Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 771

Distributed by Ajit Novel (formerly Ajitun Novel).

Enjoy conveniently in real time on the web.

****************************************************

771. A Self-Inflicted Disaster… (6)

“Whew~. It’s hot.”

The soldiers guarding the bridgehead wiped sweat from their brows, grumbling about the scorching sunlight.

It had been almost a month and a half since Admiral Ahn Sang-soo’s unit had ventured inland.

During that time, the bridgehead had undergone some changes.

The barricades made of sandbags had become sturdier, and the bridgehead was divided into sections to improve efficiency for both living and fighting.

In particular, the watchtower, built by stacking sandbags upon sandbags, was considered a significant achievement, offering a clear view of the surroundings.

“Damn it… more like a crowning achievement for the drill sergeants, petty officers, and machine gunners…”

The sailors cursed as they looked at the towering watchtower.

* * *

“Hmm… if the soldiers’ discipline becomes lax, it will be a problem…”

As time passed after Admiral Ahn Sang-soo’s unit disappeared inland, the captains worried about the sailors’ declining discipline.

If they were at sea, this wouldn’t be such a concern.

The sea itself was the greatest enemy. Even a calm sea with gentle breezes could be deadly with the slightest carelessness.

Compared to the dangers of the sea, pirates were just a minor nuisance.

However, living for a long time on a sunny, pleasant beach in a southern country was a perfect recipe for lax discipline. In fact, quite a few soldiers were injured while playing carelessly.

In the end, the captains summoned the drill sergeants, petty officers, and machine gunners—roughly equivalent to modern non-commissioned officers.

“If the soldiers become too lax, it could be a problem if something happens. Come up with a suitable solution.”

“Understood.”

The ship’s drill sergeants, petty officers, and machine gunners put their heads together to find a solution.

“We have no choice. Let’s reinforce the bridgehead properly.”

“I agree. No news may be good news, but it also might not be.”

“I agree.”

Thus, the drill sergeants, petty officers, and machine gunners drove the soldiers hard to strengthen the bridgehead, and the centerpiece of that effort was the watchtower.

They brought as many sandbags as they could and piled them up high, and made a roof with wood and sails.

Instead of using ladders made of wood or rope to climb the watchtower, they created a ramp using sandbags. It wasn’t just a simple ramp, but a proper ramp with a sandbag wall.

“There’s plenty of sand everywhere, so it’s not difficult, right? Work hard.”

The soldiers muttered curses under their breath as they watched the petty officers stride away after giving the order.

“God damn it…”

The soldiers who climbed the watchtower diligently watched in all directions. Or rather, they had no choice but to watch.

From the warship at sea, they frequently inquired about the situation with signal flares, and if they didn’t answer properly, the captains would swarm in and berate the bridgehead commanders.

And of course, the scolding continued down the line. And the lower you went, the stronger the scolding became. So, the soldiers had no choice but to scout diligently in all directions.

* * *

While the soldiers were sweating and complaining as they repaired the bridgehead, soldiers in the watchtower were monitoring the surroundings with binoculars.

“It’s all just trees, nothing…”

‘Clever Rabbit,’ who had been grumbling as he looked at the jungle spread out before him, suddenly stopped talking and pressed the binoculars tightly to his eyes.

“Oh…”

‘Clever Rabbit,’ who had been looking at the jungle through the binoculars, frantically struck the alarm bell with a small hammer.

Ding ding ding ding!

“Enemies! Enemies!”

“What!”

Kim In-gyeom, the petty officer who heard the alarm bell, ran up the ramp as if flying.

“What’s going on!”

“Armed natives!”

‘Clever Rabbit’ handed over the binoculars as he answered. Kim In-gyeom, who confirmed the direction ‘Clever Rabbit’ was pointing, immediately sent a signal with the signal flare gun.

-Large armed group approaching! Support requested!

While the watchtower was sending a request for support to the fleet, the soldiers guarding the bridgehead also moved busily.

The soldiers, who hurriedly put on their helmets, jumped into the trenches reinforced with sandbags.

Clang! Clang!

The soldiers, who hurriedly finished loading the Hwachas [Korean rocket artillery] and muskets, placed their fingers on the triggers and watched the front.

“Uwaaaa!”

“Kiyaaaa~”

“Kkeuaaak!”

After a while, native warriors poured out of the jungle.

The soldiers swallowed hard as they watched the native warriors approaching with murderous shouts and instruments making noises similar to human screams, unlike the last time.

* * *

Meanwhile, Captain Kim Taek-gil of the flagship cursed as he watched the signal flare sent from the bridgehead.

“Damn it! Why now of all times! We’re short on people!”

As Taek-gil said, the bridgehead and the fleet were short on people right now.

To properly operate a Challenger-class warship, at least 350 sailors were needed. A Haeung-class warship needed 200.

In this operation, the two Challenger-class warships had 50 more men on each ship, and the Haeung-class warships had 30 more men.

Conversely, all the warships in the fleet had to reduce the number of shells and gunpowder for the cannons as much as possible. This was to accommodate the living space, food consumption, Hwachas, and explosive grenades for the additional troops.

The problem was the troops led by Admiral Ahn Sang-soo.

Half of the additional troops were mobilized to manage the horses and carts.

The troops to prepare for possible armed conflicts were taken from the ship’s crew.

Therefore, those remaining on the fleet’s warships and the bridgehead were the minimum number of people needed to move the warships. In addition, almost all of the soldiers in charge of the Hwachas—which boasted the strongest power against people—were now at the bridgehead.

Taek-gil, the senior captain of the fleet and captain of the flagship, had no choice but to acknowledge the situation.

“Tch! I want to curse, but there’s nothing I can do!”

Acknowledging the situation, Taek-gil quickly gave orders.

“Concentrate all sailors on the starboard cannons!”

“Yes!”

“Relay the order to the other warships! Provide full artillery support to the bridgehead!”

“Yes!”

“Raise the battle flag!”

At Taek-gil’s order, a battle flag was raised on the highest mast. Soon, battle flags were raised on the other warships as well.

* * *

“The battle flag is raised!”

The soldiers guarding the bridgehead swallowed hard again and muttered curses as they heard the shout ‘The battle flag is raised!’

“Damn it…”

“Shit…”

“It’s not a naval battle, but a land battle, damn it…”

They were confident in winning a battle fought on a ship, but they were not familiar with battles fought on land.

“Damn it… I should have properly put on my armor…”

The soldiers, who had been shirtless because of the heat and had barely managed to grab their helmets, regretted it too late, but it was already too late. In the end, the soldiers tightened their helmet straps again and glared at the front.

* * *

The natives who had popped out of the jungle were approaching with murderous faces, but the commanders of the bridgehead forbade the soldiers from firing.

“Firing is prohibited until ordered!”

“Shoot when I tell you to!”

“Shit…”

The soldiers only cursed at the commanders’ orders.

Just then, the native warriors behind the native ranks simultaneously threw stones, arrows, and spears.

“Get down!”

The soldiers who saw the stones, arrows, and spears flying through the air quickly crouched down below the trench wall.

At that moment, Singijeon [Korean multiple rocket launcher] rockets soared into the sky from the watchtower.

Bang!

As a red cloud of smoke bloomed in the sky, the warships that had been waiting fired their cannons all at once.

Kukwakwang!

Large explosions occurred in the jungle in front of the bridgehead and in the ranks of the Aztec warriors who had emerged from it, caused by the warships’ shelling.

As fragments of trees and fragmented body parts of warriors swept up by the explosions of the shells soared into the sky, the commanders guarding the bridgehead shouted in unison.

“Fire!”

Tatatatatang! Tang! Tatang! Tangtang!

As soon as the order was given, the Hwachas guarding the bridgehead spewed fire all at once, and the sailors’ muskets spewed fire all at once.

* * *

The battle that followed was literally a bloody fight.

The Imperial Army’s firepower was overwhelming the Aztec warriors, but the problem was their numbers. There were too few to subdue all the Aztec warriors who were pushing in like ants.

And there was another problem.

“Aren’t these bastards afraid of dying!”

Even as their comrades bled and fell right in front of them, and dozens were torn to pieces and killed each time an explosion occurred, the Aztec warriors continued to push in.

Therefore, the Imperial soldiers pulling the triggers on them were slowly beginning to be filled with fear.

The Aztec warriors rushing towards the bridgehead were under the influence of drugs.

* * *

Prior to attacking the bridgehead, Montezuma I and the Aztec commanders reviewed the battle of Tenochtitlan [the Aztec capital city].

“The frightened soldiers showed the disgraceful behavior of retreating. The same thing must not happen this time.”

“That’s right. We must prevent this.”

To prevent the warriors who were frightened by the Imperial Army’s firepower from stopping their charge or retreating, Montezuma I and the commanders fed the warriors coca leaves.

Since ancient times, the Aztec warriors had made good use of coca leaves. Even a small amount could make them forget their fatigue, and the pain relief effect was also good.

And, if taken in large quantities, they would fall into a hallucinatory state and forget their fear itself.

Montezuma I and the commanders, who knew the efficacy of these coca leaves well, fed the warriors large amounts of coca leaves.

Thus, the Aztec warriors, intoxicated by the narcotic ingredients of coca leaves, were now continuing their charge to the point of making even the Imperial soldiers sick of it.

* * *

The drug-fueled Aztec warriors gradually approached the bridgehead, even at the cost of enormous sacrifices.

“Throwing grenades!”

Aztec warriors fell to the dozens of throwing grenades that flew from the bridgehead, but other Aztec warriors pushed in, filling the gap.

“Damn it! Prepare for close combat!”

“Shit!”

When the commanders and soldiers guarding the bridgehead were prepared for close combat, the unit led by Admiral Ahn Sang-soo arrived.

* * *

The tide of the battle was completely reversed with the arrival of Admiral Ahn Sang-soo’s unit.

The unit led by Admiral Ahn Sang-soo struck the flank of the Aztec warriors’ ranks.

Having suffered a fatal blow to the flank, and with the persistent shelling from the warships floating in the sea, the Aztec warriors’ ranks finally began to collapse.

Even if they were drugged, the Aztec warriors, who could still recognize the surrounding situation to some extent, began to retreat again.

However, Admiral Ahn Sang-soo, who saw this, ordered the commanders.

“Advance and alternate fire!”

At Admiral Ahn Sang-soo’s order, the commanders directing the riflemen shouted to the soldiers.

“First row, fire!”

Tang! Tatatang!

“Second row, advance! Aim! Fire!”

Tang! Tatatang!

“Third row, advance! Aim! Fire!”

On the flanks, the Hwachas inflicted damage with crossfire, and in the center, the Aztec warriors, who had been hesitating as the riflemen approached one step at a time while alternately firing, turned their backs all at once.