Black Corporation: Joseon

Chapter 558

Episode 558: Blood River (4)

Bang! Quack! bang! bang!

The Joseon army’s second strike was greatly improved in both quantity and accuracy compared to the first strike.

Thanks to this, the soldiers who had gathered to resume work suffered considerable damage.

The damage was not just casualties.

Boom! Ujikkeun! Qarring! Wajikkeun!

The wooden structures installed around the Hwaryongpo for reloading collapsed with a loud noise, causing a series of collapses.

Quang!

Then, the huge gun barrel of the Hwaryongpo fell to the ground, creating a tremendous roar.

The catastrophe continued.

Boom!

“The oil pot is broken!”

Pots boiling oil around Hwaryongpo were hit by shells and either broke or fell sideways. And the oil that came out of the pot hit the soldiers.

“damage!”

“Aaaah!”

“Hot! Hot! “Hot!”

“It’s on fire! Turn off the lights! “Turn off the lights!”

“Bring the sand! sand!”

Soldiers who were burned by oil or caught by firewood screamed and rolled on the ground. Fortunately, the soldiers who were safe quickly poured sand on the burning bodies of their colleagues and the fire site.

The objects that were meant to prevent Hwaryongpo from being destroyed ended up causing damage.

* * *

If the bombardment continued, the artillery was bound to overheat. If you neglect attention at this time. As the artillery broke, it actually caused great damage to our troops. Therefore, water containers filled with sacks or thick sheepskin were placed around the canvases.

The Hwaryongpo used a huge amount of gunpowder as a propellant to fire a shell that was much larger than a typical artillery piece. Naturally, the Hwaryongpo had to withstand tremendous heat and shock, and in order to withstand the shock of firing, the Hwaryongpo’s gun barrel was thick enough to reach 7 inches (about 21 cm).

And this enormous thickness was what caused the problem. This thickness created a serious problem in that the inside of the gun barrel was hot but the outside was cold. That wasn’t all. Due to its thickness, the cooling rate inside the gun barrel was significantly slower than that of regular artillery. Therefore, as the internal heat continued to rise due to continued firing, the risk of the gun barrel breaking became relatively higher.

To prevent this, a method was added to reduce the temperature difference between the outside and the inside by covering the gun barrel with wool soaked in moderately hot boiled oil.

However, a major accident occurred when a Joseon Army shell hit the pot where oil was being boiled for this purpose.

* * *

The tragedy of the Hwaryongpo unit was not over.

The shells had hit the gunpowder carts that had been parked on one side. The boxes on the cart were filled with sacks of gunpowder.

The impact energy of the shell that directly hit the box containing gunpowder was enough to explode the gunpowder.

Kuaaang!

After a while, a large mushroom cloud rose from where the cart was. Those caught up in the storm created by the explosion nearby were instantly torn apart.

Although it was a black gunpowder with less power than Deokgap-type gunpowder, a smokeless gunpowder used by the Joseon Army artillery, or the gunpowder used by the 21st century military, the amount piled up in the cart produced an enormous explosive power.

It was unfortunate for the Liaodong Army, but the Liaodong Army’s mistakes were a large part of the cause of this explosion.

According to the original rules, carts loaded with gunpowder were to be parked at regular intervals.

However, the soldiers managing the gunpowder ignored this.

“From here, the Joseon military camp across the Yalu River is 5 ri (about 2 km) away. What could happen?”

“That’s right. And how much gunpowder does that Hwaryongpo consume at one time? “It’s convenient to have them all in one place.”

“then! then!”

“I’m busy just measuring the amount of gunpowder to put in the Hwaryongpo, but when do I get so busy! Let’s go easily!”

In this way, the soldiers in charge of gunpowder gathered the carts loaded with gunpowder to be used today in one place.

There were more than one officer who saw this, but no one stopped them. Because those officers also had similar thoughts.

“If the artillery could be fired all the way from Joseon Castle, it would be huge, but you can’t see it, right? Then it’s okay, it’s okay. Even if it flies in, the earthen wall we built in front of us is enough.”

The officers believed in the earthen wall built in front of Hwaryong Battery.

The result of that complacency was that mushroom cloud.

* * *

“what!”

Surprised by the sudden loud explosion and vibration coming from behind, Jo Byeong-deok immediately turned his head.

Jo Byeong-deok, who saw a mushroom cloud rising in the distance, muttered in a trembling voice.

“Couldn’t it be… no?”

But soon, the dispatch the messenger brought completely dashed his hopes.

“Hwaryong battery hit! Damage!”

“What a big deal! “Tell me exactly!”

The messenger bowed his head and answered Jo Byeong-deok’s shout.

“The Fire Dragon Cannons are now unusable!”

“entire?”

“It’s everything!”

At the messenger’s answer, Jo Byeong-deok’s new type momentarily stumbled.

“General!”

“General!”

Jo Byeong-deok, who avoided falling from his horse thanks to the urgent help of subordinate generals around him, took a deep breath and tried to gather himself.

“Huh! Phew~.”

Jo Byeong-deok, who managed to come to his senses thanks to repeated gasps, gave an order to his staff.

“Immediately send an order to the units near the Hwaryong Battery to begin restoration of the battery! “We need to restore it as quickly as possible!”

“ancient!”

The staff summarized Jo Byeong-deok’s orders and distributed them to messengers. Jo Byeong-deok, who came to his senses, turned around and looked at the situation at the front.

Jo Byeong-deok gritted his teeth as he watched the bloodshed still unfold across the barbed wire in question.

“Plap! Damn it!”

Among the five layers of barbed wire, the front three layers had holes here and there. The vanguard of the Liaodong army, which had entered through the hole, was under intensive attack by the Joseon army. However, the vanguard of the Liaodong army continued to advance inward through the hole.

They were literally building a path with the lives of soldiers.

Jo Byeong-deok, who was examining the situation through a telescope, turned his head and looked at the staff.

“Looking at the current situation, you understand, right?”

“yes.”

“There was no Hwaryongpo, and the barbed wire fence had been breached to some extent. What should I do? Shall we bypass Joseon Castle by breaking through the barbed wire fence? Or should we just keep the barbed wire fence in check and attack Joseon Castle?”

“The damage is too great. Wouldn’t it be better to retreat for a while and reorganize?”

“You idiot!”

When one of the staff members insisted on retreating, Cho Byeong-deok screamed.

“Are you thinking that this battle is just a siege? I can’t see that river! “You have to cross the river!”

When Cho Byeong-deok pointed to the Yalu River and shouted, “Whale, whale, whale, whale, whale, whale, whale, whale, whale, whale?” the staff member who had made the controversial statement bowed his head.

“Sorry I was short of thought! It’s just that the casualties of the soldiers were so great….”

“If your thoughts are short, think bigger!”

* * *

As Jo Byeong-deok said, the attack on Insanjin was different from other sieges. The siege fought by Ming army officers, now the core of the Liaodong Army, was against the Oirat and other Mongol tribes in the north.

Such terrain was mostly open fields in all directions. Therefore, the Ming soldiers who went on siege first surrounded the castle and cut it off from the outside world, and then entered the siege.

Even if the enemy’s resistance was strong and they retreated, they only had to retreat long enough for the arrows to not reach them. The standard was to retreat, rest and regroup, and then attack again.

However, Insanjin had a natural moat called Yalu River in front of it. If we wanted to retreat, we had to cross the Yalu River again, and if we retreated like that, those cunning Joseon soldiers would build that damn iron fence again.

And the Liaodong army, which was resuming its offensive, had to repeat the same thing once again.

* * *

“There is no retreat because of this! Rather, now we have no choice but to keep pushing troops in and expand that bridgehead!”

Jo Byeong-deok, who summarized the current situation and spoke of his firm decision, once again asked questions to his staff.

“So, let’s talk about which one would have less damage: the second barbed wire fence or Joseon Castle!”

Following Jo Byeong-deok’s order, the staff began to carefully predict possibilities by examining the terrain.

They had now broken through to the front three lines of the five layers of barbed wire fences laid by the Joseon military.

However, the location of the hole was a problem.

The hole was made not at the ends of the left and right wings of the barbed wire fence, but close to the Joseon Castle.

In the end, it was said that no matter which side you chose, you would have to endure the joint attack by the Joseon Army located on the Joseon Castle and barbed wire fence.

“If we make a detour…”

“There will definitely be a reserve unit of the Joseon army right behind us. A position without a reserve force cannot take on sewage. “If you have learned the art of war.”

“And if the urgent news has been properly delivered, reinforcements will also be nearby.”

“A siege is not an easy task.”

“But if we can take that castle, we can secure a strong and secure beachhead.”

The staff, who had been weighing various cases, soon came to one conclusion.

-Focus all your power on the castle!

-Even if the bypass breakthrough is successful, it is not easy to properly supply or move follow-up troops as long as that castle exists.

-But if you take the castle, you can secure a strong beachhead.

This will make it easier for soldiers to rest and maintain.

-If the castle is taken, the Joseon army on that barbed wire fence will have no choice but to retreat.

After reaching a conclusion, the staff advised Jo Byeong-deok.

“It is best to attack Joseon Castle!”

“good!”

Jo Byeong-deok nodded loudly and immediately gave an order.

“Make the rifle corps and archers cross the river!”

“ancient!”

“Split the troops into five, two will check the left and right barbed wire fences, and three will focus on siege!”

“ancient!”

According to Jo Byeong-deok’s orders, the rifle corps and archers began to cross the river.

“We must cross as quickly as possible! “We’re crossing the river on foot!”

In the meantime, a pontoon bridge was built by connecting rafts, but the number was very small and there were many soldiers who had to cross.

In the end, a large number of musketeers and archers had to cross the Yalu River holding guns, gunpowder pouches, bows, and bows overhead.

with a plop! Clap!

“Ugh! “Ugh!”

“Holy shit!”

While crossing the river on foot, the soldiers who lost their steps and slipped had to swear. This was because the iron gun that had been loaded in advance became wet and useless.

Because they also had eyes, they knew what would happen if they crossed the river.

He swore because he knew very well how foolish it was to stand stiff and reload while the Joseon army’s bullets were raining down on him.

The Liaodong Army soldiers looked at their soaked guns and muttered in gloomy voices.

“I guess I’ll have to run for my life…”

As soon as I reached the opposite riverside, I would only be able to reload after running to a place with adequate cover.

* * *

The information that the follow-up unit of the Liaodong Army was crossing the river was immediately delivered to Lee Jing-ok.

“The musketry and archers… Is the main force finally arriving?”

Lee Jing-ok, who was stroking his chin and thinking about numbers, gave an order.

“Tell them to quickly figure out where the follow-up unit’s main attack is!”

“yes!”

Lee Jing-ok, who gave the order, rubbed his hands together and laughed bitterly.

“It would be great if we aimed for this Insanjin… then things would be easier.”

After enduring the artillery bombardment earlier, Lee Jing-ok came to trust this castle, which was built according to Hyang’s plan.

As Lee Jing-ok began to believe in the strength of the castle, he began to look forward to how sharp the teeth hidden in the castle would be.

Author’s words.

hello?

This is Gukppong, who serializes ‘Black Corporate Joseon’.

Did you have a good holiday?

Thanks to the prayers of our readers, my sister underwent surgery safely.

It was an emergency surgery performed during the holiday season, but fortunately, I heard that the results of the surgery were good.

They say the problem is future recovery. The doctor is very worried because the heart was damaged a lot due to what happened last time.

Please pray for your safe recovery and return to daily life.

thank you