Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 956

956. South and North, and the Middle (3)

Upon hearing Ishiae’s decision, all the commanders nodded.

The Noale-Mirano-Venice defense line blatantly revealed the Habsburgs’ and Venice’s intention to ‘cut and run [retreat quickly]’ if things went south! The information brought by the scouts only solidified these suspicions.

-Upon confirming the flags [identifying banners to confirm troop allegiance], the main force of the Habsburg army is stationed in Noale, and the main force of the Venetian army is stationed towards Venice.

-Both sides have mercenaries as their main force at the front of the defense line.

-Only mercenary units are present in Mirano.

-The mercenary unit stationed in Mirano is organized around the Landsknecht [German mercenary soldiers known for their pike and sword skills].”

“It seems they plan to buy time with the Landsknecht, who are faithful to their contracts, while they retreat,” Ishiae thought, realizing the intentions of the Habsburgs and Venice, which led him to decide to strike Mirano.

-Securing Venice is necessary to achieve the symbolic result of ‘unifying Northern Italy.’

-After pushing out the French and Spanish ground forces remaining in Northern Italy, and considering the war with Southern Italy, it is necessary to minimize troop losses now.

Troop losses must be minimized not only in Venice but also in Milan and Genoa.

-Therefore, striking Mirano is the best option.

When Ishiae told his staff about this decision, they expressed doubts.

“Wouldn’t it be better to strike Noale? They are foreign powers that intervened in Italy along with France and Spain. Now that the Habsburgs have lost their will to fight, I believe it is the right time.”

“That’s right. The Landsknecht are famous for strictly adhering to their contracts as long as they are paid. In some ways, they are even more ruthless than the Swiss mercenaries. Mirano is where those guys are trapped in a dead end. We may suffer unnecessary losses.”

Ishiae smiled slightly at his staff’s comments and replied.

“That would be the case if we were attacking with all our might. And if those guys were truly willing to fight, that would be the right answer.”

“Pardon?”

* * *

According to Ishiae’s plan, the Imperial-Italian Allied Forces’ artillery targeted the defense lines of Venice and the Habsburgs.

Bang! Bang, bang!

“Artillery fire!”

“Get into the trenches!”

As soon as the Allied Forces’ artillery began firing, the Habsburg and Venetian soldiers hurriedly hid in the trenches. As time passed, some of the soldiers hiding in the trenches began to express doubts.

“The shelling is weaker than expected.”

Compared to the terrible shelling they had experienced in Padua and Vicenza, the current shelling was considerably weaker. Of course, carelessly exposing oneself or being directly hit by a shell still meant certain death.

“Something’s strange…”

“This is even more unsettling.”

The lighter-than-expected shelling made the Habsburg and Venetian soldiers even more uneasy. And that unease soon turned into a shock that shook the ground.

Boom, boom, boom!

A tremendous barrage, making the shelling experienced in Padua and Vicenza feel like a breeze, followed. The Imperial Army’s artillery had joined the shelling. The Imperial Army’s artillery lived up to its reputation. The first volley of fire caused the first line of trenches where the Habsburg and Venetian soldiers were hiding to collapse.

“Take your time and fire! Take your time~”

“Yes, yes.”

The expressions of the Milanese and Genoese commanders, watching the Imperial artillery casually firing shells with relaxed expressions and gestures, were truly complex.

“The nightmare of being on the receiving end of that shelling is coming back to me.”

“Don’t even mention it. I’m still having nightmares.”

The Milanese commanders, who vividly remembered the sight of their proud walls collapsing under the Imperial Army’s artillery fire, shuddered. On the other hand, the Genoese commanders had mixed feelings.

“The Imperials are ruthless, whether it’s the army or the navy.”

The commanders who had experienced the Imperial Navy’s shelling while defending Genoa’s coastal defense fortresses shuddered similarly to the Milanese. On the other hand, the commanders who were seeing the Imperial Army’s shelling for the first time were horrified.

“Wait? Is that shelling supposed to be ‘taking it easy’? Then what would it be like if they were really serious?”

After destroying the first line of Habsburg and Venetian trenches with the first concentrated barrage, the Imperial artillery chose to move instead of firing a second barrage.

“Where are those guys going?”

The Habsburg and Venetian commanders were on high alert, watching the Imperial Army’s artillery move. The Imperial artillery, which had openly moved in front of them, gathered in Mirano. The barrels of the Imperial artillery, gathered in and around Mirano, were aimed at the area between Mirano and Noale, and the trenches in front of Mirano.

“This time, we’re going to hit them hard! Move decisively!”

“Yes! Yes!”

“Commence firing!”

“Understood!”

Boom, boom, boom!

The Imperial artillery’s full-fledged shelling began to wipe out the trenches in front of Mirano and half of the trenches between Mirano and Noale.

“That was the breakthrough point! The rest was a feint [deceptive maneuver]!”

The Habsburg-Venetian command, believing they had grasped the Imperial-Italian Allied Forces’ intentions, made the same decision.

“Retreat!”

Although the Habsburgs and Venice decided to retreat simultaneously, their directions were different. The Habsburgs headed towards Treviso, while the Venetian army headed towards Venice, passing through Oiago.

* * *

The retreat of the Habsburgs and Venice created two tragedies.

The first tragedy was the ‘Sack of Venice [plundering and destruction of the city].’ The Habsburg army, retreating from Noale to Treviso, formed a unit centered around the cavalry and dispatched it to Venice. The mission of the unit sent to Venice was looting.

-Venice will have to be handed over anyway.

-The Venice that is handed over will become an enemy of the Habsburgs and the Holy Roman Empire.

-Therefore, take everything that can be taken from Venice, and destroy everything that can be destroyed!

-The longer the recovery of Venice is delayed, the more the ‘birth of a unified Italy’ that they desire will be delayed!

According to this plan, the Habsburg soldiers who stormed into Venice looted and destroyed the city. This news immediately reached the Venetian army.

“Damn it! We need to return as quickly as possible!”

“Return with all our might!”

“Those traitorous bastards!”

The enraged Venetian soldiers gritted their teeth and returned with all their might. And here, the second tragedy was born: ‘The Landsknecht’s Fratricide [killing of one’s own brother or countrymen].’ The Landsknecht stationed in Mirano steadfastly held their ground despite suffering heavy damage from the Imperial army’s shelling.

“The order we received is to defend Mirano. Literally, defend it to the death!”

They faithfully followed the orders given by their employers and defended Mirano. However, the problem began when the Habsburgs and Venice decided to retreat. With their employers retreating without any subsequent orders, the Landsknecht mercenaries defending Mirano fell into a state of panic.

“What do we do? What do we do?”

The front-line commanders leading the mercenaries discussed countermeasures with confused expressions.

Bang! Bang!

“Those cursed bastards! Firing shells even in this situation!”

It was a situation where no answer would come even if they pondered in a quiet place, but as the Imperial army’s shells continued to explode nearby, the Landsknecht commanders cursed.

“Wouldn’t it be right to retreat?”

“You idiot! There was no order to retreat! No order!”

The commanders repeatedly argued over ‘voluntary retreat’ and ‘defending as ordered.’ While they were arguing, messengers ran up and delivered orders to them.

“Retreat immediately!”

The commanders who received the order brought by the messengers made the sign of the cross and cheered.

“We’re alive!”

As the retreat order was issued, the Landsknecht unit quickly withdrew from Mirano. After leaving Mirano, the Landsknecht split into two groups according to the orders of their employers. The unit hired by the Habsburgs headed towards Treviso, and the unit hired by Venice headed towards Venice.

It was the prelude to tragedy.

* * *

Upon receiving the urgent news that ‘their homeland is being looted,’ the Venetian army returned with all their might.
However, what they saw was a burning Venice.

“Damn it! Those bastards!”

Unable to contain their anger, the Venetian soldiers tried to chase after the Habsburg army, who were running away with their tails between their legs, but it was more urgent to stop the rapidly spreading fire.

“Damn it! Those damned bastards! They deserve to be cursed!”

“Put out the fire first!”

“Damn it!”

While they were only able to stomp their feet in the face of overlapping misfortunes, the Venetian army commanders remembered the mercenaries they had hired.

“Messenger!”

* * *

The order sent by the Venetian army arrived at the Landsknecht unit retreating to Venice.

-Immediately turn around and strike the looting unit of the retreating Habsburg army.

-If you eliminate the looting unit and bring back the loot, we will pay a very generous bonus in addition to your wages.

After confirming the order, the Landsknecht immediately turned around. With the messenger who brought the order as their guide, the Landsknecht unit began to pursue the Habsburg looting unit. The Habsburgs, who were certain that Venice would pursue them, had hidden scouts along the way. And through those hidden scouts, Venice used the Landsknecht to attack, and the Habsburgs issued orders to the Landsknecht they had hired.

-Defend against the Venetian pursuers with all your might.

-We promise to pay an additional bonus if you succeed in defending.

The Landsknecht unit, which received the order on the way to Treviso, immediately turned around.

* * *

The two Landsknecht units, tasked with the completely opposite missions of ‘pursuit’ and ‘defense,’ encountered each other in Preganziol, south of Treviso. They were comrades who had endured the Imperial army’s shelling shoulder to shoulder in Mirano, but now, as enemies, the two units clashed head-on.

Unlike the Italian mercenaries, who were famous for ‘match-fixing [prearranged outcomes],’ the two units fought with all their might, and the result was devastating. The fierce battle, to the extent that the Habsburg and Venetian armies who had rushed to support and monitor shook their heads, resulted in ‘mutual destruction.’

It was the birth of a tragedy officially recorded as ‘The Landsknecht’s Fratricide.’

* * *

With the mutual destruction of the Landsknecht units hired by different employers, the Habsburg army withdrew from Italy. And Venice immediately raised the white flag and opened its gates.

“Our Venice will fully participate in the unification of Italy with all our might! Grrr!”

The citizens of Venice—from nobles to commoners—gritted their teeth and pledged their full cooperation. The events that the Habsburgs had carried out in Venice quickly spread to Hyang and other countries. Upon receiving the report, Hyang chuckled bitterly and muttered.

“Those with much to protect are ruthless when it comes to abandoning things, aren’t they?”

The monarchs of France and Spain, who heard the story, had roughly similar reactions.

“It was a bit extreme, but it was the best way to minimize losses.”