Chapter Ninety-Seven: The First Glimmer of Brilliance

The true battle only began after breaching the main gate!

Inside the village, there were a thousand Qing soldiers. Upon hearing the commotion, the two hundred Russian troops also emerged from their quarters. Relying on their superior numbers, they quickly stabilized their formation and suppressed the Fourth Company at the gate. Qian Yao charged several times but failed to break through their defense. The fight reached a stalemate.

At this moment, it became clear that this unit was entirely different from the previous bandit gang. In the past, if the bandits encountered such resistance, they would likely have faltered immediately. But now, the brothers of the Fourth Company each held their position, withstanding pressure from three sides, fighting in an orderly and calm manner.

Soon enough, the First and Second Companies charged from the left and right flanks, scaling the earthen walls. Countless grenades flew from behind towards those fiercely battling the Fourth Company.

In the darkness, the Qing soldiers were confused about how many men had arrived behind them. Realizing they were being attacked from both front and rear, panic set in. Although urged on by the foreign officers, they turned and fired behind them, but their aim was erratic. Amid the flashes of gunfire and the bandits’ ferocious charge, the Qing soldiers found it impossible to operate their rifles properly.

The bandits stormed into the Qing ranks at a sprint, faces twisted with ferocity, shouting loudly as their gleaming bayonets plunged into their foes’ chests.

Such rapid penetration was fatal to the already fragile morale of the Qing troops. Some agile soldiers immediately fled, while those frozen with fear had no strength to resist the bayonet assaults.

Panic spread like a ruthless contagion among the Qing ranks. Their minds were consumed by a single thought: escape at all costs, far away from these bandits!

Though the Qing soldiers were poor fighters, they were adept at fleeing. They abandoned everything they considered burdensome—guns, ammunition, backpacks, even their uniforms were quickly discarded on the ground. The heavy machine guns recently received from the foreign officers were utterly forsaken; no one wanted to carry them now.

The Russians shouted frantically, trying to rally the Qing troops, but their efforts were futile. The Qing soldiers were determined to run, and anyone who blocked their path was eliminated, foreign officers included.

Yang Xiaolin no longer paid attention to those men. He concentrated all his forces on attacking the two hundred Russians lined up ahead. The Russians resisted stubbornly, but by now, they were powerless to change the outcome.

Their first mistake had been entrusting the frontline defense to the Qing soldiers. The rapid collapse of this first line caught the Russians off guard. Their second mistake was assuming that the presence of a thousand Qing soldiers at the front line meant they could rest easy. This left them ill-prepared.

“Brothers, charge!”

Once the pressure on the flanks was lifted, Qian Yao finally exhaled deeply. Leading his men forward with a fierce rush, they crawled to within thirty meters of the Russian formation. Hundreds of grenades flew overhead, exploding amid the enemy ranks.

After the deafening blasts, Qian Yao sensed the enemy fire weakening, only a few rifles firing sporadically. He rose again, shouting, “Charge!”

The bandits, sensing victory at hand, shouted battle cries and surged forward. Aside from dispatching a platoon from the First and Second Companies to pursue fleeing Qing soldiers, the rest threw themselves into the fight.

Gu Tianming was the first to leap into the Russian ranks, thrusting his bayonet at a locked target. The Russian tried to parry with his rifle, but Gu Tianming’s strike was too swift. Before their weapons even touched, the Russian felt a cold stab in his chest and his arm went limp.

Nearly a thousand bandits with bayonets against two hundred Russians—this battle had no suspense. As Commander Lopatin said, any resistance was futile.

The fight ended quickly. In mere moments, over half of the Russian force was killed or wounded. Some, lacking courage to continue, dropped to their knees before the bandits, raising their hands above their heads, hoping to bargain for their lives.

Qian Yao felt a surge of exhilaration. Looking at a trembling Russian under his bayonet, he struck him several times, then kicked him to the ground! He remembered clearly how the Russians had treated him when captured—beatings and humiliation. He himself had curled on the ground, clutching his head in fear, just like the man before him.

Breathing deeply, Qian Yao felt a sudden lightness in his chest. “Tie these guys up!”

His brothers were equally exhilarated. This was their first battle after training. At this moment, they understood that the hellish ordeal they had endured was worth it, at least because they could now stand here as victors.

They found ropes and bound the Russians. Qian Yao, holding a gun with a few men, cautiously moved toward the building behind the Russians to check for any survivors.

Pushing open a door, Qian Yao peeked inside. A dim oil lamp swung from a beam, casting flickering shadows. On the bed lay a woman, uncovered by a blanket. Her eyes were vacant as she stared toward the door, showing no attempt to avoid the bandits’ gaze.

Qian Yao was momentarily stunned, then pushed his brothers aside. “Step back! Nothing to see here. Let’s focus on what needs to be done.”

He entered, closing the door behind him, shutting out the others’ curious eyes.

The woman was about twenty-one or twenty-two, not particularly beautiful but physically strong. Qian Yao approached the bed and pulled a blanket over her. “Little sister, don’t think too much about it. That bunch of beasts—I took care of them for you.”

The woman remained silent, her gaze still empty. Qian Yao feared she might be dead.

Unsure what else to say, he covered her and turned to leave.