“Whew~ It’s hot.”
The soldiers guarding the bridgehead wiped away sweat as they grumbled under the scorching sun.
Almost a month and a half had passed since Admiral Ahn Sang-su led his troops inland following the natives.
During that time, the bridgehead had undergone its own changes.
The barriers made of stacked sandbags had become more robust, and the interior of the bridgehead had been divided into sections to increase the efficiency of both daily life and combat operations.
Especially impressive was the watchtower, built by piling sandbags layer upon layer, offering a panoramic view of the surroundings—a masterpiece of ingenuity.
“Fuck… a masterpiece of ingenuity only for the naval officers, security officers, and non-commissioned officers….”
Looking up at the towering watchtower, the sailors spat out curses.
***
“Hmm… if the soldiers’ discipline continues to deteriorate, we’ll have problems….”
As much time had passed since Admiral Ahn Sang-su’s troops disappeared inland, the ship captains worried about the sailors’ waning discipline.
While sailing, this would never have been a concern.
The sea itself was their greatest enemy. Even on calm waters with favorable winds and no large waves, the slightest carelessness could mean the difference between life and death.
Compared to the dangers of the sea, pirates were merely a nuisance.
But prolonged stays on the pleasant, sunny beaches of the southern country created perfect conditions for discipline to deteriorate. In fact, a significant number of soldiers had already been injured from careless horseplay.
Eventually, the ship captains summoned the naval officers, security officers, and non-commissioned officers.
“If the soldiers grow too lax, we could have serious problems should anything happen. Think of an appropriate solution.”
“Understood.”
The fleet’s officers put their heads together to find a solution.
“We have no choice. Let’s properly reinforce the bridgehead.”
“I agree. No news might be good news, but it might not be.”
“I agree.”
And so the officers worked the soldiers to the bone reinforcing the bridgehead, with the watchtower as its centerpiece.
They gathered as many sand-filled bags as possible and stacked them high, creating a roof from wood and sails.
Instead of using wooden or rope ladders to climb the tower, they constructed a ramp using sandbags. And not just a simple ramp—a proper one with protective walls made of sandbags.
“Sand is abundant everywhere, so it shouldn’t be difficult, right? Work hard.”
Watching the security officers saunter away after giving their orders, the soldiers collectively muttered curses under their breath.
“Bastards….”
The soldiers who climbed the completed watchtower diligently surveyed the surroundings. They had no choice but to be vigilant.
The warships at sea frequently sent light signals asking for situation reports, and if they didn’t respond properly, the ship captains would rush over to berate the bridgehead commanders.
Of course, the scolding then trickled down the chain of command. And the lower down it went, the harsher the reprimands became. So the soldiers had no choice but to vigilantly scout the surroundings.
***
While the soldiers maintaining the bridgehead wiped away sweat and complained, those in the watchtower kept watch through binoculars.
“Nothing but trees everywhere, damn….”
Grumbling as he surveyed the jungle spread out before him, ‘Clever Rabbit‘ suddenly stopped mid-sentence and pressed the binoculars tightly against his eyes.
“Oh no….”
After scanning the jungle, ‘Clever Rabbit’ frantically struck the alarm bell with a small hammer.
Ding-ding-ding-ding!
“Enemy! Enemy!”
“What’s going on!”
Lieutenant Kim In-gyeom, hearing the alarm bell, sprinted up the ramp.
“What’s happening!”
“Armed natives, sir!”
‘Clever Rabbit’ answered while handing over the binoculars. After confirming the direction ‘Clever Rabbit’ pointed to, Kim In-gyeom immediately sent a light signal.
-Large armed group approaching! Request support!
While the watchtower was sending distress signals to the fleet, the soldiers guarding the bridgehead moved quickly.
Hastily donning their helmets, they jumped into the trenches reinforced with sandbags.
Click! Click!
After urgently loading their gun carts and long rifles, the soldiers placed their fingers on the triggers, eyes fixed on what lay ahead.
“Wuaaaah!”
“Kiyaaaah~”
“Kuaaak!”
Moments later, native warriors emerged from the jungle.
Unlike before, they approached with murderous battle cries and using instruments that made sounds eerily similar to human screams. Seeing this, the soldiers gulped nervously.
***
Meanwhile, Kim Taek-gil, captain of the flagship, cursed as he saw the light signal from the bridgehead.
“Damn it! Why now of all times! When we’re already short on manpower!”
As Taek-gil said, both the bridgehead and fleet were currently understaffed.
To properly operate a Challenger-class warship required at least 350 crew members. For a Haeung-class warship, it was 200.
For this operation, each of the two Challenger-class warships carried an additional 50 men, while the Haeung-class warships carried 30 more.
Conversely, all the fleet’s warships had to offload as many cannon shells and gunpowder as possible. This was to make room for the additional troops, their provisions, and to store gun carts and naval mines.
The problem was the troops Admiral Ahn Sang-su had taken with him.
Half of the additional personnel were those mobilized to manage horses and wagons.
The troops prepared for potential armed conflicts had been pulled from the ships’ crews.
As a result, the fleet’s warships and the bridgehead were left with only the minimum personnel needed to operate the ships. And almost all the remaining soldiers who operated the gun carts—which were devastatingly effective against humans—were now at the bridgehead.
Taek-gil, the fleet’s senior captain and flagship commander, had to accept the situation.
“Damn! I want to curse, but there’s nothing I can do!”
Having accepted reality, Taek-gil quickly issued orders.
“Concentrate all sailors on the starboard cannons!”
“Aye!”
“Relay orders to the other ships! Provide full artillery support to the bridgehead!”
“Yes!”
“Raise the battle flag!”
Following Taek-gil’s command, a signal flag announcing battle was raised on the highest mast. Soon, battle flags rose on the other ships as well.
***
“The battle flag is up!”
Hearing the shout, “The battle flag is up!” the soldiers guarding the bridgehead gulped nervously again and muttered small curses.
“Fuck….”
“Shit….”
“Not a naval battle but a land battle, damn….”
They were confident in ship-based combat, but fighting on land was unfamiliar territory.
“Damn it… should’ve worn my chest armor properly….”
The soldiers who had taken off their tops due to the heat and barely managed to grab their helmets had belated regrets, but it was far too late. In the end, they tightened their helmet straps and glared ahead.
***
Though the natives emerging from the jungle approached with murderous faces, the bridgehead commanders forbade the soldiers from firing.
“No firing without orders!”
“Shoot when told to shoot!”
“Damn….”
At their commanders’ orders, the soldiers could only curse.
Just then, the native warriors at the back of the formation simultaneously launched sling stones, arrows, and javelins.
“Get down!”
Seeing the projectiles flying through the air, the soldiers quickly ducked below the trench walls.
At that moment, a rocket soared into the sky from the watchtower.
Bang!
As a cloud of red smoke bloomed in the sky, the waiting warships fired their cannons in unison.
Boom!
The ships’ bombardment caused massive explosions in the jungle ahead of the bridgehead and among the Aztec warriors who had emerged from it.
As fragments of trees caught in the explosions and dismembered body parts of warriors soared into the sky, the commanders guarding the bridgehead shouted as one:
“Open fire!”
Rat-a-tat-tat! Bang! Rat-tat! Bang-bang!
As soon as the order fell, the gun carts guarding the bridgehead spat fire in unison, and the sailors’ long rifles blazed.
***
The ensuing battle was literally a bloodbath.
The imperial army’s firepower overwhelmed the Aztec warriors, but the problem was their sheer numbers. There were too few imperial soldiers to suppress all the Aztec warriors swarming like ants.
And there was another problem.
“Aren’t these bastards afraid of dying?!”
Even as their comrades fell bleeding right before their eyes, and dozens were blown to pieces in each explosion, the Aztec warriors kept pressing forward.
Because of this, it was actually the imperial soldiers pulling the triggers who were gradually becoming terrified.
The Aztec warriors rushing toward the bridgehead were in a drug-induced state.
***
Before attacking the bridgehead, Montezuma I and the Aztec commanders had reflected on the Battle of Tenochtitlan.
“Frightened soldiers showed the disgraceful act of retreating. We cannot let this happen again.”
“Right. We must prevent this.”
To prevent warriors from stopping their charge or retreating out of fear of imperial firepower, Montezuma I and his commanders fed their warriors coca leaves.
Since ancient times, Aztec warriors had made good use of coca leaves. Even a small amount helped them forget fatigue and provided good pain relief.
And when consumed in large quantities, it induced hallucinations that made them forget fear itself.
Well aware of coca leaves’ effects, Montezuma I and his commanders had fed their warriors large amounts.
Now, these Aztec warriors, intoxicated by the cocaine in the coca leaves, continued their charge with such ferocity that even the imperial soldiers were sickened by it.
***
Despite suffering massive casualties, the drug-intoxicated Aztec warriors gradually approached the bridgehead.
“Hand grenades!”
“Hand grenades!”
Dozens of grenades flew from the bridgehead, felling Aztec warriors, but others filled the gaps and continued to press forward.
“Shit! Prepare for close combat!”
“Fuck!”
Just as the commanders and soldiers guarding the bridgehead were bracing for hand-to-hand combat, Admiral Ahn Sang-su’s troops arrived.
***
With the arrival of Admiral Ahn Sang-su’s forces, the tide of battle completely turned.
Admiral Ahn’s troops struck the Aztec warriors’ flank with devastating effect.
After taking a lethal blow to their flank, and under persistent bombardment from the warships at sea, the Aztec warriors’ formation finally began to crumble.
Even though drugged, the Aztec warriors could still recognize the situation to some extent, and they began to retreat once more.
But seeing this, Admiral Ahn Sang-su ordered his commanders:
“Advance with volley fire!”
At the admiral’s command, the commanders directing the riflemen shouted to their soldiers:
“First rank, fire!”
Bang! Rat-a-tat!
“Second rank, advance! Aim! Fire!”
Bang! Rat-a-tat!
“Third rank, advance! Aim! Fire!”
As the gun carts on both flanks delivered crossfire, and the riflemen in the center advanced one step at a time, firing in turns, the hesitating Aztec warriors turned and fled en masse.