The True Breaking of the Cauldrons
In truth, we were the ones breaking the cauldrons and sinking the boats.
“Tsk...!”
Ow, come on. If you're gonna shoot, at least do it right. What the hell is this? Seriously. It's not like I have horns on my forehead or anything.
I could forgive the guy for shooting at me, to a certain extent. Both me and the Japanese troops were fighting for our lives. But planting a chestnut-sized lump right on my forehead? That was utterly unforgivable.
It was around evening, after the battle and cleanup were done. I sat at the desk in the platoon commander's office, peering into a mirror.
My pretty face, inherited from my beautiful mom—a gisaeng's son look—was marred by two blemishes. On my left temple, a scar from protecting Mom. On my right temple, a lump from getting shot today. And not just any lump—a plump, chestnut-like one.
“Ah, fuck. Seriously. You Japs...”
Still, it was a relief it was only this much. Normally, that shot would've pierced my forehead clean through, or blown my head apart. If I hadn't been wearing my helmet then. If the bullet's angle had been even a bit more vertical.
I'd be lying out there in the open field with the other soldiers.
“Haaah...”
Thinking of our comrades who died today made my head throb for reasons other than the lump.
In this battle, Joseon casualties totaled 12 including me. Three dead, four critically wounded and unable to move on their own. Combat-ready troops, including the lightly wounded, had dwindled to 24.
We'd have to drag in Lieutenant Na Se-hyeong, locked up in the barracks, and Sergeant Won Hyeong-gyun, wherever he was hiding.
“This is insane, for real...!”
Still, the situation wasn't all bad. We'd confirmed 57 Japanese dead in this battle. Add the 13 prisoners we took today, that's 70. Toss in estimated wounded, and we're looking at roughly 100.
Ah, am I spinning the happy circuit too hard? Make it 90? Yeah, let's go with 90.
Forty in yesterday's first clash. Ninety in today's siege. That left the Japanese stronghold with barely 70 combat-ready troops.
Kuh! Down from 200 to 70 with just 30 men! No—what the hell can't I do?!
And it wasn't just good news. The Japanese had built a position about 250 meters from our fortress, stacking rice sacks. It'd burned down. And they'd done it themselves.
Kekeke. Idiots.
They must've tried imitating the breaking of the cauldrons and sinking boats with their rice. But we were the real ones with no retreat. These fuckers. Total morons. Kekekeke.
Would these idiots even eat dinner tonight? After torching all that rice? Ah, right—there's Izuhara Port nearby. They'll just loot there.
A rustle came from behind the closed platoon commander's door.
“Platoon Commander, sir. Upper Gapsa I Cheol-dong reporting. May I enter?”
“Yeah, hold on a sec.”
I hurriedly scanned the desk. Spotted my helmet and jammed it on. The protruding lump got squished under it, but the cool metal felt good.
Only after hiding the lump did I call out.
“Yeah. Come in.”
“Yes, sir. Loyalty.”
I Cheol-dong entered, snapping a crisp salute in a rigid stance. I returned it casually with a raised hand and asked,
“The reinforcements? They here?”
The battle had ended just past noon, and five or six hours had passed. If they'd sent reinforcements early from the Daema-jin base at Hita-katsu, they should've arrived by now.
But Upper Gapsa I Cheol-dong shook his head firmly, face stoic as ever.
“Negative, sir.”
“Haa, fuck...!”
Swearing in front of a subordinate elder was rude, of course. But right now, I couldn't help it.
We'd lost a third of our force in that brief clash today. Sure, we'd killed over half the Japs, but they were just the vanguard. If the vanguard was 200, the main force had to be pushing 1,000.
The main body usually landed two or three days after the vanguard. Fastest case? Tomorrow.
We couldn't hold off 1,000 with just over 20 men. And now, with reinforcements delayed to tomorrow too. Hell, would they even come tomorrow? Had word of this fortress's plight even reached them? After Daema-do itself betrayed us? Really?
Ah, this is driving me nuts. What the hell do we do? Do we really have to do that? That thing? In the end?
“Platoon Commander, sir.”
“Yes? Oh, sorry.”
I'd gotten lost in thought so long I'd forgotten I Cheol-dong was there.
“May I go?”
“Uh, yeah. Wait, hold on.”
Time didn't stop while I pondered. Even if my thinking was wrong, I couldn't stop making decisions. Just like Lieutenant Na Se-hyeong in the first battle.
“Sergeant I.”
“Yes. Upper Gapsa I Cheol-dong.”
“Go fetch the squad leaders.”
“Yes, sir. Loyalty.”
I Cheol-dong left without asking why, trusting me completely. It was burdensome as hell.
If I'd known it'd be like this, I should've just borrowed the platoon commander spot from Lieutenant Na Se-hyeong temporarily and handed it back. No need for a mutiny to snag it. It wasn't that valuable a seat anyway.
Ah, should I just hand it to Sergeant I Cheol-dong? His dad's General Yi Jing-ok. Even Admiral Yi Sun-sin was an Yi. Yeah. Perfect fit for—
You idiot. It's not like handing out snacks to kids.
“Platoon Commander, sir. Squad leaders as ordered.”
I Cheol-dong returned shortly with the other squad leaders. I waited until they lined up before my desk, then spoke.
“Straight to the point. At dawn tomorrow...”
I paused, standing from my chair. Sorry to the men who'd fought non-stop since yesterday, but.
Reality couldn't be swayed by feelings alone.
“At dawn tomorrow, we abandon Eom-won-bo. This fortress.”
The three squad leaders reacted differently.
“...”
I Cheol-dong kept his stoic face, signaling he'd follow.
“S-Sorry, I misheard?”
Squad Leader 2 scowled, denying reality.
“Haaa...”
Squad Leader 3 sighed, nodding like he'd expected it.
“I get it. Nobody wants to abandon it.”
I spoke first, before objections flew.
“No choice. Reinforcements' arrival is unknown. Enemy main force could hit tomorrow. Our troops are exhausted. Supplies are low. We can't keep fighting.”
Morale mattered too. Sky-high after yesterday's bloodless win, but casualties had tanked it. Supplies were an issue—the base wasn't stocked for prolonged combat. Especially matchlock ammo: Neuller bullets, powder, fuses. One or two more fights like today, and we'd be dry.
Luckily, signal cannon powder was plentiful—used more for signals than weapons.
Of course, other problems abounded. Food for days at best. Prisoners over half our force. Medical supplies gone. Pretty much everything sucked.
The only non-problem was my handsome face... Ah, wait, forehead lump. Fuck you, Japs.
Anyway, the fortress itself was a mess. No way to sustain combat.
“How do we withdraw, sir?”
Squad Leader 2 asked gloomily.
“Even retreating, the path down is blocked by the enemy main camp. No way past without detection.”
Not the burned outpost. The main Japanese camp at the base of the hill. Single approach was the fortress's strength—now a fatal flaw with Japs camped there.
So we'd exploit that flaw.
“Yeah, I know. Can't slip by undetected. That's why we'll get detected on purpose.”
“What do you mean?”
“Draw their eyes deliberately. Until the non-combatants evacuate the wounded safely.”
Showing beat explaining. I unrolled a map of the fortress area, tracing the plan with my finger.
“We crawl to the enemy outpost midway up the hill. Light the beacon there to stir them toward the fortress, then split: six and 18. Infiltrate their main camp.”
Not just matchlocks and revolvers. Improvised bombs from signal powder, leftover incendiaries from the siege.
“The six-man diversion tosses bombs and firebombs from the north, pulling eyes. Simultaneously, the 18-man strike team charges the main camp, engages. Decoy op. Or triple decoy, really.”
Field-made bombs lacked lethality but would boom loud. That boom signals the real play: fortress holdouts descend the hill. We rampage till they're safe, then pull back. Op over.
“Any chance it fails?”
All combat troops as bait. Me included, we could all die. I half-hoped someone'd object.
“Looks solid.”
“I agree. Japs' morale must be in the gutter after back-to-back routs. Could inflict heavy losses.”
“Hahat! I'm in! Was worried we'd leave without landing a punch!”
But no objections. They even nodded eagerly.
“You're really doing this? Anyone could die?”
I barely believed my own plan. But the squad leaders, I Cheol-dong included, stared like I was weird.
“From the moment we accepted you as platoon commander, we entrusted our lives to you.”
“No better option than your orders, sir. We do it.”
“We've survived this long thanks to you! One life ain't much!”
What, do they have extras? What makes them follow this madness?
I was flustered by their quick buy-in, but my lips curled up with theirs.
“Ichika! When does the main force arrive?!”
“We sent the courier today. Latest, tomorrow.”
“What?! Counting today's fight, we've lost 100 men to those 30 bastards! Barely over 60 combat-ready, half green recruits!”
“Calm down first.”
“How, in this mess?! If Joseon holds with 30 what 100 couldn't—even 300 won't stop 'em once the main force hits!”