The Explosion of the Shield-carts

The defenders, who had previously been hesitant to move due to the rain of arrows, now unleashed all their fury and firepower into the crowded passageway below.

The Musketeers calmly aimed and fired, lead bullets gushing from the barrels, accurately striking any target that dared to break through the Shield-carts's cover.

Whether they were heavily armored, fierce Sauron Combatant or terrified slaves being driven ahead, anyone exposed outside the Shield-carts would immediately be sniped by crossfire from both sides and above!

The archers unleashed a barrage of arrows, raining them down and further exacerbating the chaos.

The narrow passageway instantly transformed into a veritable death corridor.

The charging Sauron infantry and slaves fell in droves, their corpses piling up rapidly and severely hindering the advance of the following troops.

Blood stained every inch of the land, and screams and dying groans filled the air.

Under the precise and fierce firepower of the defending troops, the advancing force's momentum was effectively halted in the middle of the passage, making it almost impossible for them to move forward.

The survivors were forced to huddle tightly in the shadow of the Shield-carts, not daring to show their faces; the charge turned into a desperate siege.

Harald, on his watchtower, witnessed this horrific scene clearly through his binoculars.

He watched his soldiers fall like harvested wheat under the crossfire, and saw the charging waves crash against solid reefs, shattering into pieces.

He knew that with the enemy's Cannon threatening long range and the firepower on both sides unable to effectively suppress them, a forced charge would only increase casualties.

After a long silence, he took a deep breath of the cold air thick with the smell of gunpowder and blood, and with all his might, he forced out a new order through gritted teeth, his voice hoarse and weary. "Order the attack to be halted. The entire army... retreat."

Waaaaaah!!! Waaaaah!!!

The bugle call to retreat, filled with resentment and humiliation, once again echoed across the battlefield.

Upon hearing the bugle call, the Sauron infantry and slaves trapped in the tunnel felt as if they had been granted a pardon. In a disheveled state, they abandoned dozens of their comrades' corpses, helped each other, and stumbled backward, leaving the death tunnel, which had been barely opened up by countless lives and ten days of bloody fighting, back to the defenders.

As the Sauron retreated in disarray, leaving behind piles of corpses and crippled siege engines in the tunnels, the heavy iron chains above Carnford's tightly closed gates began to creak and groan as the winches turned.

The massive oak drawbridge was slowly lowered and crashed onto the opposite bank of the moat.

The auxiliary soldiers, who had been waiting behind the door for a long time, immediately filed out. They were swift, taciturn, and their faces showed a numbness that came from having seen countless deaths.

Each person held a specially made short dagger for beheading, and a sturdy Hemp Rope or leather cord hung from their waist, with an iron hook attached to the end of the rope.

They rushed into the tunnel that had just witnessed a bloody battle, immediately dispersed, and began a ruthless and efficient cleanup of the battlefield.

Faced with the corpses of Sauron soldier and slaves scattered on the ground, they showed no fear or pity, treating them like skilled butchers dealing with livestock.

With a swift and precise stroke, he severed the head, then tied it with a rope through the hair or jawbone before casually tossing it into the large basket behind him.

Whether they were soldiers wearing Sauron- style leather armor or ragged slaves, their heads were considered by the auxiliary soldiers as equivalent proof of military merit.

Occasionally, they would find wounded Broomflower soldiers trapped in piles of corpses, barely clinging to life. They would carefully lift them up and quickly transport them back to the city. As for the bodies of their fallen comrades, they would try their best to collect their identification tags and properly transport the bodies back.

Of course, there were also some wounded Sauron soldiers who were still alive, but they were all killed with a single blow and then their heads were taken. They were still surrounded themselves, so there was no need for prisoners.

Meanwhile, another team of auxiliary soldiers, carrying rationed Gunpowder pack wrapped in tarpaulin, charged toward the massive Shield-carts that had become iconic obstacles in the tunnel.

They skillfully pried open the wooden planks of the Shield-carts, or stuffed gunpowder into key parts such as wheel bearings, and installed fuses, their movements clean and efficient.

All of this happened in full view of Sauron army in the distance.

The Sauron soldier, who had retreated to a safe distance, watched helplessly as the Broomflower auxiliary soldiers stripped their comrades of their armor and looted everything of value, as if dissecting livestock, and finally cruelly severed their heads.

Anger and humiliation burned like poisonous fire in the hearts of every Sauron warriors, and suppressed roars and commotion began to rise from the ranks.

A Carnford auxiliary soldier who was cutting off heads seemed to sense the fiery gazes from afar. He straightened up, wiped the blood splattered on his face, and defiantly raised the blood-soaked head towards the direction of the Sauron Army.

Then, with his other hand held horizontally in front of his neck, he made an extremely insulting throat-slitting gesture! There was even a mocking, sinister smile on his face!

"Asshole!"

"Kill them!"

This action completely ignited the fury of the Sauron! Dozens of hot-blooded young soldiers could no longer contain themselves, roaring as they charged out of formation, wanting to cross the open space in the middle and tear the provocateur to pieces!

However, they had only taken a few steps.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The Musketeers the mountainside on both sides of the passageway were already on high alert and calmly pulled the triggers.

The scorching lead bullets whistled through the air, and the first few Sauron soldier fell to the ground, either dead or wounded!

Seeing this, the Sauron Army behind them roared at the top of his lungs and forcibly stopped the other soldiers who were blinded by rage.

They could only watch helplessly, their teeth grinding, their fists clenched, their nails digging deep into their palms.

The battlefield was quickly cleared.

The large baskets filled with heads were quickly carried back into the city. The auxiliary soldiers who had installed the gunpowder had also completed their task. The last few soldiers lit the long fuses and then ran back towards the city gate without looking back.

As the last auxiliary soldier disappeared into the shadows of the city gate, the heavy drawbridge slowly rose again with the sound of winches, closing tightly.

Just as the suspension bridge closed.

"BOOM!!! BOOM!!!"

Several deafening explosions erupted from the tunnel! Orange-red fireballs shot into the air, billowing thick smoke!

The Gunpowder pack installed in a key part of the Shield-carts was successfully detonated! The huge shock wave tore the heavy Shield-carts to pieces, and wood chips, iron pieces and the surrounding piles of Sauron corpses were thrown into the air and then fell down like raindrops.

The passage, bought with countless lives, was instantly blocked again by the wreckage of the explosion and even more horrific remains.

On the city wall, the defenders witnessed this scene and erupted in a deafening cheer!

Long live Carnford!

"Long live Lord Karl!"

The shouts of victory echoed through the mountains.