Exactly two months after the Siberian brigade had been ambushed and annihilated by the Eight Banners Army—
The combined forces of Qing, the Shogunate, and Joseon completely encircled the Vladivostok region.
As a port city, they might have managed to hold out as long as the sea remained open. But the moment the British Empire—until now merely observing—made its move, everything collapsed.
"Six o'clock! Six o'clock! Enemy warships approaching! They're turning their guns this way!"
"Return fire! Return fire! Aim the coastal batteries! We have to shoot first!"
Russian officers shouted desperately as they fired their cannons toward the sea.
"Get a grip! Fire before they start bombarding us!"
"Captain! They're out of range! Their naval guns outrange our coastal batteries! If we stay here, we're all dead!"
"If we fall back, do you think we'll live?! We have to sink them to survive!"
They screamed until their throats tore, but the soldiers' morale had already hit rock bottom.
Surrounded on three sides, with the world's strongest fleet—the British Royal Navy—beginning its assault from the sea… if morale remained intact, that would have been the real miracle.
Even if morale had held, it wouldn't have mattered.
The difference in range between their weapons was absolute. There was no way to defend this position.
Far out at sea, as if mocking them, the enemy ships leisurely adjusted their aim—
Boom!
"AAAGH!"
Thunderous explosions rang out. Stones and dirt burst into the air.
Before the dust that shot skyward could even settle, more enemy shells came crashing down.
Each time the booming roar echoed, another scream nearby vanished.
The ships that had boldly sailed out to engage the enemy were long since resting at the bottom of the sea.
Some sailors had escaped in lifeboats before their ships sank and desperately tried to reach the base—but no one dared to help them.
"AAAAAH!"
"You idiots! Fire back, damn it!"
"You moron! What's the point of firing when it won't even reach?!"
After neutralizing the coastal batteries, the enemy fleet began closing the distance, now bombarding the base and harbor in earnest.
Anyone caught here knew exactly what fate awaited them.
"R-retreat! Fall back!"
"N-no! Hold your positions!"
"Are you insane?! You want us to die here?!"
No matter how much the officers threatened them with pistols, how could they maintain order when enemy shells were raining down on them?
Boom!
With a deafening explosion, an officer who had been rallying his men was crushed beneath collapsing debris.
At that moment, the soldiers surged backward like a receding tide.
The famed tenacity and spirit of the Russian army meant nothing before the British Empire's massive, beautiful naval guns.
Watching from afar as the encirclement tightened, the allied forces clicked their tongues.
"G-General, look at that! Those must be the ironclad ships of Britain!"
"I see them. How can they fire so precisely from that distance?"
"Not just the range—the power is on a completely different level from our artillery. The explosions even ignite flames…"
"If ships like those swarm a harbor, that alone would be a nightmare. Now I understand why Britain is called the strongest power in Europe."
Lee Beom-gyu and his officers, who had only ever seen traditional warships, could not take their eyes off the battle unfolding in the distance.
They had heard countless rumors about Britain—but few truly understood its strength.
Especially the northern officers, who had only heard that Qing had been defeated by Britain, knew almost nothing firsthand.
Some had even begun to suspect that the Western powers might not be as strong as rumored.
That illusion vanished in an instant.
"So Qing ended up like Russia is now in their war, is that it?"
"Yes."
"We're lucky we didn't end up like that."
It was far better to maintain friendly relations with such a power than to oppose it.
Lee Beom-gyu became even more convinced that Joseon's decision to join this war had been the right one.
"Still, if we just keep them surrounded, will the Russians surrender? A cornered rat might bite the cat."
"…Do you think they would?"
"Assuming 'they won't' is the fastest road to defeat. Especially with the Russians—you never know what they'll do. We must prepare in advance."
"…Come to think of it, didn't we receive orders from the court?"
Lee Beom-gyu let out a wry smile as he recalled the dispatch from the State Council.
"Ah, that. I couldn't make sense of it. It said to prioritize military achievements, even if it meant resorting to… less honorable methods."
"It's probably because Qing crushed the Russian main force, and the Japanese have taken the eastern islands. The court must be getting anxious about merit."
"Even so, should we really stoop to the same level as the Japanese?"
"Well… Qing is doing the same thing now too."
"...What a disgrace. To think a nation that calls itself the center of civilization would commit such acts."
A surprise attack without a declaration of war—that was not unheard of.
But forming an alliance first, then betraying it with an ambush?
Even in the Three Kingdoms era, that would be condemned as utterly shameless.
"The court says… in the midst of such a brutal war, perhaps we are the only ones fighting too cleanly, too righteously."
"…Is that so?"
Perhaps he was being swayed too easily.
Hearing the court's reasoning, it did seem to make a certain sense.
But no matter what—
Joseon was a nation of propriety.
If Qing had abandoned the laws of civilization, then perhaps Joseon was now the true inheritor of that order.
They were soldiers—but also men of virtue.
"War may be brutal, but it is still waged by men. There are laws and principles that must be upheld. We will fight with honor until the end."
"…You are right, General. I was tempted for a moment to take the easy path, but your words have brought me back to my senses. Joseon must not sink to their level."
"Exactly. Send word to the Russians. If they disarm and surrender, we will guarantee their safety and treat them with proper dignity as prisoners."
No matter what underhanded methods Qing or Japan used, Joseon would fight its own way.
Resisting temptation and upholding righteousness filled them with quiet pride.
"A letter from the Koreans to the southwest. They say if we surrender, we will be treated honorably as prisoners."
As the harbor was reduced to ruins by British bombardment, the long-awaited surrender proposal arrived from Joseon.
With no troops, insufficient weapons, and even less food—
And with the harbor itself destroyed—
Continuing the fight was never truly an option.
Yet even so, too many were consumed with rage to accept surrender quietly.
"To think we've fallen so far that we must beg Koreans for our lives?"
"These savages think they won because they're capable? Are we supposed to just accept this humiliation?"
"But what choice do we have? We lack the manpower…"
"And you actually believe that letter? Anyone who does is a fool. Have Asians ever told the truth? This is obviously another trick!"
As the officers frothed with rage, Commander Gennady slowly nodded.
If anyone believed the words of nations that had done nothing but deceive, that man was a traitor.
"This surrender offer from Korea is surely another vile deception."
"Then…?"
"They'll tell us to disarm and surrender—but in truth, they'll slaughter us all."
No one here was unaware of what had happened in Sakhalin, where the Japanese had killed every prisoner.
Nor had they forgotten how Qing forces had butchered fleeing soldiers like demons.
"But Korea was the only one that actually declared war properly, wasn't it?"
"That too may be part of their scheme. Perhaps they wear the mask of civility only to strike when it matters most."
"Ah… that makes sense."
Korea might be different—but in the end, it was still an Asian nation.
There had to be something foul behind it.
Once fooled, twice fooled—but not a third time.
"If we're being deceived three times, then the fault lies with us."
"Then why not turn their scheme against them?"
"…What do you mean?"
"If we pretend to surrender, they'll naturally concentrate their forces there, won't they?"
"Yes…"
"Then the other side will be weak. We break through there and escape. It won't be easy, but if we get through and ride hard enough, we might just make it back to our territory."
Surrendering to Britain was also an option.
But after being humiliated like this, surrendering outright would likely cost them their lives after the war.
And bowing to nations they had always looked down upon—
Their pride could not allow it.
"At the very least, we should strike back once before we go."
"I agree!"
"Agreed! We can't let them toy with us until the end!"
With unanimous support, there was no reason to hesitate.
Gennady sent word to the Korean envoy that they would surrender and asked for the designated meeting location.
Then—
He planned to strike in the opposite direction and break through the encirclement.
Just wait, you treacherous Asians.
Once I return, I'll expose every vile scheme you've used to the world.
"They've agreed to surrender?"
The Joseon camp immediately began preparations to receive the Russian command.
"Ha! See? When you follow the proper way, things fall into place."
"Didn't I say? In times like these, one must remain steady. They've recognized our sincerity."
Truthfully, they had believed the chance of surrender to be almost nonexistent.
But somehow, the Russians had accepted.
Perhaps they judged Joseon to be safer than Qing or Japan.
After all, Joseon had not betrayed anyone thus far.
"To ease their fears, keep only minimal troops at the meeting point. Avoid excessive displays of force."
"Yes, sir. And the other areas?"
"The war is not over yet. Maintain strict vigilance elsewhere. We proceed by the book—strictly by the book."
They even arranged troops to face away from the meeting point, to further reassure the enemy.
Capturing the enemy commander would be a tremendous achievement.
Without resorting to dishonorable methods, they had already secured enough merit.
The camp was filled with satisfaction.
But on the appointed day—
Gennady assembled a small strike force and moved to break through what he believed to be a weakened Korean line.
"By now, most of their troops will be gathered at the meeting point. This side will be lightly defended."
"Then we'll charge first. You follow behind, Commander."
"No—I'll follow immediately. We can't afford delays."
Discussion was brief. Action was swift.
They launched the operation.
And—
Bang! Bang! Bang!
"Enemy! Enemy ambush!"
"The Russians are attacking! Return fire!"
"What?! Why are there more troops than when we scouted?!"
"Commander! There are too many of them!"
"Damn it! Those treacherous Koreans! They saw through us and set a double trap!"
Perhaps trying to deceive those born into cunning had been the fatal mistake.
The Korean forces were nearly twice as numerous as before.
The strike force collapsed and fled without gains.
And in the chaos—
Thrown from his horse, Gennady was captured alive by the very Koreans he had despised.
Even as he was dragged away, he screamed about their treachery—
But unfortunately, no one there could understand him.
With the harbor fully secured—
I disembarked from the warship and busied myself taking commemorative photographs that would go down in history.
"Your Highness! Raise your arm a little more! And Captain William, step a bit closer—yes, the man at the end is being cut off. Good! Perfect! One, two, three—hold still!"
One shot with the ruined coastal batteries behind us.
Another with the Union Jack flying over the base in the distance.
Now, all that remained was to capture the commander cowering inside.
If he had any sense, he would have surrendered already.
Otherwise, we would drag him out ourselves.
Just as I was about to issue the final order—
An officer hurried over.
"Your Highness, a message from the Korean forces. They've captured the enemy commander."
"…Captured him?"
"Yes, sir."
"…Why the hell was he there?"
"The Russians claim they fell into a Korean trap. Perhaps they used some kind of stratagem. Asia does seem… rather adept at such things."
Japan, Qing—and now Joseon.
So it was their turn.
I stopped the attack order and changed plans to go see the defeated commander myself.
Still… how on earth did they pull that off?
If they used something too underhanded, I might have to issue a warning as Killian, Envoy of the British Empire.
Otherwise—
Well, as Girian, a royal relative of Joseon, I could always join in.
Either way, neither Killian nor Girian intended to miss this opportunity.
"Call the reporters and photographers back. Let's take one more picture."