Black Corporation: Joseon

“They’re coming!”

“Stand by! Stand by!”

As horse neighs and human battle cries echoed from the river, tension peaked among Joseon soldiers waiting at the fortress walls and trench lines.

The Joseon soldiers glared at the front while swallowing dry saliva.

“Hey, rookie.”

Han Il-nam, tense in the hair-trigger situation, immediately responded when the squad leader of his squad called.

“Private Han Il-nam!”

“Rookie, fall back and supply ammunition boxes.”

At this unexpected order, Han Il-nam asked back with a puzzled expression.

“Keep the ammunition coming diligently today. If I end up firing an empty rifle today, you’re dead. Got it?”

“Yes, sir!”

“Then go get ammo right now!”

“Yes sir!”

At the squad leader’s order, Han Il-nam ran back along the communication trench. Seeing this, another soldier joked with the squad leader.

“Well well, boss! People might think the rookie’s your son!”

“Didn’t you see his face? Looked like he’d have a seizure the moment he pulled the trigger. It’s easier to just have him running with ammo boxes.”

“Isn’t he here to eat military rice anyway? Wouldn’t it be better to experience what he has to experience early?”

“Not today. Today…”

The squad leader, shaking his head at the soldier’s words, looked at the river gleaming in the rising sunlight.

“They’re coming in massive numbers.”

Looking at the Liaodong forces swarming so thick you couldn’t see the river water, the squad leader showed a slightly pale expression and continued.

“We shouldn’t plan on eating fish from the Yalu River for a while.”

At the squad leader’s meaningful words, the soldier who had been joking just moments ago spat out a curse.

“Shit…”

“I brought the ammo box… Gasp!”

Il-nam, who had returned with ammunition boxes as ordered, froze mid-sentence upon seeing the blackness of approaching enemies.

Seeing this, the squad leader shouted at Il-nam.

“What are you doing! You’ve seen them so you know! Think one box is enough? Get more right now!”

“Y-yes sir!”

“Bring more throwing grenades too!”

“Yes sir!”

At the squad leader’s orders, Il-nam ran back down the communication trench again. Meanwhile, the squad leader shouted to nearby soldiers.

“Don’t pull the trigger until those bastards grab the first iron wire net! No! Keep your hands off the trigger entirely!”

“Yes sir!”

The distance from the Yalu River bank to the Joseon soldiers’ trenches was about 100 jang (approximately 300 meters). The first row of the five-layered iron wire nets was 60 jang (approximately 180 meters) from the trenches. And the fifth row of iron wire nets was 20 jang (approximately 60 meters) from the trenches.

Though it was black powder, the Joseon army’s sulfur-removed black powder produced less smoke. Of course, removing sulfur raised the ignition point, but this had been solved using percussion caps made with mercury fulminate.

Though not quite as good as smokeless powder, having powder that produced less smoke and properly rifled guns gave the Joseon army overwhelmingly longer range compared to other nations’ armies.

And now they would finally demonstrate the capabilities they had kept hidden until now.

***

“Huff! Huff!”

The Liaodong army’s vanguard soldiers were crossing the Yalu River while breathing heavily.

Since it was still the dry season, the river’s depth reached only mid-thigh at its deepest. The river’s width had also decreased considerably.

But their luck ended there. The riverbed exposed by receding waters was sandy mud. If you didn’t keep moving, your feet would get stuck. Additionally, though the thaw had passed, they still had to wade through ice-cold river water.

Their armament was also problematic.

The Liaodong vanguard crossing the river was equipped with classical armaments of swords and shields. The shields were heavy things made of thick wood covered with iron plates, and the swords were thick, weighty great swords.

The vanguard’s mission was to protect themselves with thick shields while using great swords to breach the iron wire nets.

This was an additional mission assigned after discovering the iron wire nets upon reaching the Yalu River.

In the original plan, the vanguard’s mission was simple:

-Engage in close combat with Joseon forces until the pontoon bridge is completed and gun troops can cross.

Pontoon bridges or ferries were essential for gun troops to cross. Once gunpowder got wet, iron guns were merely clubs.

Therefore, the sword and shield-equipped vanguard’s mission was to cross under their own power and buy time by engaging Joseon forces in close combat.

And to reduce their casualties, artillery batteries were supposed to maintain continuous bombardment of Joseon forces.

The problem was that the Liaodong artillery, which should have been showering the Joseon positions with shells, had withdrawn after suffering severe damage from Joseon counter-battery fire.

Therefore, they were now crossing at full speed while breathing heavily.

The less time they spent moving slowly, the higher their survival chances.

***

“Uwaah~”

“Waaah~”

Neigh!

Finally, the very front of the vanguard set foot on the opposite riverbank.

As their feet touched dry land, the soldiers’ strength returned and they began sprinting at full speed while shouting battle cries.

Finally reaching the first row of iron wire nets, the soldiers planted their shields in front and grabbed the wire nets.

Clang! Clang!

Gripping the wire nets with their left hands, they struck down with their great swords with all their might, but the swords bounced upward.

“Uwaaaaah!”

Seeing their great swords with broken edges without even cutting the wire, the soldiers began frantically striking with their swords while screaming almost in despair.

But the wire nets in front of them merely swayed without breaking. The steel posts holding the wire nets were completely hopeless.

Right then, the Joseon soldiers waiting in the trenches all pulled their triggers simultaneously.

Ratatatat! Ratat!

“Ugh!”

“Aagh!”

The soldiers frantically swinging their great swords sprayed blood and collapsed onto the sand as Joseon gunfire struck them.

The shields that had been protecting their front were riddled with holes.

As soldiers wrestling with the wire nets collapsed in rows, soldiers following behind filled the gaps and wrestled with the nets.

Other soldiers were already pushing forward relentlessly behind them. They had no other choice.

Ratat! Tang! Ratatatat! Bang! Boom! Bang!

Finally, Joseon’s famous The cannons joined the continuous gunfire.

Every time a The cannons exploded, ownerless limbs scattered in all directions.

But the vanguard had no choice but to keep grabbing and pulling at the wire nets.

Bang! Pop pop! Bang!

Soon after, the Liaodong artillery that had recovered from its damage began bombarding the Joseon forces.

As Liaodong shells pounded the Joseon trench lines, the gunfire gradually decreased.

“Now’s our chance! Hook the grapples!”

“Hook the grapples!”

Not missing the opportunity, the vanguard soldiers hooked their grapples onto the wire nets or the posts supporting them.

“Pull!”

“Pull! Pull!”

The soldiers holding the ropes pulled desperately.

Tututatatat! Tatatat! Boom!

Though Joseon forces maintained concentrated fire including Type-Eul War Wagons and The cannons, the Liaodong forces desperately held and pulled the ropes.

Because they knew all too well that these ropes in their hands were their only option.

“It’s down!”

“It’s collapsed!”

“Charge! Charge!”

“Uwaaaah!”

Finally, a hole opened in the first row. The Liaodong soldiers charged forward with battle cries.

Tututatatat! Tatatat!

The Type-Eul War Wagons concentrated their fire on the charging Liaodong soldiers. Soldiers caught in the concentrated fire from the war wagons collapsed like bundles of straw without even time to scream.

“Get down! Get down!”

“Crawl! Crawl!”

Seeing their comrades who had charged ahead collapsing in droves, the Liaodong soldiers desperately threw themselves to the ground.

The heavy, cumbersome shields had disappeared somewhere. With ropes in one hand and great swords in the other, or just ropes alone, the soldiers crawled forward like inching caterpillars.

They had only one goal.

To survive and successfully hook their grapples onto the wire nets and posts ahead.

But the Joseon forces wouldn’t just let them do this.

Grape-shot cannons joined the weapons attacking them.

Bang! Boom!

Every time the grape-shot cannons positioned in solidly built covered positions fired, dozens of bird egg rounds spread out in a fan shape.

And each time, Liaodong soldiers were killed or wounded and collapsed to the ground.

***

In some ways, the grape-shot cannon was a more fearsome weapon than the cannons. The power per shot and range were greater with the cannons.

However, the firing rate of the grape-shot cannon was overwhelmingly superior to the cannons.

The The cannons required loading propellant powder into the launcher and adjusting and inserting the wooden shell with each shot. But with the grape-shot cannon, after firing you just had to open the breech, remove the empty shell, insert a new round, and close the breech to be ready.

Thanks to this, the grape-shot cannon boasted an average firing rate more than three times faster than the cannons.

***

“Tougher than expected. Damn bastards.”

Observing the situation from the hill he had climbed days before, Zhao Bingde muttered while grinding his teeth.

“The vanguard’s casualties are higher than expected. Should we withdraw them?”

At his subordinate commander mentioning withdrawal, Zhao Bingde exploded.

“What nonsense! Not even a third of the vanguard has crossed the river and you mention withdrawal? Are you sane?”

“But the Joseon resistance is tougher than expected. If we pull back briefly to regroup…”

“While we regroup, they’ll regroup too! You want to repeat this damn thing again! You idiot! You want to let them seal the hole we barely opened!”

“N-no sir!”

“Call the messengers!”

Roughly calling for messengers, Zhao Bingde issued orders to his staff.

“Tell the forward artillery that’s recovered from damage to pressure the Joseon forces immediately! And tell the vanguard command to deploy remaining forces as quickly as possible! Finally, tell the Fire Dragon Cannon battery to fire immediately!”

“Yes sir!”

The staff officers who received Zhao Bingde’s orders hurriedly wrote up orders and handed them to the messengers.

The messengers who received the orders quickly mounted their horses and scattered in all directions.

Glancing at the rapidly disappearing messengers, Zhao Bingde again observed the Joseon positions through his telescope.

“Artillery next to artillery… crazy bastards… Joseon bastards obsessed with artillery! And which crazy bastard came up with that damned iron wall!”

***

At the same time, the command headquarters at Insan garrison was also moving busily.

“Report from left wing! Enemy vanguard breakthrough at second row!”

“Report from right wing! Enemy second vanguard arrived!”

Reports coming in through both observation balloons in the sky and traditional messengers were immediately reported to Lee Jing-ok.

An enormous map showing Insan garrison’s terrain was spread out in the center of headquarters, and various wooden markers indicating friend and foe were changing positions in real-time.

Additionally, reports coming up from the front lines were being organized and recorded in real-time on a large blackboard hung on one wall.

Lee Jing-ok assessed the situation while observing the contents on the blackboard and the formations marked on the map.

“No need to deploy reserves yet. How’s ammunition supply?”

“No additional support requests yet!”

“They’ll be coming like crazy soon, so get ready immediately.”

“Yes sir!”

“Casualties?”

“Some casualties from initial bombardment, but almost none since!”

Lee Jing-ok smiled at his staff officer’s report.

“See, artillery is the best… By the way, why are their large siege cannons so quiet?”

The moment Lee Jing-ok mentioned the super-large siege cannons that all Joseon commanders were interested in, an enormous explosion and shock wave struck the command headquarters.

BOOM!

Story Arcs