I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 423

< The Communist Civil War (6) >

People are said to be rational animals, but in reality, they don’t always act as rationally as one might think.

The more flustered they become, the more things deviate from their expectations, the more emotional humans become.

The Iron Revolutionary.

The Father of Communism.

Even Friedrich Engels, revered as the greatest thinker of this era, was no exception.

“What nonsense are you spouting now!”

“Comrade Secretary! This isn’t something we can just bury.”

“That’s right. The other comrades in Europe are already in a state of serious turmoil.”

“The International Paris branch, which is crucial for the communization of Europe, is constantly requesting guidelines for a response.”

“I’m telling you, it’s baseless!”

It was a mistake to only focus on the chaos in Europe and the North, but by the time I realized it, it was already too late.

Because the executive committee members of the council, having heard the information from somewhere, all demanded an explanation from Engels.

Even if it were other council members, the executive committee members are the top power holders in the South.

If only one or two people rebelled, he could just bury them, but with all 12 members of the executive committee, except for Engels, sharing the same opinion, even he couldn’t do anything about it.

Even mobilizing the secret police wouldn’t justify throwing all twelve executive committee members into prison.

‘Could it be that Bakunin, that bastard, did something while I was momentarily distracted?’

Was it a mistake to hesitate to purge him, thinking of doing it when the situation calmed down?

Although he hadn’t grasped the situation in detail yet, Engels could intuitively tell who was leading this.

“This is a preposterous plot to slander me. Even if others don’t know better, how can you all be swayed by such baseless attacks?”

“It’s hard to say there’s no basis when there are already too many contradictions in the Secretary’s words.”

“We’re not just suspecting the Secretary. Rather, we’re asking for a clear explanation because we trust you.”

“That’s right! If we keep pretending not to know, our comrades in Europe will be annihilated. This isn’t just the Secretary’s problem.”

As the executive committee said, if he just kept silent, the communist activists in Europe would have no choice but to starve.

Because even if they called Engels and his ideology a patchwork plagiarism, they wouldn’t be able to refute it.

Even if they tried to spread communism, people would say, ‘Isn’t that plagiarism? Nah, I’m not buying it,’ so how could they proselytize?

It’s not just a matter of the leader’s prestige, but a matter of the credibility of the ideology.

“Hmph… So, provoking a reaction is their aim…”

“Comrade Secretary, surely that’s not the case? You just have to state firmly that it’s completely groundless.”

“Right now, that guy Marx says he can even present evidence that the Secretary stole his theory. If we pretend not to know in this situation, it’s nothing more than admitting that their words are correct.”

“So, I don’t know such a person…”

“Comrade Secretary! Special articles highlighting the relationship between the two of you in your youth are pouring out in Europe. With so many witnesses, there’s no way you couldn’t know each other. If you lie to that extent, we can’t keep believing you.”

Bakunin, who had been lying low as if begging to be spared until recently, raised his voice triumphantly.

Engels was disgusted as he looked at him, but since he had actually made a mistake, he couldn’t say anything back.

He was so flustered last time that he reflexively said he didn’t know such a person, which was a huge mistake.

How long did he spend with Marx that it makes sense to say he doesn’t even know him?

He should have used more refined language, but how could he make up for this?

The water has already been spilled, so there’s nothing he can do. He just has to somehow gloss over it.

After thinking for a moment, he took a heavy breath and nodded.

“Hoo… I understand. Since what you all say makes sense, I will tell you. First of all, saying I don’t know someone like Marx is just a metaphorical expression. We were such close companions in the past, so logically, how could I not know him? Of course, I know him.”

“Then why did you say you didn’t know such a person?”

“Because that guy is a traitor.”

He would have stammered in the past, but perhaps because he has gained some experience in politics over the years, the words came out very smoothly.

If he tries to deny it completely, there are too many cases that can be refuted, so the best thing to do is to gloss over it.

Engels continued in a tone full of sadness that even surprised himself.

“Some of you here may know, but Marx and I were originally the best of friends. We were each other’s only confidants, sharing thoughts and refining theories together, spending fulfilling days.”

“…”

“We had many discussions to systematize existing utopian communism, and Marx gave me a lot of inspiration in that process. So it’s true that his contribution to completing the theory was significant. But I stole Marx’s theory? This is a preposterous slander!”

“Then why didn’t you tell us that from the beginning?”

“Well, that’s because I’ve completely broken up with Marx. That’s why I said I didn’t know him.”

It’s nonsense to anyone who hears it, but it’s the politician’s rhetoric to make it not sound like nonsense.

Engels made eye contact with each of the council members like a truly confident person, never avoiding their gaze.

“Marx was a very capable young man and one of the few scholars I respected. However, being a great scholar doesn’t necessarily make you a great thinker. He became intoxicated with the taste of money given by capitalists and abandoned his ideology. He became a vulgar money-grubber who denied communism and advocated capitalism. I broke up with him at that time and told him:

The Marx I knew is now dead and no longer exists. That’s why I said I didn’t know him.”

Because his tone was so mournful, no one doubted Engels’ words, and some even gave him a look of understanding.

It was quite common for friends who had shared the same ideals to succumb to money or power and defect, and most of the people here had similar experiences.

“Comrade Secretary, you should have told us that from the beginning. We all would have understood the comrade’s heart.”

“But you all know, don’t you? The feeling of not wanting to face the past evil ties that you have already cut off in your heart. But I was definitely short-sighted. This isn’t just my problem. I will deal with it decisively from now on!”

“Ooooooh!”

“As expected of Comrade Secretary. I believed in you!”

If he continues to show a withdrawing attitude, he can only receive unnecessary suspicion, so he must show a strong appearance here for now.

In fact, no matter how right Marx’s words are, he can’t present clear evidence of who originally created this theory.

Marx will probably present something like a rough draft of the old theory, but this side also has it.

Because his role was to organize the contents that Marx mainly talked about.

It seems like his memory is hazy because it was so long ago, but if they enter into a debate, it will not be easy to conclude whose words are correct anyway.

If a conclusion is not reached, what does that mean?

It means that there is a high possibility that it will just drag on with wasteful debates for several years and become ambiguous.

No, that’s how I’m going to make it happen.

“Since Comrade Secretary has come out so firmly, how about arranging a venue? If you show them how you coolly defeat those cunning capitalist devils, others will withdraw their suspicious eyes as if nothing happened and praise Comrade Secretary’s name.

In some ways, this is an opportunity for us. Because the comrades who are cornered in Europe will hear the Secretary’s victory and immediately switch to the offensive.”

Bakunin intervened with a hateful smirk, but Engels nodded without any change in his expression.

“Let’s do that.”

Most likely, that human was trying to find a way to survive by tarnishing the Secretary’s authority with this incident, but unfortunately, that will not happen.

As soon as this matter is over, I will frame him as a traitor and kill him.

So struggle with vain hope for a little while now.

He gave Bakunin a chilling look and then chuckled, agreeing with the words of the council members.

* * *

-Engels, ‘Marx is a turncoat! Saying I don’t know him only meant the communist Marx’

-Will the debate of the century be established? Engels, willing to cooperate with verification if desired

-Professor Marx. ‘I can present clear evidence that Engels stole my theory!’

The situation evolved into a truth contest, with each side competing over whose words were right day after day.

It was natural that the North and other countries in Europe judged this was an opportunity to tarnish Engels’ prestige and pushed Marx with all their might.

Positive articles about Marx poured out, and they continued to imply that Engels should not withdraw from this debate unless he had something to hide.

The South wasn’t just getting hit all the time either.

Rumors spread that Marx was a depraved thinker who was crazy about money and that this incident was also about slandering an old friend after being promised a large sum of money from capitalists.

The stage [the situation] is heating up, and the world’s attention is beginning to focus on America, to the point where the Russian Emperor’s apology show that took place a while ago is already being forgotten.

“Now that it has come to this, let’s make sure to distinguish black and white!”

Marx firmly stated his position at a gathering of leading newspapers from around the world.

“Engels! No, should I call you the great Secretary now? Whether it’s a debate or a meeting, any place is fine, so don’t just hide behind the media and wage proxy wars. Come out directly! If you’re so confident, let’s clearly determine who really created that ideology!”

Would this unprecedented challenge to drag the supreme ruler of a country to the debate stage be answered?

Amid everyone’s questions, the Secretary of the South finally lifted his heavy butt and responded.

“The truth is always one. Lies will be miserably defeated, and only the sun of truth will stand tall and illuminate the world. The great Secretary has declared that he has decided to attend this debate as the greatest communist revolutionary and thinker, before being the Secretary of the state.”

The debate between Europe’s best scholar and history’s best communist thinker.

The political world naturally didn’t just sit back and watch this battle of the century that would be talked about for generations to come.

Lincoln quickly declared that he would do his best to assist in ensuring that this debate would be conducted fairly and held an official press conference.

“Professor Marx! What do you think about the concern that Secretary Engels may proceed with the debate coercively by using the power of the state?”

“I wasn’t the only one worried about that. Therefore, I would like to propose having observers to ensure objectivity. Of course, I want to invite people who are not just ordinary observers but who have known both me and Secretary Engels in the past. That’s only if they accept my request.”

“Is there such a person? I’m really curious who it is. Can I take this opportunity to make an official request to them?”

“Of course. Originally, it’s difficult for me to dare to ask him to come, but he happens to be staying in China [likely referring to Qing Dynasty China] right now. I would like to ask Killian, the Duke of the British Empire and King of Canada, to observe the debate.”

Yeah, it’s me again.

“And the last person.”

Unlike me, he hadn’t reached an agreement yet, so Marx carefully stroked his beard.

“It’s Otto von Bismarck, the Prime Minister of Prussia.”

With the request to have the Iron-Blooded Chancellor [Otto von Bismarck], who is tied to the relationship of a 2-on-1 tag match, step into the ring as a judge.

The bell announcing the battle of the century finally entered the countdown.

But one thing.

Engels, Bakunin, and Lincoln all think that this debate will be a place to determine who is the original author of Engelsism, but that is not important to me or Marx at all.

Figuring out who created the theory is a trivial, secondary issue.

Because once this debate is over, communism will be nothing more than an old relic buried in the tomb.