeling from two nuclear bombs, that doesn’t mean the United States has an opening to squeeze in. This is Asia…”

Unlike Europe, where three divisions of U.S. troops are stationed in Germany, there is not even a single naval base, let alone U.S. troops, in East Asia. Even though the United States has built naval bases as far as Antarctica, projecting naval power near China’s coast is completely impossible. Without naval power projection, they cannot exert military influence here. There’s absolutely no possibility of U.S.-China military conflict.

To bring in a fleet, they would have to bring ships all the way from Yemen… I don’t think neighboring countries would just sit and watch…

“What if Chiang Kai-shek reaches out to the United States first?”

“Why on earth would he?”

“The situation is strange. I don’t think this incident is someone’s conspiracy, because it could actually just be an accidental coincidence, and many events in history happen that way. But I can’t predict how this accident might be used by someone. Huangpu is in danger. Go ask Zhou Lizhi.”

“Ask what?”

“We need assurance that Zhou Lizhi wasn’t involved in this. Go to her and get an answer about that issue. Quickly!”

I rushed to Zhou’s office, almost pushed by Katerfeld. Zhou was already sitting at her desk with a dazed expression, seemingly having heard the news about Curoo.

“Oh, you’re here. Judging by your complexion, it seems you’ve heard the news.”

“Lizhi, tell me. This incident, were you involved?”

“How could I be?”

The Major flashed her eyes and dismissed my question with a single stroke.

“I provided them with an escape route. In fact, they were just the beginning. If things escalated, I needed to evacuate as many foreigners from Huangpu as possible. After getting Curoo and Bhatt out, I was planning to evacuate Crystal, Demetriades, and all other foreigners who weren’t willing to cooperate with me to India. I had no intention of staging a hostage situation. It was advantageous to evacuate uninvolved foreigners. But…”

“Now we can’t evacuate them. We can’t send other foreign students outside the barrier in this situation. We must hide them all underground at least. Whether we like it or not, if a hostage situation is necessary, we’ll have to do it.”

“If we lose, we lose. If we can’t defend the school, we need to escape somewhere, not hold out with hostages. I don’t understand what’s happening. An American celebrity is dead. No matter how chaotic the situation in China is, how could train information that was properly transmitted to Guangdong Province get confused in Yunnan, causing such an accident? Does that make any sense?”

“Katerfeld thinks there’s a high possibility this is a simple accident.”

“I think differently. This is a conspiracy. Chiang Kai-shek’s doing.”

“Do you have evidence?”

In response to my question, Zhou Lizhi tapped the telephone on her desk. I stood there for a moment with a dumb expression, not understanding the meaning of her action, but soon I was able to figure out what the Major meant.

“Don’t tell me no one called?”

“That’s right. There hasn’t been a single call from the Guangdong Provincial Administration or the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics. Though I’m clearly a party to this incident, there hasn’t been a single official report, even for investigation purposes, or even just to relay information. Not only that, Guangdong Province is systematically isolating me from the information network. The intention behind this action is obvious.”

“…”

“The best way to resolve the diplomatic issue with the United States is to pin the responsibility for this incident on the Qing restorationists who carried out the Beiping terror attack, that is, my faction.”

“I can’t say it’s unfair. You did commit the act.”

“The problem is that finding the culprit becomes urgent. Until now, Chiang Kai-shek has been allowing the situation to continue despite being certain that I was the culprit. If the issue with the United States becomes urgent, he’ll have no choice but to identify me as the culprit and immediately begin suppression operations. Any attempts to resolve this diplomatically have gone out the window. We need to prepare for battle. This was a conspiracy for that purpose. Someone plotted to take me down for sure, this is…”

“First, calm down.”

In this urgent situation, my mind became remarkably clear. I sat Zhou back down, who looked as if she was about to boil over and erupt, and spoke calmly.

“Given the circumstances, it doesn’t seem like military action will begin today. First, we need to gather people who will definitely cooperate with us and think of countermeasures. If an attack begins, it will be an encirclement…”

“Are you trying to say there might be no way out?”

“Escaping preemptively is also an option.”

“No, that would cause even more trouble. They’re just waiting for us to escape. It’s better to engage in battle, and find an escape route while they’re distracted with the operation to attack the school. Besides, if we escape secretly now, there’s a high chance we’ll be spotted by students loyal to the Kuomintang. Not good. We can only escape after killing all of them.”

“Understood, let’s think about countermeasures.”

“And Eun-young.”

“Yes, Emperor.”

“Since the situation has changed dramatically, you might have other information too. Let me tell you in advance, I will do whatever it takes to achieve my dream, even if you don’t cooperate. Even if it means parting ways with you, I will unconditionally go the way I want. That much is certain.”

I sighed as I moved toward the door to leave the office.

“I remember telling you a long time ago that I already know you’re that kind of person.”

“But now I’m not in a situation where I can save my own life. The most important forces I can mobilize, the connections with Tikhonov and Churchill, are in your hands. Neither of them would take my side if you turn against me. So, right now, I’m entrusting my life to you.”

“Somehow it’s ended up that way.”

At that moment, Zhou suddenly stood up and drew the pistol she was carrying at her waist. For an instant, I thought she was going to shoot me after imbuing her gun with her ability, and raised my arms in a defensive posture, but Zhou didn’t do that.

The Emperor threw her gun at my feet. Then, with a thud, she knelt on both knees in front of me in a posture of collapsing helplessly, and bowed her head.

“So I beg you like this. Save me. Please don’t look at other options. Please… choose the option that saves me. I must live. I cannot yet give up my goal of taking this China, of standing on top of this world. Even more than my survival, I absolutely cannot give up that goal. So please. On these two knees, or with something more if you want, I beg you. Save me. No matter what happens… don’t stab me in the back. This is the only favor I ask of you.”

“I had already decided long ago, even without you asking like this.”

I ignored Lizhi and walked out of the office with firm steps. That night, in my dormitory room, I received a note from my roommate Briar Churchill.

“A letter came? Seemed like a letter for you. I didn’t read it. Afraid I might get in trouble if I did. Strange thing. A mail delivery from outside at a time like this.”

Churchill said. I opened the carefully sealed envelope and read its contents. It was a handwriting I knew well. It was one of Marilyn Jefferson’s handwritings. She has many different handwritings. This was a very difficult-to-recognize English cursive that she often used when issuing secret orders.

‘U.S. Middle East Fleet currently departing Yemen. Expected to arrive in Ningbo the day after tomorrow. Order issued. Eliminate the rebellious ringleader threatening the Chinese regime before full-scale joint military operations begin. Warning. If you refuse this order as well, it will be considered an act of treason.’

“Middle East Fleet means the MacArthur-class carrier battle group…”

I crumpled the letter, then set it on fire and burned it.