Hyunmu Opens the Gate
"What the hell is that?"
Choi Ga pointed. A massive shadow was approaching. A pitch-black wooden structure on wheels, its roof covered in thick planks and iron hide—an utter monstrosity. A battering ram. The siege weapon designed to smash through gates.
But this wasn't your standard ram. It was an upgraded version, its roof armored like a turtle shell to deflect arrows and bullets.
"Th-that thing... it kinda looks like our Hyunmu, doesn't it?" Choi Ga muttered dumbly.
"Like hell it does. It's a cheap knockoff."
They'd gotten smart. If scaling the walls was impossible, they'd just smash the gate and charge in. That thick shell wouldn't pierce with ordinary arrows.
"The gate! They're targeting the gate!" General Kim Si-min shouted urgently.
Elite Japanese troops swarmed around the ram like ants, escorting it. Ignoring musket fire, they barreled straight for the north gate.
"Stop it! Throw stones!"
The soldiers hurled their remaining rocks, but they bounced harmlessly off the roof.
"Damn, it's tough."
I fired my byeonjeon, but it embedded in the thick planks without penetrating.
Thud!Thud!
The Japanese ram reached the gate. Their war cries echoed.
"Smash it! Break the gate!"
Boom! The gate shuddered violently. The crossbar creaked.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The gate screamed under the assault of a massive log swung by iron chains and dozens of men.
"Hold it! Add more bars! Block it with rocks!" Pastor Kim Si-min bellowed until his throat was raw.
Soldiers piled rocks and rice sacks behind the gate, but each impact shook the whole structure. Dust rained down, cracks spiderwebbing the thick oak bar.
Crack!
"It's breaking! The gate's breaking!"
Terror etched the soldiers' faces. They were fending off climbers on the walls, but if the gate fell, it was over. Thirty thousand invaders pouring in against our 3,800 defenders? Not a battle—a massacre.
From the wall, I looked down. What a sight. Burned by yesterday's defeat, the Japanese had gone all-in on breaching the gate. Musketeers pinned us down with covering fire, elite troops shielding the ram as it surged forward.
"Boss! What do we do? Go down and block it with our bodies?" Choi Ga stamped in frustration.
I scanned the terrain before the gate instead of answering. Swarming enemies like black ants, jostling to squeeze through the narrow opening.
Suddenly, I recalled the weapon Na Dae-yong had shown me last night.
'When they flood the narrow gate, fire this and they'll be roasted alive.'
A cold smile tugged at my lips.
"Choi Ga."
"Yeah!"
"Go down and open the gate."
"Yeah! Open the... what?"
Choi Ga doubted his ears. General Kim Si-min jumped, staring at me in shock.
"Have you lost your mind? Open the gate? Invite them into our parlor? You want us all dead?"
"Not the parlor—the oven."
I reassured the general. "Sir, Jinju Castle's north gate is an ongeong design, right? Like a jar, curving around to embrace the enemy."
"Yes. To block straight charges and hit from the flanks. But what of it?"
"What happens when the jar's packed with rats, you seal the lid, and light a fire?"
General Kim Si-min's eyes widened. A tactician, he grasped it instantly. But the risk was huge.
"Fire attack... But if the flames don't catch or they break through, we're done."
"Don't worry. I'll handle it." I patted Mi-suk on the shoulder. "And I've got Hyunmu behind me. Na Dae-yong's 'surprise gift' too. Trust me."
I drove it home. "If we wait, the gate breaks anyway. Broken breach or open roast—same difference, right?"
The gate boomed again. The bar was splintering. Time wasn't on our side.
General Kim Si-min hesitated, then nodded decisively.
"Fine! I trust you! All or nothing!"
He drew his sword. "All troops, assemble inside the north gate! Archers, to the ongeong walls! Ready fire arrows!"
The plan was on. I descended the wall and stood behind the gate, waving off the guards. Their faces were pale with instinctive dread at opening it ourselves.
"Clear it."
We shoved aside rocks and sacks.
Boom! Boom! Outside, the ram pounded relentlessly. They cheered, thinking victory near.
"Open."
Creeeak— The massive gates groaned open, rusty hinges screeching like the gates of hell.
"Waaaaah!"
"The gate's open! Charge!"
"I'll be first in!"
The ram-pushers surged in cheering, thousands more crashing like waves behind. Glory blinded them.
But their cheers died in three seconds.
No open castle interior awaited—just the curved high walls of the narrow ongeong. And dead ahead, four black behemoths blocking the path.
Hyunmu. Units 1 through 4, hulking ironclad tanks crammed the choke point.
The vanguard halted. But the press from behind forced them in, packing the space like sardines. Hundreds—no, nearly a thousand—trapped tight.
That was the moment.
"Now! Let the party begin!" Na Dae-yong yelled from atop Hyunmu 1.
Thick leather gloves, goggles—he was geared up.
"Bellows! Fire!"
Two burly Yiho Army men leaped onto the massive leather bellows at the rear, stomping hard.
Whoosh! Air surged through iron pipes.
The front nozzle—goblin-mouthed—ignited at the wick.
And then.
ROOOAR!
High-pressure black liquid sprayed, igniting mid-air into a roaring fire dragon. Sticky charcoal-sulfur napalm stretched thirty meters.
"Aaaagh! Fire!"
"Run! Kyaaagh!"
The narrow ongeong became hellfire instant. Oil-soaked Japanese danced as human torches. The adhesive blaze clung to armor, unquenched by water.
"Keep firing! Cut 'em off!"
Na Dae-yong urged nonstop bellows. Four Hyunmus filled the space with flame jets. Scorched flesh stench and agonized screams reverberated.
"Close the gate!"
I barred it again. Inmates trapped, outsiders blocked. A perfect killbox. Massive incinerator.
"Boss... this is too gruesome..."
Choi Ga retched, turning away. Even this thug-hardened vet couldn't stomach it.
"War. What they planned for us."
I said coolly. But my gut twisted too. Desperate survival—and an indelible karma. Lose, and we die. Nanse's rule.
Then, flame-breakouts: Fiends ablaze, mad with pain, charging sword-swinging.
"Die! Die with me!"
"Chon-sen-jing!"
They clambered for Hyunmu.
"Not today."
I swung Mi-suk.
Splat! A burning head flew. Sparks scattered.
"Bro! Back off! Hyunmu's melting!"
Heat warped even the tank. Na Dae-yong reversed it.
"Boss! You okay?"
"Fine! This sauna's refreshing!"
Lie. Skin burned despite Geumgang Bulgoe.
"Scatter shot!"
Na Dae-yong opened the cannon.
Bang! Bang!
Shrapnel rounds into the inferno. Coup de grâce on burning foes. Metal danced with fire.
How much time passed? Flames dying, the ongeong stood empty. Charred corpses carpeted the floor—hundreds, maybe a thousand. Soot-black walls bore witness.
Outside, late-realizing Japanese recoiled in horror.
"What happened inside?"
"The screams stopped..."
"Don't go in! Death!"
Seeping smoke and roasting meat reek sufficed for bone-deep terror. No more ram pushes.
"Situation clear."
I leaned Mi-suk on the ground, catching breath. General Kim Si-min descended.
Speechless at the horror, he approached Na Dae-yong and me.
"Lord Na. You're... terrifying. Building such a weapon."
"War demands demons to survive. Only hellfire stops them," Na Dae-yong said bitterly, wiping sweat.
Then, a wall sentry yelled.
"General! They're retreating! Main force pulling back!"
"Retreating?"
General Kim Si-min and I rushed to the ramparts. True—the Japanese were withdrawing.
Not just the ongeong rout. Their rear: red banners fluttered from distant woods. Smoke rose, trumpets echoed.
"Those flags... Red Cloak General!" Choi Ga cheered.
Kwak Jae-woo. While we held, he'd raided their rear, cutting supplies, sowing chaos.
"Hahaha! Kwak's done it proper!"
General Kim Si-min boomed.
Thirty thousand sandwiched, immobile.
"Pincer from inside and out—they won't dare for a while. Sleep sound tonight."
Sun high. Japanese camped outside, momentum broken. Day one: Hyunmu and catapults. Day two: fire hell and ambush. Morale crushed.
"They're worn now. Quiet days ahead," Choi Ga sighed relieved.
"No complacency. Cornered rats bite cats."
I glared at their camp. Perfect win today. But war raged on.
Come. I'll burn you again and again.
Jinju's momentum tilted our way.