Empire of the Ring

Cha In-soo and the security guard team could get out of Xinjiang Uyghur after visiting a training camp in Tarim Basin at the end and could rest at the Tibetan training camp in the Kunlun Mountains, Tibet, which was near the Pamir Plateau.

While traveling to Tibet, they conducted some operations, such as attacking the oil field near the Taklamakan, to turn the eyes of Chinese forces from tracking down Uyghur camps.

When the oil field was attacked, the Chinese government’s operation to root out Uyghur militias seemed to flinch, but it was only for a moment.

The battle between the Chinese forces and the militias continued without ceasing.

The militias used to be busy running away from the Chinese forces before, but they now showed bold moves like attacking battalion-size troops unhesitatingly, which startled the Chinese side. Not only that, but they also showed strategies and firepower equal to that of a regular army.

No matter how many troops were mobilized, it was difficult to root out the militias appearing and vanishing out of nowhere in the mountains with their guerrilla warfare.

The performance of Tibetan armed militias was no less than that of the Uyghur militias.

They were playing the Chinese forces that were not yet adapted to the environment of the highlands with their guerrilla warfare.

Moreover, with the joining of Cha In-soo’s private military company’s mercenaries, they were winning against the Chinese forces.

Originally, the mercenaries were to be in charge of the logistics only, but they soon became in charge of training the militias, but now their scope of activities was expanded to directly participating in battles.

It was because the local militias they trained were greatly defeated initially, so they had to step forward to show how everything was done.

When the warriors that were specially trained joined, victories from here and there began to be shouted out though they were small-scale battles.

The most outstanding place was the Southwestern Tibet.

It was where so many people were sacrificed from the end of the ’50s and the beginning of the ’60s due to public uprising.

As the voluntary militias there were highly motivated, they performed amazingly when weapons and training were given. They attacked the Chinese troops and police without fear to repay the past sufferings.

It seemed Tibetans had been compliant with the Chinese government’s policies, but it turned out they were more fierce than the Uyghur militias.

Since the armed struggles began, there had been many casualties from the Chinese side as well as the militias’ side.

It was indeed overwhelming to fight against the forces of the Chinese Army with the militias who only trained for a week or two.

Nonetheless, the reason that they were able to fight equally against the enemy was their will of freedom that did not fear death.

They felt ashamed that they bowed down to the Chinese government’s oppression for the past 60 years. As the Western countries and Kazakhstan were fully supporting them, it was their last chance to be independent.

Their identity as a nation was becoming unclear. As they would have to live as Chinese forever at this rate, they were fighting viciously.

“It looks like the sacrifice of the militiamen is too much. Aren’t they overdoing it?”

Although no battle could end with zero casualties, Cha In-soo wanted the militiamen to do it moderately as it was such a waste to lose men who could use weapons.

The already outnumbered militiamen were decreasing and the gap was getting bigger.

“No matter how much we warn them, they become reckless when in battle. When their comrades are down or killed, they rush to the enemy without hesitating.”

The employee of Cha In-soo’s military company shook his head as he explained.

Despite their short training period, their will was stronger than any other regular soldiers.

Their reckless and daredevil-like attacks were able to intimidate the Chinese troops so far.

“What about their families? They will blame us to have overly driven them when they’re dead.”

“That’s not true. There had been women volunteers who applied to become a militia to avenge their relatives. They don’t blame us.”

“Even women are applying?”

“Their number is increasing, so many people are applying that we got complaints from the farming industry that there are not enough left to farm. In rural areas, people don’t even have enough food to get by. I think we should supply even combat rations.”

“Did you request assistance from the headquarters?”

“They said they sent a plane, but the quantity won’t be enough. They can only send so much by a propeller plane.”

It was a lean year in Tibet last year, Tibetans were suffering poverty as the Chinese government did not provide food supplies. Moreover, Chinese troops were even intentionally burning crops.

It was intended to stop food supplies to the militias, but it became a crucial reason that allowed Tibetans to turn their backs on China.

***

“Man, is this dude determined to live in Tibet forever? And why is he asking to send so many combat rations?”

Youngho, who was reading the combat ration request lifted his head.

“I told you not to let him go alone. You thought In-soo would come back soon as it was planned with his personality? If I were with him, I would’ve dragged In-soo back home after spending a reasonable time looking around.”

Park Jong-il had a long face as he also wanted to go with In-soo from the first place.

“Oh, I doubt that. You two think you are still in your 20s, but just know that you’d be a burden to the young people.”

As Youngho snapped, Jong-il changed the subject.

“So, what do we do with the starving people from the shortage of food? Shouldn’t we inform the global society and get assistance?”

“Who will step up freely? Everyone’s afraid of losing China’s favor.”

The U.S. was giving financial aid only, but it was hard to expect Europe’s participation in the independence of Uyghurs or Tibetans. It was because there would be economic damage if countries lost commerce with China.

“They won’t get anything when the Uyghurs and Tibetans become independent in the future.”

Xinjiang Uyghur and Tibet had abundant underground resources, so if they became independent, many countries would be interested in them.

“That’s for later. First, find a way to send combat food. Get help from the US CIA if you can.”

“The US CIA only needs to pay. We’ve got enough quantity here.”

“There would be too much loss if we send them by plane.”

Planes were under anti-aircrafts guns, and many times, supplies were damaged and lost.

“I’d like to mobilize nomadic people. What do you think?”

“How much can the nomads carry? Also, would Chinese troops overlook them?”

“We’ve been able to keep our exchanges with the local militias because of the nomadic people who were adapted to the alpine region. Besides, neither the Chinese troops know the routes that are used by the nomads nor they were accessible by vehicles. It’s hard to even breathe, so how can the Chinese troops endure it?”

Most of the Tibetan territory was not developed and many of them were uninhabitable.

Two-thirds of the territory had an elevation of 4500 meters, so even the oxygen was thin.

Nomadic people who had adapted to living in such sterile areas still lived grazing their livestock. Tibet was a hard place to be active for people who had not been adapted to the alpine region.

It seemed possible to use the nomadic people for logistical reasons.

“Can they digest the amount needed for Tibetans?”

“If we give enough money, we’d be more than welcome. We’ll at least have to try.”

“Then we can also utilize the nomadic people around Xinjiang Uyghur as well.”

“If we have success in Tibet, we shall do that.”

“All right. I’m going to operate the combat ration factories all over the country at their full capacity, and you can recruit nomadic people to be in charge of logistics.”

Regardless of the quantity of the supplies, it was a job to give hope to Tibetans and to show a willingness to help them until they achieved independence. It was an encouragement reward.

***

It was decided that the supplies and food would be moved by the nomadic people.

Although not a large quantity was transported at a time, when they were supplied to Tibet through the Pamir Plateau, Tajikistan, it allowed a breathing room for the people, giving them hope.

Such hope soon turned into anger toward the Chinese government.

It was because a rumor was spread that the Chinese government was planning to wipe out Tibetans. It was because it had burned Tibetan crops, which was a huge mistake.

Then the world media began criticizing its inhumane conduct, saying that it was the holocaust of the 21st century.

Regardless of independence, as Tibetan people who were struggling with a shortage of food, all joined the protest against China.

As a result, a suicide bombing terrorism occurred. Some people chose death over ethnic annihilation.

On the other hand, Chinese who had been dominating markets in Tibet were suffering, too.

Violence against the Chinese in the streets continued and the stores and restaurants run by Chinese were frequently burned down.

The rage of Tibetans was going extremes and out of control.

This movement was soon spread to ethnic minority groups in Western China.

Although they were minor ethnic groups, they were more than Uyghurs or Tibetans in number.

As minor ethnic people acted out, the Chinese government was embarrassed.

They had been thought to have been assimilated into the Chinese culture, but it was not true.

They were forced to adapt to Han people’s culture under the disguise of the government’s positive discrimination policy.

It was good news to Youngho because when the Chinese government’s focus was divided, the independence struggles in Xinjiang Uyghur and Tibetan would not be as difficult as before.

However, the problem was that the method of the independence struggle was corrupted.

Youngho and Park Jong-il was contemplating over the issue of terrorism.

“We should refrain from terrorism as much as possible if we want to be recognized by the global community… At this rate, they’d be treated as radical Islamists or Buddhists.”

“There’s nothing like terrorism to let the world know China’s ethnic obliterate policy. They’re only doing this against the Chinese military and police, so that’s a relief.”

“Please don’t allow any terrorism against civilians.”

“Don’t worry. They’re acting rationally at least for now.”

“Well, I think the situation is ripe. Consider sending the Royal Bodyguards there.”

“We should disguise them as mercenaries, right?”