Arson

Although the continuous barrage kept the defenders' movement strictly confined to the breastworks and Suspended Shelters, preventing them from easily exposing themselves, the actual casualties were negligible.

On the contrary, the defenders' precise counterattacks inflicted considerable casualties and psychological pressure on the Sauron archers.

Taking advantage of the precious gap when the defenders' long-range firepower was temporarily suppressed and they were unable to conduct accurate sniping inside the tunnel.

The slaves pushing the heavy Shield-carts below, under the overseer's frantic whipping and shouting, let out their final roars, and with all their might, pushed the Shield-carts over the last blood-stained slope, finally reaching once again the giant rock that stood like an insurmountable chasm in the middle of the passage.

As soon as the Shield-carts came to a stop, "Quick! Set up the ladders!" The Sauron Army's shout sounded hoarse and desperate amidst the whistling of arrows and the roar of muskets.

Several slaves, who had been given high hopes due to their previous "outstanding performance," braved the constant barrage of arrows and falling stones from the city walls, barely protected by the shields of their companions, and roared as they charged out of the relatively safe shadow of the wagon and lunged at the huge bolts securing the roof!

They used all their strength, frantically hammering and prying at the heavy wooden pry bars!

"Quickly! Pull it out!" the Sauron Army roared furiously from behind.

With a sharp "crack," one of the main pins was pried off! Then, the others were pulled out one after another!

"Push!" the surviving slaves shouted in unison, bracing themselves against the incredibly heavy wooden roof with their shoulders and pushing it forward with all their might!

The massive ceiling groaned painfully and began to slowly tilt forward, about to reach the top of the boulder and form a deadly staircase leading to the inner wall!

At this critical moment!

"Whoosh!"

An arrow, like a venomous snake, shot out from the position in the passageway and precisely pierced the throat of a slave who was struggling to push open the roof!

He screamed in agony, clutching his bleeding neck with both hands, and fell backward.

Almost simultaneously, two or three more arrows came flying, felling another slave nearby!

The ceiling lost its crucial support, tilted violently, and crashed heavily to the ground with a loud bang, kicking up a cloud of dust, rendering all previous efforts futile!

"Damn it! Aim at that crenellation! Shoot him!" The Sauron Army below roared furiously, pointing in the direction from which the arrows came.

On the city wall, the soldier who had risked peeking out to shoot an arrow hadn't even had time to feel fortunate for his accurate shot when a dense rain of arrows, like a swarm of bees, enveloped the breastwork where he stood!

He tried to pull back, but it was too late! At least three or four arrows pierced through the gaps in the cover and embedded themselves firmly in his breastplate and arms!

He groaned, the powerful impact causing him to stagger backward and tumble down the steps inside the city wall, his fate unknown.

"Quick! Lift the planks again! Quick!" The overseer, Sauron, brandished his War Saber, urging another group of slaves to rush forward.

However, the defenders on the city wall seemed to have been completely inspired by the sacrifice of their comrades and the critical situation before them! Seeing that this method was effective, they followed suit and completely disregarded their own safety!

"For Carnford! Stop them from building the bridge!" an old soldier roared, leaning almost half his body out of the crenellation and hurling a heavy stone at the group of slaves below who were trying to lift the planks again!

"Bang!" The stone hit the crowd, eliciting screams.

"Fire arrows! Suppress those carrying planks!" From behind another crenellation, the archers didn't bother with precise aiming; they just hurled arrows wildly at the movement of figures below!

The defenders seemed completely unfazed by the Sauron archers' counterattacks; as soon as one fell, another immediately filled in!

Using their height advantage, they pelted the stones, fired muskets and arrows, and used every available means to desperately attack any slaves below who tried to approach the boulder or lift the planks.

Arrows and stones rained down like hail. Every time the slaves managed to lift the heavy planks a little, they were disrupted by the defenders' relentless resistance. The planks were lifted again and again, only to crash down again amidst screams of agony.

Beneath the boulder, even more corpses instantly piled up, the blood almost soaking the ground, making it so slippery that it was impossible to stand.

The Sauron ' offensive reached a bloody stalemate before this giant rock.

Finally, after a brutal and repeated back-and-forth struggle, and a bloodbath,

The slaves finally managed to lift the incredibly heavy planks again and painstakingly placed them between the boulder and the Shield-carts, forming a steep and rudimentary siege ladder.

Almost the instant the planks were secured, the eyes of the Sauron Army, who had been closely watching the battle from behind, flashed with a sharp light, and without hesitation, he sounded the sharp bugle call that signaled the infantry assault!

"Woo!! Beep beep beep!!!"

The bugle call was the order! The Sauron elite infantry, who had been waiting at the back of the tunnel for a long time, clad in heavy armor and wielding sharp blades, charged forward like a flood, roaring as they surged up the narrow tunnel!

They completely ignored the slaves standing frozen in place due to exhaustion or fright along the way, either hacking them down with a single blow or roughly shoving or trampling them over. Their eyes were fixed only on the wooden ramp leading to the city wall! Victory seemed to be right before their eyes!

The Sauron warriors at the forefront stepped onto the rickety wooden planks, their boots creaking as they trod on the blood-stained surface.

His bloodthirsty excitement had just begun to rise when he suddenly felt a chill on his head. A thick, icy liquid poured over him, instantly soaking his helmet and plate armor, and an extremely pungent odor filled his nostrils.

The experienced veteran's pupils suddenly contracted; he recognized the smell all too well—it was Fire oil!

He looked up in horror and saw several soldiers working together to lift a huge wooden barrel at the crenellations of the city wall, pouring out a thick, dark liquid!

"It's Fire oil! Spread it quickly..." His warning hadn't even finished being shouted!

"Call out!"

A rocket, its shaft wrapped in oil-soaked linen and burning fiercely, shot out from a breastwork on the left flank of the position and accurately struck the splashed Fire oil!

"Boom!!!"

It ignites instantly upon contact with an open flame! Sprinkled Fire oil explodes and ignites instantly upon contact with an open flame!

A huge tongue of fire suddenly shot up, instantly engulfing the wooden ramp and the Sauron soldier climbing it!

"Ah!!!" A blood-curdling scream, so shrill it was inhuman, instantly ripped through the battlefield!

The first few Sauron soldier instantly turned into burning figures of fire. They let out desperate howls, flailing their arms in agony as they tumbled off the planks. Some fell to their deaths beneath the boulders, while others, engulfed in flames, frantically crashed through the crowd, igniting the clothes and hair of other soldiers and causing even greater chaos!

More importantly, the raging flames quickly engulfed the painstakingly erected plank, turning it into a deadly fire bridge that completely blocked the Sauron infantry's advance.

Within the narrow passageway, flames suddenly soared into the sky, and thick smoke billowed. The Sauron soldier ' charge was abruptly interrupted by this sudden inferno, plunging them into a sea of fire and chaos.

Seeing their offensive falter and the soldiers screaming helplessly in the sea of fire, even Sauron most unwilling commander in the rear knew that the situation was hopeless.

Soon, the dull yet urgent gong signaling retreat rang out once again from Sauron's main camp.

"Clang clang clang clang!!!"

Upon hearing the signal to retreat, the Sauron soldier, who had not yet been affected by the flames, felt as if they had been granted a pardon. They hurriedly helped their wounded comrades and retreated in a disheveled state, leaving behind a burning hell on earth.

No one paid any attention to their comrades writhing and groaning in the flames, nor did anyone bother to salvage the vital plank that was twisting and charring in the inferno.

The defenders on the city wall coldly watched the hellish scene below. No one cheered, and no one wasted precious arrows shooting at the enemies struggling for their lives in the flames.

They simply made the most of their time in silence, resting, bandaging their wounds, and replenishing their arrows and stones.

Everyone knew that this was merely another repelling of the enemy's attack; the Sauron would never give up, and even more brutal battles were yet to come.

The flames burned for a long time, until they gradually died down, reducing the planks and the unfortunate Sauron soldier to charred remains.

In the middle of the passageway, only a death zone, blackened by flames and emitting a burnt stench, remains, along with that still cold and imposing boulder.