Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 861

861. Their Ambition (12)

“Immediately send everything on this list, no, the ‘Florence Rifle,’ to Seoul as quickly as possible! As fast as you can!”

At Wan’s urgent command, the official carefully watched Wan’s expression and cautiously replied,

“It has already been brought here. A special order had already been issued from Shinji…”

At the official’s words, Wan jumped up from his seat and descended from the government building.

“I will go see it! Guide me!”

“Yes, yes!”

“Let’s all go see it together!”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

The official who had been reporting hurriedly guided Wan to where the ‘Florence Rifle’ was, with Wan and the other officials following behind.

Following Wan with hurried steps, Hwangbo-in quietly spoke to the Chief Secretary.

“We almost caused a big problem. Be careful.”

At Hwangbo-in’s warning, Chief Secretary Seo Geo-jeong nodded slightly with a stiff face.

“I will keep that in mind. Thank you.”

There was a reason why Hwangbo-in warned him and Seo Geo-jeong became so tense.

* * *

No matter what anyone said, the owner of the Empire was the Emperor.

Even if the situation issued a special order, the proper procedure was to receive the Emperor’s order first and then act according to the situation’s command.

In other words, upon confirming the situation’s special order, they should have used the Flash Communication Network to inform Seoul as quickly as possible, receive Emperor Wan’s response, and then act.

Ignoring this and acting first under the pretext of ‘the situation’s special order’ was tantamount to committing a grave crime of disregarding the Emperor’s authority and power.

Again, no matter how much of a situation it was, the owner of the Empire was the Emperor.

However, the particularly close relationship spanning from Sejong to Hyang and Wan had caused them to forget this.

Another reason was Seo Geo-jeong himself.

Seo Geo-jeong was forcibly appointed to office due to the crime of having studied with Han Myeong-hoi. [Han Myeong-hoi was a controversial figure in Joseon dynasty history.]

Among those who were forcibly appointed due to guilt by association at the time, Seo Geo-jeong was the youngest. Thanks to this, he was the youngest among the top officials in Wan’s court.

And this was the problem.

Regardless of the reason, the fact that Seo Geo-jeong, who was of a similar age to them, was sitting at the top was enough to make him an object of envy.

Especially after the abolition of the Umseo system [a system of hereditary privilege] through the Gyeongjang Reform.

Therefore, Hwangbo-in had warned Seo Geo-jeong.

* * *

Guided by the official, they arrived at a place where three long wooden boxes were placed, with several soldiers standing beside them.

“Chung!” [A Korean military greeting.]

“Good work. Judging by your attire, you’re not from the Royal Guard. Which unit do you belong to?”

At Wan’s question, the one who appeared to be the highest-ranking among the soldiers replied with a tense face.

“Yes! We belong to the 3rd Guard stationed in Shinji!”

“You’ve come a long way. Did the Situation send you?”

“Yes! He sent us to demonstrate the firing method of the Florence Rifle!”

“Is that so? Then show me the rifle first.”

“Yes!”

The soldier, after shouting energetically, opened the lid of the box with his subordinates. As the soldiers removed the straw used as cushioning inside the box and took out the rifle, the hands of the Royal Guards around them moved to their waists.

“This is the Florence Rifle!”

Wan, who received the rifle the soldier handed over, examined it from side to side and tilted his head.

“It’s too different from the Byeongshik Rifle. Does it use the same ammunition?”

“Yes, it does!”

“Hmm… It would be best to see a demonstration. Move it to the Royal Guard’s shooting range. And send people to the Ministry of National Defense and the Imperial Army Headquarters to tell anyone who wants to observe to come immediately.”

“Yes!”

At Wan’s command, the soldiers from Shinji and the Royal Guards began to repack and move the boxes, while Wan and the ministers moved to the Royal Guard’s shooting range.

Also, messengers and eunuchs began to run in all directions to deliver Wan’s orders.

* * *

At Wan’s command, the Royal Guards moved busily.

“Bring the chairs! Chairs!”

“What are you doing! The floor is covered in dust! Sweep it quickly!”

After diligently sweeping, wiping, and bringing chairs and desks, the preparations were somewhat complete by the time Wan arrived.

“Good work.”

Wan, who praised the Royal Guard soldiers who had finished the preparations, sat in the prepared seat and gave an order.

“Then let’s begin.”

“Yes!”

When the firing demonstration by the soldiers sent from Shinji was over, Wan had a strange expression on his face.

“This is a bit odd…”

Clearly, the performance of the rifle was decent. However, Wan’s engineering senses, honed in Area 51, were telling him that something was wrong.

“It’s strange… Something’s off…”

Unable to overcome his growing suspicion, Wan got up from his seat and walked to the shooting range.

“Let me see it.”

“Yes!”

Wan, who received the rifle from the soldier, began to examine it even more meticulously than when he first saw it.

“It’s very light? Easy to hold in the hand too… Hmm…”

After examining it several times from the muzzle to the buttstock, and repeatedly pulling the charging handle to reload, Wan tilted his head.

“It’s subtly uncomfortable? Why did they do this? Disassemble it for me.”

“Yes!”

The soldiers disassembled the Florence Rifle with familiar movements. As Wan examined the action of the disassembled rifle, he wore an even more puzzled expression.

“It’s much simpler than the Byeongshik Rifle, but why does it feel so unsettling?”

Unable to understand the unknown strangeness, Wan looked back at the generals who had come to observe.

“Generals, come and take a look as well.”

“Yes.”

Upon receiving Wan’s command, the approaching generals shouldered the Florence Rifle and aimed at the target, moved the charging handle, and carefully examined the disassembled rifle.

The generals who examined the Florence Rifle wore similar expressions to Wan.

“What do you think?”

“Yes. As seen in the soldiers’ demonstration, the accuracy itself is not significantly different from the Byeongshik Rifle. However, I felt that it was somewhat uncomfortable and flimsy.”

All the generals standing behind Jang Hang-sun nodded at his answer. At that sight, Wan asked again.

“Then, if I were to adopt this Florence Rifle into the Imperial Army, what would you do?”

“If Your Majesty commands it, I will follow…”

Wan muttered inwardly at Jang Hang-sun’s hesitant words.

‘He really doesn’t want to use it if he can avoid it.’

“Hmm…”

Examining the Florence Rifle again, Wan asked the soldier again.

“Hey you.”

“Yes!”

“If you were told to choose between this Florence Rifle and the Byeongshik Rifle, which one would you choose?”

“The Byeongshik Rifle!”

“Why?”

“The Florence Rifle is difficult to fire rapidly!”

At that moment, Wan and the generals all exclaimed.

“Ah!”

‘That’s what the problem was!’

* * *

The Byeongshik Rifle was a masterpiece that satisfied Hyang’s virtue. It was based on the Swiss Army’s K31 rifle, but it was a work with Hyang’s unique MSG added. [MSG here refers to a special ingredient or enhancement.]

Hyang’s MSG was changing the position of the charging handle.

In the case of the existing K31, the charging handle was attached to the rear, like other bolt-action rifles. However, Hyang moved this charging handle forward like the ROK Army’s K2. [ROK stands for Republic of Korea.]

Thanks to this, the Imperial Army was able to reload quickly while shouldering the rifle, enabling overwhelming rapid fire.

On the other hand, the Florence Rifle was based on the Mosin-Nagant, specifically the early model. As a result, the charging handle located at the rear protruded straight out to the side. The kar98 and later models of the Mosin-Nagant bent this handle downwards to make carrying and reloading a little easier, but the early model Mosin-Nagant didn’t have that.

After listening to the soldier’s answer and rereading Hyang’s letter, Wan shook his head with a bitter smile.

“As expected of the Situation. He is the Situation. Hahahaha!”

Wan, who burst into a refreshing laugh, got up from his seat.

“We will use this for the rifles to support Florence. It will bring great benefits to the Empire. Let’s go back. I will explain it to you.”

“Yes? Yes.”

The ministers, who were momentarily bewildered by Wan’s answer, soon followed Wan without saying a word. The reason that was possible was because of Hyang.

At least two or three layers of traps were always laid out by Hyang.

If Hyang stepped in, the opponent would either be caught off guard or be forced to suffer even knowing what was happening.

* * *

Back in Daejeon, Wan unfolded Hyang’s letter and looked at the ministers.

“Listen carefully, everyone. The reason why the Situation made the Florence Rifle is…”

Summarizing Hyang’s letter that Wan read:

-According to the report Wan sent, the movement to unify the divided Italy in Italy is getting stronger.

-However, the small Italian states are enemies of each other, so unification will be achieved through the use of force.

-Since the powers of the small states are similar, some will try to borrow the power of foreign forces.

-Florence knows our Empire’s power well, so they will try to borrow our power. However, our Empire is too far away from Europe, so they will ask for the weapons that our Imperial Army is currently using. They will also ask us to send people to teach them how to use them properly. Furthermore, they will ask us to dispatch the Imperial Army.

-Florence is with us on the Suez Canal, so I think it is good to accept it to protect our interests.

However, the decision is up to the Emperor, so this is just advice.

-I just think it is important to accept the sale of weapons and the dispatch of instructors.

-Also, my prediction is that Florence will ask us to allow them to make the rifles they will use themselves.

If things proceed as I expect, I strongly recommend giving them the Florence Rifle.

-Our Empire’s Byeongshik Rifle is more sophisticated and superior in every way compared to the existing Eulshik Rifle.

-If we give them the production technology of the Byeongshik Rifle, they will surely release improved products based on that technology.

-As a simple example, the Gapshik Light Armored Vehicle that our Imperial Army recently adopted was also made based on the framework of the Byeongshik Rifle.

There is no reason why such a thing cannot happen in Florence and Europe.

-That’s why the Florence Rifle was created.

The Florence Rifle has a much simpler structure than the Byeongshik Rifle. Therefore, Florence and other European countries that acquire it can easily copy it. However, that simplicity will be a shackle. It is extremely difficult to come up with the Gapshik Light Armored Vehicle from the framework of the Florence Rifle.

-Also, in order to make the Florence Rifle properly according to the drawing, it was made to use parts made in the Empire.

-It is national law and military law that all weapons used by the Imperial Army must secure the durability required by the military.

However, the Empire’s weapons have at least twice the durability required.

This is the same for the Byeongshik Rifle.

All parts are designed to withstand up to 8,000 rounds, but they can withstand up to 17,000 rounds.

-However, the Florence Rifle has a limit of exactly 5,000 rounds. That’s because the dimensions of the parts were matched to those 5,000 rounds.

“Wow…”

The ministers who heard up to this point could not close their gaping mouths.

‘How many layers of traps have you laid?’

The ministers did not know, but the concept of the ‘Sony Timer’ [a feature that limits the lifespan of a product] was also embedded in the Florence Rifle.