Chapter 110
Chapter 110
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 110
Chapter Title: Great King Namsaeng
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"Not bad."
As I marveled, the Silla flagship rowed backward to keep its distance, raining arrows down relentlessly. I heard the arrows ricocheting off the dragon head and the roof. Fortunately, none came near the observation hatch.
I roughly gauged the distance and shouted down to the soldier below the turret.
"Raise the dragon head!"
The soldier who heard me spun the wheel furiously. With a creaking groan, the dragon head lifted upward. A nozzle for firing Goguryeo Fire was fitted into its gaping maw. To shoot far, we had to angle the head up. It wasn't easy—I'd even considered scrapping it—but the sight of flames spewing from a dragon's mouth was too tempting to abandon. In the end, Ham-a managed to hoist it using the wheel with great difficulty. We raised the head to its maximum and prepared to launch the Goguryeo Fire. The tension in the nearly sealed space made sweat pour out like mad. I wiped the sweat beading on my chin with the back of my hand and yelled.
"Fire!"
As two men turned the wheel's handles, a deep rumble echoed. We pulled the plug from the canister, and I heard the Goguryeo Fire pouring in.
"Sounds just like a dragon roaring, doesn't it?"
It must have been the nozzle in the dragon's mouth channeling the flames. Moments later, fire burst from the dragon's jaws. The nozzle made the flames thicker than usual.
"Whoa! That's impressive."
It didn't fit a battlefield where people were dying, but I meant it. I suddenly understood why Yi Minwang had been awestruck watching the Manchu ironclads charge from afar at the Battle of Sarhu—even though they were crushing Joseon troops. The pillar of fire shot skyward and rained down on the Silla flagship blocking our path. The range fell short, and most splashed into the sea ahead, but even that fire didn't go out. Even the seasoned soldiers of the fire ghost ship, drilled through countless practices, were stunned. I shouted as I resealed the canister.
"Advance! Get in close and give 'em another dose!"
The captain echoed my order to advance at the top of his lungs. Drums pounded, and the ship surged forward again. The Silla flagship tried to retreat in a panic, but with its deck ablaze, it couldn't build speed. Incomprehensible shouts and pleas for mercy rang out, along with the eerie crackle of flames devouring the deck and hull timbers. The acrid, nauseating stench hit again, but I'd grown somewhat used to it. As our fire ghost ship closed in, the Silla ship loosed arrows wildly. Seeing that, a rather cruel thought crossed my mind.
"Lower the dragon head! Push in closer and make sure we burn her good."
The captain glanced back at me and issued a dry command.
"Advance! Ram the enemy ship."
The rowers pulled hard, and our fire ghost ship inched nearer. Desperate to douse the blaze, a good number of Silla soldiers were hurling water and flapping straw mats. Watching them, I muttered.
"That won't put it out."
We drove right up to their bow. I yanked the plug again and yelled to fire. The flames from the dragon head struck the Silla flagship squarely this time. Even the soldiers fighting the fire were engulfed. They leaped into the sea with burning bodies or rolled across the deck. A few still managed arrows or spears our way, but it was futile. Spears glancing off the iron dragon head boomed and splashed into the sea.
"This is exhilarating."
Guilt faded, replaced by the thrill of victory, and a grin spread across my face. But the ship kept charging ahead. Only then did I realize I'd forgotten to tell the captain to stop. I whipped around to him and saw him hunkered down, bellowing.
"Brace for impact!"
He must have thought I meant to ram since I hadn't said otherwise. I gripped the hatch cover and crouched low.
'Damn it, this isn't even a real turtle ship!'
A splintering crash rang out as we slammed into the burning Silla flagship's hull. Blazing heat brushed past, carrying the stench of charred flesh and death. Then an enormous jolt rocked the ship wildly.
"Urgh!"
I nearly tumbled from the turret, but a soldier beside me grabbed me, and I held on.
"Phew. That was close."
I thanked the soldier who saved me and caught my breath. Peering out again, I saw nothing—the ship we'd hit had sunk. Relieved we'd cleared that hurdle, I wondered about the other fire ghost ships. I shouted to Abiryu, who was checking astern.
"How are the others doing?"
"They're keeping up fine. They've turned two pairs into kindling."
"That makes seven down, since we got three."
I was scanning for the remaining Silla warships when the captain, eyeing ahead, shouted.
"The rest are fleeing toward the harbor!"
"Where?"
"The harbor on the right."
Sure enough, I spotted over ten Silla warships clustered there. As I watched, the captain yelled again.
"Looks like they're beaching to escape. What now?"
"Chase 'em down and burn every last one!"
I bellowed, and the captain roared back.
"Advance! Burn every ship in that right-hand harbor—warships, merchants, all of 'em!"
"Hooray!"
From rowers to soldiers, everyone cheered. The joy of victory and survival was palpable. Yet the surrounding sea floated charred wood and corpses. My heart pounded like it would burst. Back in the modern world, I'd killed off characters in novels without a second thought. But seeing people die right in front of me hit different. I'd witnessed death at Niha Fortress too, but burning alive was another level. Suppressing the shock, I saw our fire ghost ship and the others storm the harbor. They unleashed Goguryeo Fire indiscriminately at the panicking, tangled Silla warships. With warships and merchants packed together, we could've hit them blindfolded.
"Fire! Keep firing!"
Goguryeo Fire erupted, filling the ship with scorching heat.
"Damn, it's hot."
Summer hadn't even arrived, but the temperature inside was insane. Unable to take it, I climbed up and flung open the hatch. Coughing up the pent-up smoke, I gulped fresh air.
"Ahh, I can breathe now."
Stepping out, I took in the scene. Two Silla warships had slipped the harbor mouth only to be surrounded by Ga Do-han's squadron. The harbor itself was hell.
"My God."
It was a dream come true, but nothing to celebrate. With guttural roars, flames sprayed out, igniting everything in seconds.
"This stuff really packs a punch."
Every ship in sight was ablaze. Unlike in movies or dramas, fire arrows didn't ignite wood that easily. But Goguryeo Fire, packed with combustibles, spread everywhere—even on water, it wouldn't extinguish. I heard the deck planks of a burning warship splinter. A Silla sailor, wreathed in flames, tried leaping from the deck to the sea but snagged on the rail, thrashed, then went limp. Ships 2 and 3 flanked us, belching fire. With them joining in, the harbor became a sea of fire—a fiery inferno.
"Maybe call it off now?"
I muttered at the gruesome sight when suddenly one Silla warship, engulfed in flames, lurched into motion. It thrashed side to side as if shaking off the fire, then slowly bore toward us.
"What! What the hell!"
It was like Cerberus guarding the gates of hell approaching. The prow was already crumbling in the blaze, and even the oars cutting the water were alight. Yet it kept coming somehow. My eyes bulged.
"They're insane."
The burning Silla warship closed in, freezing me solid. Abiryu, who'd followed me up, spotted it and yelled below.
"Captain! Pull back! Silla warship incoming!"
The captain's frantic order to reverse oars rang out, but we didn't gain speed. Meanwhile, the flaming hulk closed to point-blank.
"Collision!"
No time to shut the hatch—I could only watch as we hit.
"Argh!"
Luckily, I clung to the hatch handle and didn't tumble down. But Abiryu couldn't brace and rolled down the stairs. Burning debris flew, forcing me to shield my face.
"Damn it! Real madmen. Not kamikazes or anything!"
I'd heard Silla troops were tenacious, but this was unreal.
"At least the ship that hit us shattered. Dodged a bullet there."
Catching my breath, I spotted something at the dragon head.
"Wh-what's that?!"
A Silla soldier, half his body charred, had climbed the dragon head. He'd must've latched on during the collision. Grotesque and horrifying—smoke still billowed from him, and half his face was blackened.
"A... person?"
The agony of burning alive was said to be the worst. Yet he'd endured to scale our dragon head. It reminded me of the monk who self-immolated protesting the Diem regime in Vietnam. As wild thoughts raced, the Silla soldier crested the dragon head and glared down at me—still smoldering.
"This isn't a horror flick!"
But he upped the ante, raising a sword in one hand. Only then did I realize how close he was. With the dragon head elevated, a jump would easily reach me, hatch open and all.
"My God!"
Caught off guard, I froze. Then the spear tip at my waist—Jumong's blade—whined shrilly. I yanked it free and looped the leather thong around my wrist. It whistled through the air, piercing the Silla soldier's throat atop the dragon head. He struggled desperately but collapsed into the sea, blood gushing. As I exhaled in relief, Geom Mojam climbed up late.
"Are you all right, Master?"
Jumong's blade returned to my hand. Geom Mojam flinched at the sight, and I replied.
"Not hurt."
"Shut the hatch and get inside, quickly."
"Yeah, good idea."
It'd be stuffy, but who knew if it'd happen again? I sheathed Jumong's blade, shut the hatch, and prepared to go below. Then, glancing casually at the shore, I spotted something.