Dream of the Red Chamber: From a Border Ruffian to a Capital Tyrant

"Enemy attack!!"

"It's the Great Qian army! Enemy attack!!"

The terrified cries of the Xiongnu soldiers, now distorted, echoed through the night sky.

In the blink of an eye, Jia Lang's cavalry horde had already rushed close, but was blocked by a hastily assembled patrol of heavily armored Xiongnu infantry.

The Hun soldiers, wielding gleaming longswords, their eyes revealing a fierce and wary demeanor born of being cornered, were attempting to establish a defensive line.

Jia Lang took the lead, charging ahead at the forefront!

He rode his galloping warhorse, using the terrifying momentum of the charge to power his waist and abdomen. The heavy tungsten steel hammer in his hand, like a dragon emerging from the sea, slammed down with a piercing shriek as it tore through the air, striking a Xiongnu centurion directly in front of him.

With a muffled "bang," like a watermelon being smashed by a hammer, the Hun soldier's head exploded instantly, and red and white brain matter and blood splattered wildly in a fan shape under the enormous impact!

Immediately afterwards, the headless corpse swayed stiffly on the horse's back twice before slowly collapsing like a lump of mud.

This hammer blow not only displayed its power but also completely ignited the prelude to the carnage!

At this moment, the slaughter has only just begun.

Wielding a heavy hammer, Jia Lang was like a god of death emerging from hell, charging left and right through the crowd of Xiongnu soldiers. Wherever he went, limbs and severed bodies flew everywhere, and blood and flesh splattered like rain.

The eight hundred Daqian soldiers following closely behind were even more ferocious, each with bloodshot eyes, frantically reaping the lives of the enemy with their weapons.

Meanwhile, inside the main camp of the Xiongnu, chaos reigned.

"Report! Enemy attack!"

"Your Highness, those two-legged sheep of the Great Qian... they're attacking!"

A Xiongnu scout hurriedly lifted the heavy tent flap. He was so frightened that he tripped on the threshold and then knelt heavily on one knee, reporting in a trembling voice to Maodun, who was sitting in the tiger-skin chair in the main seat.

Maodun was resting with his eyes closed, as if everything in the outside world was irrelevant to him.

Upon hearing this, he slowly opened his eyes. Surprisingly, there was no panic in his sinister gaze; instead, a cruel and amused smile appeared on his face as he spoke slowly and deliberately:

"Has it finally arrived?"

"I thought they were going to be cowards for the rest of their lives."

"How many people did those two-legged sheep bring?"

As he spoke, Maodun's cold gaze casually swept over the tribal leaders lying on the ground, tortured beyond recognition, groaning in agony.

The Xiongnu soldier dared not conceal anything and quickly replied:

"Judging from the scale of the torches, there are approximately... about a thousand people."

"A thousand people?"

Upon hearing this, Maodun's lips curled into a disdainful smile. He shook his head slightly and muttered to himself:

"Heh, a mere thousand people."

"These weak, two-legged sheep really dare to fight a losing battle."

Among the Xiongnu tribal leaders lying on the ground, a burly man, enduring the pain of broken bones, mustered all his strength to kneel down and crawl to Modu's side, pleading hoarsely:

"Your Highness! Those two-legged sheep dared to attack our camp with such a small force; there must be an ambush behind them!"

"If the Crown Prince will spare me, I am willing to be his vanguard, charging into battle for you and flattening the borders of the Great Qian!"

These words seemed to ignite a fuse for survival. The other leaders, forcing themselves to stay upright, spoke again, expressing their willingness to serve as slaves for generations, just to save their dog lives.

In their view, what does dignity matter as long as they can survive?

But to everyone's surprise, as Maodun listened to these humble pleas for mercy, his smile only deepened, a look of utter contempt for ants.

"You can all stay here and watch the show."

"I... will take my leave now."

Having said that, Modu stood up and strode out of the tent, leaving behind only the desperate curses and swears of the leaders behind him.

...

On the other side of the battlefield.

Covered in blood, Jia Lang led eight hundred iron-blooded soldiers, wielding heavy hammers like red-hot daggers, and plunged them fiercely into the heart of the Xiongnu camp.

Along the way, the horses left behind the trampled corpses of Xiongnu soldiers, staining the grasslands with blood.

Eight hundred steps!

Three hundred steps!

We are only three hundred paces away from the camp ahead!

However, the closer Jia Lang got to the core camp, the heavier the doubts became in his mind.

As they charged forward, apart from a few tough opponents who fought desperately on the outermost perimeter, most of the Xiongnu seemed to be putting on an act, intentionally or unintentionally making way for them.

It could even be said that the reason they were able to rush so fast was as if the Hun soldiers in front of them were voluntarily clearing a broad road leading to a death trap!

But the arrow was already on the bowstring, and it had to be released!

Looking at the camp not far away, Jia Lang had a thousand questions in his mind, but they were all overwhelmed by his overwhelming fighting spirit.

He gripped the heavy hammer tightly, let out another roar, and charged forward madly.

As Jia Lang and his men charged swiftly into the two-hundred-step range, Jia Lang, with his keen eyesight, immediately spotted a figure emerging from the main tent.

The man, wearing a black wolf-skin cloak, was tall and was preparing to mount his horse.

"Modu? The eldest prince of the Xiongnu?!"

The moment Jia Lang saw the man's face, all the information about this future overlord of the Xiongnu exploded in his mind!

Then, Maodun nimbly mounted his horse and didn't even glance at the battlefield, seemingly preparing to retreat immediately.

Upon seeing this, Jia Lang felt a surge of heat rush to his head and couldn't help but roar angrily:

"Modu!!"

This roar, infused with internal force, actually drowned out the sound of horses' hooves filling the air.

Upon hearing this, Maodun, who was about to ride away, paused, turned his head to look in Jia Lang's direction, and looked at him with a hint of surprise in his eyes.

Jia Lang looked up and stared intently at the Xiongnu prince, pointing his heavy hammer at the distance. His voice boomed like thunder as he roared once more:

"Modu!"

"You cowardly runaway!!"

"Don't run away like a coward with your tail between your legs! Do you dare to fight me?!"

When Maodun heard Jia Lang call him a "coward" and "run away," he was first stunned, then he was so angry that he laughed.

Originally, after leaving the camp, seeing Jia Lang and the others rushing up recklessly, Maodun was quite satisfied. He felt that this general of Daqian had some courage and bravery, so he prepared to leave the stage to him and see how much trouble this ant could cause.

To Maodun's utter surprise, his act of kindness in letting him go and preparing to leave was met with disdain from this ignorant "two-legged sheep," who even called him a coward.

"Okay, okay, okay!"

Maodun uttered three "good"s in succession, the murderous intent in his eyes instantly solidifying, and he suddenly waved his hand:

"Pass on the order!"

"All troops, listen to my command! Whoever can cut off the head of that two-legged sheep general will be rewarded with a thousand head of cattle and sheep, appointed as a commander of ten thousand households, and promoted three ranks!"