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Chapter 293: Final Battle - Part 2
Chapter 293: Final Battle - Part 2 (Please subscribe, favorite, and vote)
As the impact points of the Artillery Strike slowly extended outward, a chorus of whistles echoed across the battlefield. Infantrymen, clad in breastplates and wearing one-piece steel helmets, holding Windslayer rifles, began to jog through the communication trenches to their combat positions, starting to fire at the obstructed cavalry.
At the same time, the crisscrossing fire from numerous Steam Machine Guns began to mow down the cavalry caught in the kill zones.
Instantly, the Dothraki commanders trying to reorganize their troops in front of the trenches were cut down, even as some commanders attempted to lead their cavalry to break through the encirclement. However, the Potato Mines, Cherry Bomb Mines, and the electrified Barbed Wire made their movements extremely difficult.
The leading cavalry were now in complete disarray, though they still possessed the will to fight. However, the unfamiliar battlefield left them utterly bewildered and unable to mount a counterattack.
Seeing the situation, the rear ranks of the Dothraki began to draw their bows and return fire. Unfortunately, the sporadic and uncoordinated arrows did little damage to the soldiers in the trenches, who were protected by armor. Only a few unlucky soldiers were hit in the limbs and had to be carried away through the communication trenches. Their positions were quickly filled by reserves.
When the seventh round of heavy artillery fire once again created large gaps in the ranks of the cavalry's reserve forces, some of Kasla's cavalry began to hesitate. Seizing this opportunity, the Lazarin Army infantry, under the cover of Steam Machine Guns and light artillery, advanced in waves along the communication trenches, retaking the trenches they had previously abandoned to lure the enemy deeper. This brought more of the enemy into their kill zones.
Under their concentrated fire, the tightly packed enemy was stripped away layer by layer, like peeling an onion. Many of Kasla's cavalry finally broke and began to flee, though these deserters were quickly executed by Drogo's own cavalry. Nevertheless, the Dothraki's momentum had clearly waned.
The cavalry attempting to form ranks and provide covering fire with their bows were quickly scattered by the artillery bombardment, unable to maintain any semblance of formation.
Finally, the battlefield was shrouded in smoke and dust. Liam and his team could only adjust their fire based on the Rose Crystal's rough perception of the magic power of the creatures on the ground as it flew overhead.
Suddenly, the Dothraki cavalry began to slowly retreat, seemingly unable to continue their assault. However, the Rose Crystal detected a large force assembling behind the cavalry lines.
Is this a feint? Liam ordered a reduction in the artillery fire and a shift in the bombardment's focus. He also used the Rose Crystal to contact each Battle Priest, instructing them to relay the order for all warriors to remain vigilant.
In this tense atmosphere, a fresh force of ten thousand cavalry suddenly emerged from the retreating ranks, led by a towering, muscular man with long hair and a bare chest, brandishing a large sword and roaring commands. Both he and his horse were significantly larger than the surrounding cavalry.
This man was likely the Dothraki leader. Under his lead, many of the disorganized cavalry joined the charge, raising a cloud of dust as they surged forward.
At the sound of the whistles, the troops that had jumped out of the trenches to feign pursuit quickly returned to their positions. They then spread out to the flanks, revealing a large row of soldiers in the trenches, ready for action. The soldier's bunkers were equipped with Cherry Bomb Mines, and several Medium-caliber Steam Cannons loaded with Canister Shot.
As the cavalry charged, many arrows clattered against the Gun Shields, making the artillerymen hiding behind them feel incredibly tense. Many of them had stiffened expressions and numb limbs. However, under the fierce shouts and threatening War Blades of the Priests, they managed to suppress their urge to flee and did not lose composure.
When the cavalry approached within a few dozen meters of the trenches, dozens of explosions erupted within their ranks, sending fountains of blood and dirt into the air. Liam, after sensing through the frontline plants that the majority of the cavalry had entered the kill zone, had directly triggered the Potato Mines buried in their path.
These explosions also served as a signal. The soldiers on the front lines heard the screeching of shells coming from the other side of the river behind them, followed by explosions erupting behind the cavalry.
At the same time, officers in the rear began waving their small flags, and a long whistle sounded.
"Canister shot, rapid fire, zero elevation, fire!" With the artillery commander's order, the medium and small-caliber Steam Cannons on the surrounding positions joined the firing. Infantry officers also issued the same command.
The Lazareen positions erupted like a volcano, all weapons joining in the barrage, pouring out as much firepower as possible in a short time. Especially the Steam Machine Guns and artillery on the flanks, which for the first time revealed their deadly potential in this battle.
The charging cavalry seemed to collide with an invisible wall, falling one after another, with blood spurting from both men and horses. In particular, the tall leader became the immediate target of concentrated fire, hit by over a dozen rounds and collapsing to the ground in an instant.
He was not the only one to fall. The moment the firing began, many soldiers in the Lazareen Army felt as if time had slowed down. They saw the cavalry in front of them falling in large numbers, only to be trampled by the hooves of the horses from the rear ranks.
But the Lazareen soldiers had no time to admire this eerie sight. Under the whistles and shouts of their officers, they mechanically fired, reloaded, and fired again, with the cavalry in front of them falling in waves.
As the soldiers' mindset adjusted, the rate of fire increased. The smoke and steam from the explosions and the white vapor leaking from the Steam Cannons filled the battlefield, creating a dense haze that made the approaching cavalry appear like shadowy monsters.
After an unknown period, two short whistles sounded from the positions. The soldiers broke out of their mechanical firing state and, under the command of the Priests carrying military swords, drew their Triangular Bayonets from their thigh sheaths and attached them to their rifles. They then sequentially detonated the directional mines installed in front of their fortifications.
However, after the continuous explosions, there was no expected cavalry charge. Only the faint sounds of chaos could be heard through the mist. The soldiers could only grip their rifles tightly and watch the fog nervously.
Finally, after a few minutes, the fog began to clear, revealing the empty battlefield. The bodies of men and horses lay scattered and piled up, with only a few severely wounded Dothraki groaning. In the distance, the fleeing cavalry appeared as small black dots, with Steam Robots carrying soldiers chasing them from the flanks.
"Is this... victory?" A Lazareen Staff Officer muttered, feeling bewildered. He found the victory hard to believe, as he could see through his telescope that the nearly 100,000 Dothraki cavalry that had charged with such ferocity were now mostly corpses strewn across the battlefield. The few scattered Dothraki who had escaped did not exceed 20,000, and it was uncertain how many would survive the pursuit by the Steam Robots.
The total population of the Dothraki, including slaves, was around 300,000. The nearly 100,000-strong army represented almost all of their able-bodied men. It was now clear that the backbone of this nation had been utterly broken.
"Did they... just end like this? Have the Dothraki become weaker?" Another Staff Officer, a former slave, exclaimed in surprise. He remembered how his Fortress had been easily overrun by these Barbarians, and he found it hard to believe that a powerful nation that had dominated for centuries could be defeated so easily.
"From what I know, most armies on this continent begin to rout when casualties reach 1/10, while elite forces hold until 3/10. These Dothraki were routing with at least 7/10 casualties. They are undoubtedly elite and have not become weaker. The times have changed, gentlemen", Liam said as he walked up, and the Staff Officers saluted him. "Let us celebrate now. We have defeated the strongest cavalry in the known world."
(End of Chapter)
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