Lofor's Deep Valley

Timett Son of Timett's chest heaved violently with rage.

He looked like a wounded wild bear.

"How many men does the Burned Men have left!" Timett Son of Timett's voice was somewhat hoarse. "How many are left across all the tribes combined!"

A Burned Men Warrior, whose face was charred black on one side to the point of being unrecognizable, responded in a low voice: "Timett Son of Timett! Our tribesmen number only a little over a hundred! All the tribes combined do not exceed six hundred!"

"Six hundred!" Timett Son of Timett repeated the number, his teeth grinding together with a clatter.

Finally, he spoke slowly: "Charge them all up there!"

"Timett Son of Timett! What are you saying!" Although the reporting Burned Men Warrior could not show his expression due to his face, his voice betrayed his shock.

Timett Son of Timett grabbed him by the throat, his blood-red single eye striking terror into the man: "Do not make Timett Son of Timett repeat himself a second time!"

He had no other choice; this large-scale raiding campaign had already failed!

But he could not fail!

Or rather, as the Red Hand, he could not fail!

He had to take this stone castle at the very least!

Slaughter all the Flatlanders inside!

Only then could he retreat back to the mountains!

Otherwise, he would lose his leadership over the tribes!

Timett Son of Timett was able to become the "Red Hand" of the Burned Men because of this single eye.

During the tribe's coming-of-age ceremony, he had gouged out his own eye with a red-hot iron dagger.

He hadn't made a sound, shocking everyone present.

Everyone looked upon him with awe and fear.

From that day on, he became the tribe's war leader! The Red Hand!

Once he failed! Once he lost the ability to inspire fear!

A massive war cry erupted from Timett Son of Timett's throat: "Everyone! Charge for me!"

"Take this stone house! Kill every single Flatlander inside!"

"Let them taste the fury of the Mountain Clans!"

"Leave no one alive!"

"Kill!!!!"

All the tribes obeyed the order and launched a fierce assault on the stone walls.

However, what Timett Son of Timett did not notice was that the Stone Crow Tribe, led by Shagga son of Dolf, had already quietly slipped away from the camp.

Meanwhile, Chella daughter of Chek of the Black Ears Tribe shook her head beside him, revealing a strange smile.

On the walls of Valleydeep Town, Lord Lofor Valleydeep's bloodshot eyes stared intently at the Wildlings climbing up once again.

The corpses beneath the walls had not yet been cleared away.

They were even being used by the Wildlings as stepping stones to launch their assault.

The stench of blood and sweat mixed together, nauseating to the senses.

Most of the defending soldiers were wounded and exhausted, leaning against the battlements while nervously watching the enemy's movements.

They had not eaten for two days!

Arrows were running low!

Every building in the castle that did not affect the defense had been smashed into stones, and now they didn't even have stones left to throw!

"They are attacking again." Lord Lofor Valleydeep's voice was hoarse, heavy with profound fatigue.

The continuous, bitter fighting had drained all his energy.

He looked at his son, Heluo Valleydeep, and asked through gritted teeth: "Have the reinforcements from Suleiman Foulkeep not arrived yet!"

The city was surrounded on all sides, sealed off completely.

They had relied on ravens to maintain contact with the lord of Deddings Town.

They only knew that Lady Roslin had dispatched a relief force.

Yet, they hadn't even seen a shadow of them.

They kept sending urgent messages to Lady Roslin.

As it turned out, Lady Roslin told them that she, too, could no longer reach Suleiman at Foulkeep.

They said the army he led appeared here one moment and there the next!

If half of the Wildling army hadn't retreated a few days ago, they would have already died here!

Heluo Valleydeep cursed loudly, "What did his family even do to earn their title? They have no honor!"

"That cowardly wretch must have taken his men and gone into hiding!!"

Lord Lofor Valleydeep sneered:

"If we die, he won't be living either!"

"Having him bring three hundred peasants to reinforce us is nothing more than Lord Deddings trying to avoid the stigma of failing to rescue his vassals!"

"When the time comes, that coward who didn't dare to show up will join us on the road to the afterlife!"

Lofor Valleydeep certainly understood that three hundred men could not save Valleydeep Town.

His house was already finished.

There was simply no army in the Riverlands right now capable of opposing these Wildlings.

He just didn't want this tragedy to be borne by House Valleydeep alone.

Since the "coward" commanding those peasants had been ordered to come, and since the Lord wanted to put on a show, then these so-called reinforcements must die here!

They must die beneath the walls of Valleydeep Town!

Suleiman must be buried with me!

Along with myself! Along with House Valleydeep! Along with Valleydeep Town!

"Father! Father!! The Wildlings are swarming up!!!" Heluo Valleydeep screamed in terror!

Lord Lofor Valleydeep was jolted by the panicked voice, his gaze shifting back outside the walls where the Wildlings had begun to slowly close in.

This time, every single Wildling was charging forward; their numbers were so dense, so frantic.

Lord Lofor Valleydeep noticed it too, and the unease and fear in his heart intensified.

He did not know what had happened.

Today, these Wildlings were acting as if they had gone mad.

They were launching an uninterrupted assault on the castle!

He took a deep breath and drew the longsword at his waist, its blade already covered in notches:

"Pass the order! Everyone, prepare for battle!"

"Archers, conserve your arrows! Wait until they are close before you fire!"

"If anyone dares not to fight with all their might, I will hang them!"

"I will hang their entire family!!!!!" Lord Lofor Valleydeep roared.

Although the soldiers deeply resented Lord Lofor Valleydeep's intimidation, they had no other choice; they were not fighting for House Valleydeep.

They were fighting for themselves!

Once the walls were breached, they would surely die!

The Wildlings were not normal people of Westeros!

The Wildling assault began.

This time, they converged into a single, overwhelming torrent.

They charged toward the walls with reckless abandon.

Arrows fell like raindrops, claiming the lives of Wildling after Wildling.

But the Wildlings behind them stepped over the corpses of their companions, drawing ever closer to the ramparts.

They clutched their wooden ladders and climbed upward with frantic intensity.

One ladder after another was hooked onto the walls.

Arrows and stones poured down incessantly, and screams rose one after another.

"Hold the line! Hold the line for me!" Lord Lofor Valleydeep brandished his longsword.

He hacked down a Wildling who had climbed onto the battlements, scalding blood splashing across his face.

The battle had reached a fever pitch.

The Wildlings acted as if they had lost their minds, fearless and indifferent to death.

Although the defenders on the city walls fought heroically to survive, they were gradually overwhelmed by the tidal wave of the enemy's assault.

They were losing their strength.

"Father! The eastern wall is about to collapse!" Heluo Deepvalley hurried over with a squad of soldiers, his armor stained with blood.

"I know!" Lord Lofor Deepvalley roared, kicking a Wildling who was trying to climb up back down.

A massive thudding sound came from the city gate, where the Wildlings were slamming a thick wooden battering ram against it.

Every impact made the entire gatehouse tremble.

"Quick! Reinforce the gate!"

The soldiers used their bodies, wooden stakes, and everything they could find to brace the tottering gate.

A Wildling with a face covered in burn scars roared as he climbed onto the ramparts.

It's over!! Lord Lofor Deepvalley felt a chill run through his heart.

Once the height advantage was lost, his conscripts were no match for the Wildlings at all!

He watched as his soldiers fell one by one.

More Wildlings swarmed up, and the gap grew wider and wider.

Suddenly.

Lord Lofor Deepvalley turned around.

He heard a sound!!

Everyone on the battlefield, whether they were the attacking Wildlings or the defending soldiers.

Could not help but stop what they were doing and look toward the source of the sound.

A long, resonant horn blast suddenly echoed from the distance.

It pierced through the clamor of the battlefield.

The sound of that horn was completely different from the crude bone horns of the Wildlings.

It carried a penetrating power and majesty unique to metal.

"Woo!! Woo!! Woo!! Woo!! Woo!! Woo!! Woo!! Woo!! Woo!!"