Chapter 23: Towards Hill 203 Part 2

The 203 Hill is still under battle.

The Japanese are probably feeling the pressure now.

They must be desperate to deal a blow to Russia and attack us from behind.

But realistically, that’s not possible right now.

The Russo-Japanese War was originally won through surprise attacks, but this time, even that’s not working, and they’ve killed the emperor of our allied nation.

The troops of the Empire of Korea must be nervous, wondering when they’ll be discovered.

The choice is ours.

Now, it’s time to break this thin ice.

I’ve been assigned to lead the 1st Cavalry Regiment of the Gando Army (Artillery Division).

I’ve gathered a regiment from the cavalry that plundered Qing troops and crushed them when they crossed over to Gando.

Among them are some Manchu people who want to collaborate with us and try to make a fortune.

“I, the governor of Shenyang, will ask you! Are you afraid of the Japanese?”

“If you’re afraid of those Japanese bastards, then you’re no man of Korea!”

“We will take revenge for the First Sino-Japanese War!”

“Good. From now on, we will engage in battle with Japan. And we’ll head to Lushun! Let’s shove our knives into the backs of the Japanese and drive them out of Manchuria!”

Waaaaaah!

With that, we moved forward with the cavalry regiment.

It seems like it could be fun leading the cavalry and just charging straight through.

“Are you really planning to lead only the cavalry regiment, Count?”

As I was about to leave, Kim Insu showed up.

This guy has always seemed suspicious.

‘Is he watching me as a Russian or as a member of the Empire of Korea?’

I still don’t trust him.

‘What’s he thinking? Is he planning to stab me in the back with some wicked scheme?’

“Of course. Just like before, I’ll lead the way.”

“Just like before, I’ll take the lead. Now that the emperor is dead, it doesn’t matter what he does.”

“It’s dangerous. You’re a woman, how could you…”

Oh, that kind of talk is risky. Back in pre-nuclear South Korea, such words would have gotten him buried.

“The fact that I’m a woman doesn’t matter.”

“When the country is in danger, what does gender matter? If you’re going to hesitate in such a situation, then you’re a pro-Japanese traitor.”

Honestly, considering the current state of the Empire of Korea, we might need to conscript women too.

“Russia might be fine for now, but if a revolution breaks out, things will fall apart quickly.”

“By then, the Empire of Korea will stand alone.”

“To prepare for that, we need to reform the army to face the Qing and Japan. The Qing will definitely attack us. We need to also keep an eye on internal collapse, but after the humiliation they suffered at my hands, they’ll have no choice but to reform. That’s the only way we avoid disaster.”

“Even if we integrate Manchuria, the population will double, so we can match Japan’s population. But winning in terms of national power is a different matter. Even leading the cavalry regiment, I could still serve as a meat shield and break through the exhausted troops on 203 Hill.”

“Of course, it all depends on my charisma. Just because I’m strong doesn’t mean the people under me are too.”

“But even with just the cavalry regiment, attacking from the side won’t guarantee victory, right?”

“Normally, yes.”

But I don’t die.

Even when I faced Kuroki’s army near Pyeongan, they were massacred by me while crying like babies.

‘Would this place be any different? If an immortal figure suddenly shows up and attacks with a sword, the enemy’s formation will fall apart in fear.’

“Especially if we’re attacking a hill. My goal is to decapitate Nogi.”

“I’ll take Nogi’s head. Once I do, they’ll crumble in an instant.”

“Once I strike Nogi’s head while the Japanese are in disarray, they won’t be able to hold themselves together, right?”

“I’m betting everything on that. I’d even bet my men on it. Well, I don’t have any, but still, it means I’m seeing a possibility.”

“It’s dangerous.”

‘Why does Kim Insu keep saying it’s dangerous? Isn’t war supposed to be dangerous?’

They say wars are started by old men, but young people are the ones who die.

In this battle, even though I’m leading the regiment, I have no intention of letting only the cavalry regiment die.

“There’s no way it’s not dangerous right now. The fate of the nation is at stake.”

“In truth, this Russo-Japanese War is our last real chance. It’s nearly too late, but it’s truly the last period where Korea might avoid colonization. That’s why I have to step up and take charge.”

“Hmm.”

When a nation is in peril, a superhuman must appear to save it.

Korea has always been like that.

Even when everyone is corrupt, one or two superhumans appear to save the country.

Of course, those superhumans couldn’t fix the country, but at least if I want to survive, I have to overhaul this Empire of Korea.

Even if the nation’s name changes and it’s reborn as another country, if it’s a country of the Korean people, I won’t care.

This Russo-Japanese War will be the start of that.

I’ll work hard and raise Lee Beomyun to the top.

“Kim Chamryeong, I hope you’ll keep serving as the communication officer.”

“This is really insane. Ugh.”

Well, whether it’s insane or not doesn’t matter to me.

I’ll be the one to fight this battle.

I won’t die.

Honestly, there’s a chance the entire cavalry regiment might die in this battle, but if it serves as a distraction, that’s enough.

“I’m not scared, since I’ve died once before.”

At least, the lucky thing is that in the midst of all this, Oyama Iwao decided to treat the Korean army not as an army, but as consumables.

Probably, since the Japanese army doesn’t see a chance to defeat the Russian army, they’ll grab whatever they can.

***

203 Hill Russian Front

The Russian front at 203 Hill was burning hot.

At first, the sight of those crazy Nippon bastards charging up the hill, turning into chunks of meat, was somewhat satisfying.

However, as the damage kept increasing, the Russian army was beginning to feel the pressure of the madness as well.

“When will these bastards retreat?”

“They’ll keep going until the end. Don’t you think they believe they’ll gain something if they win here?”

“Yeah, especially since they killed our allied emperor.”

“Truly foolish bastards.”

“Has the naval battle ended?”

“They say the Baltic fleet will join soon.”

Major General Anatoly Stessel and Brigadier General Roman Kondratenko were both eager for this exhausting battle to end quickly.

If only the naval battle could be finished quickly with the fleet’s arrival.

Then, whatever the outcome, at least there would be closure.

Especially since Kondratenko’s 7th Sharpshooter Division, under his command at 203 Hill, had taken considerable losses.

“Sir! A new army has appeared!”

“A new army?”

“They call themselves the Korean army.”

“Korea came to help Nippon? They killed their emperor…”

‘What kind of army were these fools? Were they really this clueless?’

“Don’t you know? Korea relies on Nippon for communication.”

How foolish. Yeah, Korea must be even more backward than Russia, so this could make sense.

I heard their troops number almost 80,000.

‘If all of Korea’s forces are here, wouldn’t it be a threat?’

Even if they are used as cannon fodder, Russia’s army will be overwhelmed by their numbers.

“Damn it. We won’t be able to hold on at this rate.”

Even though the situation seemed favorable, there was no telling when reinforcements would arrive at the hill.

“How about we take the initiative and strike first?”

“Strike first?”

“You want to leave the defensive position and go down to fight? We could hold out just by defending.”

“Now that the Koreans have joined, we will be outnumbered. I believe it would be better to strike first and crush the Nippon forces.”

At that very moment, while fiercely attacking 203 Hill, supplies were running low.

The Japanese army had come well-prepared since they started this war two years late.

Of course, if this dragged on a bit longer, it would be a certainty that not just 203 Hill, but forces across the land would repel the Japanese army.

But if Korea’s forces, their second division, attacked, 203 Hill would be in danger.

In history, Stessel would have surrendered by now, unable to hold out.

But after years of preparation for war, and with enough supplies and troops left, he was now calculating that he wanted to make a move.

‘So, shall we fight?’

‘Yeah. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to take advantage of the rising morale and engage in battle.’

‘Before Korea’s forces could join, strike a decisive blow, then prepare to defend again.’

After all, once the Nippon forces are crushed, Korea’s army, which only fills numbers, won’t be much of a threat.

“Let’s fight.”

“It’s too risky.”

“Either way, we’re all going to die! Fine, let’s go! Men! Let’s go down and kill those monkey bastards slowly crawling up from the plateau!”

“Tsar, Ura! Russian Empire, Ura!”

Unfortunately, the Russian Empire army, mistakenly thinking that the Korean Empire’s army had come to ally with Nippon, charged down the hill and began attacking the Japanese forces.

***

Meanwhile, the Japanese army was in a state of madness.

For two years, Japan and England had drained everything to build up the Korean Empire’s 80,000-man army for this war, and now it was marching toward them.

Upon hearing that Emperor Gojong had been killed by Kuroki’s 1st Army, Nogi Maresuke was filled with tension.

‘Did these Koreans come to cooperate with Russia, or are they here to help?’ He had no idea.

‘The general staff tried to wear them down as much as possible, but could they be sure that the Korean forces, whether protestors or guard units from the Korean Peninsula, hadn’t been sent without notifying them? No, they couldn’t.’

So, Nogi Maresuke, knowing that they might be surrounded from both sides, grew tense and realized he had to break through, either through 203 Hill or by dealing with the Korean army.

The Japanese, now cornered from both sides, had to make a life-or-death decision.

Each side was fighting due to conflicting interests.

Especially for Nogi Maresuke, who had already lost his two sons, Nogi Katsunori at Namsan and Nogi Yasusuke at 203 Hill.

That wasn’t all.

Most of the troops he had brought were already dead on the hill.

At the very least, if they could capture 203 Hill and land a blow on the Russian army, it would add strength to the Empire’s victory, and in death, he could meet his sons again.

“Damn those yellow bastards!”

“Their kind cannot overcome the samurai spirit of the Imperial Army! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Empire of Japan!”

Crack! Bang! Boom!

Now, it was time to see who would die.

The blood-soaked hand-to-hand combat began.

Neither side would give an inch, looking at each other like parents’ enemies, killing each other as their losses mounted like snow.

Stab! Bang! Bam! Boom!

It was like a hell on earth beneath the sky.

The brutal infantry battle between the white nations and the yellow nations continued.

Stabbing with swords, shooting with guns, making meat paste with bombs—203 Hill was drenched in blood, both from Russian and Japanese forces.

The Korean army, which had only been watching from a distance, was stunned.

***

After some time, the Japanese army finally took the upper hand.

The pressure of having killed Emperor Gojong and the fear of being surrounded by Russia and Korea made the Japanese even more desperate for victory than the Russian army, which had a bit more leeway with its navy and army.

As supplies ran out, the Japanese pushed back the Russian forces and climbed toward 203 Hill.

They needed to capture it quickly and block those damn Koreans.

Nogi Maresuke, thinking of this, climbed toward 203 Hill.

But then—

Whooooosh!

“What’s this? A large force? What is that crow banner?”

“The army of the Marquis of Manchuria!”

A Russian soldier, fighting the Japanese, shouted.

Only then did the Japanese realize that cavalry was approaching from behind them.

The sight of cavalry charging from all directions left the Japanese soldiers wide-eyed.

Nogi Maresuke thought of the special forces of Korea, the Sapo Corps, who had supposedly infiltrated the area.

He had heard they weren’t ordinary Korean soldiers carrying the crow banner, and Japan had even sent several requests for support from the Marquis of Manchuria.

Now, this army, led by a woman in the front, was charging at them.

“Unbelievable. A woman?”

Unlike the other cavalry armed with rifles, the woman was only holding a sword.

She had a pistol on her waist and a bloody hand axe in her hand.

The Japanese army, which had been desperately trying to climb 203 Hill after driving back the Russian forces, no longer had the strength to fight off the cavalry coming from behind.