I Will Stage A Coup D’état

As expected, the Defense Security Command noticed Sung Joon's movements.

General Lee Jeong-ju, appointed as the Defense Security Commander received these reports and ordered an investigation into Lee Sung Joon.

"S-Sir...Sung Joon is a member of the Royal Family and is supported by many junior officers. Wouldn't we incur a severe backlash for recklessly investigating such a person?"

However, Lee Jeong-ju ignored his aide's remark.

"You fool. We don't have the time to worry about such things! General Lee must be plotting something! He's done every suspicious activity in the books, besides meeting the frontline division commanders. If we don't look into him, who will? Now, start digging. Find out what this bastard is planning."

"...Understood."

Despite saying this, even Lee Jeong-Ju didn't think General Lee was planning a coup.

To prepare for a coup, one needed to either have frontline division commanders as allies or be in that position themselves.

Lee Sung Joon had neither.

The commanders of the 16th and 17th Reserve Divisions were juniors loyal to Park Han-jin, and the Training Division (division-level) commander had no connection to Lee Sung Joon, being a graduate of the Army Officer School.

The Guard Division was even further out of reach.

Under these conditions, how could Lee Sung Joon stage a coup?

However, it was undeniable that the current regime sported some fissures as many Loyal units were deployed to the front lines.

Therefore, they couldn't leave a suspicious individual operating unchecked.

Lee Jeong-ju intended to thoroughly investigate Lee Sung Joon as a stern warning.

Stop having these dangerous ideas. The Defense Security Command has its eyes on you. Your every move is known to us.

Following Jeong-ju's orders, four teams were assigned under Colonel Kim Jin-kyu, the head of the Inspection Department, to tail Lee Sung Joon.

Each team worked in two shifts, waiting in front of General Lee Sung Joon's official residence and the Training Division, tailing him when he appeared.

"Anyone who sleeps on the job and loses sight of our mark will be punished severely. Stay sharp men."

"Roger."

Lee Sung Joon's tail didn't stop with Colonel Kim Jin-kyu's teams.

The Security Command forces stationed at the Army Ministry also received orders to monitor him.

"Why are they asking for additional reports on General Lee's movements? Is he planning something?"

Major General Kang Jungkook, the commander of the Army Ministry's security found such orders a bit puzzling, but he instructed his agents nonetheless.

"Check what General Lee is doing in the Policy Research office from time to time. Also, should you find a weak target, approach them and pressure them for information. Understood?"

"Yes, sir."

After thoroughly investigating General Lee, Jeong-ju discovered a few facts.

All the officers he's been seeing are high-ranking officers from frontline units stationed around the capital.

Why did Jo Tae-Soo, the Chairman of Taejung Industries meet with him?

Those actions were extremely suspicious.

Something afoul was happening.

After arranging a thick folder titled 'Lee Sung Joo's Surveillance Report', Jeong-Ju requested a private meeting with Marshal Park Han-Jin.

"His Excellency is waiting for you."

After being granted the audience, Jeong-Ju entered Park Han-Jin's office with the file he'd brought.

Park Han-jin greeted Jeong-Ju while seated at his imposing 10-meter-long desk, designed to intimidate visitors.

Anyone who came to Park Han-Jin's office had to stand before such an intimidating sight.

It was a nasty habit of Park Han-Jin to psychologically pressure his visitors,  showing them the pecking order of the Empire.

Such was the nature of Power.

Park Han-jin took out a match and lit a cigarette.

Unlike Lee Sung Joon who favored cigars, Park Han-Jin was fond of cheap cigarettes.

There was no particular reason for this.

It was simply the taste he'd grown accustomed to since childhood.

The relationship between Power and Habits was truly a unique one.

Once you get used to it, you cannot escape its inertia.

And Park Han-jin had grown accustomed to his position of power over the past five years.

Jeong-Ju awaited until Park Han-Jin allowed him to speak.

Finishing his cigarette, Park Han-Jin stubbed it out in the ashtray.

"General Lee Jeong-Ju. You wished to talk to me. What would be the reason, I wonder? Have you discovered some problems within the military?"

"Yes, Your Excellency."

Jeong-Ju delivered the file to Park Han-Jin as he answered.

"Lee Sung Joon...? Ah...That troublesome Royal."

Park Han-Jin remembered Sung Joon quite clearly.

While he memorized the names of all general-grade personnel, Lee Sung Joon was special among them.

A Royal and a 'visionary' who shared his views on the state through newspaper editorials and novels.

Yet, despite such frivolous activities, the man wasn't incompetent.

He showed his genius by performing a little too well in Spain, forcing the Military to chain him to his current position.

Lee Sung Joon, whom Park Han-jin knew, was a person with a unique character he had never encountered before.

"He's plotting something, Your Excellency."

"That's your conclusion from this...Investigation, I see. Huh...Meeting various high-ranking officers and capitalists as well...We'd be hard-pressed to find a more suspicious individual than this."

"Indeed, Your Excellency."

"However, the problem here is that we cannot touch him directly, isn't that right?"

"Correct. That's why we need Your Excellency's decision."

"My decision, huh."

Park Han-jin closed the file and stood up from his desk.

The Marshal slowly walked towards the window.

Of course, Park Han-jin had no intention of ordering a crackdown on Lee Sung Joon.

Touching the leader of the Young Officer's faction would severely undermine Park Han-Jin's power, which was already dwindling because of the war.

Standing before the window, Park Han-Jin crossed his hands behind his back.

"Among the officers Lee Sung Joon met, is there anyone worth properly investigating?"

"Pardon?"

The sunlight streaming through the window reflected off Park Han-jin's glasses, flashing a sharp glint.

"You know how these things go. Just like wolves hunt the weakest animal first and such...They target the cubs, females, or the old beasts..."

Park Han-jin opened the window.

Then, a strong gust rushed in through the wide-open window.

"The Defense Security Command needs to act like wolves. There's no need to aim for the biggest target from the start."

First, strike the people closest to Lee Sung Joon.

Then, extract information from their mounts to hinder his plans.

"That approach will take some time, Your Excellency."

"Irrelevant. Rice tastes better when it's left to steam for a long time. Tell me, haven't you started monitoring the division commanders of frontline units and high-ranking officers in key positions?"

"Yes, we're doing that."

"Then that's enough. I'll handle the rest, so focus on the investigation."

Jeong-Ju bowed deeply before leaving the Marshal's office.

As the General left, Park Han-Jin observed the streets of government offices visible beyond the window.

The very center of the Empire.

Its seat of power.

Did they think he'd allow a mere policy research officer to challenge his rule?

Truthfully, Park Han-Jin wasn't all that sure Sung Joon would attempt a coup.

If Lee Sung Joon had dreamed of challenging him, he wouldn't have moved so conspicuously.

Still, he would be prepared.

Even if Sung Joon never attempted a coup, others might.

After staring at the street for a while, Park Han-jin picked up the phone.

"Get me the Capital Defense Commander."

"In a moment, Your Excellency..."

"Commander Jin? This is Park Han-Jin speaking."

"Ah, Your Excellency."

"Prepare your unit for Loyalty Training starting today."

"Pardon? Loyalty training, Your Excellency?"

"The war is making the atmosphere in the Capital's academic district a bit...unstable. I worry that some leftist commies might incite the students to cause disturbances. We need to be prepared in case this happens."

"I see, that could be possible."

Through the pretext was preparing the forces to stop protests, the real intent was to establish troop mobilization plans in case of a coup.

Park Han-Jin didn't mention his worries about a 'coup' because the mere fact that someone was 'challenging' his rule would undermine the regime's authority.

The Marshal then called influential frontline commanders responsible for field forces in the capital region, including the 3rd Army Commander and the Capital Corps Commander.

Commanders of various units, including the 16th and 17th Reserve Divisions in the Capita area as well as the 12th Infantry Division and 33rd Infantry Division in the greater Capital region, received Park Han-jin's calls.

Though confused by the order, the division commanders all followed the Marshal's orders.

Before being their direct superior, Park Han-jin was the head of their faction.

If their leader asked, these commanders were ready to not only stage loyalty training but even dare to storm into the Imperial Palace.

"If Your Excellency wishes, we'll restrict soldiers' outings and overnight leaves, and begin loyalty training. ¹"

"Good, I'll be counting on you."

Park Han-jin expressed satisfaction with his subordinates' obedience.

Despite wartime gaps, with this level of preparation, a coup would be impossible.

Whoever the opponent might be, they'd be crushed the moment they made a move.

Through the calls with his support base, the leader of the current regime reaffirmed the immutability of his power.

***

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