Iron Dynasty Chapter 1021

Restlessly, Dolgor strode back and forth inside the Golden Tent.

For a full day, the cavalry under Kasimov's command had pursued Gubat without any updates, leaving him deeply troubled.

“Kasimov acts with far too much arrogance. The Great Yu Empire’s cavalry lie just to the east. Who does he believe himself to be!” Angel voiced his frustration. As commander of the Golden Tent guards, his main responsibility was safeguarding Dolgor’s life, yet the Tsarist Russians’ reckless decisions had postponed their journey to Saint Petersburg.

Dolgor halted before Angel, his eyes flickering with profound bitterness. Whenever the Great Yu Empire’s name reached his ears, a boundless loathing surged within his soul.

In the depths of his sleepless nights, he constantly reproached himself for ignoring Baishan’s counsel to strike the Great Yu Empire earlier, allowing them time to recover their strength.

“We cannot gamble any longer with Kasimov. That idiot seeks only to curry favor with the Queen these days, while we harbor an unquenchable grudge. Only reaching Saint Petersburg unscathed will grant us the opportunity for vengeance later on.”

Gazing at the descending sun in the west, he commanded, “Instruct the tribesmen to gather their belongings. We’ll journey through the night.”

Angel gave a nod and pivoted to exit the Golden Tent. Yet as he raised his gaze, a thick cluster of indistinct shapes appeared nearby, instantly putting him on high alert.

In that instant, he swiftly drew his monocular telescope from his belt for a closer inspection. However, with the fading sunset, visibility waned, obscuring the faces of the advancing figures. What stood out clearly was their distinctive tall, cylindrical hats, marking them as Cossack cavalry.

Upon hearing this, Dolgor’s face lit up with delight. He stepped out from the Golden Tent and peered eastward. Sure enough, a substantial cavalry unit approached them. Their clothing revealed them to be Cossack riders.

“Kasimov shows some real skill. I never thought he’d make it back in one piece. I wonder if they took down Gubat. Come, let’s head over and check.”

With those words, Dolgor guided Angel and the rest of the Golden Tent guards, weaving through camp after camp toward the open grassland ahead.

What he couldn’t have foreseen was that these impostor soldiers weren’t Cossacks at all, but Qi Guangyi and Gubat, arriving to claim his life.

Once the valley clash concluded, he promptly directed his troops to don fresh outfits for the dusk assault.

After careful consideration, he had the rifle cavalry switch into full Tsarist Russian gear, while Gubat’s horsemen trailed them, ready to lead the charge upon engagement.

Meanwhile, Feng Dongjin stayed back to handle the battlefield cleanup and watch over the captured Cossacks.

“Brothers, get set for combat! Chief Scribe Feng is readying savory grilled lamb. Once this fight ends, we’ll return to feast on meat and guzzle wine to our fill!” As they neared the barbarian main camp, Qi Guangyi bellowed.

The troops responded with enthusiastic roars. Following the strategy, every soldier readied their carbines.

At five hundred meters, then four hundred. When they closed to three hundred meters, the rifle cavalry abruptly urged their mounts into a gallop.

Three hundred meters passed in mere seconds for a charging steed. The rifle cavalry unleashed their shots, and at just fifty meters from the camp, rather than pressing straight in, they veered their horses sharply. The whole unit divided into two flanks, flowing apart like water parting around a rock.

Gubat, expert in melee, directed his tribal cavalry to surge forward with curved blades aimed at the heart of the Golden Tent.

As Dolgor watched the enemy horses speed up, a chill gripped his heart like midwinter’s freeze. The ensuing gunfire blasts only deepened his dread.

The Golden Tent guards beside him, set to greet Kasimov, fell in droves from the initial barrage. Then he spotted Gubat, the betrayer of the Golden Tent Khanate, thundering toward him like a harbinger of doom.

Terror momentarily paralyzed Dolgor, but he soon snapped to action, spinning about and bolting for the Golden Tent.

Yet it was far too late. Gubat’s cavalry swept through the camp like a raging tempest. The Golden Tent riders, lounging in anticipation of the Cossacks, perished before they could even stir.

Simultaneously, Qi Guangyi kept busy. He signaled his men to strike at will.

Now, the soldiers unleashed volleys at the barbarian horsemen within the camp. Those with mighty throws hurled grenades into the midst, heightening the chaos among the Golden Tent cavalry.

Trapped in this abrupt trap, the 60,000 Golden Tent cavalry scattered like panicked insects, failing to mount any solid defense.

Having sealed the perimeter, Qi Guangyi drove his cavalry inward from the edges, steadily squeezing the foes tighter.

“Bang bang bang…”

“Boom…”

In the deepening twilight, the crack of gunfire and bursts of explosions rang out vividly, yet for the Golden Tent cavalry, it spelled pure horror.

The mere term “rifle cavalry” had already instilled terror in them. Paired with Gubat’s vengeful fury, they shattered completely after just one hour of clash. The barbarians set to relocate alongside the Golden Tent quaked even more, offering no fight whatsoever.

Shielded by his Golden Tent guards, Dolgor dashed this way and that. But wherever he turned, the forms of the Great Yu Empire’s rifle cavalry loomed.

Confronted by an ironclad blockade, he descended into frenzy. Yet as he pushed westward, an eerie silence greeted him there. It appeared the Great Yu Empire had overlooked securing this front.

This discovery thrilled Dolgor. He rallied the Golden Tent guards and bolted toward the west.

In the shadows, Qi Guangyi observed the barbarian tribal encampment aglow from blazing tents. Relative to the three great tribes’ setups, its vastness was unmatched. He figured no fewer than 700,000 souls were gearing up to follow Dolgor.

Of those 700,000, 60,000 formed the Golden Tent’s protective cavalry. Their surprise onslaught had stripped these warriors of any fighting spirit.

As for the other barbarians, some might attempt resistance, but toothless wolves couldn’t rival their fully armed pack.

Any barbarian grasping a weapon met instant death by bullet, without mercy.

“Commander, cavalry approaching,” a guard near Qi Guangyi reported.

At this, Qi Guangyi scanned the flames. True, a cavalry group advanced, but the night concealed them, as the fire’s glow confined sight to its reach.

He had exploited this visual limit to craft the ambush deliberately, and it wasn’t his first such ploy.

“Fire!”

Toward the onrushing cavalry, Qi Guangyi issued the order to open up. In the hail of shots, the fleeing barbarian riders tumbled one by one.

Dolgor took a hit and crumpled to the earth. His final sight was the myriad sparks erupting in the gloom.