Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 742

742. Dagger (12)

A month later, warships arrived at the Imperial Navy base in Suez.

These ships carried troops to replace the Imperial forces already stationed there.

Consequently, the naval base was a hive of activity, with cranes and soldiers busily loading and unloading cargo.

Near the bustling Imperial Navy base, Allied soldiers and officers loitered, discreetly monitoring the movements of the Imperial forces.

As they watched, the Allied soldiers began to tilt their heads in confusion.

“Wasn’t that called a Wheeled Gun Carriage? Looks like the mount has changed?”

“Huh? Doesn’t look like it to me.”

“No, something’s different.”

The Allied soldiers, observing the newly arrived Imperial troops moving the Wheeled Gun Carriages, were puzzled. Something seemed different, but they couldn’t quite put their finger on what it was.

Shortly after, some of the more proactive Allied soldiers began to scrutinize the Imperial troops returning home.

“Hey! I found it!”

“What? What is it?”

“Look at the carriages on the mounts. The ones going onto the ship now, and… the ones being unloaded over there.”

Examining the two Wheeled Gun Carriages as his comrade pointed out, the Allied soldiers wore dumbfounded expressions and muttered.

“How is that even possible?”

The Wheeled Gun Carriages being pulled by the newly arrived Imperial soldiers maintained a level gun barrel, regardless of whether they were going uphill or downhill.

* * *

The Imperial soldiers newly arrived in Suez were operating improved Wheeled Gun Carriages.

The original Wheeled Gun Carriage’s gun mount had wheels attached to a folding tripod.

This was to make it easier to move the carriage.

The weight of the Wheeled Gun Carriage itself, filled with cooling water in its tank, plus the gun mount, was nearly 90 *geun* [approximately 54 kg, an old Korean unit of weight].

To move this heavy piece of equipment more easily, iron wheels were attached, bringing the final weight to 100 *geun* (approximately 60 kg).

Convenience was achieved by folding the two front legs of the tripod and pulling it along, using the rear leg as a handle.

However, not long after the Wheeled Gun Carriages were deployed, soldiers in the field discovered a problem.

It was easier to move with the wheels. But the moment they straightened up, holding the rear leg, the gun barrel of the carriage would drag on the ground.

To solve this, they had to move around hunched over, which was a very uncomfortable posture.

However, the soldiers couldn’t ask for this to be improved.

This was because Hyang was the central figure in creating the Wheeled Gun Carriage.

-How dare you criticize something His Majesty made with the soldiers in mind!

It was obvious they would be met with such scolding.

Hyang had overlooked this issue because the original design was the same.

And the one who solved this problem was, as expected, Jang Yeong-sil.

Or, to be precise, Hyang was the one who regulated Jang Yeong-sil’s frenzy.

* * *

It was long before the commotion about the prototype carriage that Jang Yeong-sil had conceived, to be exact, when Hyang first inspected Area 52.

After resolving the issue related to Jang Yeong-sil’s tomb, Hyang, guided by Jang On, visited Jang Yeong-sil’s private residence and the attached workshop.

“This is the workshop? And that’s the residence? Aren’t they switched around?”

Looking at the small house that seemed to have no additional function other than providing a place to sleep, and the enormously large workshop, Hyang asked Jang On.

“He said that the house only needed enough space to sleep…”

“He was a truly unique individual…”

‘It’s like ascetic practice… No, is this the final evolution of a *덕후* [deokhu, a Korean term for otaku or enthusiast]? I was like that too…’

Reflecting on his own similar lifestyle in the 21st century, Hyang lightly shook his head, opened the door to the workshop, and stepped inside.

“Heo~.”

Stepping into the workshop, Hyang involuntarily gaped.

The workshop was filled with all sorts of tools, half-finished objects, and blueprints scattered everywhere.

“Doesn’t Director Jang Yeong-sil have a personal design room and workshop in the main building of Area 52 as well?”

“He said that if he found an answer while sleeping or resting, he didn’t want to waste time going to the main building…”

“Is that so?”

“Things that he designs and makes here that seem good are moved to the main building.”

“Is that so?”

Casually answering, Hyang examined Jang Yeong-sil’s workshop and ordered Jang On.

“Organize all the equipment, tools, and designs in this workshop, create a list, and prioritize them for reporting.”

“The entire workshop, you mean?”

At Jang On’s pale-faced question, Hyang replied as if it were obvious.

“Then, should we just leave it as it is?”

“… I shall obey the command.”

Thus, the artisans tasked with classification and recording sighed at Hyang’s order.

“Haa~. It never ends…”

“Haa~. Is this what the rumored record keeper is like?”

* * *

Some time after the prototype carriage commotion, Jang On sought out Hyang.

“What is it?”

“While organizing the personal workshop of the late Director Jang Yeong-sil as you previously ordered, there is something I need to ask Your Majesty about.”

“You need to ask me? What is it?”

“It is an improvement to the gun mount of the Wheeled Gun Carriage, but there is only a design. So, I was wondering if it would be good to produce a prototype, what Your Majesty’s…”

“Bring it out immediately!”

“Yes? Yes, Your Majesty!”

Before Jang On could finish explaining, Hyang interrupted and held out his hand.

“Heol….”

Hyang, receiving the design that Jang On handed over, couldn’t close his gaping mouth.

The title written on Jang Yeong-sil’s design was extraordinary from the start.

-Self-Propelled Gun Carriage (自行火車)

Examining the design, Hyang put his hand on his forehead and shouted inwardly.

‘This clockwork maniac!’

The gun mount of the Wheeled Gun Carriage that Jang Yeong-sil made was designed to move using the power of clockwork.

It was a concept typical of Jang Yeong-sil, who had tried to make a palanquin that moved with clockwork in the history before Hyang intervened.

‘Even Dr. Ferdinand Porsche, who insisted on making an electric-powered tank during wartime, would cry….’

Continuing to admire, though not really, Jang Yeong-sil’s obsession with clockwork, Hyang shook his head, looking at the detailed design related to the drive unit.

‘Regenerative braking! You crazy man! Why is this here!’

It was obvious that the clockwork had to be rewound when it ran out. However, rewinding the clockwork during a battle where bullets were raining down was dangerous.

Knowing this, Jang Yeong-sil had devised a device that used the recoil of the Wheeled Gun Carriage to rewind the clockwork. And Hyang was reminded of regenerative braking when he saw this.

After examining the design for a long time, Hyang raised his head and looked at Jang On.

“Impossible. You know why, right?”

“…Yes.”

Jang On nodded. Even to Jang On, the self-propelled gun carriage designed by Jang Yeong-sil was too complex and delicate.

“However, it was too precious, so I asked Your Majesty for an answer.”

“I agree.”

Hyang, nodding in agreement with a face full of regret, examined the design again and pointed to one part.

“This part, the part that keeps the gun barrel and mechanism level when the soldiers are pulling the carriage, it would be good to keep it. It uses the principle of a tumbler, so there shouldn’t be any problems other than a slight increase in weight. Improve the gun mount of the Wheeled Gun Carriage by keeping this part.”

“I shall obey the command!”

Thus, the gun mount of the Wheeled Gun Carriage was improved.

The military, evaluating the newly improved gun mount of the Wheeled Gun Carriage, was greatly satisfied and adopted it, and at the same time began to modify the gun mounts of the Wheeled Gun Carriages that had already been deployed.

And those improved Wheeled Gun Carriages were the ones that arrived in Suez this time.

* * *

After hearing the soldiers’ report, the Allied commanders gathered again to share their opinions.

“What do you think?”

“The soldiers operating it will be more comfortable.”

“I agree.”

“But, you know?”

The Ottoman commander, who had been listening to the other commanders’ stories, raised a question.

“Why are those guys, who are just holed up in the fortress defending, even worrying about ease of movement?”

“Hmm….”

“That’s true….”

At the Ottoman commander’s point, the other commanders were deep in thought.

The first to speak was the Florentine commander.

“Defense battles don’t necessarily only take place in fortresses, do they? Considering that, it’s natural to think about ease of movement, isn’t it?”

“Of course, that’s true. But, I may be overthinking it, but why did those guys, who are always holed up in the fortress or moving around on iron horses here, bring a new carriage?”

At the Ottoman commander’s point, the French commander replied.

“Isn’t it because it’s necessary when deploying reserves?”

“There’s only us Allies and the Empire here in Suez, is there any need to plan while even considering reserves?”

“From the sea….”

“The Empire’s warships are rampant in the sea? Have you forgotten what the captains said before?”

“So, what are you trying to say?”

The Portuguese commander, who had been listening to the Ottoman commander’s repeated points, asked the Ottoman commander.

At the Portuguese commander’s question, the Ottoman commander replied with a face full of difficulty and anxiety.

“I don’t know. I feel uneasy about something, but I don’t know what’s making me uneasy.”

At the Ottoman commander’s words, the other commanders also became serious.

‘We can’t ignore the intuition of someone who has fought so many real battles.’

‘Honestly, I’m a bit uneasy too. I don’t know why, though….’

As silence continued for a moment, the Florentine commander opened his mouth.

“Perhaps, that uneasiness comes from the question, ‘What if the Empire attacks us?’ Honestly, the Empire shares interests with our alliance, but it’s not a member of the alliance.”

“That part is definitely a problem.”

“Solving that part is the most important thing, but that’s a matter of politics….”

Following the words of the Ottoman and French commanders, the Portuguese commander took over.

“Let’s assume the Empire attacks us. To destroy our fortresses, they need cannons, but is it possible with the cannons in that fortress?”

At the Portuguese commander’s question, the other commanders all shook their heads.

“It seems impossible.”

“It will be very difficult.”

They were also familiar with cannons. According to their experience, the distance between the fortresses they were currently stationed in and the Empire’s fortresses was beyond the range of ordinary cannons.

Of course, the giant cannons that the Ottomans had might have the range, but according to what they had seen so far, the Empire had not brought such giant cannons.

Then, the conclusion was that they had to move the cannons, but the Empire did not seem to have a sufficient number of horses. Of course, there was a strange device called a tractor that used steam engines. However, the Allied forces would not just stand by and watch them move the cannons using that.

The stationed forces were superior, and they were an alliance with a sufficient number of Eul-type carriages and cannons, though not as many as the Wheeled Gun Carriages.

“Logically thinking, there’s no reason to be uneasy, but I don’t know why I’m so uneasy.”

The Allied commanders were nodding at the Ottoman commander’s words.

Fifteen days later, the Allied commanders learned the reason for their uneasiness.

It was because the Imperial artillerymen stationed in the fortress conducted artillery training.

After sending official letters to the surrounding villages to prevent fishing boats from setting sail and blocking the approach of merchant ships, the Imperial artillerymen fired at target ships floating in the sea.

The Allied commanders who saw the training realized why they had been uneasy.

The Empire’s cannons were better than they knew. If you drew a circle with the distance the cannons flew towards the target as the radius, their fortresses would fit right inside. And the power was also much stronger than they thought.

The Ottoman commander, watching the training with a serious face, sighed.

“The Empire has planted a dagger right under our noses.”