Chapter Forty-One: The Ambush (Part Two)

The officer shrugged. “I promise you, I will kill every last one of those Chinese bandits to avenge our beloved Russian soldiers. But could you pray for me every day?”

“I would be more than willing!”

The officer smiled. Seeing that his troops had assembled—though their formation was far from orderly—he judged they were ready to depart. He gently hooked Domlikshava’s chin with his finger. “I really must be going. Before I leave, may I kiss you?”

Domlikshava closed her eyes. The officer did not hesitate; his lips brushed hers in a fleeting touch. It was no more than a brief caress—Russian men were always gentlemen with their women.

“I will fight bravely and wipe out those bandits, I promise you. You are now the goddess in my heart. I would sooner give up my life than see you unhappy.” As the officer stepped out the door, he glanced back to see the beautiful girl gazing at him with innocent yet longing eyes. He knew she had fallen for him.

This time, his gains were considerable indeed. This girl was wife material—or at the very least, a fine lover. With both glory and romance in hand, and having drunk his fill, the officer’s face was alight with satisfaction.

Most of the other Russian soldiers were also quite pleased with the expedition. In a loose, straggling formation, they made their way slowly back to camp, while the few still sober were ordered to the rear to push the five heavy infantry guns.

The officer was oblivious to any danger. He had underestimated the Chinese.

Yang Xiaolin felt as though his heart had suddenly stopped—he was elated. He had never imagined the Russian army would emerge from the mines in such a state!

Even Tang Yulin, standing beside him, stared wide-eyed as the Russians staggered drunkenly toward their position. He smacked his own head in disbelief. “These fools are looking for death!”

Yang Xiaolin spoke in a low voice. “Tell all the men—no one is to fire without my command.”

Tang Yulin, seizing on this glimmer of hope, obeyed without question. He turned and whispered, “Pass it on—no one fires unless the order is given!”

The order was relayed down the line. Tang Yulin felt his blood boiling, his face flushed as if he had been drinking. “Brother Yang, I have to hand it to you. How did you know the Russians would come out like this—so easy to deal with?”

Yang Xiaolin smiled quietly. “Easy to deal with?”

“They’re all drunk—aren’t they like rabbits for the taking?” Yang Xiaolin shook his head, unwilling to let down his guard.

These Russians were real soldiers. They may be drunk, but at the first gunshot, they would react immediately. They had heavy machine guns, artillery—their equipment and discipline far surpassed the usual bandits.

Moreover, he could not be certain that reinforcements wouldn’t come from the mine or the rear camp. He now had only a slightly better chance—perhaps forty percent—of winning this battle.

He didn’t answer Tang Yulin’s question, saying only, “Be quiet! From now on, not even a fart should make a sound!”

The Russians’ footsteps gradually entered the ambush zone. They hadn’t even sent out scouts, and their vanguard and rear guard were barely distinguishable. Yang Xiaolin placed his hand on the trigger, sighting a Russian lugging a heavy machine gun, his peripheral vision fixed on the officer.

Meanwhile, the Russian officer was still lost in thoughts of Domlikshava’s yearning gaze, unable to wipe the smile from his face. After wiping out the Qing bandits of Gaojiatun, he would be stationed in China to oversee the construction of a fortress.

For an officer, this was a plum assignment—not only would he wield military authority, but he would also amass considerable wealth. He imagined bringing the beautiful girl to his side, spending his days with her in this land—a romantic prospect indeed.

As he entertained these thoughts, he suddenly noticed something shifting up ahead. Instinctively alert, the officer frowned. “Hey, sentry—go see what’s on that hillside ahead.”

The Russian column halted. Yang Xiaolin’s heart leaped to his throat. He swung his weapon, aiming at the officer, but did not fire.

A Russian soldier belched. “There’s nothing there!”

The officer kicked him. “That patch of grass up ahead—go check it out!”

Unwillingly, the soldier shuffled toward the grass. Within the thicket, Sui Bing gripped his rifle, eyes fixed on the approaching Russian, cursing his earlier carelessness. His legs had gone numb and, in moving them, he had accidentally kicked a stone.

What now? Sui Bing knew he must not move. The Russian hadn’t yet gotten close when a stray shot rang out, grazing Sui Bing’s earlobe. He held his position.

The Russian drew nearer. Sui Bing slowly raised his rifle—if the man came two steps closer, he would have to fire; at that range, his presence would surely be discovered.

Just then, a wild hare burst from Sui Bing’s side, streaking past the Russian’s feet.

The Russian jumped, then slung his rifle and turned to the officer. “It’s just a rabbit—should I take it out?”

The stopped Russian soldiers burst into laughter. The officer joined them—perhaps he was being too cautious. What could possibly happen? The camp lights were already visible ahead.

“Move out!”

Sui Bing’s slip had given the Russians a chance, but their own carelessness lost it just as quickly.

The path ran between dense forests and steep hills—block the ends, and no one inside could escape. The trail was short, but long enough to swallow the entire six-hundred-man column. Yang Xiaolin watched the last Russian enter the trap, then finally squeezed the trigger. “Fire!”

A shot rang out—the man carrying the heavy machine gun fell. The bandits, hidden all night on either side of the path, finally unleashed their pent-up fury, rifles cracking in rapid succession. In moments, the already disordered Russians were thrown into utter chaos.

Many Russians were still drunk—Yang Xiaolin had judged correctly. Though some still retained their basic combat instincts, many had lost the ability to fight.

The inebriated, confused, fired their weapons wildly, unable to see what was happening around them. Some even pulled the pins from their grenades and tossed them forward—only to have the explosives land among their own ranks due to unsteady arms.

The officer was stunned. It took him a long moment to shake off the vision of those longing eyes and realize the danger they were now in. “Attack! Forward—attack!”

He had not drunk as much as some. Realizing he could not gauge the strength of the enemy on either side, he knew their only hope was to break out through the front.