Black Corporation: Joseon

Chapter 557

Episode 557: Blood River (3)

A loud explosion and shaking caused the people in the command center to momentarily stumble.

Goong! Wow!

Immediately following, two more impacts shook the command center.

Lee Jing-ok, who held on to the desk in the conference room, gave an order as soon as the shaking subsided.

“Check the impact point! Check the damage!”

“yes!”

At Lee Jing-ok’s order, the messenger immediately rushed out.

After sending out the messenger, Lee Jing-ok looked around. The command center was located right below the castle tower. I carefully looked around, but I couldn’t see any traces.

Lee Jing-ok, who came to his senses, asked a question to the artillery officer next to him.

“Will the second strike come right away?”

“If the person commanding that gun is properly trained in gunnery, it will be difficult to deliver a second hit right away. This is because artillery is not something that can be fired that immediately. “It will take quite some time to reload.”

“is it?”

Lee Jing-ok thought about this for a moment after hearing the artillery officer’s words.

‘A big gun like that wouldn’t be able to move its position right away. And if it took time to reload, artillerymen would have been gathered around the guns right now. If we aim for this moment, I think we can make it useless…’

Lee Jing-ok, who was thinking about this and that, sighed and muttered.

“The problem is the damage the artillerymen would have suffered… If we miss this moment, it becomes no fun…”

Lee Jing-ok muttered with a face full of regret. The impact of the shelling I had just received was enormous. I was so shocked that I almost lost my balance for a moment, so I was sure I would have collapsed somewhere. In that case, it was a situation where we had to focus only on defense, not counterattack.

“He assured us that he would be able to withstand a decent amount of artillery fire without any problems… but what we just heard was not a toss-up…” * *

*

While building a castle with iron-clad mortar, he assured that it would be strong, but many commanders were dubious. It was a situation.

In response to the commanders’ reactions, Hyang even suggested building a mock castle wall and firing artillery, but King Sejong dismissed this idea.

“There is no room in the budget. “Looking at your track record, you can be trusted, so they won’t have any problems.”

“Then distrust will remain until the end. “I will rob Insunbu’s treasury!”

“How long has it been since you stole that! “Get out, you bastard!”

Despite such doubts, the major fortresses throughout Joseon were eventually rebuilt with walls using iron-clad mortar. In addition, it was built with a new design based on the plan of Bukhansanseong Fortress and Namhansanseong Fortress, which were intended to defend Hanseong and where the royal family could move and protest when necessary, and a new jin and village to be built in the border area.

One of the new generation Jins and Bos created in this way was Insanjin.

* * *

When Lee Jing-ok was doubting the durability of the castle, a messenger came in and reported.

“No damage!”

“huh? “No damage?”

“yes! “It was hit on the left and right sides of the front of the castle, and although there were some minor dents, there were no collapses or holes!”

“What about casualties?”

“Checking now!”

And soon after, another report came in.

“Confirmed casualties! A few people were lightly injured!”

Lee Jing-ok muttered involuntarily at the messengers’ report.

“This is crazy… what on earth did you make?”

* * *

While Lee Jing-ok was mumbling like that, an uproar broke out on the other side.

“Are you okay?”

“yes!”

Jo Byeong-deok looked in disbelief at the scout’s report and put the telescope to his eyes.

“The weight of the bullet alone is 400 pounds (about 240 kg), but you are fine after being hit by that?”

Jo Byeong-deok, who was looking at the walls of Insanjin with an expression full of disbelief, forgot what to say.

The Joseon army’s walls stood still intact. Of course, there were three visible dents, but there were no holes or collapse at all.

“This is crazy… what on earth did you make?”

Jo Byeong-deok, who had inspected the castle walls several times in an unbelievable reality, immediately came to his senses and gave an order.

“Delivery to Hwaryong Battery! Tell them to strike 2 and 3 as quickly as possible! “Even though he looked fine on the outside, he must have been in shock on the inside!”

“yes!”

Jo Byeong-deok, who gave the order to his staff, glared at Insanjin and muttered.

“If I do this wrong, the damage will be severe.”

If the Hwaryong Cannon could not destroy the castle, the soldiers could be forced to climb over the castle wall using the traditional method.

“A siege will result in more losses than necessary…”

Jo Byeong-deok looked at the front line again, worried that he would have to choose a method he absolutely did not want to choose.

“That damn barbed wire fence….”

Jo Byeong-deok gritted his teeth as he looked at the barbed wire fences blocking the soldiers’ advance.

Through messengers sent from the vanguard, I learned that those barbed wire fences were not just simple guys. The iron pillars stretched between the iron pillars did not break even after being struck dozens of times with a sword. In order to break that iron railing, I had to hit the part that was caught on the support several times.

The problem was that the Joseon military would not leave it alone. The soldiers who were cutting like that were immediately shot and fell.

Those damn Joseon bastards’ iron guns had a range and accuracy far superior to those of our troops.

The best way was to attach a hook to a pole or rail and pull it. If at least 10 people pulled together, the support would fall, opening a narrow path.

But this too was not an easy task. As soon as the soldiers gathered together, they became targets of the Joseon army.

But the problem was that there was no other way than this. Thanks to this, the losses of the soldiers tasked with breaking through the barbed wire network were enormous.

“Push those damn things in one go…”

Jo Byeong-deok, who was muttering while glaring at the wire net that was devouring the soldiers, suddenly stopped talking. Jo Byeong-deok, who pondered for a moment, immediately called his staff.

“Send a messenger to the Fire Dragon Battery! Modify the command! Instead of attacking the castle walls, aim for those iron fences!”

“yes?”

“If it’s Hwaryongpo’s iron ring, it can make a hole in that iron fence!”

“Oh yeah! “I’ll deliver it right away!”

The staff, who understood Jo Byeong-deok’s idea, called a messenger with a bright face and delivered Jo Byeong-deok’s orders.

* * *

At the same time, Lee Jing-ok was also stroking his chin and considering his next move.

“Isn’t this what makes things fun? Hmm….”

Lee Jing-ok, who was counting for a moment, looked at the artillery officer next to him.

“With the range of the General Fire Tong, you can fire a shot put even at that big gun, right?”

“yes. However, to be sure, it is recommended to only use resistant batteries.”

“why? “Isn’t more is more?”

“That’s true, but the higher you shoot it, the farther it flies. Naeseong Battery is suitable for crossing the earthen wall that the bhikkhu taught us about.”

Lee Jing-ok nodded at the artillery officer’s explanation.

“Then let’s do it! messenger!”

“yes!”

Lee Jing-ok, who called the messenger, gave orders to be delivered to Naeseong Battery and monks.

Lee Jing-ok, who sent out the messenger, smiled in remorse.

“I want to see what they’ll look like when they can’t use those big guns.”

* * *

Meanwhile, the commander of the Hwaryong Battery, who received Jo Byeong-deok’s order, had a strange expression on his face.

“Target not the castle wall but the iron fences next to it?”

“yes!”

“i get it. “Tell them that you will do as ordered.”

“yes!”

The commander of the Hwaryong Battery quenched his appetite when he saw the messenger riding to headquarters on horseback.

“It’s a shame. “I wanted to see if I could take down that wall in a few shots.”

All subordinate officers nearby nodded at the words of the Hwaryong Battery commander.

The commanders of the Hwaryong Battery, who heard the news that Joseon’s walls had held up even though all three shots hit the target, all felt a strong sense of victory.

“Hoo? “You endured that?”

“How many shots can I last?”

The commanders, obsessed with the pursuit of success, began to urge their subordinates.

“Move quickly!”

“Yes yes!”

At the urging of their commanders, the soldiers began to speed up.

* * *

The soldiers were also captivated by the desire to win the war. The place where they were was 5 li away from the battlefield. It was the best position where I could just shoot that huge fire gun properly without risking death.

I had already experienced it during training, but the power of that Hwaryong cannon was enormous. They were proud of their cannon, which could punch holes in any castle wall.

“But you blocked it?”

“I guess I got lucky!”

“Let’s see how long that luck will last!”

Amid lively conversations, the soldiers concentrated on reloading their Hwaryong guns.

* * *

Reloading the Hwaryong cannon was a time-consuming task.

First, the fire door containing the ignition agent and the hole connected to the gun barrel were cleaned. This was because if this hole was blocked, the spark of the igniter could not ignite the gunpowder inside the Hwaryongpo.

Next, a rope was attached to the rings located at the rear of the gun and pulled up. When the muzzle was lowered like that, smaller soldiers entered the gun barrel with their mouths covered with towels.

The soldiers who entered the gun barrel scraped off the remaining gunpowder residue and embers inside the gun barrel with the brush they had. In particular, what I was most concerned about was the embers. If even the slightest spark remained and gunpowder entered, an accident would occur where it would immediately explode.

After the soldiers who scraped off the debris and embers stuck inside the gun barrel came out, about 10 more soldiers joined forces to put a large brush into the gun barrel.

Once the gun barrel was cleaned by repeatedly pushing and pulling a brush the size of the upper body of an average man, the full-scale reloading began.

* * *

“Sepo(??) is finished!”

“good! Then start reloading!”

“yes!”

When the commander’s order was given, the soldiers unloaded the boxes from the cart on one side. Inside the box was gunpowder in a sack. Soldiers carrying sacks of gunpowder on their shoulders headed to Hwaryongpo.

In front of Hwaryongpo, a group of officers and soldiers were waiting for them with scales.

They began weighing the bags of gunpowder brought by the soldiers. This was because if the amount of gunpowder was too much, the Hwaryong cannon could explode.

“good! Put it in the bag!”

“yes!”

When the gunpowder that had been weighed was heading toward the port of the Hwaryongpo, Joseon Army artillery shells began to fall from the sky.

bang! Quack! bang!

“Wow!”

“Avoid!”

The shells that fell from the sky created large earthen pillars. Soldiers who were hit by the breakthrough created by the Joseon army’s artillery shells or by shells that bounced off the ground were covered in blood and rolled on the ground.

The soldiers and commanders who barely escaped the shells hurriedly took refuge.

As soon as the barrage of shells was over, the commanders urgently began to assess the situation.

“Move the wounded and dead!”

“Prevent the gunpowder from catching fire!”

“Where did it come from! “Is this a surprise attack?”

The first thing the commanders thought of was a surprise attack. The Joseon army, which realized the Liaodong army’s strategy, made a diversionary maneuver first and attacked from behind.

This was due to the stereotype that artillery pieces other than Hwaryong guns could not fly this far.

But their expectations were immediately denied.

“no! “It came from beyond the Yalu River!”

The commanders shook their heads in response to the soldiers’ answers.

“Nonsense! It’s over 5 miles from there to here! “The only thing that can do that is Hwaryongpo!”

However, the first to come to his senses was the Hwaryong Battery commander. He shouted at his subordinate officers.

“That’s not the problem! We must first check whether Hwaryongpo is alive and well! And reload as quickly as possible!”

“Yes yes!”

At the command of the Hwaryong Battery commander, subordinate officers began to urgently check the condition of the Hwaryong Battery.

“Fortunately, all three doors are intact!”

“There’s nothing wrong with the carriage!”

“Resume reloading!”

When work resumed, the Joseon army’s second attack came.

Author’s words.

hello?

This is Gukppong, who writes ‘Black Enterprise Chosun’.

It’s no different than saying I’m sorry once again.

We will be taking a break during the Chuseok holiday.

The reason is that my sister was hospitalized again.

I suddenly felt severe pain in my chest and went to the hospital, where they told me I had cardiovascular restenosis.

So I was hospitalized right away.

Now they say I need to undergo coronary artery bypass surgery.

Because of this, I was unable to prepare for the holidays at all.

We are deeply sorry to inform our readers of ‘Black Enterprise Chosun’ about its hiatus.

I will do my best.

I would like to ask a request to our readers.

I would really appreciate it if you could pray for my sister to endure this surgery well and come back..

Gukbbong, my dear.