Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 939

939. The Imperial March (2) – Assault Guison, Running on Land. (27)

The assault troops who passed through the city gate soon pushed into the maze-like residential area.

At the forefront of the advancing assault troops were the Assault Car Type A.

Chug-chug! Squeak!

Amidst the loud noise and heavy vibrations of the steam engine and tracks echoing through the streets, the Assault Car Type A slowly moved forward along the road.

The Assault Car Type A, passing through the city like this, presented a unique sight.

Assault troops stood on the railings on either side of the cockpit, which was about half a story higher than the front combat room, watching in all directions.

The task assigned to them was to eliminate enemies suddenly appearing from the shadows of urban buildings or to identify buildings that posed a risk of hindering the advance of friendly forces and notify the cockpit in advance.

* * *

Through various training exercises and mock battles conducted after the initial deployment of the assault cars, the strengths and weaknesses of the assault cars were revealed.

-It is the best weapon for breaking through enemy wooden fences or trench lines built on plains.

-However, when entering urban warfare, it suddenly becomes blind.

In the wide plains, they could move while checking the light signals attached to the command vehicle. Furthermore, because they were moving in a wide open space, they could immediately check the movements of friendly assault cars or infantry and move accordingly.

However, once inside the city, it was impossible to check the command vehicle’s orders in real time. In addition, it was not easy to deal with enemies popping out from the blind spots created by the thick armored vehicles.

In the open fields of the wide plains, assault cars could cover each other’s blind spots, but this was impossible in urban warfare.

The only saving grace was that there was a voice tube connecting the combat room and the cockpit, allowing for some degree of communication within the vehicle.

In the end, when entering urban warfare, the personal judgment of the commanders leading the assault cars would determine everything regarding victory and survival.

Ultimately, the only way to solve this troublesome situation was to operate a large number of messengers or to have soldiers ride outside the cockpit to act as eyes.

Hyang, after reviewing the report, clicked his tongue with a face full of regret.

“In a way, you could say it’s a case of ‘the body suffers because the mind is dull.’ It’s an era where wired and wireless communication networks are still unimaginable… even with all that effort.”

Despite pushing the researchers at the institute and registering it in the Challenge Log, research on electricity, which was given the name ‘Thunderous Energy (雷氣) [a literal translation of electricity, emphasizing its raw power],’ was sluggish.

“Even after pushing them like that, people’s cognitive domain hasn’t expanded to that point yet… Haa~. I crave electricity. I’m hungry for electricity.”

Of course, Hyang could have stepped in to create basic generators or telegraphs.

However, the problem was what came next.

-How are you going to explain it?

It was impossible with Hyang’s knowledge accumulated through ‘exam preparation education.’

No, even if it were possible, there would be a big problem.

It was a matter of ‘how?’

-How did you come to know that?

-You, who barely have enough time to look after the myriad machines (萬機) [countless affairs of state] coming up from across the empire?

-Are you even human?

It was precisely because of this problem that Hyang was just waiting for the right time.

“Although it’s certain that it will be after I die….”

* * *

In any case, to compensate for these shortcomings of the assault cars, assault troops watched in all directions from the passages on either side of the assault car’s cockpit.

“Stop! Stop!”

The soldiers, seeing friendly forces running from the corner ahead, shouted at the cockpit at the top of their lungs.

Squeak! Screech!

The assault car stopped, and as the soldiers guarded in all directions, the soldier who had run up spoke his business.

“Turn right at the corner ahead, a bell tower 10 jangs (approximately 30m [about 98 feet]) ahead!”

“Turn right at the corner, bell tower 10 jangs ahead! Acknowledged!”

“Confirmed!”

The soldier who confirmed the information conveyed the message to the embrasure in the cockpit.

Squeak! Click!

After a while, the Assault Car Type A slowly turned the corner and aimed at the problematic bell tower.

Kaboom!

With a loud explosion, the bell tower, which had been monitoring the movements of friendly forces, collapsed.

The bell tower was too weak to withstand the siege shells made to attack thick walls.

Similar incidents occurred here and there in the city of Pavia.

The bell towers of cathedrals, as well as stone buildings with more than four floors, were gradually collapsing under the bombardment of the assault cars.

The only fortunate thing was that if there were only civilians inside the building, they were evacuated first before it was blown away.

If there were French troops in the building and they resisted, the assault troops would immediately fire the cannons.

* * *

-Penetrate the city of Pavia via the shortest route and seize the bridge and ferry across the Ticino River.

The assault troops’ assault cars faithfully carried out the orders they received.

Starting from the city gate where they first entered, a wide, straight road decorated with ruins was gradually extending to the problematic bridge and ferry.

As an aside, this passage would later become the ‘Central Avenue’ even after the city of Pavia was rebuilt.

To protect the friendly forces following behind the assault troops, the dismounted assault troops began to clear the surrounding alleys.

A bloody battle, filled with the stench of blood, began to unfold on the small alleys of Pavia.

In the urban warfare that took place in the small alleys, the assault troops moved thoroughly in units of five (伍 [a squad]) and teams (隊 [a platoon]).

The most frequently used weapons by the assault troops, who moved as one body of 5 to 25 men, were throwing bombs, rapid-firing carts, and fire carts.

Jinmu Oh Dal-soo, who was leading his five-man unit at the head of a team of assault troops chasing French troops down an alley, stopped and raised his clenched fist as he encountered a corner leading to the right at a dead end.

Seeing Oh Dal-soo’s hand signal, the assault troops behind him immediately stuck to the left and right sides of the alley, and Oh Dal-soo carefully walked near the corner.

Arriving at the corner, Oh Dal-soo lay flat on the ground and peeked around the corner.

After confirming that a group of French musketeers were entrenched with a fire cart beyond the corner, Oh Dal-soo carefully retreated.

“What’s there?”

At the question of Team Leader (隊正 [platoon leader]) Ahn Taek-gil, who had approached, Oh Dal-soo answered in a small voice.

“About one team of enemies is entrenched with one fire cart. The distance is about 4 jangs (approximately 12m [about 39 feet]).”

“Can you hold them?”

“I think it’s possible.”

Ahn Taek-gil, who lightly patted Oh Dal-soo’s shoulder, turned back.

After a while, soldiers from other five-man units, except for Dal-soo’s unit, stuck to the entrances of the houses in the alley.

After confirming the movements of the other units, Oh Dal-soo sent a hand signal to the unit he commanded.

Among the soldiers who saw his hand signal, the soldier holding the rapid-firing cart took a position right behind Dal-soo.

When the rapid-firing cart shooter, who was crouching down, nodded, Dal-soo took out a throwing bomb, opened the lid of the handle, and slammed the firing pin hard against the wall.

Clack! Fizz!

The fuse inside the throwing bomb’s handle began to burn, and Dal-soo counted softly.

“…Two, three!”

At the word ‘three,’ Dal-soo leaned out, threw the throwing bomb, and immediately hid.

Bang! Thud! Boom!

“Aagh!”

The French troops, who had been lying in ambush as soon as they saw Dal-soo, pulled the triggers all at once. However, almost at the same time, the throwing bomb that Dal-soo threw exploded, and the French troops injured by the shrapnel screamed.

At that moment, the rapid-firing cart shooter, who had been crouching behind Dal-soo, leaned out and began to fire the rapid-firing cart.

Ta-ta-ta-tang!

Crash!

The moment the throwing bomb that Dal-soo threw exploded and the rapid-firing cart shooter pulled the trigger, the assault troops behind them kicked open the entrances of the houses in front and rushed inside.

“Kyaaak!”

“Aagh!”

Amidst the screams of the residents huddled in the corners of the house, the assault troops ran across the house or went up to the second floor.

Crash!

The soldiers who crossed the first floor kicked open the back door and ran to the neighboring house. Meanwhile, the assault troops who went up to the second floor ran to the window and opened it.

When the French troops’ ambush site was visible below the opened window, the assault troops mercilessly began to pull the triggers.

Bang-bang-bang! Ta-ta-tang!

The French troops who had been ambushing fell bleeding or began to flee backward under the assault troops’ fire.

At that moment, the assault troops who had moved across the houses discovered them and immediately began to pull the triggers.

* * *

The closer the assault troops got to the problematic bridge and ferry, the stronger the French resistance became.

For the sake of their own and their comrades’ escape, the French troops desperately clung to the assault troops.

Boom! Rumble!

To stop the advance of the assault troops, the French troops also began to use cannons without hesitation.

The French cannons fired at the roads to block the assault troops from approaching, or at the buildings they saw the assault troops entering.

Since they were not incendiary shells like the ones used by the Imperial Army, there was no secondary explosion, but the buildings hit by the French shells had large holes in their walls or collapsed.

The greatest victims of the resulting artillery battle between the two sides were the residents of Pavia.

* * *

As the battle intensified, the Assault Car Type B began to move busily, taking on its second mission.

It was to transport the assault troops wounded on the battlefield or to carry military doctors and medics.

Before they knew it, a temporary field hospital for the Imperial Army had been set up on one side of the Pavia city gate.

Tents with the Chinese character ‘醫’ (medicine) largely inscribed on them were lined up, and pots were boiling water in makeshift stoves on one side.

“This is for disinfecting medical equipment, this is for boiling bandages and blankets, etc. This is for the wounded soldiers to drink. Ah! Don’t forget that the water for the wounded soldiers to drink must be boiled once and then cooled before storing it!”

“Yes!”

It was the Imperial Army Medical Corps, which had established its own system through the various large and small battles it had experienced.

“How is the water purification frame installation going!”

“It’s all done!”

“There must be plenty of clean water for the wounded soldiers to drink!”

“Yes!”

“You must not forget the words given by the Supreme Emperor!”

“We are keeping it in mind!”

Even now, in the Imperial Army medical centers being built throughout the empire, a wooden plaque engraved with Hyang’s words was hung.

-Even if the sons of the Empire die or become disabled, they are still the sons of the Empire! They are my sons!

Accordingly, the military doctors belonging to the Imperial Army medical centers were doing their best to treat the wounded soldiers. If a problem arose due to neglecting treatment, it would be ‘the crime of harming the Emperor’s son.’

The existence of this Imperial Army field hospital became the envy of both enemy and friendly forces alike.

And here, Hyang and Hyun’s trick came into play.

-Establish a hospital for the Swiss soldiers hired by the Empire!

-All necessary funds will be covered by the Imperial Family and the property of Supreme Emperor Hyang!

It was a neat checkmate for those who opposed ‘providing the same veterans’ policy as the Imperial Army.’

* * *

During this period, the wealthiest in the Empire was the Imperial Family.

A significant number of profitable businesses were operated by merchants belonging to the Imperial Family. It wasn’t just operation. The Imperial Family was also seeing considerable profits in the investment sector.

-Because it’s the Imperial Family, isn’t it because the Emperor knew in advance and took action?

When these words circulated, Hyang neatly entrusted the Board of Audit and Inspection to resolve the doubts.

When the Board of Audit and Inspection, the descendants of the old Three Offices [historical government bodies responsible for oversight], issued a result of ‘no abnormalities,’ those who had expressed doubts all shut their mouths.

“What kind of people are the people of the Board of Audit and Inspection….”

Although the Imperial Family was so wealthy, Hyang’s own property was also considerable.

It was thanks to ‘intellectual property rights.’