Reincarnated as an Imperial Prince

Two weeks later, the development of the war in the Far East was going one-sidedly in favor of the Ruthenian Empire. Since the takeover of the Choson Empire’s capital, Hanseong. The Yamato Forces in the peninsula, exhausted of supplies, morale, and weapons were getting pushed back all the way to the south where they came from.

The Ruthenian Armed Forces, with their superior air, naval, and land forces steamrolled into the south, capturing key cities as they went along.

The futile attempt of the Yamato Empire of conducting a bombing campaign with the use of an unconventional weapon was thwarted by the Ruthenian’s air force thanks to the state-of-the-art AWAC planes and radars. With that, they were intercepted before they could even drop their ordnance.

The Yamato Empire conducted another tactic called the scorched earth tactic. They burned fields, and houses, killed prisoners, and civilians to slow down the Ruthenian approach as well as made sure the Ruthenians won’t get a lot from helping the Choson Empire as they destroyed the arable lands in the south.

It was quite a success for the Yamato Empire, causing food shortages in the region. The Ruthenian Empire evacuated as many civilians as they can to the south and gave them food and shelter.

The international community condemned the actions of the Yamato Empire against the people of the Choson Empire and thus international support for their side started to wane.

In order to turn this thing around, the Yamato tried asking the Britannias for military help but flat-out refused and staunchly remained neutral in the conflict. The Britannia Empire made it clear that they will only join their side if and only if they are fighting two countries.

Desperate, the Yamato Empire planned a sabotage operation in the Han Dynasty where it will implicate the Hanese troops of attacking Yamato properties in Peking and use it as a provocation of war. However, that thing also failed when the Ruthenian Foreign Intelligence Services intercepted their radio transmission that contained the plan.

The Yamato Empire officials, especially the high command, were disheartened. Losing almost all of their forces in the peninsula, the First Imperial Yamato Fleet, and a significant portion of their fighter planes and bomber planes.

However, despite all of that happening, the morale on the homefront is still at an all-time high. The Yamato government feeds the populace with lies and propaganda, stating that they are winning the war and crushing down the Ruthenian Forces.

News such as the destruction of the First Fleet didn’t even get to the news. Even foreigners are prohibited from talking about the war, should they do so will face the harshest of consequences and could end up straining the relationship with the Yamato Empire.

This presents a problem to Alexander as he knows that he will have to take drastic measures that will send a message to the people of Yamato that war is not going favorably on their side.

The operation will begin at 1200 HRS, in a clear sky, where every citizen of the populace will see what their troops in the Choson Empire had seen and faced during the war.

But before that, an interesting development was happening in the Choson Empire, particularly in the city, located on the southern coast of the Choson Peninsula.

Flocks of people, mainly Yamato citizens who were living in the Choson Empire, rushed to the port to escape and avoid capture by the Ruthenian Armed Forces. Among them are the former cabinet members of King Gojong who signed the Eulsa Treaty that made the Choson Empire a protectorate of the Yamato Empire.

They are carrying their luggage and bringing their family with them, trying to escape the country as quickly as possible. Aware of the consequences of their treasonous action toward the King, they could only imagine the ire of the Chosonese people hurling stones at them and their families, basically killing the entire generation.

“What the fuck is happening? Why are the Yamatos losing in the war?” The Minister of Defense Yi Geun-taek yelled as he grabbed the arm of his son tightly.

“Don’t even bother to ask, the Yamato lost the Choson Peninsula and that’s all you need to know! Our only goal is to get out of this country safely,” The Prime Minister of the Empire of Choson Pak Chesoon hissed.

It is indeed their goal. The Chosonese have branded them traitors and are dying to get them. He began imagining the horrors of him and his family getting tortured to death by the uncivilized fools.

They were in a long queue of people who sought to board the ship that will take them to Tokyo. Unfortunately for them, the officers overseeing the boarding of the passengers are Yamato officials. They are prioritizing their people first instead of them.

Getting impatient, Pak Chesoon walked frustratingly over to the official while carrying a briefcase.

His sudden approach caused the official to look at him and asked. “Can’t you see that there is a long line?”

“I know that, that’s why I’m here to offer you something,” Pak Chesoon opened the briefcase, revealing a large stack of money inside of it. “Here, I can give you 1,000 dollars. Just let me and my family board the ship.”

“How many are you?” the official asked.

“We are five in total. Me, my wife, and our three kids.”

“1,000 dollars is not enough. Listen, I’ll let you board the ship for 10,000 dollars.”

“What?! Are you insane!” Pak Chesoon shouted as anger took over him.

“Oi, oi, oi, don’t you dare raise your voice at me,” the officer said as he pulled out his wooden truncheon and pointed it at Pak Chesoon. “You inferior scum, can’t you see what’s happening around? These people lining up are Yamato officials. We have orders to evacuate them before the Ruthenians get here. We don’t accommodate lowly people like you. If you can’t pay me the money then get out of the line!”

Pak Chesoon glared at him in anger. He felt his fists clench at his sides. His body trembled in fury as he gritted his teeth, looking away in disgust. Ten thousand dollars is an enormous amount of money. However, their lives outweigh the money so he decided. “Fine, I’ll pay you ten thousand dollars.”

He rummaged through his briefcase and brought out ten thousand dollars in a stack. “Here, this is your ten thousand dollars. Now, let us enter.”

The Yamato official chuckled deridingly before taking his money. “Fine, go get your family and proceed.”

Pak Chesoon beckoned to his family and rushed over to him. The rest of the traitorous ministers bribed the official as well to get an exclusive pass. When Pak Chesoon and his family are about to cross the gangway, a faint whirring sound can be heard in the air along with the soft growl of an engine.

“The Ruthenians! The Ruthenians are here!” A random citizen shouted.

Ruthenian helicopters hovered in the air and ten Ruthenian Polkan jeeps sped as they entered the port.

“This is the Ruthenian military, stay where you are! I repeat, stay where you are!” A loud voice rang in the air as the long-range acoustic device fitted in the Black Stork sounded in a warning.

The Polkan Jeep on the ground stopped near the gangway. One of the Ruthenian soldiers who seemed to be a high-ranking officer stepped out of the vehicle. His men scrambled and aimed their assault rifles at the civilians.

There was a civilian with him who seemed to be a Yamato citizen.

“We are looking for some Chosonese officials trying to flee the country,” the Ruthenian soldier showed him the sketch of the Choson ministers. “Cooperate and we will let you and your citizen leave this place, translate.”

The Yamato citizen translated his words to the Yamato official overseeing the boarding of the passengers.

“Yes, they are just here, apparently one of them is there,” the man pointed at Pak Chesoon who was in the middle of the gangway.

“Run!” Pak Chesoon shouted to his family and ran towards the ship. However, just before they could enter, a gunshot erupted, stopping them in their tracks.

“Don’t even dare,” the Ruthenian soldier warned. “Or else the next shot would be your leg.”

Pak Chesoon and the rest of the ministers raised their hands up into the air in defeat. They knelt down to the ground as the Ruthenian soldiers approach them and placed a handcuff on each of their wrists and dragged them onto the waiting Utility Truck “Ox”, a copy of M939 Truck.