"How can I not know what your concern is? But, at the same time, Kyrgyzstan borders China. If it enters the sphere of influence, the South will be completely exposed. Then we will have to deploy dozens of times more troops than we have at the border where it is blocked by Tian Shan Mountains."

"If China violates Kyrgyzstan, the whole Central Asian community, as well as the world, will be against it. Would china really do that?"

"Think of Tibet or Xinjiang Uyghur. China didn't care about the international community's support for independence. History proves that."

"China wouldn't dare to have a different thought if Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan were connected by the federation. After all, our country is still very weak."

"Mr. Prime Minister, there is a great power that's not visible to many. We'll take charge of Central Asia and not allow anyone else to cross us."

Youngho believed in the power of his mystical ring.

He did not understand how the Serbian kingdom was destroyed by the Ottoman Empire despite having mystical relics, but there must have been circ.u.mstances that led to the fall of the kingdom at that time. He could only a.s.sume that the changes in Youngho did not happen to the royal family members at that time. Otherwise, the Serbian kingdom would have run the Ottoman Empire.

"Your Highness! Do you have a nuclear bomb? I think you're determined to go to war with China if necessary."

"If you're not willing to do that, you can't defend anything from powerful nations. As long as we exist, China cannot cross the Tian Shan Mountains forever. If anything, I want to cross Tian Shan myself."

"I'm just saying that you don't have to be too conscious of China. Central Asia has laws of its own, doesn't it?"

"It's not what it used to be. The problem is that China has become something you can't ignore. And because of the One Belt One Road business, China is dealing with every nation in Central Asia."

"Chinese have never crossed the Tian Shan Mountains from the past. There was no great figure in China as Genghis Khan from Mongolia."

Prime Minister Kasim's confidence may have stemmed from his pride as a descendant of nomads. Central Asia was no different than Mongolia's descendants. Although there was no figure like Genghis Khan in China, there were 1.3 billion people. With such resources, the Chinese leaders.h.i.+p was now dreaming of achieving the Silk Road as Genghis Khan did, under the name of One Belt One Road.

He continued.

"No Chinese have ever crossed the Tian Shan Mountains. The Tian Shan Mountains were the only way to cross the border between the nomads and merchants of the Silk Road. No matter how strong China is, it's not going to be able to rule over Central Asia."

"That road is now wide open. Southern Central Asia, except for Kazakhstan, is already under China's influence. I'd like to change it back as it used to be."

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"Your Highness, do you want to run all of Central Asia by any chance?"

"That's not my intention at all. We have no reason to take Kyrgyzstan if it's not for China."

Youngho did not want to expand land ma.s.s that Kazakhstan could not handle. He thought that as much as Kyrgyzstan, which bordered China, must be one with Kazakhstan. It was not an absurd attempt since the two countries had been quite close for that long.

It only remained to see what choice Kyrgyz people would make.

***

Park Jong-il's performance forced Uzbek troops out of the Kyrgyz border area.

It was a great concession of Uzbekistan to give up the already occupied area and step down first. This meant the Uzbek side had received something great in return or had a strong conviction that it would.

On the other hand, it was only possible because Kazakhstan was the mediator. Kazakhstan's influence in Central Asia was still great. The Uzbek military decided that it could trust Kazakhstan's offer.

Park Jong-il, who had done such a big work, would not let it go so quietly. He was already bragging about his performance to Youngho by calling him.

-You heard about it, right? The Uzbek army is now pulling out of the border.

"Great job. I didn't think it'd budge an inch, but how did it make such a big concession?"

-The leading country of Central Asia has moved. Uzbekistan had to save our face.

"Did you offer huge deals?"

-How can I offer things when we don't have anything to offer?"

"That doesn't make sense. Why would Uzbekistan pull out its force when there's nothing to gain?"

-They were just thankful when I said we'd redrawing the national border that's been incorrectly drawn by the Soviet Union. This is a good chance for the current Uzbek administration to re-engage in the next election.

"Did you talk about One Belt One Road?"

-That was agreed, of course. The disputed border section will be solely built by us, but over 200 kilometers of the Uzbek section will be jointly constructed together. They're not fond of China either. They said that they accepted China's offer only because they needed the road.

As for the Uzbek side, there was no reason to be wary of China because Kyrgyzstan provided a full buffer zone with China. If Uzbek had been on a direct border with China, it would not have been easy to engage in One Belt One Road business. The Uzbek people were never a country to be interfered with by other countries because they were quite belligerent and self-respectful.

"That's great to hear. You've done a great job this time. Let's have a drink together when you get back."

-The head of the intelligence service of Uzbekistan wants to see me in private. I'm curious to what he's going to say.

"Oh, yeah? If he needs funds, tell him that Uzbekistan will have Kazakhstan's full support."

-You are keen. I thought he'd ask me that too.

"Man, who do you think you're talking to? I've been an intelligence agent, too."

Now in Uzbek, the former president's sudden death brought the new government into office, and the nation's political situation was very chaotic as it tried to drive out the existing power.

The sudden death of the former president, who had been in power for 26 years, was good news to Youngho who had been supporting the Uzbek democracy movement. The reason for the support of democracy forces was to prepare for the former regime's rise to socialism in order to keep its permanent rule. The idea of having Uzbekistan that was changed to a communist country like China would be quite burdensome for Kazakhstan.

As soon as there was a new Uzbek government, Youngho gave up the thought of taking over Uzbekistan. He only hoped that it would remain as an ally.

"Jong-il! We have to resolve the migration of Kazakhs and Koryoins with the Uzbek government while you're there."

-Ah! I almost forgot about it.

"That can't be forgotten. We should take care of Koryoins.

-I'll take care of it as a priority issue. Don't worry.

Youngho created the Arirang Autonomous State in Kazakhstan when he met Kim Chun, who was a Koryoin travel guide back then.

In the fall of 1937, Koryoins were forced out of the Maritime Province and settled in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. They survived the whirlpool of World War II and Stalin's oppression there.

In the late 50s, Koryoins were given a chance to move to Russian regions, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan.

The suffering of the Koryoin people began again when the Soviet Union disbanded and Central Asian countries became independent, leaving the indigenous peoples in power.

In the process of regaining language and history and establis.h.i.+ng national ident.i.ty, the newborn Central Asian countries discriminated other peoples—including Koryoins.

Russians, Germans, Jews, Poles, Ukrainians, Greeks, and other peoples returned to their own countries, but Koryoins were forced to remain in Central Asia because they were in a strange position where they could not return to either South or North Korea.

That was why they called themselves 'Koryoin', not a South Korean or a North Korean. Now, there were about 200,000 Koryoins living in Uzbekistan.

Having already taken root there for 80 years, it would be like their hometown, but they had been applying to immigrate to Kazakhstan, encouraged by the establishment of the Kazakh royal family and its royal territory where Koryoins gathered.

Kazakhstan had no ethnic conflict, but Uzbekistan had been discriminating minorities terribly since independence. There was another reason for them to abandon their homes in which they had been rooted for generations and move to Kazakhstan. It was because of religious conflicts that were intensifying at hand.

Militant Islamic groups were confusing Uzbekistan now.

The Uzbek Islamic group that had been acting as a rebel group in Afghanistan had entered Uzbekistan under the new government. Because of such problems, Youngho also did not want to annex Uzbekistan from the beginning.

"Since they've persecuted Koryoins in Uzbekistan, they'd have to send them without a trouble. Otherwise, the Kazakh royal family will step in directly."

-It seemed the Uzbek side is afraid of the financial and military power of the Kazakh royal family.

"Make it clear that if the Koryoin people living in Uzbekistan are disadvantaged, the Uzbek people on the border will be treated the same."

-Even if you don't threaten them like that, Uzbeks will be stuck until the border is redrawn.

"But what is going on in the border area? Why is the Uzbek government so eager to take that area?"

-It must be because there are a lot of Uzbeks living in there.

"There must be something even the Kyrgyz government doesn't know about..."

-You think there's a gold mine out there or something?

"Yes. Send intelligence agents and find out in detail. I think there's something going on."

-Jeez, more things to do.