Black Corporation: Joseon - Chapter 839

Episode 839: Pursuit in Europe (6)

Hyang’s worries grew deeper and deeper between his own virtue and the current level of technology and finances of the empire.

“The first thing I want to make is a tank, and if a tank doesn’t have an internal combustion engine, it can’t escape infinite hell…” * *

*

When Hyang used a steam engine to create a tow truck, a modified version of a tractor, King Sejong decided to put artillery on top of the tow truck. I had an idea of what it would be like.

However, this was not realized due to safety issues.

The problem was that the steam engine was an external combustion engine.

It was dangerous to place gunpowder and coals near a crater that was always full of flames.

An alternative was proposed to build a bulkhead between the powder magazine and the engine compartment, but the problem was that it would be bulky.

No, it was impossible to use the steam engine itself in a tank.

A steam engine that could use power properly was of considerable size and weight.

Since the main enemy at the time of initial planning was the Myeongdo artillery, it had to be armored with considerable thickness in order to withstand attacks from the Myeongdo artillery.

This is where a vicious cycle began.

-To protect the large size of the steam engine and artillery, the tank must be large.

-In order to break through the enemy lines while withstanding artillery fire, you must be surrounded by armor. It’s also big and thick enough to cover its large size.

-Thick armor adds a lot of weight, so the output of the steam engine must be increased.

-As the output of a steam engine increases, its size and weight must increase.

-Infinite repetition below.

In a situation where such an answer was not available, the only answer that came out was a combat lifter and an armored tow truck for engineers.

The crane, which was armored and armored to protect engineers in battle, boasted a size that literally ‘looked like a tile-roofed house tens of square feet moving alone.’ Even though it was only equipped with fire trucks for self-defense instead of artillery.

In the case of armored towing vehicles, a towing vehicle armored with steel plates of appropriate thickness pulled a cart that was also armored and topped with artillery.

It was a weapon that was only possible to develop because it had thin armor because its mission was to fire artillery fire at the enemy from a point slightly far away from the front line where the battle was taking place.

“This is it… It should be called a self-propelled artillery, not a tank.”

As Hyang muttered to himself, it was something closer to a self-propelled artillery than a tank.

In some ways, they were weapons that were close to failures. However, thanks to their impressive performance in the Battle of Liaodong Province, the imperial army continued to use them.

* * *

“Miss… When it comes to building an internal combustion engine, Texas is still far away… The only place near our home base where crude oil is produced is the core region of the Ming Dynasty, so we can’t even touch it…”

The famous Texas. The oil field was still a mere pipe in the picture.

The empire was working hard to expand its territory. However, in the east, they could not put in all their effort because they had to worry about the Atlantic Ocean, and in the south, it was just the beginning and the jungle was blocking the way.

West?

The west hadn’t even really started yet and the damn desert was holding out.

Therefore, the incense was a reference to Ming.

The Ming and Japanese empires knew of the existence of crude oil.

It was already mentioned as oil water in the Book of Han (漢書), and Sim Gwal of the Song Dynasty wrote about oil in his book ‘Monggyepildam’.

If you look at Chinese historical records, there are records of using this crude oil in chemical engineering. In addition, crude oil, famous in the Ming Dynasty, was the main ingredient for the bitumen used to paint ships.

Therefore, there have already been several places in the Ming region where crude oil flows.

The problem was that these regions were in the traditional midlands.

It was possible for an empire to dominate this region, but it was impossible to dominate it.

The famous Daegyeong oil field was located in the Manchurian region secured through the Battle of Liaodong, but there were problems here too.

Hyangdo did not know the exact location of these oil fields. Drilling technology was lacking. The last and biggest problem was that Hyangdo also did not know how to refine crude oil.

“I know that distillation is the basis, but…”

As Hyang said, distillation was the basis for refining crude oil. However, in order to properly refine crude oil, chemical knowledge and technology had to be supported.

And in this area, the empire also had a long way to go.

* * *

“The conclusion is that all electricity produced by crude oil and internal combustion engines is a waste of money….”

Hyang concluded with an expression full of regret.

Hyang, who had already reached old age, was also making his own preparations.

I took turns with Wan to write down a list of things to do upon returning to the headquarters and to create my own ‘Japsangrok’.

“Originally, I was going to only do the virtuous things that are possible now and bury everything else….”

Among the knowledge and technology of the future that he knew, he tried to bury everything except those that are possible to be virtuous and those that are possible at the level of scholars in the current empire. It was incense.

However, Hyang-hyang, influenced by the Japsang-rok that King Sejong handed over to him just before his death, changed his mind.

“If the level of miscellaneous records left behind by Tae Sang-hang is at this level, I think it would be okay to leave them behind.”

After making this decision, Hyang began to write his own personal memoir.

And this also had its own practical difficulties.

“To be honest, I know it, but I feel like it would be a waste to bury it since I can’t even grasp the concept properly at this level. However, there were limits to my ability to do everything.”

Whether it was electricity or an internal combustion engine, some results could be achieved by replacing scholars and craftsmen based on the concepts and knowledge known by Hyang. But persuading scholars and craftsmen was a problem.

“If you ask me how I knew, it’s hard to explain. ‘That’s just what I thought’ is no longer enough… Especially those damn ‘oxygen’ and ‘combustion’… Phew~. If we go a little further from here, the ‘displaced alien theory’ will become established theory.”

Knowing this limitation, I decided to keep the knowledge I was trying to bury as a miscellaneous record.

“It would be possible because there are various records of the situation. “If this happens, I will remain just a ‘human being with unique perspectives and thoughts.’”

This was the scent that led to the creation of Japsangrok while making these calculations.

As a side note, King Sejong and Hyang’s Japsangrok, along with Jeon Jeonrok, were treated as top secrets among top secrets. And when it was revealed over a longer period of time, it became the center of historical controversy and all kinds of conspiracy theories.

* * *

When Hyang was torn between his virtue and the limitations of reality, an official request arrived from this newspaper.

Hyang’s eyes lit up as he received the official request submitted by the Imperial Defense Ministry and approved by Wan.

“This is what I expected… huh? this is? “Isn’t this something I didn’t expect?”

What Hyang expected was the mass production of ‘Gap-sik light cars’.

Imperial commanders who participated in the conquest of Messika submitted a report praising the effectiveness of light vehicles.

After confirming the battle reports and post-war analysis reports prepared at the time of the conquest, the upper echelons of the Imperial Army and the Ministry of Defense imported light vehicles from New China and began field testing in the North.

As the evaluation from Bukji was also very positive, the Ministry of National Defense decided to officially adopt the Gap-sik light vehicle.

According to this decision, the Gap-type light vehicle was transformed from a regional specialized weapon used only in Shinji to a weapon used in all regions of the empire.

On the other hand, from the perspective of countries that were hostile to or wary of the empire, one more ‘damn troublesome imperial weapon’ had been added.

The official adoption of light vehicles had a significant impact on Shinji.

This was because, according to Wan’s orders, Gap-type light vehicles were produced in Shinji and supplied to the imperial army.

So far, all funds for the development of the new site have been supported by the magazine.

In such a situation, the fact that the production cost of the Gap-style light vehicle was going to Shinji meant that Shinji was finally starting to become self-reliant.

In some ways, it was similar to a ‘numbers game’, but it was a very symbolic event.

* * *

If the ‘official adoption of Gap-sik light tea’ was within the expected range of the fragrance, there were also things that the fragrance did not expect.

“Are you asking me to make a ‘thrown grenade launcher’?”

Hyang, who received another request from the imperial army, looked surprised.

The performance of the weapons requested by the imperial army was summarized as follows.

-A firearm that can fire fire bombs with similar power as throwing bombs farther than throwing bombs.

-Can be operated under the soldier’s first or second name.

-Education and training will not take a long time.

After confirming the ‘required performance’ stated by the imperial army, Hyang slightly tilted his head.

“What should I call this? Rifle grenade? A stray bullet?”

The ‘Battle of Mesica’ was behind the imperial army’s request for such weapons.

In the jungle battles in the Messica region as well as the street battles in Tenochtitlan, the imperial army made great use of thrown bombs.

The power itself was much weaker than that of Bigyeokjincheonroe, but the portability of the thrown bomb was far superior.

All imperial commanders who participated in the battle at the time paid attention to its portability.

But there were also some regrets.

Because it was thrown by a person, it could not fly far.

The upper echelons of the Imperial Army all nodded after confirming the reports of the warring commanders.

“It’s definitely good to carry around and use throwing bombs.”

“I agree. Bigyeokjincheonroe is certain, but it requires a

toy…

” It means it can’t fly. “No matter how good the soldiers are at slinging, they are still inferior to toys.”

“I agree.”

This is how the Imperial Army decided to develop a projectile launcher.

Following the Imperial Army’s decision, artisans in Area 51 began developing a grenade launcher.

However, when the imperial military leaders saw the projectile launcher made by the craftsmen, they all looked strange.

“Performance seems to be good, but something seems to be lacking…”

“I agree. “It seems like something is a little lacking, but there’s something…”

When the subsequent practical evaluation showed similar results, Wan immediately asked Hyang to develop it.

* * *

Hyang, who learned of the situation through the records sent by the imperial army, nodded.

“Of course… there is a problem.”

-Similar to the power of a thrown bullet

-Fly farther than a thrown bullet.

-Can be operated by 1 or 2 soldiers.

Even in Hyang’s memory, there were more than one weapon that satisfied these requirements.

“There are rifle grenades, grenades, 60mm mortars, and the Japanese army’s famous grenade barrels…”

All were satisfying the requirements of the imperial army, but they had different advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, other weapons, except for the grenadier, continued to be used even into the 21st century.

“Hmm… Then my choice is… Considering the current level of technology of the Empire…”

Among the various candidates that came to mind, the one that caught my eye was the M79 Grenade Launcher.

“Of course, we can’t make the detonator and safety device of the grenade itself exactly the same… but it will still pay for the food.”