Chaos
This relaxation is not entirely due to physical limits, but also mixed with a gradually formed psychological inertia.
During these days of fighting, the defenders of Carnford put up an exceptionally tenacious resistance, employing flexible and ruthless tactics, but they consistently adhered to a clear pattern.
They relied on strong fortifications for defense, occasionally launching short counterattacks to destroy siege equipment or relieve pressure on the city walls, but never launched any large-scale offensive attacks or night raids at night, especially during the darkest hours from midnight to dawn.
In the subconscious of the Sauron soldiers, a fixed understanding had formed: as soon as the sun went down, the battle would temporarily come to an end.
Those Goldspur would only cower behind their city walls and would never take a step out into the darkness.
This perception, after being repeatedly verified over many days, has turned into an almost blind sense of "security."
Therefore, the alert level in the camp was unconsciously lowered to the lowest level.
Many sentries, holding their spears, leaned against the pillars of fences or watchtowers, their heads nodding off in the process.
The patrol's footsteps became slow and sparse; they preferred to move slowly along fixed routes rather than vigilantly patrolling every corner.
Inside the tent, snoring filled the air as the soldiers slept soundly in a rare deep sleep, trying to regain some strength for the day's arduous battle.
Even mid- to low-ranking officers mostly rested in their tents, believing that this was the least likely time for a battle to occur.
They never imagined that this complacency, based on past experience, would create an excellent opportunity for the defenders of Carnford to launch a surprise attack.
The shadow of death was silently approaching them under the cover of the deepest night.
Sudden!
Boom!!!
A deafening roar, tearing through the silent night, suddenly erupted from the city gates of Carnford!
The Six-pound Cannon unleashed its power once more, spewing forth a blazing tongue of fire several meters long!
A heavy iron bullet, accompanied by a deathly shriek, pierced the darkness and slammed into the area in front of the Sauron camp at a speed too fast for the naked eye to follow!
A huge cloud of smoke and dust erupted instantly near the point where the shells landed!
The cannonball slammed into the Sauron's stables, the wooden fence collapsed, and faint screams and the neighing of warhorses could be heard!
The sudden cannon fire, like a bolt from the blue, instantly roused the entire slumbering Sauron camp!
"Enemy attack!"
"What happened?"
"Artillery fire! It's artillery fire!"
Countless Sauron soldier jumped out of their sleep in terror, frantically searching for weapons and rushing out of their tents, plunging the camp into chaos and panic!
However, before they could even recover from this initial shock, an even more terrifying scene unfolded before their eyes, illuminated by the brief flashes of light from the exploding shells and the gradually brightening dawn in the east.
Right in the direction from which the shells whistled, against the backdrop of the faint dawn light intertwined with the flames, the earth began to tremble slightly!
Immediately afterwards, an endless cavalry force, like a black tide, launched a full-speed charge towards their chaotic camp with overwhelming force!
Lyon and Thorsten, one on the left and one on the right, charged ahead like two sharp spearheads!
The cavalry behind them had completely unleashed their speed; their warhorses galloped, their hooves thundering, shaking the very earth!
The soldiers roared furiously, their gleaming sabers and spears reflecting a chilling, deathly sheen in the dim light!
"Goldfinch Cavalry! Charge!!!" Lyon's roar echoed across the battlefield!
"For Carnford! Kill!!!" Thorsten and his Sauron Cavalry roared in desperation!
The visual and auditory impact of hundreds of warhorses charging at full speed is devastating!
Especially when the camp had just been shelled and was in complete chaos!
Many Sauron soldier hadn't even had time to pick up their weapons when they saw the terrifying torrent of steel rushing towards the camp's palisade!
Einar was also awakened by the deafening sound of cannon fire.
He sat up abruptly from the makeshift camp mat, his heart pounding.
He and his comrades in the tent exchanged horrified glances, frantically grabbed their weapons, and pulled back the tent flap to look outside.
The scene before them terrified them!
By the faint light of dawn gradually brightening in the distance, they saw a dark torrent of cavalry that had broken through the almost non-existent outer perimeter of the camp and was sweeping into the depths of the camp with overwhelming force!
The thunderous sound of hooves shook the ground, and the roars of the cavalrymen and the neighing of their horses blended together, creating a destructive force!
"Cavalry! It's the Goldfinch Cavalry! Run!" A quick-reacting comrade screamed, dropped his weapon, and turned to flee deeper into the camp.
However, he had only run a few steps.
Whoosh! Pfft!
An arrow, seemingly from nowhere, pierced his chest with deadly accuracy!
He screamed, fell backward to the ground, convulsed a few times, and then fell silent.
Einar and the others froze in fright, looking in the direction the arrows came from. They saw several Sauron's Decurion and centurions standing there with livid faces, their bows trembling slightly, their eyes filled with murderous intent and unquestionable authority!
"What's the panic! Halt! All of you!" A centurion with a scar on his face roared, his voice like thunder, instantly drowning out the surrounding chaos. "Take up your weapons! Form ranks! Spearmen in front! Archers behind! Anyone who dares to flee will suffer this fate!"
Although these junior officers and veterans were also caught off guard by the sudden attack, their extensive experience and discipline played a crucial role at this moment.
They knew that in the face of a cavalry charge, panicking and fleeing would only lead to death; only by forming ranks and resisting could they have a chance of survival!
Under the officers' fierce suppression and roars, the Sauron soldier, who had been panicking and bewildered like headless flies, subconsciously obeyed orders.
The instinct for survival and the discipline honed through long-term training overcame the fear.
They hurriedly sought out their companions nearby, hastily donned any leather or chainmail they could find, picked up spears and shields, and, under the command of their officers, hastily formed small, dense gun emplacements.
Einar forced himself to calm down, hastily put on a half-body leather armor, grabbed a spear, and squeezed into a gun emplacement organized by the scarred centurion.
He stared at the cold body of his fleeing comrade not far away, his heart still pounding, but the thought of escaping had been completely extinguished.
Now, only by banding together and resisting can we survive!
However, the Goldfinch Cavalry that stormed into the camp were clearly not targeting these scattered soldiers.
Lyon charged ahead, his eyes sharp as an eagle's, fixed on the largest central command tent deep in the camp and the mountains of provisions and supplies piled up nearby!
Despite his burning passion, he remained remarkably calm, keeping Karl's orders firmly in mind.
Create chaos, burn supplies, and seize enemy generals and flags!
"Avoid the gun emplacements! Charge straight into the center! Burn the supplies!" Lyon roared, pulling on the reins and leading the main force of cavalry, skillfully bypassing the hastily assembled and still loosely packed gun emplacements, like a red-hot dagger, plunging straight into the heart of the Sauron camp!
Thorsten's Sauron Defectors cavalry followed closely behind, equally focused on their objective, ignoring the panicked stragglers along the way, their hooves trampling the tents, their torches constantly being thrown at the camps and haystacks along the route!
In an instant, flames erupted in the center of the camp, and thick smoke billowed out!