Black Corporation: Joseon

Chapter 793

Episode 793: Noblemen go to Shinji. (5)

The transport fleet organized by the Imperial Navy diligently transported the conquering forces back and forth between the new territory and the mainland.

This was because the Northern Sea Route had been frozen and blocked since early winter.

-More troops faster.

This was the task undertaken by the Imperial Navy.

‘Assault return ship’ emerged as a hot topic among Navy executives who were considering all kinds of ways to solve this problem.

“How about using assault return?”

“A sudden return trip? Don’t you know that the biggest drawback of assault return ship is the short range? “You’re going to stop before you even get halfway through?”

“It’s about reducing weight.”

“Losing weight?”

“There are no pirates on the Northern Sea Route anyway, right? Even the Ming Dynasty guys and the Japanese guys can’t do it. So, we unloaded all the artillery and gunpowder, and instead loaded extra coal, troops to transport water, and food.”

“Hmm… I hope you’ll be okay?”

In this way, a plan on ‘Using Assault Return Ships as Transport Ships’ was drawn up.

The upper echelons of the Imperial Navy received the plan and looked perplexed.

“This is… should I say it’s creative or absurd?”

“Well, let’s come… In some ways, it’s a novel idea, but…”

While I was pondering this, there were some people who responded positively.

“Don’t you think it would be a good idea to give it a try? In any case, as time passes, fronts and transport ships equipped with steam engines will become common. Rather than worrying about it right away, wouldn’t you be able to check the possibilities in advance and know what to pay attention to in order to use them properly?”

“Hmm?”

In the end, the upper echelons of the Imperial Navy believed that there would be more benefits than losses, so they revised the plan and submitted it to Wan.

“Hmm… what do you think?”

After reading the plan, Wan asked the ministers. Hwang Bo-in stepped forward and answered Wan’s question.

“I don’t think it’s a bad idea to give it a try. Of course, since the uses of fronts and transport ships are different, it is understandable that the results obtained from this experiment cannot satisfy both. However, it is believed to be sufficient to provide a glimpse into the potential of iron ships equipped with steam engines.”

“Hmm… I see. “Let’s give it a try.”

According to Wan’s decision, one of the three assault ships that had just been deployed to the Inland Sea Fleet was selected.

“You’re going to have to suffer.”

“…yes.”

The captain, who came out after hearing the imperial order from the commander of the Inland Sea, kicked the stones at his feet and burst out in anger.

“My proud assault ship has to become a barge!”

Since this was an order approved by the emperor, the work of unloading artillery and gunpowder from the assault return ship proceeded quickly.

“Are you going to get off all the freight cars?”

“Get everything down.”

“There must be a minimum amount of armament…”

“What are you worried about when it’s not just one assault ship moving? And if the assault ship decides to run away, is there a ship to chase after?”

“…All right. “Everyone will get off.”

However, everything did not end with the unloading of artillery and bombs.

First, the weight of the unloaded artillery and bombs was carefully measured one by one.

“Based on the average weight of the soldiers and the weight of the commander…”

“If it’s the distance from here to Shinji’s Chosi, how much coal do you need?”

“The weight of the food the soldiers eat in a day…”

After careful calculations by the executives in charge of supply, the expected figure came out, and the superiors who received it looked perplexed once again.

“800 people? “Isn’t that too little?”

“Right. Considering the size of the assault return line, isn’t it too small?”

In response to the criticism from superiors, the people in charge explained the reason.

-The assault return line is the front line. In order to minimize flooding damage that may occur during battle, the compartments are divided into small pieces, making it difficult to utilize space.

Isn’t it possible to stack healthy soldiers on top of each other like they are carrying luggage?

As beds for soldiers were installed, space was reduced, and as food, water, and coal were additionally loaded, space was reduced.

-Still, the transport capacity is almost three times that of the 300 additional troops that can be loaded on the Challenger-level front line.

“Hmm… I guess we’ll have to start over with the design of the transport ship.”

“I agree.”

“Now it would be a good idea to transport it myself and check the problem.”

“I agree.”

In this way, a large-scale experiment called ‘transportation using assault return ship’ was carried out.

It wasn’t long before the first improvements were reported.

-It is considered desirable to design new steel wires and transport ships in a traditional shape.

“huh? why?”

“They say the natives of the port of call started the fight.”

* * *

The transport fleet regularly stopped at ports of call along the northern route.

Although the issue of shortening the time was important, supply and rest for the crew were also important.

The problem was when the assault return ship appeared in the port.

“It’s a monster!”

“Run away!”

“Help me!”

The indigenous people who had gathered to supply food and water to the fleet or to carry various local products to the sailors and soldiers of the conquering army screamed and scattered in all directions.

This was because they thought that the assault ship, which spewed black smoke from its back and had a huge dragon head decorated on its bow, was a monster.

* * *

Although there was such a commotion, the assault return ship clearly had its own advantages.

To be precise, this was the advantage of the steam engine.

Unlike sailing ships, whose speed varied depending on the direction and strength of the wind, steam engines were able to sail steadily at a constant speed.

-If you have good quality coal and clean water, you can use your time more effectively.

The Navy, which accepted this result, gave the crown prince more power.

“majesty. If you need a budget, Sosin can help you.”

“Thank you!”

* * *

Thanks to the transport fleet that moved so diligently, the conquering army quickly arrived at Shinji.

Each time a new conquering army arrived, the conquering army headquarters provided weapons produced in Area 52 and began adaptation training and practical training.

One day, Hyang took some time to observe the training of the conquering army soldiers and shook his head.

“Sergeant Hartman is in a group.”

It was a scent that reminded me of the instructor who could be said to be the main character in the first half of a movie set during the Vietnam War.

To that extent, the imperial army instructors pushed the soldiers to their limits.

“Who told you to rest! Run until I tell you to rest! “You think the enemy will give you rest just because you are tired and exhausted!”

“You can’t manage your organs properly! “The moment your rifle breaks down, you die too!”

“run! run! If you get this high, you won’t die even if you jump! “If you hesitate because this is scary, you’ll burn a hole in your stomach!”

“You guys don’t kill people! Protect the empire and protect your family! “That’s why you’re a soldier!”

“Don’t think of mercy when you pull the trigger! “If you want to be so merciful, put aside the sage’s teachings and everything else and go into the mountains and play Buddhist temples!”

“You bastards! If you want to die, you go alone! “Don’t let your colleagues die because of your stupidity!”

“you! you! you! you! and you! stay! It’s special training! “I will definitely turn people like you into proper soldiers!”

As if pushing the soldiers to their limits wasn’t enough, the instructors even gathered soldiers who were underperforming separately and gave them special training.

“Isn’t this too harsh?”

Lee Jing-ok shook his head resolutely at Hyang’s point.

“It’s light at that level. Sooner or later, you will be deployed to the battlefield, and if you are even the slightest bit lax, not only yourself but your colleagues will die as well. According to the report, they are worse than the Jurchen tribe. “We must prepare well.”

Hyang muttered to herself at Lee Jing-ok’s words.

‘Well, it’s time… And, starting with Lee Jing-ok, most of the seniors have been against the Jurchen people since their youth…’

In the 21st century, there was a time when things that would be called ‘war crimes’ were common, and it was the period between the Jurchen people and the Joseon Dynasty in the early Joseon Dynasty. It was a time of conflict. This was despite the fact that the military power of the Joseon army was strengthened due to the intervention of Hyang at that time, and the number of Jurchen tribes that returned to Joseon greatly increased through King Sejong’s active intervention.

‘If you think about the Aztecs, I can’t tell you to apply 21st century standards. No, it is unreasonable to ask for the level of the last lighting war….’

Hyang had no choice but to acknowledge the problem of time and place.

* * *

While the final hardening of the soldiers was in full swing, Lee Jing-ok looked for incense.

“You said you needed a new freight car?”

“yes. “That’s right.”

“I think the side-by-side boxcar is pretty good now, right?”

Lee Jing-ok immediately responded to Hyang’s point.

“The fire wagon is a good weapon. But it doesn’t suit the place. “It’s too heavy.”

“Is it too heavy?”

“That’s right.”

Lee Jing-ok explained the reason.

-The parallel boxcar is a very excellent weapon. But it’s too heavy.

-It is difficult to operate fire trucks and artillery in a place that will become a battlefield.

-Of course, we cannot give up freight cars and artillery for victory. However, if you consider the number of horses that will pull the artillery, the amount of hay and feed that the horses will eat, and the number of carts and horses that will transport the hay and feed, the vicious cycle continues.

-To solve this problem, we need to reduce as much as possible.

-Then the only answer is freight cars. Because we cannot give up artillery.

“…For this reason, we need new freight cars, to be precise, light freight cars.”

“Don’t the fire trucks have wheels so soldiers can pull them and move them?”

“I’ll buy it back. However, to operate it properly, one freight car requires five. They say that it is difficult for even a person to move in the jungle in the south, but it is difficult to move a boxcar.”

“Hmm…”

Lee Jing-ok continued as Hyang fell into thought with a serious expression on his face.

“I am not asking to change the freight cars of the entire conquest army. If the battle takes place in an open area, a double box wagon is better. But if the battle takes place in the jungle, light freight cars are needed.”

“Hmm… Now that I think about it, the general wants a freight car that can be carried and moved by individual soldiers. Is that correct?”

“That’s right.”

“There is yin and yang in all things in the world. If there are advantages, there are also disadvantages. In my opinion, we wouldn’t be able to pour in as many bullets over a long period of time as in a boxcar. “Do you think that’s a problem too?”

“You can replace that part with numbers and feet.”

“Soo and Val?”

“It makes sense to pay more soldiers, and since the soldiers can move quickly, it will tie up the enemy’s feet, so this is a good idea.”

“Hmm… I roughly know what the general wants. “I acknowledge the necessity, but I think it will be difficult to find the right time.”

Lee Jing-ok smiled and responded to Hyang’s words.

“There was Jang Yeong-sil in Shinji’s Area 52. And since it has been several years since your Majesty stayed here in Shinji, is there really nothing similar?”

“….”

Hyang was speechless at Lee Jing-ok’s words.

‘You know me too well!’