He Opened A Matchmaking Agency In 18Th Century London [EN]: Chapter 189

< The Decisive Battle >

◈ The next day, Mount Cassino.

Early morning.

Before dawn, the French army hurried their preparations for advancement.

Napoleon’s 15,000-strong cavalry, under his command, had already completed their preparations to ascend the mountain, followed by infantry and artillery units.

“They’re coming!”

While they were gathering and preparing, about 200 French infantrymen, who had been scouting all night, were descending from the mountain in droves.

Napoleon had ordered a thorough check once more, anticipating any potential traps.

However, the mountain remained silent.

The company commander, who had safely completed the reconnaissance mission, reported to Napoleon.

“Commander! It’s confirmed that there’s nothing up to the vicinity of the summit.”

“Good work.”

Soon, an aide approached and spoke.

“Commander! All preparations for departure are complete.”

Napoleon quietly issued the order, gazing silently at the towering mountain for a moment.

“…Advance.”

Finally, the order to advance was given.

The vice-commander slowly rode his horse in front of the assembled soldiers and shouted.

“We’re setting off now! The cavalry and infantry will cross this mountain as quickly as possible! Delicious food and drinks await you beyond this mountain! By this time tomorrow, everything in the Kingdom of Naples will be yours! Let’s celebrate our victory by drinking our fill in the Naples palace and taking as many spoils as we can!”

Tens of thousands of soldiers responded with a roar, raising their guns high.

“Waaaah!”

*

As the advance began, the cavalry quickly charged up the mountain at the forefront.

Right behind them, the light infantry regiment and mobile artillery battalion followed as if running, preparing for a surprise attack from the summit.

The ground, which had been softened by rain, had hardened to some extent while they waited, and the temperature was not bad, above 10 degrees Celsius.

Everything was going smoothly, except that the weather was cloudier than usual.

Thus, 50,000 elite French troops ascended the winding mountain path at a rapid pace.

Napoleon, looking somewhat uneasy, turned to his aide, who was riding alongside him.

“I think I was too cautious because I was wary of that Sanderson fellow. I wasted three precious days.”

“Not at all, Commander. There’s nothing wrong with being cautious. Besides, the soldiers have had a good rest for the first time in a while during those three days, and their morale is high. If anything, the Naples-British allied forces must be getting a little tired of waiting for us. Haha.”

“Yes, let’s think positively. Anyway, the real battle will begin after we cross this mountain.”

“Yes, Commander.”

As lunchtime approached, they emerged from the narrow mountain path, and a fairly wide road appeared. The summit also began to come into view.

The cavalry at the front had struggled to cross the rough mountain path, leading their horses.

The artillery was instructed to conceal the largest 12-pounder cannons and above for the time being, and to bring up mainly medium-sized cannons of 6 pounds or less and small cannons.

“Let’s just suffer a little longer! Soon, we’ll cross this mountain and be in the Kingdom of Naples! Keep up your strength!”

“The summit is not far away! Let’s cheer up!”

“Let’s go and teach those Neapolitans and British a lesson!”

Thus, the French army was overcoming the last hurdle with determination for victory.

But…

Thang- Thang-

Thang- Thang-

“Ugh!”

“Cough.”

“Ugh!”

Hundreds of French soldiers following in the rear suddenly collapsed forward.

“It’s the enemy! The enemy is hiding!”

“Stop! Stop and maintain formation!”

“Don’t panic! Stay calm!”

The panicked French army hurriedly took out their guns and prepared to return fire.

“Where are they? Where are the bullets coming from?”

Thang- Thang-

Thang-

Thud-

Thud thud-

“Ugh”

“Ugh!”

“Ugh!”

Before they could even properly hold their rifles, even more soldiers fell powerlessly, bleeding.

Then, thousands of soldiers milled about in confusion, and even the commanders were flustered and confused.

“If you crowd together, you can’t see anything! Stay calm! Maintain battle formation!”

“Is it the side? Is it the front? Where are they shooting from?”

“The gunshots echo in the mountains, so it’s confusing to pinpoint the location!”

“Find the enemy! The enemy!”

“Find the enemy’s location and report!”

Thang-thang-

Thang-

Thang- thang-

“Ugh!”

“Ugh”

“Ugh!”

The sound of gunshots and screams heard here and there continued incessantly.

Thang- Thang-

Thang-

Thang- Thang-

Thousands of bullets began to fly in earnest, and the French army fell helplessly.

Then someone shouted.

“It’s the rear! The enemy is shooting from behind us!”

Behind? Napoleon hurriedly looked back.

It was true.

Flames erupted from the forest about a hundred meters behind them.

The echoes caused the illusion that the gunshots were coming from the front or the side, and above all, they had never imagined that they would be followed from behind.

However, only flashing flames could be seen, and the enemy was not clearly visible. It was impossible to even guess how many there were.

The flustered Napoleon shouted.

“The distance is too far! Our bullets can’t reach that far! Don’t shoot, charge! Draw your swords and engage in close combat!

The cavalry and artillery should quickly move up to avoid the damage! We need to get out of here! The enemies are coming up from below! Relay, relay this!”

Napoleon’s urgent instructions were quickly conveyed to the soldiers.

“Relay! Prepare for close combat! The cavalry and artillery will quickly move upwards!”

However, thousands of bullets flying from a distance accurately pierced the vital points of the French army with terrifying precision.

Thwack- Thwack-

Thang- Thang-

Thwack thwack-

“Ugh!”

“Ah!”

“Ugh!”

The French army was panicked and didn’t know what to do as the heads of their comrades next to them were shattered and their chests were pierced.

Napoleon shouted to the captain who had come up from the rear to avoid the attack.

“How many are there? How many enemies are following us?”

“I don’t know! The weather is too cloudy, and they are wearing strange clothes, so they are obscured by the trees and forests and cannot be properly distinguished! But… judging from the enormous flames, at least 4,000 to 5,000 are following us!”

Napoleon’s expression twisted terribly.

“What? 4,000 to 5,000? How did so many people suddenly appear from below? That’s where we passed?”

It was unbelievable that they didn’t know that so many people were following them, not just one or two.

But now was not the time to argue about that.

Napoleon shouted again.

“Abandon close combat and move upwards! Get out of here quickly and move upwards! Move upwards! Relay this!”

As the order was given, the French army scrambled to move upwards, trying to avoid the bullets coming from below.

It was then.

Thang- Thang- Thang-

Thang-

Thang-

As thousands of gun flashes spewing from the summit were seen, the cavalrymen and horses in the lead screamed and fell like dominoes.

“The enemy is waiting at the summit! From above… enemies are coming down from above!”

The French army had no time to form ranks due to the bullets pouring down from above and below.

Even if they formed ranks and counterattacked, the distance to the enemies was well over 100 meters, and the bullets could not reach them.

The soldiers, who had lost their will to fight due to the sudden situation and the endless falling of numerous comrades, were넋을 놓고 우왕좌왕했다 [넋을 놓고 우왕좌왕했다 is a Korean idiom that means they were stunned and milling about in confusion].

Napoleon shouted.

“Scatter! Scatter as far as possible to both sides! We still have an absolute number of troops! Divide into units, scatter into the side forests, form ranks, and counterattack with close combat!”

As Napoleon’s instructions were given, the commanders tried to get the soldiers to scatter into the forest.

“To the side forest! Quickly hide in the distant forest! Scatter by unit and prepare again in the forest! Quickly take cover to the side! Quickly!”

A group of French soldiers hurriedly ran away to the left and right side forests.

However, the soldiers who had scattered and fled soon began to return in a panic.

“What’s wrong? Why are you coming back?”

“Ugh- It’s the enemy. The sides are swarming with enemies!”

“What, what?”

No sooner had he finished speaking than bullets rained down.

Thang- Thang-

Thang-

Thwack- Thwack thwack-

Bullet showers were flying in from the left and right forests.

Napoleon, who was trying to take refuge in the forest next to the road, doubted his eyes.

An countless number of fires were spewing out in the distance, and thick gunpowder smoke filled the forest.

However, the enemy was not clearly visible.

The enemies, who could not be properly distinguished from trees or rocks a hundred meters away, were tightening their breath, shooting their guns.

The enemies, with their faces painted black and wearing grotesque uniforms, were approaching with terrifying composure, causing extreme fear to the French soldiers.

Looking back, the situation was the same in the right forest.

Above, below, and on both sides… completely surrounded, they fell one by one without being able to resist properly.

The sound of gunshots was heard countless times, but having to face an invisible enemy was a terrible nightmare that they had never experienced in any battle before.

Napoleon bit his lip tightly.

‘We’ve been caught in a trap! They were trapping and surrounding us! If we stay here, we’ll all die!’

Napoleon shouted at the top of his lungs.

“Go down! Relay this! Retreat down the mountain! We have to go down no matter what – risk your lives and go down! Quickly go down! Relay this!”

The vice-commander behind him also shouted.

“Relay! Retreat! Retreat down the mountain! Retreat along the path we came… Ugh-!”

Thang-

A thick stream of blood flowed down the head of the commanding vice-commander, and he collapsed, burying his head in the horse’s back.

“Vice-Commander!”

As even the vice-commander fell to the bullets, the French army fell into even greater confusion.

Napoleon and the commanders encouraged those soldiers.

“Retreat! Retreat down the mountain!”

“Retreat! Go down the way you came!”

“Pull yourself together! You can only live if you go down!”

Tens of thousands of French troops turned around and went back down the path they had come up.

However, on the road below the mountain, as if waiting for this situation, a tremendous fire erupted simultaneously.

Thang- Thang-

Thang- Thang-

Thang-

An countless number of French soldiers were helplessly knocked down and rolled on the floor by the invisible enemy’s bullets.

At that moment, Napoleon, who was riding his horse through the hail of bullets, realized with a start.

He saw the long, deep passage dug next to the mountain and the wooden planks scattered here and there.

‘These guys… they were hiding in the ground… in the ground for days!’

They dug deep into the ground, hid inside, covered it with wooden planks, and then slightly covered it with soil or leaves to completely deceive them.

And after confirming that all the French troops had gone up the mountain, they crawled out of the ground and struck from behind.

‘Dried meat and dried fruit were for eating while hiding in the ground for days!’

And tens of thousands of Naples-British allied forces were waiting in the distant forests on both sides, gradually approaching, holding their breath, at the time the French army entered the mountain.

However, due to thorough camouflage, they did not notice the enemies approaching from afar at all.

“Break through! Secure an escape route!”

Thang-thang-

Thang-

Waaaah-

Thang- Thang-

Napoleon and the cavalry risked their lives to break through one line of defense, and thousands of French troops followed, determined to die.

*

Napoleon and about 4,000 French troops barely escaped.

They had to swallow tears of blood as they watched their comrades being helplessly attacked from afar.

But then.

Something suspicious caught the eye of Napoleon, who was about to lose his mind after losing tens of thousands of subordinates.

Objects moving faintly near the summit… it was definitely people.

‘……Commander?’

As the man raised his right hand high, short, rapid drumbeats repeatedly erupted.

Doong- Doong- Doong- Doong- ♪~ [Sound of rapid drumbeats]

In response to the drumbeats, the soldiers who were shooting and entering from the right forest side intensified their attack.

As the man raised his left hand again, slow, long drumbeats rang out.

Doodoong- Doodoong- ♬♪~ [Sound of slow drumbeats]

Then, the soldiers who were entering from the left side stopped in their tracks and fired.

‘That guy… he’s controlling the firing range and pace, driving our soldiers into the center! That’s why no matter which way we went, bullets fired under his command poured down!’

Napoleon hurriedly raised his telescope and carefully examined the mysterious man standing on the summit.

The man was intently looking down at the battlefield situation, his pure white coat fluttering in the wind.

The uniforms of the Naples-British allied forces were dark, as if they had become one with nature, but the man’s uniform was bright white enough to stand out.

Thanks to this, the allied soldiers seemed to recognize and follow his command at a glance even from a distance.

Judging by his appearance, he was definitely the British commander in charge of this operation.

‘Then… that guy is… Theo Sanderson!’

Napoleon, with his eyes fiercely narrowed, suddenly shouted loudly and looked for his aide.

“Aide! Aide!”

“Yes! Commander!”

“Immediately! Bring up the cannons right now! We have to shoot the cannons at the summit! There’s a damn Sanderson on the summit! Sanderson is there!”

Nearly 50,000 subordinates were caught in the trap set by Theo and were dying miserably.

Napoleon felt like he was going out of his mind.

He only had the thought of killing that bastard.

Then, the aide was surprised and hurriedly stopped him.

“Commander! It’s impossible! Not with a small cannon, only a large cannon could reach! There are no soldiers to shoot it, and there’s no time! You must get out of here quickly! The enemies will be after you soon! It’s too dangerous!”

However, the aide could not stop Napoleon, who had lost his reason.

Thud-

“Get out of the way!”

Napoleon roughly pushed the aide away, jumped off his horse, and ran to the cannon that was lying there.

He frantically opened a wooden box next to the cannon and hurriedly took out the gunpowder in a canvas bag.

Then, he picked up a ramrod and frantically shoved the gunpowder into the cannon. He then inserted the wadding with a rammer and shouted.

“Cannonballs! Bring cannonballs! Quickly! Bring cannonballs!”

The aide, who had chased after him, grabbed Napoleon’s arm and pleaded.

“Commander! Please! Please come to your senses! Even the commander is in danger! You must escape quickly! Shouldn’t we save the remaining soldiers?”

In order to operate one cannon, nearly 30 soldiers and 28 horses are needed. Napoleon could never shoot it alone.

However, there were not enough soldiers or horses. They all fell to the enemy’s bullets.

Thwack- Thwack thwack-

Thwack- Thwack-

Thang-

Thang- Thang-

The enemies’ bullets flew in from all directions at the movement to fire the cannon.

The aide urgently instructed the soldiers around him.

“Quickly! Escort the commander! Put him in the carriage! Force him in if you have to! Retreat! Retreat! The enemies will be after us soon!”

Napoleon, who was dragged into the carriage almost forcibly by the soldiers, stared blankly at the mountain with dazed eyes.

He was still commanding from the summit.

Napoleon unknowingly raised his telescope and looked at him again.

He was scanning here and there below the mountain with his telescope, with a more relaxed posture, resting his right foot on a rock.

Then, his telescope and Napoleon’s telescope were aimed directly at each other.

‘……!’

Suddenly, he lowered his telescope and began to stare intently at Napoleon as if to confirm, revealing his face completely.

‘……?’

He stared at Napoleon for a long time, whom he could not possibly see with the naked eye, and then brought the telescope back to his eyes.

His strange behavior, as if he recognized Napoleon, was repeated several times.

‘……’

In an instant, the resentment that had been boiling up until just now subsided, and a chilling feeling enveloped his whole body.

He was someone who valued information warfare more than anyone else and enjoyed tactics that blurred the enemy’s judgment, but he felt that Theo Sanderson was reading all of his moves.

Moreover, it was as if he had deliberately created a rifle unit capable of long-range shooting, knowing years ago that his unit, which had taken advantage of rapid mobility, would invade.

And he clearly showed him how frightening an invisible enemy was to him, who knew that camouflage was important but did not attach much significance to it.

Above all, he did not know what to say about the bold move of 미리 막아버린 과감한 수는 도무지 뭐라고 설명해야 할지 몰랐다 [The bold move that had been preemptively blocked could not be explained at all].

‘……’

He didn’t know why, but Theo Sanderson didn’t feel like a person.

He approached him as an absolute being who already knew everything about him.

And that emotion, which had turned into a great fear, was ruthlessly trampling on his will to win, like a huge wall.

Napoleon, who was staring at Theo Sanderson in the telescope, let out a small murmur as if sighing.

‘I… I can’t… I can’t win… against him.’

It was only one battle, but it was suffocating as if he knew in advance and blocked the path he was going to take, no matter what path he took.

And the feeling about him, which had turned into a great fear, was deeply cast in Napoleon’s heart.