abcnovels
Chapter 49
Chapter 49
Chapter 49
June 4th, 1943 14:00 Japanese Imperial era
Japan Kyushu Nagasaki, Nagasaki harbor.
The ship that had 5,000 Josun laborers aboard arrived at Japan’s Nagasaki harbor three days after its departure. It seemed most people aboard never had been on a ship before and looked haughty from seasickness. The Jong-gu brothers had to endure three days of hell from the seasickness, like many of the passengers.
“Big bro, I am hungry!” Jong-gu did not realize the trip would take three days and regretted buying only four rice balls and felt sorry for his brother Jong-sik.
“We arrived. When we get to the harbor I will buy you some food.”
After 30 minutes, the ship safely docked at Nagasaki harbor, and the 5,000 Josun laborers, including the Jong-gu brothers, got off the ship.
“Those we call will gather at the lot over on the left.”
Some man with a typical Japanese face shouted in poor Korean.
After an hour, the 5,000 Josun laborers were split into 15 groups. The Jong-gu brothers were put into a group of 300 men and were listening intently to the Japanese man.
“From now on, you will be working in the mine operated by the Mitsubishi group. We need to check your identities a final time, so you have the identification papers from the National People’s Prosperity Cooperative right? Show those to the man next to you and assemble at the boat at the end over there.”
The 300 Josun men turned their heads to the place the Japanese man pointed to and after staring at each other, they began taking out the identification papers.
“That line over there, hand in the paperwork first and assemble there.”
A boy who seemed to be as young as Jong-sik answered sheepishly when the Japanese man pointed at him and showed his identification papers.
“Me? Here’s my identification paper.”
When the 300 Josun laborers each handed over the papers in order and assembled at the boat, the Japanese man from before stood at the front of the group and spoke again.
“From now you will head to the coal mine in Hashima island.”
“Hey Mister, I have a question.”
“What?”
“The thing is. They promised us an upfront payment of 10 hwan when we came to work here, when will we get it?”
When a Josun man in his late 20s asked, the Japanese man shouted irritably.
“You Josun bastard, why would you ask us that? You need to take that up with the National People’s Prosperity Cooperative. The price for your bodies has already been paid for. You stupid Josenjin bastard!”
“What? But they said we will get the payment when we get here?”
“Shut up, and get on the boat right now. Hurry!”
“If I can’t get the money then I won’t go.”
“Me too. That’s not a petty sum, I will get on the boat when you give us the money.”
“My thoughts exactly, what is this a scam?”
When the angered Josun laborers plopped down on the floor or crossed their arms and showed signs of causing a scene the Japanese man turned around and shouted frantically.
“You Josenjin bastards! Mr. Nakamoto! Teach these guys a lesson.”
A dozen or so Japanese gangsters from the pier warehouse brought out long batons and began beating the laborers at the Japanese man’s words.
Smack! Smack!
“Oh my god! Why are you beating us up?”
“Shut up and get beat! Josenjin!”
The 300 Josun laborers were covered in blood from the relentless beatings and rolled on the floor. Jong-gu huddled with Jong-sik to protect him and was being beaten and kicked as well.
“Stop.”
A Japanese man who was watching the debacle raised his right hand and shouted. The Japanese gangsters stopped their beatings and stepped back.
“From this moment onward any Josenjin who causes a riot will be killed.”
The Japanese man pulled out the samurai sword the gangster leader was wearing and shouted to the fallen Josun laborers as he pointed the sword at them.
“If you understand then get the hell up and on the ship!”
Despite the feeling of unfairness, they felt from not being able to receive payment, the Josun laborers did not have a choice but to pick themselves up and head towards the boat from the relentless beatings and swinging of samurai swords. Jong-gu checked to see if he had any injuries and took Jong-sik’s hand and blended into the crowd of laborers headed to the boat.
“These Josenjins must be medicated with beatings. Don’t you think so?”
The man holding the samurai sword with both his hands handed it back to the Gangster leader Namogato and spoke with a yellow toothy grin.
“Yes, Mr. Nakamura.”
* * *
June 8th, 1943 14:00 Japanese imperialist era
Kyungsung Jongro-ku national people’s prosperity cooperative company.
“Sir, we just got a telegram Mitsubishi deposited 150,000 hwan.”
“Is that so? Hahahaha.”
Lee Bok-duk, who was humming as he laid on the sofa seemed to be very pleased with the money he received for the laborers he sent out and laughed loudly.
“It has been deposited? Shall we go to the government general department?”
Lee Bok-duk immediately got up from the sofa, put on his hat and headed to the government general department.
“I will visit the government general department and head home.”
“Yes, sir.”
150,000 hwan in the Japanese Imperialist era was about 150,000 dollars in the 21st century. Lee Bok-duk had used the money that he earned from selling off his fellow citizens to Japan or China to buy all the prime real estate in Korea at a low price with his connection to the general government. Lee Bok-duk, who sold off his people like cattle to accumulate his wealth, had not stopped his evil deeds until independence day August 15th, 1943.
* * *
July 11th, 1944 14:00 Japanese Imperialist era,
Japan Kyushu Nagasaki Hashima(Gunham-do) island mines.
A year had passed since arriving at Hashima island on an hour-long boat ride. The year was like living hell. The laborers were treated like cattle compared to the native Japanese workers and had to mine for coal for 12 hours a day crouched over. In the undersea mine reaching over 40 degrees Celcius, people had their lungs rot away or bones break from the hard labor and sometimes the tunnels would collapse and people would get caught trying to run away at sea.
Today, the 600 or so Josun laborers were in their underwear and with a black sooty towel digging to the narrow tunnels reaching a 1,000 meters as usual. Jong-sik was considered smaller among the other laborers, so he was always at the front of the digging. His brother, who wanted to keep an eye on him, begged the supervisor every day to work with him and was hunched over, working by his side.
“Hey! You, the big Josenjin.”
The supervisor called over Jong-gu, who was mining coal in the dark with his dimly lit headlamp.
“Are you talking to me?”
“Yeah, you. You’re too big to fit here so move over to the next tunnel.”
“What? Supervisor, please let me stay with my brother.”
“You’re asking for too much. Get out of here.”
Jong-sik grabbed his brother’s arm and spoke to prevent him from being beaten.
“It’s fine. Don’t worry about me and go. What will you do if you get beaten by the supervisor again?”
A middle-aged man patted the hesitant Jong-gu on the back and comforted him.
“Hey, Jong-gu? I will take care of Jong-sik in your stead, so don’t worry and go.”
“Mr. Ho-sup, thank you.”
Jong-gu patted his hands to Jong-sik’s face and spoke in a firm tone.
“Let’s work separately for today. Work safely so you don’t get hurt. All right?”
“Don’t worry! You stay safe big bro, and I’ll see you back up top.”
“All right, I am going then.”
Jong-gu crawled slowly to leave the tunnel he was in and moved towards the larger tunnel. After an hour passed an earthquake must have happened... A vibration could be felt in the tunnel, then the whole tunnel began to shake with rocks and coal dust falling from the ceiling.
“Earthquake! Earthquake! Everyone out!”
Josun laborers shouted from every direction and crawled towards the tunnel entrance. Jong-gu also covered his head and headed to the tunnel entrance when he thought of his younger brother Jong-sik.
“No!”
As Jong-gu headed to the direction Jong-sik was in, the supervisor who sent Jong-gu to the other tunnel shot out from the opposite direction on all fours.
“Supervisor, what about my brother?”
“Out of my way you Josenjin bastard.”
The supervisor did not answer Jong-gu but rather swore and shoved him over to crawl in the direction of the entrance. Jong-gu was about to crawl down to the tunnel the supervisor came out from when he heard a loud crash from below. The collapsed tunnel spewed smoke in Jong-gu’s direction.
“Jong-sik!”
* * *
July 11th, 1944 19:00 Japanese Imperialist era
Japan Kyushu Nagasaki Hashima (Gunham-do) island mines.
Jong-gu, who was saved by the other Josun laborer’s hands in the collapsed tunnel could only weep tears and stare at the ceiling of the pigsty-like dorms, and Oldman Woo-jin who was close to him and handed a bowl of corn paste.
“Jong-gu! The living must continue, get up and eat to collect your strength.”
“Jong-sik... My brother Jong-sik...”
“Jong-gu, what happened to Jong-sik is sad but Ho-sup could not make it and died, too. So did Jin-tae, Myung-gu, and Tae-gwang from dorm three.”
The earthquake from the afternoon resulted in the death of Jong-sik and Ho-sup, who were in the deepest part of the tunnel and three others in the tunnels next to it. In all, the earthquake caused five deaths, six injuries, and resulted in two missing miners.
“Old man Woo-jin! I need to recover my brother’s body at least. This is not the time for me to sit around.”
Woo-jin grabbed Jong-gu by the shoulder as he spoke feebly and stopped him from getting back up.
“Don’t you know your condition is unstable from inhaling all that coal dust? Also, there is no way to find the collapsed tunnel. How will you find your brother’s body in a collapsed tunnel 1,000 meters underground? Goddamnit.” Old man Woo-jin felt sad and angry as he reminded Jong-gu of reality. The supervisor’s voice came from the hallway.
“Don’t be riled up by today’s earthquake, rest well tonight and we will resume work tomorrow so get to sleep.”
‘We wouldn’t even treat a dog we raise like this if it died. I can’t believe we are talking about work and not finding missing people or bodies.’ Jong-gu thought.
“These Jokpalri bitches, I will kill all those supervising bastards when I have the chance and then I’ll kill myself.”
Old man Ho-dong, who came to this place a year earlier than Jong-gu and had worked for two years like a slave, curled his skinny hands to a fist and cried tears of anguish.
“Hey dorm two, what’s all the noise? Aren’t you going to sleep? Do you want to be trapped in the well?”
“Hey old man Ho-dong, do you want to make a scene? Be quiet, the supervisor will hear.”
“Let those Jokpalri bastards listen if they want.”
Old man Ho-dong spat out his pent up rage of two years and then put the blanket made out of weaved sacks up to his face.