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Doctor Rhee’s intentions were obvious.
In my relationship with Rhee Syngman, the overwhelming advantage I held was simple.
I knew exactly what kind of man he was, and I knew what he would become in the future.
Of course, that did not mean I could discard him.
At least not yet.
After all, he had connections to Woodrow Wilson, who would soon become President.
The next eight years would belong to Wilson.
And during those eight years, the world would fall into the massive hell known as World War I.
For me, what mattered more was that my commissioning and early career as a junior officer would overlap with Wilson’s presidency.
Which meant that until I proved myself as a true war hero and secured my position in the U.S.
Army, Doctor Rhee was my final insurance, the joker card I could play in the worst-case scenario.
Begging to be sent to Europe would be the worst move.
No, I would save him for the moment when everything truly went wrong, when I might be forced out of the army unfairly.
After that?
If I succeeded in becoming a war hero as planned, then by the time Wilson’s presidency ended, Rhee Syngman would no longer be useful to me.
If my popularity exploded, a power-hungry Machiavellian like him would inevitably begin to see me not as a successor, but as a rival.
Whether it was Ahn Chang-ho or Park Yong-man who led the Korean community, either would be far more comfortable to deal with than him.
Would I discard him first?
Or would he place a leash around my neck?
That decision was still at least ten years away.
And if I failed to distinguish myself in the war, then all of this would be nothing more than useless fantasy.
Time was not as abundant as I had thought.
Pushing those thoughts aside, I spent a short but peaceful time with my family.
A few days passed quickly.
Then, I carefully brought up the topic.
“Money?
Do you need spending money?”
“No.
I was thinking of starting a business.”
“We do not have that kind of money.”
My father’s firm response left me speechless.
“Of course, if I liquidate the business, money can be raised.
But even if you are the eldest, I intend to pass it on to your younger brother.”
“…I see.”
At the Korean National Association, I had spoken boldly about investing my own funds.
But the truth was, I had no money.
“More importantly, it is unclear whether your idea is even viable.”
“Brother, firearms are not profitable.
The scale is too small, and the technology is lacking.”
My younger brothers opposed me as well.
I was completely alone.
“Is there a reason you are set on firearms?”
I thought carefully.
The coming war itself was not directly tied to the business idea.
I chose firearms mainly because it suited my image-building.
But with only two years left before the war, there was little time to build capital.
“Do you think there will be a war?”
“Yes.”
“Then what about uniforms?”
“That would be even harder.
I shook my head.
“Then I will seek help from Doctor Rhee and Ahn Chang-ho and avoid using family assets.”
“I am sorry I cannot help more.”
“Then if possible… please look into companies that produce barbed wire.”
“Barbed wire?
For farms?”
For now, that was all it was.
But any soldier who had seen modern warfare would understand its value.
If I could produce advanced forms like concertina wire, I could profit greatly, especially from Europe.
“That might be possible.”
“And if there is room… perhaps a tractor company as well.”
At this time, military vehicles were little more than reinforced civilian cars.
By the time I graduated, I could present the concept of an armored tractor with a mounted gun.
That alone would be enough.
Was I too late?
Should I have acted earlier, showing genius from childhood?
No.
What I needed was not to appear as someone who simply knew the future.
I needed to be seen as someone who predicted and prepared for a massive war.
Not a prophet.
If I had spoken too early, I would have been treated like a madman.
As I imagined the storm approaching from distant Europe, I felt frustrated being bound by my status as a cadet.
My short leave ended.
I returned to my second home, West Point.
“New cadets.”
“How many will survive?”
“Want to bet who gets expelled first?”
Beast Barracks again.
This time, I was no longer the prey.
Dwight David Eisenhower grinned like a child.
Omar Bradley, normally gentle, looked ready for blood.
Even James Van Fleet was smiling widely.
West Point truly corrupted people.
But… they were fresh cadets.
Naturally, they were ours to train.
“One year ago, that was me,” I thought.
Now, I stood on the other side.
“You are no longer human.
You are animals.
If you want to be treated as human, leave now!”
The same script.
Exactly the same words.
Yet the new cadets trembled.
The system worked.
“Hey, Eugene.
Back from home?”
“Did you bring anything?”
“Of course.
The West Point supplier is open again.”
Anastacio and Vicente approached with smiles.
“Good.
We cannot help directly, right?”
“Exactly.
Look at him.
Completely frozen.”
In the distance, a Filipino cadet struggled with a shovel.
“He will hurt his back like that.”
“Should I go kick him?”
“No.
McNarney is handling that role this year.”
“And you?”
“You are the hero.”
So that was the plan.
Last year had been real.
This year was different.
There were no more reckless racists shouting insults openly.
After much arguing, they had chosen Joseph Taggart McNarney to play the villain.
“Has he improved?”
“A bit.
He now says it is the duty of whites to lead others.”
I sighed.
At least he no longer spoke openly about inferiority.
“Your job is to step in and save them.”
“And there is another request.”
“What now?”
“A cadet from Nicaragua has arrived.
Help him as well.”
Of course.
More work for me.
As expected, McNarney was already yelling at two cadets.
“Pick up the rifle!”
“Yes!”
“What are your names?”
“Garcia!”
“Diaz!”
“Too hard.
You are now Charcoal and Coal!”
That idiot was born for this role.
I stepped in.
“That is enough.”
He nearly slipped and said “yellow monkey” again.
“Handle them yourself if you care so much!”
He stormed off.
The two cadets looked at me with shining eyes.
Of course, I could not disappoint them.
“You think holding a rifle loosely is acceptable?”
“No!”
“Then get down!”
If I am doing this, I might as well do it properly.