Translator: CinderTL
Continuing the assault in this manner would only result in unnecessary casualties, and the Orc Chieftain realized this.
He mounted his warhorse and, under the tight protection of his guards, carefully surveyed the surroundings of Stonebridge Town.
"Pass the order!" The Chieftain's voice rumbled like thunder. "Launch simultaneous attacks from the east, north, and west! Let the Aldorians exhaust themselves!"
As three horn blasts echoed across the battlefield, the Orc army surged like a tide, splitting into three directions.
The eastern front was still led by the previous forces. They carried newly constructed siege ladders, charging forward over the bodies of their fallen comrades.
The trenches on the northern and western flanks had been filled in. Fresh Orc troops, newly joining the siege, madly rushed toward the walls. Human conscripts pushed crude siege vehicles, cooperating under the whips of the overseers to launch their assault.
The pressure on the defenders increased instantly. Major Hodgson sprinted along the walls, issuing commands.
"Maintain fire suppression on the eastern front!"
"Move two cannons to the western front!"
"The northern front..."
The firepower on the walls of Stonebridge Town was forced to disperse. The cannons on the eastern front still roared, but their firing rate noticeably decreased.
Before the newly transferred artillery on the western front could take their positions, an Orc assault team had already scaled the walls.
"Fix bayonets!" A captain drew his sword and led his soldiers toward the breach. The clashing of steel and screams of agony immediately filled the air.
Militia poured boiling oil onto the climbing enemies, and the stench of burning flesh quickly permeated the air.
Abal stood on a high ground outside the town, his eyes gleaming with cold determination. He saw that his war banner had been planted on a section of the wall, though it was quickly cut down by the defenders. This was exactly what he wanted—to keep the defenders running ragged until one direction completely collapsed.
"Send more troops to reinforce the northern assault!" he ordered the messenger. "Tell Ajil I want to see his war banner firmly planted on the wall before sunset!"
The bells of Stonebridge Town rang urgently, signaling a full-scale emergency. Major Hodgson wiped the blood from his face and looked out at the sea of enemies outside the walls. He knew the real test had begun.
The Orcs' multi-pronged assault paused for a while—they too needed rest.
Taking advantage of the lull in the attack, Major Hodgson climbed to the top of a bell tower to survey the battered walls.
"Pass the order to all units," he said, his voice hoarse but firm. "Execute Plan B. Abandon the wall defenses and withdraw to the various defensive points within the town."
The officers exchanged uneasy glances. "Sir, are we really taking such a big risk?"
"During the Usurper War," Hodgson interrupted, his finger tracing the web-like streets on the map, "the Kent Family's heavy cavalry was turned into swiss cheese in these very streets. I refuse to believe the Orc cavalry will be any different."
He slammed the map shut. "Now carry out the order!"
The Major's command was swiftly relayed. Soldiers and militia silently retreated from the walls.
The battle horns sounded once more. Orc Prince Ajil led the vanguard, carrying newly constructed siege ladders, cautiously approaching the eastern wall.
But to his surprise, the top of the wall was eerily quiet, with only a few scattered sentries in sight.
"Something's wrong," Ajil narrowed his eyes, his battle axe gleaming coldly. "They were fighting so fiercely earlier. Why the sudden silence?"
As the siege ladders were set up, the bravest warriors were the first to climb onto the city walls. To their surprise, they found the battlements empty, with only a few tattered flags fluttering in the wind. The last human sentinel to withdraw was sliding down a rope along the inner wall, quickly disappearing into the labyrinthine streets.
"Occupy the walls!" Ajil shouted the order, but his voice carried a hint of hesitation.
The Orc soldiers exchanged uneasy glances, their boots stepping on abandoned barrels left by the defenders, emitting an unsettling creak as they crushed the sulfur-scented wood.
A messenger sprinted back, kneeling breathlessly before Abal's horse: "Orc Chieftain! The walls... the walls have been taken by Prince Ajil! There was no fight; the humans simply abandoned the walls."
Abal's eyes narrowed sharply. He leaped off his horse, his armor clanking heavily: "What do you mean, no fight?"
"Only a few sentinels, who fled as soon as they saw us," the messenger swallowed hard. "Prince Ajil is now holding the walls, awaiting further orders."
The Orc Chieftain's thick fingers rubbed the handle of the battle axe hanging at his waist, veins bulging on the back of his hand.
Stonebridge Town was not large, surrounded by a simple wall, unlike the larger cities with their complex, multi-layered fortifications.
Traditionally, once the attackers captured the walls, victory was all but assured.
Abal turned to his advisors: "Have the human defenders fled?"
He received the reply: "Orc Chieftain, this small town is completely surrounded. We have seen no one escaping from within."
Then they must have blended in with the civilians inside. Hmph, how naive!
"Send word to Ajil," Abal's voice was like a frozen river, "Occupy the entire town, but beware of traps!"
As the main Orc forces cautiously passed through the empty city gates and ventured deeper into the streets, the entire town seemed to suddenly come alive.
"Bang!"
The first gunshot rang out from the top of the bell tower, precisely blowing off the skull of an Orc Centurion. In an instant, the town erupted like a barrel of gunpowder.
In a flash, roof tiles were thrown aside, revealing the dark muzzles of guns; seemingly ordinary windows of houses spat deadly lead bullets; even the well in the middle of the street suddenly spewed forth people, as ambushing defenders launched a surprise attack from underground.
"Throw them!" With a shout, a dozen round iron grenades were hurled from a house window, exploding amidst the dense Orc ranks. Shrapnel and debris flew in all directions, causing the attackers to howl in agony.
Ajil's armor was embedded with three pieces of shrapnel as he staggered back to a corner.
"Die, beast." With a voice full of hatred, a dark gun muzzle on the rooftop aimed at him and spat a brilliant flame.
The Orc prince was fortunate enough that his loyal guard, spotting the threat, threw himself forward to block the shot, sacrificing his life to save his master.
From the front, back, left, and right, deadly bullets could come from any direction. Under such an onslaught, the morale of the first wave of Orc troops to enter the city quickly plummeted.
The retreating Orc soldiers surged toward the city gates like a tide, with every street and alley behind them spitting fire, as if the entire town had transformed into a monstrous killing machine.
"Worthless! All of you are worthless!" Abal smashed the pillar of the Golden Tent with a single punch, causing the hide tent to collapse with a thunderous crash.
He drew his battle axe, his single eye burning with a bloodthirsty gleam. "All forces, advance! Kill those little insects hiding in the cracks of the stones. I want every corner of this city soaked in blood!"
With the Orc Chieftain's roar, the main army of the Orcs began to advance toward the city gates.
Heavy infantry formed tight phalanxes, while archers launched indiscriminate volleys at the rooftops. The true street-to-street combat had begun.
(End of the Chapter)
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