Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 1142

‘The condition of the newly arrived guys isn’t great.’

The rumor circulating among the Imperial forces stationed in the Mediterranean soon reached the airframe unit members themselves. The reaction of the unit members who heard the rumor, regardless of their rank, ended with a smirk.

“Starting with the Challenger-class battleships and all the way to the self-propelled airships… We were always treated like crazy people at first.”

While some unit members brushed it off with such boldness, there were others they couldn’t simply ignore. These were the members of the self-propelled airship unit who lived together.

“Hey! You guys can’t say that! When we weren’t around, you were the ones treated as the craziest ones!”

* * *

Despite the various commotions and rumors, the airframe unit steadily prepared for operation.

On one side, they erected scaffolding and hung pulleys and chains to assemble the fuselage and wings of the airframes. On another side, they detached the power plants from the fuselages before assembly to check for any abnormalities. On the last side, they were inspecting the Hwachas [Korean fire arrows] and launching devices attached to the already assembled airframes.

“Fire!”

Tutatatata!

As the soldier in the cockpit pulled the lever on the control stick, the two Hwachas attached to the airframe spewed fire. The airframes, having completed the confirmation of Hwacha operation and zeroing, were moved into a shed built on one side.

And there were many people nearby watching this scene with great interest. Imperial soldiers who were nearby or resting couldn’t resist their curiosity and gathered to watch.

* * *

One of the most famous characteristics of the Imperials was ‘their inability to resist curiosity.’ The interesting thing was that this was a common trait shared by all those labeled as ‘Imperial,’ regardless of their origin.

Thanks to this, news would appear in the gazette at a publicly available level, or when the combat records were released, people would try to replicate them, causing accidents all over the Empire. Property damage and even casualties occurred, leading to heated debates among the 조정(court) [Royal Court] ministers and intellectuals.

However, the conclusion was always the same.

“It is human nature to ponder in order to satisfy curiosity, so we must not stop it! As long as it does not deviate from ethics, it must be allowed!”

Thanks to this, throughout the Empire today, from those who are clearly deeply learned to those who are recognized as amateurs, everyone was actually experimenting with all sorts of delusions, fantasies, and imaginations.

“If I find the answer, my name will remain in history!”

“Just succeed! I can earn enough money to live comfortably for three generations!”

* * *

While watching the assembly and inspection process, one army soldier jokingly approached an airframe unit soldier nearby.

“Wow, it’s amazing to attach Hwachas to such flimsy-looking things? Are you going to start carrying Hwatan [rocket arrows] soon?”

It was a question full of sarcasm, but the airframe unit soldier who received the question asked back with a look that said, ‘Didn’t you know?’

“We already carry them?”

“Huh?”

“Over there〜. That big guy carries self-propelled Hwatan.”

“Wow….”

Once the airframe unit had settled down to some extent, Iche called the commanders of the airframe unit to join him.

“Thank you for your hard work in coming all the way to this remote Gibraltar.”

At Iche’s words of praise, the commanders bowed their heads and uttered words of humility.

“Not at all. It is for the defense of the Empire, so how can a soldier of the Empire distinguish between near and far?”

“I am grateful that you say so. Is there any inconvenience in operation?”

“Not yet.”

“That’s a relief then. The space was prepared according to the orders that arrived before you came, but if you need more space, please request it immediately.”

“Compared to the deck of an airframe carrier, it is as wide as the plains of 북지나 신지(North China Shinji) [an area of Northern China]. However, I am truly grateful for your consideration.”

“An airframe carrier… I heard that two ships have already been launched?”

“That is correct.”

“But, is it okay for you to be here? What about the airframe carriers?”

“The airframe carriers need a little more preparation before they can go out to sea, so we came here first.”

“Huh?”

When Iche expressed his doubts, the senior commander of the airframe unit explained in more detail.

-Although two ships have been launched, it is still a long way to go before they are fully operational.

-This is because there are not only a shortage of people in charge of piloting the airframes, but also a shortage of people in charge of maintaining and operating the airframes.

-In particular, the number of people who can become familiar with their duties in the confined space of an airframe carrier is still insufficient.

-Therefore, from the beginning, the plan was not to deploy both ships to the field.

One ship is stationed in the eastern sea of 신지(Shinji) [new territory], and the other is stationed in 대호군(Great Lake Group) [Now the Great Lakes] to be in charge of education and training.

-After completing the basic course in 대호군(Great Lake Group), they are to undergo a more in-depth course in the eastern sea of 신지(Shinji).

-The airframe carrier that will actually be deployed to the combat unit is currently under construction.

“…Therefore, starting with Gibraltar here, additional airframe units will be deployed. They will gain a lot of experience here and return to train the newly arrived ones.”

Iche nodded at the senior commander’s explanation.

“I see what those guys are up to.”

Iche was not one to have built his career in vain. He was well aware of the importance of skilled soldiers and the value of passing on the experience of those skilled soldiers to the next generation.

‘Those who have experienced all sorts of problems and solutions that must be faced in the actual field return to teach new people… Not only will training and operation be quickly established, but the skills of the newcomers will also improve rapidly….’

Iche, who had figured out the intentions of 향(Hyang) and 완(Wan), 현(Hyeon) [likely referring to individuals or groups], smiled slightly and said to the commanders.

“In some ways, you guys are quite lucky. Or, is it unlucky?”

“What do you mean….”

“Haven’t you heard yet? Intelligence has come in that France and Spain are aiming for Gibraltar here. In other words, you will soon be in actual combat.”

At that moment, the eyes of the airframe unit commanders shone more intensely than ever before.

“Is France coming?”

“That’s right.”

“That is truly joyful news! It is a perfect fit for the saying 불감청고소원(不敢請固所願, I dare not ask, but it is what I truly desire) [a Korean idiom expressing unexpected good fortune]!”

Iche, who was bewildered by the airframe unit commanders who could not hide their joy, soon figured out the reason.

‘Come to think of it… France also launched airframes, didn’t they?’

“I think I know why those people sent you here first….”

* * *

Even in a situation filled with various large and small stories, the Imperial Navy in Gibraltar diligently went out to sea to watch for the approach of France.

It wasn’t just the navy.

The Imperial Army stationed in Gibraltar also began to pay more attention to the inspection and maintenance of the defense line. And Iche secretly sent a request for support to Switzerland.

“I sent it, but it will be difficult to make it on time.”

Iche knew very well that it was impossible for the Swiss army to arrive on time, but it was still necessary.

“But it’s fortunate that another new card has come in?”

Iche issued a reconnaissance order to the airframe unit that had completed preparations.

“Are there any airframes that can travel quite a distance?”

At Iche’s question, the senior commander of the airframe unit immediately answered.

“Yes! We can use the Albatross!”

The Albatross chosen by the senior commander of the airframe unit was an airframe that mainly used self-propelled Hwatan. Because it operated heavy self-propelled Hwatan, it was equipped with a powerful power plant and carried a large amount of fuel to secure cruising range.

“In other words, if you don’t attach self-propelled Hwatan, you can move even further. In addition, because a navigator is added in addition to the pilot, you can more accurately confirm the enemy’s location.”

“Is that so? That’s reliable. Then go out for reconnaissance as soon as possible.”

“Yes!”

From dawn the next day, the Albatrosses soared into the sky.

The unit had a total of eight Albatrosses. Thanks to the senior commander of the airframe unit meticulously creating a flight schedule for the Albatrosses, an Albatross was always flying in the sky of the Strait of Gibraltar until sunset.

Thanks to the Albatross, which flew farther and faster than the self-propelled airships, Iche could more easily know the movements around him. On the other hand, the members of the self-propelled airship unit had serious faces.

“This… It looks like we’re going to become an airframe unit soon?”

“It can’t be helped, I guess….”

“Do we have to ride those flimsy things?”

They were airship unit members who sensed the changes of the times faster than others. And the airframe unit members who heard the mumbling of these airship unit members smirked and responded.

“Flimsy? Heh〜. How sturdy is an airship!”

* * *

On the third day after the Albatrosses set out on reconnaissance,

The Albatross that had gone out on reconnaissance fired a signal rocket as soon as it entered the Bay of Gibraltar.

Bang! Pow Pow!

As three signal rockets exploded in the sky, three colors of smoke appeared.

“Enemy, Yellow, Enemy?”

The smiles disappeared from the faces of all the Imperial soldiers who confirmed the color of the smoke cloud that had burst into the sky.

-Enemy confirmed. Enemy approaching, large scale.

That was the meaning of the color of the smoke cloud.

Ding ding ding!

Soon, loud bells began to ring here and there in the Bay of Gibraltar, and the Imperial soldiers began to move busily.

“Remove the covers from the cannons!”

“Check the inside of the barrels!”

At the coastal batteries on both sides of the entrance to the Bay of Gibraltar, soldiers were busy removing the covers that had been covering the barrels of the cannons and checking the condition of the barrels.

This was because the rough sea breeze could cause problems with the cannons due to the salt.

“No problem!”

At the reports of the artillerymen, the battery commander opened the lid of the 전성관(ignition tube) [vent].

“Load the Hwatan and gunpowder!”

The port was also busy.

The battleships that were moored at the pier and anchored began to quickly raise their anchors, and tugboats began to cling to them and pull the battleships out.

“Hurry!”

“Berth 2, stand by! Send out from Berth 3 first!”

The commander in charge of supervising the port’s entry and exit climbed up to the control tower and gave orders while observing the situation of the port. According to the commander’s orders, the signalmen diligently waved signal flags and operated light communication devices.

And, the tugboats and pilots who confirmed the signals sent from the control tower began to pull out the battleships accordingly. Thanks to the port operators’ skillful movements, the Imperial Navy battleships that were docked at the pier quickly left the pier without much confusion and began to head towards the entrance of the 남(south) [South].

Iche, who was watching this scene from the headquarters building, let out a sigh of relief.

“Hoo~. I’m seeing the benefits of telling them to always keep the engines running while bearing the fuel consumption.”

The steam engine was a truly useful existence, but it was not without its problems.

The supply of fuel and 청수(freshwater) [fresh water] was also a problem, but the bigger problem was that it took quite a while to be able to move properly. There was a weakness in that it did not move immediately after lighting the fire in the firebox, but had to wait until the steam pressure rose properly.

If the enemy were to launch a surprise attack at this time, it would be fatal.