The Empire I Create Chapter 15

Chapter 15. The Changing Year and a New Turning Point

Winter had cast a chilly glow over Tamna, yet the expressions of its people shone with hope. One day, shortly before the Lunar New Year, Anmusa* Ijigwang visited Hamin’s residence to convey news of a banquet being organized by Tamna’s royal family and nobles.

*Anmusa : A military-administrative official dispatched by the central government.

“Inspector, a banquet? What’s that all about?”
Hamin asked. Seven months had passed since his arrival in Tamna in the spring, and now winter had almost given way to the New Year.

“The royal and noble families of Tamna are hosting a feast to celebrate the coming year. If I go there alone as the government’s representative, the atmosphere will probably be stiff. But if the ‘Lord’—that is, you—join me, they’ll be much more pleased. Above all, it’ll make it easier for me to issue orders in your name.”

At the time, Tamna had a unique power structure:

1. The Anchal-sa (or Anmusa), dispatched from the central government of Goryeo.
2. The royal family and nobles of Tamna, who had long ruled this land.
3. Commoners from various social classes (scholars, farmers, artisans, merchants).
4. And below them, slaves.

In the seven months since Hamin’s arrival, Tamna had transformed dramatically thanks to booming industry and trade; yet the slave system persisted under the old order. It bothered Hamin greatly whenever he saw it, but he felt that causing further upheaval right now might only breed chaos, so for the time being, he turned a blind eye.

Hamin’s thoughts:
“We’ll have to reform the system someday, but not yet. We need Tamna to grow a bit more and set up stable currency and social structures first.”

Lost in thought, Hamin heard Ijigwang repeat his question.

“What about Sir Hyungjun, then?”

But Hamin shook his head.

“I don’t need to attend a banquet like that, nor will I send Hyungjun. However, I do have a message I’d like you to relay for me, word for word.”

With a brief sigh, Hamin dictated:

“From now on, Tamna will become even richer and more advanced. Please come together under Anchal-sa Ijigwang’s leadership this year as well. Have a blessed New Year.”

Upon hearing those words, Ijigwang bowed deeply, moved.

“Telling them to unite around me… That alone will let me speak with confidence in front of the royal family and nobles.”

In truth, the reason Tamna’s royal family and nobles followed Hamin’s commands to some degree was precisely because “a god from the heavens (=Hamin)” stood behind Ijigwang. With such authority, they dared not openly oppose him.

Once Ijigwang departed, Hamin moved to the truck and spoke to Thanos under his breath.

“By June, the ship should be afloat.”

He had already put in place something akin to an early Industrial Revolution.
They were accumulating iron ore, coal, and other war supplies like gunpowder and cannons. Thanks to goods purchased through trade, they were currently building one steam-powered ship on a trial basis, scheduled for completion in June.

“If that happens, we can travel to the mainland or even to other countries. Even if the Mongols invade, I believe we can hold our own once we have weapons and a fleet at our current pace.”

Thanos brought up a report:

• Current trial ship: About 100 tons, 30 meters in length, 6 meters in width.
• Enough coal stockpiled that even if this vessel sailed around the globe, there would still be fuel left.
• Ten cannons have been produced so far, with plans to make ten more by June; test firings of cannonballs have succeeded.

Glancing over Thanos’s report, Hamin murmured to himself:

“Good. We’re not lacking anything.”

He then revealed an ambitious new plan:

“Let’s try making a wooden airplane.”

A propeller plane with an engine would be a revolutionary aid in both reconnaissance and aerial support.
He intended to have Kra (Optimus 3) handle the design and production, while Meti (Optimus 6) and Pose (Optimus 8) took charge of procuring and trading for the necessary fuel (gasoline) and parts.

The main complication was petroleum refining. Since Tamna didn’t produce oil, they would have to import it from places like the Song Dynasty. Thanos cautioned that even building a steamship was challenging enough, and “constructing a wooden airplane isn’t simple—especially given the materials, engine technology, and refined fuel required.” But Hamin was confident.

“Just like with our steam-powered ships, it wouldn’t surprise me if we manage to build an airplane faster than anyone expects.”

Meti’s trade team was already actively engaging not just with Japan but also with the Song Dynasty. The cookies, liquor, and jams produced in Tamna had gained a reputation among the Song nobility as exotic delicacies. In fact, the Song merchants themselves had proposed supplying not only iron ore and coal, but oil as well.

This opened the door for Hamin to acquire the gasoline engines and fuel needed for building an airplane more easily.

Having scored quick successes in trade, Hamin asked Thanos,

“With the iron ore and coal we currently have, we’ll still be able to finish the ship and continue manufacturing weapons, right?”

Thanos opened a file and confirmed:

“Yes. If our trial ship and cannons prove successful, our remaining reserves should cover producing one hundred cannons, manufacturing cannonballs, and completing up to five steam-powered ships.”

“Excellent. Then, if we can bring in petroleum from the Song and Japanese trades, let’s make that our top priority. Kra will soon need to refine airplane engine fuel.”

Meanwhile, just as all of this was proceeding smoothly, news arrived that “pirates have appeared off the coast of Tamna.”

Upon hearing this, Hamin issued commands to Thanos and Hyungjun:

“Thanos, launch the drones immediately to assess the pirates’ numbers. Hyungjun, go tell Ijigwang to gather the coastal defense forces.”

About half an hour later, Thanos received drone intel and reported:

“The pirates have anchored about ten kilometers off the northwest coastline with ten ships, around four hundred men in total.”

Under normal circumstances, Tamna—poor and poorly defended—would have seemed like easy prey. But the Tamna of seven months ago and the Tamna of now were worlds apart. Their soldiers, trained by Je-u, were equipped with new weapons, including cannons and experimental rapid-fire crossbows. In the worst case, Hamin’s Optimus units could deploy futuristic weapons to respond.

When a breathless Ijigwang arrived, Hamin spoke:

“Perfect timing. This will give our soldiers real combat experience and let us test the cannons. Let Je-u handle the pirate suppression.”

Je-u and the troops rushed to the shoreline. Using drone intel to locate the pirates, Je-u positioned the cannons.

The pirates, having casually anchored their ten ships, were busy planning a raid under the assumption of “the old Tamna.” They had no idea what they were about to face.
Suddenly—

Boom! Boom!
Cannon fire thundered as shells landed on the beach near the pirate ships. Sand and debris flew everywhere. Panicked, the pirates rushed back to their vessels to flee, but this time, the cannonballs struck their ships directly.

“Aargh…!”

Their wooden ships exploded into splinters. Dozens of pirates were thrown into the sea. Those who scrambled ashore were swiftly cut down by the massed fire of newly improved crossbows wielded by Je-u’s soldiers.

Designed by Thanos, these crossbows could fire eight consecutive bolts once loaded, and their range and power far surpassed traditional bows.

Taken by surprise, the pirates had no chance to form ranks; they fell scattered in all directions. In the end, fewer than a hundred pirates remained, their morale broken. They prostrated themselves and begged for their lives.

Seeing the engagement firsthand, the soldiers cheered. Led by Je-u’s decisive command, they had vanquished the pirates in a single surge—evidence of a power that felt almost divine.

Monitoring the battle through drone footage, Hamin nodded in satisfaction.

“We overwhelmed them with a huge advantage,”

he remarked. The cannons and new weaponry had proven dramatically effective, and it was clear no pirates or foreign enemies would dare to target Tamna again.

“Good. We’ve shown what we can do. Let’s keep preparing steadily for the rest of the year.”

Hamin sensed in his gut that a direct confrontation—whether with the Mongols or the mainland government—was drawing ever closer.

 

 

(To be continued...)