Black Corporation: Joseon

Chapter 934

Episode 933: The Imperial March 2 – Assault return, running on the ground. (21)

The imperial army also said various things while looking at the trenches being dug by excavators.

“It’s true… one hole is dug with one shovel.”

“It’s refreshing.”

As these words were exchanged, someone expressed their sincerity.

“You can do it like that, but why did you train to build a trench like that?”

“So…”

The soldiers recalled the nightmare of training where they dug trenches while digging with shovels and pickaxes and filled them with dirt and stones after training.

“Do you think the excavator will come every time? You’re not going to dig a trench if you don’t have an excavator? yes?”

“Oh no!”

“Then stop talking and just fill the bag with dirt! Fill it up and build a wall!”

“Yes yep!”

The soldiers began to move as the commanders shouted from behind them.

Thanks to the excavators, the Imperial Allied trench lines quickly emerged. Walls and passages made of tightly packed clay-filled sacks connected the trenches, and sturdy open and closed trenches took their place.

The French commanders, who were looking down at the imperial army’s trench line from the walls of Pavia, began to look increasingly sad.

“Damn you guys… Are you digging in and sitting down instead of building a fort?”

Their trench line was also constructed with considerable effort. However, the imperial trench line taking shape in the distance was a trench boat with such brains that it was worthy of swearing.

The killing zone where the crossfire of freight cars and cannons would pour down was densely formed along the trench line.

It was designed so that no matter which direction the attacking side charged, they would suffer enormous casualties.

To avoid these losses, a detour had to be made, and in order to bypass the trench line currently being built by the Imperial Allied Forces, one had to travel a considerable distance. And by traveling such a long distance, the Imperial Allied Forces would naturally have enough time to respond.

“You forgot they were the ones who created the damn trench in the first place.”

The tactic of building defensive structures called trenches has existed since ancient times. However, the Empire was the first to combine this antique object called a ‘trench’ with guns and cannons and turn it into a lethal defense facility.

“That was also what the ‘Sage of the East’ envisioned, right?”

“Are you a wise man or a devil?…”

“That’s not the question. aide! Go find some painters and bring them back! “I need to sketch those trench lines!”

“yes!”

“Instead of just cursing, we should use what we have learned….”

“That is correct.”

* * *

While painters under orders from French generals were busy sketching, the Imperial Allies completed the trench lines.

“Are the deployment of artillery finished?”

“yes!”

“Then let’s get started!”

“yes!”

After a while, several of the guns located in the rear trench line of the Imperial Army turned and opened fire toward the French trenches.

Puff! Quack!

Temporarily erected watchtowers where the imperial artillery was located checked the landing points of the artillery shells and diligently operated the luminous signals, and the imperial artillery adjusted the angle of the artillery accordingly.

Quack!

“You got it right!”

“Fire all guns!”

Artillery commanders, who confirmed the signal that the standard gun had been fired correctly, ordered specialized simultaneous fire. When the signalman waved the flag vigorously, all the waiting guns fired at once.

bang! Quack! bang!

Soon, the earthen pillars created by the Imperial Army’s fire bombs rose up all at once along the French Army’s trench line.

“Bow your head!”

“Never stick your head out!”

From the moment the standard guns started firing, the French soldiers took refuge by lying down close to the trench line.

bang! Quack!

“Ahh!”

“There’s someone hurt here! Help me!”

“Virgin Mary…”

Hearing the cries of their unfortunate comrades who had been hit directly by a cannonball, the French soldiers crouched even closer and grabbed their rifles.

“Once this bombardment is over, the enemy’s assault will continue! Wake!”

The French soldiers, who knew this well even if it was not the shouts of their commanders, held the rifles in their hands even more tightly.

bang!

After confirming that there was no more artillery fire after the last shell landed, the French army’s junior officers shouted to their soldiers.

“Stand up! “Prepare for the enemy’s assault!”

At the shouts of the commanders, the soldiers got up, climbed to the firing squad, and pointed their guns toward the front.

“huh?”

“uh?”

As time went by, the French soldiers in the trenches, regardless of their rank, showed an expression of uncertainty.

There was no charge by the Imperial Allied Forces.

* * *

Over the next five days, the imperial army continued to fire intensively three times a day.

And somehow the French soldiers became accustomed to this trend.

bang! Quack!

“The bombardment is over!”

“Let’s have lunch! Let’s eat!”

After confirming that the bombardment was over, the French soldiers sent their soldiers towards Pavia Castle.

After a while, the gates opened and carts filled with baskets of bread for the soldiers, pots of soup, and bottles of wine came out.

In the wide open space in front of the castle gate, soldiers lined up began to receive bread, soup, and wine to share with their comrades. Meanwhile, next to it, carts carrying ‘unfortunate friends’ entered the castle.

At the command center inside the castle, French generals were analyzing the situation with expressions of complete incomprehension.

“I just can’t figure out why. “I don’t know.”

“Only an artillery battle for five days….”

“What’s even more strange is that the power of the shells they are firing is weaker than expected. The walls of Milan collapsed due to a cannon like that…”

“It’s weaker than you think, but it’s definitely not a weak thing.”

“That’s true….”

“Looking at our military’s accumulated losses now, it’s definitely not something to ignore.”

“The loss of cannons and freight cars is especially painful…”

At the last word, all the generals nodded.

After the first bombardment of the Imperial Allied Forces on the first day, the French army also fired shells at the Imperial Army positions.

As soon as the French army’s first shot ended, the imperial artillery selected only the French batteries and fired counterattacks.

Fortunately, due to the weak power of the imperial artillery, fatal losses were avoided, but the French army still suffered significant damage.

Afterwards, the French army not only repaired the broken cannons but also moved the cannons back.

Of course, it wasn’t that he pulled back all that far.

“Hide it as best as you can until they charge!”

“yes!”

According to the orders of their commanders, the French artillerymen moved the cannons to shelters with strong roofs or moved them further back.

The cannons were not the only ones to suffer losses. Although it was said that its power was ‘less than expected’, the number of dead and wounded steadily increased in the trenches where it was hit directly, and the loss of troops as a result was increasing.

“There are still nearly ten days left until reinforcements arrive, and if losses accumulate at this rate, it will become a serious problem.”

“They say that when raindrops gather, they become a flood….”

“We have to do damage to them before it’s too late.”

“how?”

“Look at those trench lines. “Charging is absolutely not allowed!”

The general who first expressed his opinion on what the other generals said opened his mouth.

“We should make them charge, not us.”

“So how do you make that possible?”

“That’s right. Unless they are fools, wouldn’t they be unaware of the losses that an assault would cause? So, they are just bombarding us like that.”

What the French generals thought was ‘the most reasonable reason’ for the Imperial Allied Forces’ continued bombardment was ‘lack of troops’.

-It is certain that the Imperial Allied Forces have the largest number of troops.

-But as the front line widens, it is increasingly splitting up.

-Empires in particular have difficulties with the continuous supply of troops.

-Charges against well-prepared enemy trenches must bear heavy losses.

-Because the empire has problems with the supply and demand of troops, it postpones the assault and continues to bombard it.

“The reason they are continuing the bombardment now is to minimize the losses they will incur during the assault. In that case… we should make them charge.”

“therefore! “How do you make that possible?”

“We are using the Italians.”

“Florence?”

“exactly.”

The general who insisted on a decisive battle explained his plan to his colleagues. The other generals, who had reacted skeptically at first, began to nod their heads as the explanation continued.

“Sure… considering the talkative nature of Italians, it would be possible.”

“I think it’ll be okay. If things continue like this, the morale of the soldiers will definitely deteriorate. “You have to show your true worth once.”

“Let’s prepare the lion.”

At those words, the general who first brought up the plan stepped forward.

“I will go myself.”

“Wouldn’t it be dangerous?”

“If I’m wrong, wouldn’t that be a good reason?”

* * *

While this conspiracy was going on on the part of the French Army, a conspiracy of its own was in full swing on the Imperial Army side.

“Of course… Your Majesty was right.”

All subordinate commanders nodded at Lee Si-ae’s words.

“It is certainly very weak against properly constructed trenches.”

“The firing speed is also too slow. “The process of dragging the guns that were pushed back every time they are fired, checking the inside of the gun barrel, and loading through the muzzle is too cumbersome.”

“It’s a shame, but it’s time to throw it away.”

It was the old artillery of the Imperial Army that had been pounding the French trenches for the past five days.

The regular bombardment three times a day was to properly observe whether the firepower of the old artillery was still usable.

And the conclusion that came out was, ‘It’s time to throw it away.’

“Hmm… I guess so. They were really friendly guys, but unfortunately, I have to throw them away now. Then, starting tomorrow…”

“General! “The French military messenger has arrived!”

A young officer came inside, interrupting Lee Si-ae who was just about to conclude.

“lion?”

“yes! “He is also said to be a French general!”

“okay?”

Upon hearing the officer’s report, Lee Si-ae got up from her seat and came out. Lee Si-ae climbed onto the horse tied outside and headed to where the lion was waiting.

“I am the Count of Roen, who commands the great French army.”

“This is Lee Si-ae, a thief who commands the proud Imperial Army.”

A short and concise meeting followed, and Loen got to the point.

“I believe any more tedious artillery warfare is useless for both sides. So, I wish we could have a male and female child. “As a descendant of a knightly family that follows chivalry and as a general leading the great French army, I allow you to attack first.”

“It is said…”

Lee Si-ae, who heard the story through an interpreter, looked at the subordinate generals around her with an expression of bewilderment.

“Aren’t you crazy?”

Lee Si-ae, whose mind was complicated by the unexpected proposal, managed to come to her senses and answer.

“This is a very grateful offer, but this is not an easy decision. I’ll have to take a moment to discuss my thoughts with the chiefs. When a decision is made, I will send a messenger to inform you of the answer.”

“I hope you make a wise decision.”

Lee Si-ae nodded lightly to Count Roen’s words and muttered to herself.

‘The smartest way is to just bombard like now.’