Carnford Surrounded

Unlike the grand and calculated standoff Fran City, the situation facing Carnford was direct and urgent from the outset.

The besieging army sent by Ulf was led by Hermod, a middle-aged general known for his caution and prudence within Sauron.

His style was the same as Shangguan Ulf's: decisive and swift. He led his troops straight to the foot of Kahnford Fortress, stopping about three kilometers from the newly built outer walls, and began to deploy his forces.

Fifteen hundred Sauron Barbarians stretched out in the valley, a dark mass.

The visual impact and psychological pressure brought by their mottled armor, gleaming swords and spears, and silent yet fierce faces far surpassed that of the hundreds of vanguards led by Invag before them.

On the city wall, many new recruits turned pale upon seeing this scene, their breathing became rapid, and cold sweat seeped from their palms as they gripped their weapons.

"Hold your ground! Stand firm!" At the critical moment, it was the stern shouts of several veterans and officers that steadied the slightly agitated defenders.

"Remember what you've been trained for! Watch your positions! No matter how many of them there are, they'll have to climb up and die!" The composure and killing intent emanating from these veterans who had experienced bloody battles effectively infected those around them, and the panic was gradually suppressed.

Beneath the city walls, Hermod, mounted on his warhorse, surveyed the Carnford fortress, which had been almost completely transformed in just one month, his brow furrowed, remaining silent for a long time.

Standing beside him, shoulder to shoulder, was Unag, whose expression was complex, tinged with embarrassment and disbelief.

A month ago, he led his troops in a humiliating retreat from here, and now he has been sent here again as a defeated general and advisor.

Gazing at the towering new city wall that completely sealed off the vital area at the foot of the mountain, and the fortresses and arrow towers behind it that had clearly been reinforced or rebuilt, Unag couldn't help but murmur in amazement, "It's... unbelievable. In just one month... they were able to build such... such a complete defensive system..."

He recalled that just a month ago, there was only a simple breastwork and a few dilapidated ruins here.

The tenacity and efficiency of the Goldspur in Carnford gave him a chill.

Hermod didn't turn around, his gaze still fixed on the defensive details of the city wall. His voice was low as he asked, "Unag, you've fought them. What is their strength? And their determination to defend the city?"

Unag's face immediately turned ugly, as the memory of that crushing defeat was like a wound being reopened.

He took a deep breath and replied in a heavy tone, "They are extremely... extremely difficult to fight. Their combat strength is very high, far exceeding that of ordinary Broomflower border troops. Their soldiers are fearless, highly disciplined, and..."

He paused, a hint of apprehension flashing in his eyes. "Their equipment is also excellent; they've captured a lot of our high-quality plate armor. The most terrifying thing is their muskets. They inflicted heavy casualties on us in open battle, and now... let them defend against these walls..."

He shook his head and didn't say anything more, but the meaning was self-evident.

Hearing this, Hermod's expression became even more serious.

He nodded slowly. "I can tell that although the city wall was hastily built, it is very well planned, with varying heights and the fortifications supporting each other. The layout of the firing ports and parapets is also very professional. The enemy commander is a knowledgeable person, and the defensive preparations must be very complete."

He remained silent for a moment, seemingly weighing the pros and cons.

Finally, as if he had made up his mind, his tone became more relaxed. "Alright, Corps Commander Ulf's orders are to besiege this place, monitor their movements, and prevent them from harassing the rear of our main force."

"We can wait for the mage that Corps Commander Ulf has hired to arrive, and have the goblins and Kobold take the bullets for us. Then we can deal with this thorn. There's no need for us to try and bite into this bone now and increase our casualties."

He waved his hand and ordered, "Pass on the order! Find a suitable location here and set up camp! Remember, stay out of their musket range!"

Unag quickly added, "Commander, we must retreat even further! Their flintlock muskets have a much longer range than ours, and their accuracy is terrifying! Make sure the camp is outside their effective range!"

Hermod glanced at Unag, somewhat surprised by his emphasis on the power of the musket, but still took his advice and signaled to the messenger to make the distance requirement clearer.

Soon, Sauron army began to retreat, choosing a more distant location nestled against a hillside and near a water source. There, they began digging trenches, erecting wooden palisades, and building a standard, sturdy camp designed for a long-term siege.

They were clearly prepared for a protracted war and had no intention of launching an immediate attack.

On the city wall, Karl, Brendan, Andre, and the others breathed a slight sigh of relief as they watched the Sauron retreat and set up camp.

"It seems they're trying to starve us out," Brendan said in a deep voice.

Karl put down his binoculars and turned to the officers beside him, including Brendan and Richter, saying, "That's perfect. I think they've deployed at least two thousand men this time, all elite troops from the Sparrow Corps."

"In that case, we have successfully completed our objective of tying down Sauron soldier for Fran City. The longer they besiege us and the more troops they commit, the less pressure Earl Rochefort will face, and the greater our strategic value will be."

He then issued a series of orders. "Pass down the order that, starting tonight, the number of night sentries be doubled! Hidden sentries and patrols must be deployed along the city walls to guard against enemy nighttime attacks."

"All muskets and bows must be placed within easy reach, ready to respond to any emergencies. Also, Edgar, you are responsible for appeasing the people and the new laborers, ensuring internal stability, and making sure food rations are fair. We must not allow any internal strife to occur at this critical juncture!"

"Furthermore, we must tighten our guard against those Sauron. These are critical times, and we must be on guard."

"Yes, sir!" the crowd replied in unison, their expressions solemn as they departed to strictly carry out their Lord's orders.