Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 1162

1162. Who Pays the Price? You Do! (14)

While the French and Spanish naval commands were regrouping off the coast of Tarifa, the Imperial Navy fleet stationed in Gibraltar was also exiting the Bay of Gibraltar.

This was prompted by urgent reports from the coastal batteries guarding the entrance to the Bay, the batteries on the Rock of Gibraltar, and the self-propelled flying manta rays patrolling above the Bay.

* * *

-Large columns of smoke detected in the Tarifa direction.

-Large-scale fleet detected in the Malaga direction.

Upon receiving this information, Duke Itze immediately understood the situation.

“They plan a two-pronged attack? They’re following the textbook this time.”

“However, they outnumber us.”

Nodding at his aide’s observation, Duke Itze studied the map and issued orders.

“Execute Operation Plan ‘Byeong (丙, Inner)’. Send the Sea Eagles towards Malaga, and dispatch the Assault Turtle Ships and destroyers towards Tarifa.”

-Allied fleet engages the enemy fleet, utilizing the superior range and power of our cannons to inflict maximum damage while avoiding close engagement.

-Due to numerical inferiority, minimize damage and retreat strategically.

-Subsequently, coordinate with the coastal batteries on either side of the Bay of Gibraltar to inflict maximum damage on the enemy as they pursue.

This was the third of five pre-established plans for the Imperial Navy stationed in Gibraltar: Operation ‘Byeong’. While Operation Plans ‘Gap (甲)’ and ‘Eul (乙)’ were offensive, ‘Byeong’ and ‘Jeong (丁)’ were defensive.

And the final plan, ‘Mu (戊, Success)’, was an operation assuming the abandonment of Gibraltar and a strategic withdrawal.

* * *

The captains of the Imperial fleet, as they left the Bay of Gibraltar and headed to the operational waters, were more tense than ever.

“Operation Byeong! Why Byeong of all things!”

Their tension stemmed from the nature of the operation.

The unofficial name attached to Operation ‘Byeong’ was ‘The Pinnacle of Seamanship’. Every time they trained for Operation ‘Byeong’, the captains of the Imperial Navy fleet all said the same thing.

“I wish I had exactly three heads—no more, no less!”

In a naval battle, maneuvering one’s ship to the best of one’s ability was expected.

However, Operation ‘Byeong’ was uniquely difficult.

-Engage and disengage strategically, luring the enemy into a pre-determined kill zone.

-Continuously vary course, speed, and attack patterns to prevent the enemy from anticipating our movements.

-Appear vulnerable enough to entice the enemy to pursue, but not so vulnerable as to be easily destroyed.

The second and third conditions were the cause of the captains’ distress.

Constantly changing course and speed was a recipe for collisions with friendly ships.

Even if collisions were avoided, there was a significant risk of being hit by friendly fire while maneuvering within the fleet’s firing range. However, retreating at full speed might cause the enemy to break off the chase.

Therefore, once the operation began, the captains had to be constantly vigilant. They had to monitor the battlefield, especially the movements of friendly forces, receive damage reports, and issue a constant stream of orders.

Naturally, the captains’ nerves were stretched thin, and the atmosphere on the bridge was icy. Any mistake, no matter how small, would be met with a torrent of abuse. To make matters worse, a ‘battle of pride’ often erupted over the execution of this operation.

-Attack with maximum firepower, evade with absolute certainty, and lure with cunning precision.

The better a captain satisfied these conditions, the more skilled they were considered to be, leading to intense competition. That’s why the captains of the Imperial Navy who were dispatched were groaning.

“I knew I should have stayed in bed after that nightmare!”

* * *

As the captains’ complaints filled the bridge, the Imperial fleet finally encountered the enemy.

“Enemy ship sighted!”

“Execute the plan! Full speed ahead!”

“Full speed ahead!”

“Executive Officer! I’m counting on you!”

“Aye, sir!”

The captains, entrusting command of the combat bridge to their executive officers, moved to the open-air bridge with a contingent of soldiers.

The Empire’s front-line ships had heavily armored combat bridges for protection during battle. However, the armor made it difficult to maintain situational awareness. Therefore, in chaotic battles like Operation ‘Byeong’, the captains preferred the open-air bridge, which offered a superior vantage point. It was a risky decision, as they were more exposed to enemy fire, but the captains deemed it necessary.

“It’s better than being caught off guard! And if we attack and retreat before we get hit, that’s all that matters! To run away effectively, you have to see everything clearly!”

* * *

Advancing at full speed, both sides soon became embroiled in a chaotic melee.

Bang! Kaboom! Boom! Pow! Crack!

Smoke and water spouts erupted everywhere, and pillars of fire marked the ships that had been struck.

Amidst the chaos, the Imperial Navy’s ships demonstrated their capabilities.

The Sea Eagle-class battleships lived up to their name with their nimble movements, and the destroyers skillfully exploited gaps in the enemy lines, supporting the Assault Turtle Ships. The Assault Turtle Ships, with their unique armor and powerful cannons, inflicted devastating damage.

However, the French and Spanish fought fiercely.

First-rate battleships, confident in their ability to withstand the Assault Turtle Ships, engaged them directly, while second- and third-rate battleships grappled with the destroyers.

The Spanish fleet to the east also challenged the Sea Eagle-class ships. After intense artillery exchanges, the Imperial fleet began a slow, deliberate retreat.

“The damage to the enemy ships appears limited. However, this retreat is undoubtedly a lure. We must not pursue recklessly.”

Admiral Tourville dismissed his senior aide’s caution.

“That’s precisely why we must maintain close contact! If we allow them distance, we’ll become targets for the coastal batteries! We must stay as close as possible! Increase speed!”

“Understood!”

As the signal flags conveying Admiral Tourville’s orders were raised, the Franco-Spanish fleet increased speed and pursued the Imperial Navy. This was thanks to the operational plan delivered by the messenger from Puerto Real, and the hard-won experience they had gained.

-If we give the Imperial bastards any room, we’ll pay the price!

* * *

Knowing full well that the Franco-Spanish fleet was approaching, the coastal batteries guarding the entrance to the Bay of Gibraltar sprang into action. The heavy cannons, reflecting the Empire’s obsession with firepower, opened fire as soon as the enemy fleet came within range.

Kaboom!

The shells, fired with a deafening roar, created towering plumes of water near the targeted enemy ships.

“Aww!”

“So close!”

“‘First Shot, Guaranteed Hit’ is our motto!”

“What are you waiting for! Reload faster!”

“Yes, sir! We’re on it!”

The artillerymen, unable to conceal their disappointment, hurriedly began reloading at the battery commander’s urging.

“Pull! Pull!”

“Ugh!”

“That’s why we have to hit with the first shot!”

One reason the artillerymen manning the coastal batteries’ heavy cannons were so fixated on ‘hitting with the first shot’ was the sheer size and weight of the shells and gunpowder. Despite the assistance of pulleys and transfer devices, the work was incredibly demanding.

“Reload complete!”

“Aiming complete!”

“Fire!”

“Fire!”

Kaboom!

Once again, the heavy cannon roared, shaking the battery, and the artillerymen, who had covered their ears with their hands and earmuffs, eagerly awaited the results.

Clang!

“Hit!”

“It’s a hit!”

“Woo-hoo!”

The artillerymen cheered as they watched a French first-rate battleship erupt in flames and begin to break apart.

“Reload! There are still plenty of targets!”

The soldiers, their morale boosted by the destruction of the enemy ship, began reloading with renewed vigor.

* * *

“This…”

Admiral Tourville’s face darkened as the coastal batteries guarding the entrance to the Bay of Gibraltar intervened. The firepower of the Imperial cannons far exceeded his expectations.

“Even for cannon fanatics, this is excessive! You crazy bastards!”

Admiral Tourville, witnessing a first-rate battleship being obliterated with a single shot, momentarily lost his composure and cursed. However, no one seemed surprised; everyone was thinking the same thing.

Admiral Tourville raised his voice.

“Relay the message! Stay close to the Imperial battleships! If you don’t, you’ll end up like that! Even if we take hits, stay close and keep moving! And if it looks like you’re going to sink, head for the entrance of the bay and go down there! We have to block it at all costs!”

The entrance to the Bay of Gibraltar was estimated to be less than 2 leagues wide (approximately 8.4 km).

Considering the depth required for large ships to navigate and the space needed for maneuvering, sinking ships in the middle of the entrance would effectively seal off the bay.

Therefore, Admiral Tourville continued to press the attack, and the captains of the crippled ships steered towards the entrance.

They would either die or be captured, but they would accomplish their mission. As a fierce battle raged between those trying to break through and those trying to stop them, disaster approached from the western sky.

The Divine Eagles [Imperial Navy aircraft], led by Kang Dae-wook aboard the Albatross, arrived over Gibraltar and immediately descended, attacking the rear of the Franco-Spanish fleet.

Ding ding ding!

“Alerte (Alert)! Alerte! Rear airspace! Avion (Airplane)!”

The watchmen of the French and Spanish fleets, who had been waiting for an opportunity to exploit any weakness in the rear, sounded the alarm.

At the watchmen’s cries, the captains turned their heads.

“Why? Why? The Imperial airplanes in Gibraltar were supposed to be grounded in the north!”

According to the plan, the French Air Force was supposed to keep the Imperial aircraft in Gibraltar occupied.

And so far, no Imperial airplanes had appeared. But now, they were attacking from the rear.

“Damn gnats! All talk and no action! Hard to starboard!”

Cursing their own air force, the captains initiated evasive maneuvers.

* * *

The attack by the 20 Divine Eagles resulted in the sinking of four second- and third-rate battleships.

The captains and crew, watching the Divine Eagles disappear into the western sky, shared a common sentiment.

“These aren’t the same pilots we’ve faced before! I swear to the Virgin Mary! They’re different!”

Compared to the Imperial pilots who had previously harassed them, these new pilots seemed less aggressive, almost ‘dull’.

“If it had been the veterans, it wouldn’t have ended with just four ships. Then…”

The captains, analyzing the situation, simultaneously signaled the flagship.

-Imperial forces have reinforcements!

“Reinforcements, huh… Of course, they do. Why am I surprised…”

Admiral Tourville responded calmly to the report.

“Portugal must have intervened. I suspected they were biding their time. Those bastards were plotting behind our backs.”

Admiral Tourville considered Portugal the most likely culprit.

Before and during the attack on Gibraltar, Portugal had remained silent, despite France sending an envoy to pressure them to stay neutral.

France had assumed they had accepted the ‘polite suggestion’. However, they had been secretly colluding with the Empire.

“Those airplanes must have taken off from Ceuta [a Spanish autonomous city on the north coast of Africa]. They must have taken a circuitous route to avoid detection. And those 20 or so aircraft must be all they have. Then…”

After a moment of thought, Admiral Tourville ordered his aide.

“Ignore them and keep pushing! They can’t change the outcome of the battle!”

“Understood!”

However, a true ‘hidden card’ that would turn the tide was approaching the battlefield from 20 nautical miles (approximately 36 km) away.