Continuing this attack would only increase casualties, and the Orcs' Great Chieftain realized this.
He mounted his warhorse and, under the close protection of the guards, carefully observed the area around Stone Bridge Town.
"Give the order!" Great Chieftain's voice boomed like thunder, "Launch an attack simultaneously from the east, north, and west, keeping the Aldor constantly on their toes!"
As three horn calls resounded across the battlefield, the orc army surged in three directions like a tidal wave.
The eastern flank was still led by the same troops who carried newly made ladders and charged forward over the corpses of their comrades.
The trenches on the north and west sides were also filled in, and the newly joined orc army surged madly toward the city walls. The human servant army also pushed their rudimentary siege engines and launched an attack in coordination with the whips of the supervisors.
The pressure on the defenders immediately increased, and Major Hodgson ran along the city wall to direct the troops.
"Maintain firepower suppression on the eastern front!"
"Transfer two Cannons to the western front!"
"The northern route..."
The firepower on the Stone Bridge Town walls was forced to spread out. The cannons on the eastern front were still roaring, but the rate of fire had noticeably decreased.
Before the newly arrived artillerymen on the western front had even reached their positions, orc assault teams had already scaled the city walls.
"Fix bayonets!" A captain drew his sword and led the soldiers to charge toward the breach. The sounds of clashing steel and screams filled the air.
The Militia poured scalding hot oil on the climbing enemies, and the air was immediately filled with the stench of burning flesh.
Abar stood on a high ground outside the city, a cold glint in his eyes. He saw his own battle flag already planted on a section of the city wall, though it was quickly cut down by the defenders. But that was exactly what he wanted—to keep the defenders busy until they completely collapsed in one direction.
"Send more men to reinforce the northern offensive!" he ordered the messenger. "Tell Aijile that I want to see his battle flag firmly planted on the city wall before sunset!"
The bells of Stone Bridge Town rang urgently, a signal of imminent danger. Major Hodgson wiped the blood from his face and looked at the dark mass of enemy troops outside the city. He knew the real test had begun.
The orcs' multi-pronged attack paused for a while; they also needed rest.
Taking advantage of a lull in the offensive, Major Hodgson climbed to the top of a clock tower and surveyed the crumbling city walls.
"Order all units," his voice was hoarse but firm, "to execute the second plan: abandon the city wall defenses and withdraw to all defensive positions within the city."
The officers exchanged bewildered glances. "Sir, are we really going to take such a big risk?"
" During the Usurper War," Hodgson interrupted, tracing the spiderweb-like streets on the map, " the Kent Family's heavy cavalry were riddled with holes by us in those streets and alleys. I don't believe the orc cavalry will be an exception."
He slammed the map shut. "Execute the order now!"
The major's order was quickly relayed, and the soldiers and Militia quietly withdrew from the city walls.
The battle horns sounded once more, and the orc prince Aijile led his vanguard, carrying newly made siege ladders, cautiously approaching the eastern city wall.
But to my surprise, the city wall was quiet, with only a few sentries scattered around.
"Something's not right." Aijile narrowed her eyes, her battle axe gleaming coldly. "They were fighting so fiercely before, why the sudden change?"
As the siege ladders were erected, the bravest warriors were the first to scale the city walls. To their surprise, they found the area behind the battlements empty, with only a few tattered flags fluttering in the wind.
The last human sentry to evacuate was sliding down the ropes on the inner wall and quickly disappeared into the maze-like streets.
"Occupy the city walls!" Aijile shouted the order, but there was hesitation in his voice.
The orc soldiers exchanged glances, their boots creaking unsettlingly on the sulfur- smelling barrels abandoned by the garrison.
The messenger rushed back, panting, and knelt before Abar's horse: " Great Chieftain! The walls... the walls have been taken by His Highness Aijile! There was no fighting; the humans simply abandoned the walls."
Abar's eyes narrowed sharply, and he leaped off his horse, the clanking of his armor echoing dully. "What did you say? No fighting?"
"There were only a few sentries, and they ran away as soon as they saw us." The messenger swallowed hard. " Lord Aijile is currently waiting on the city wall."
Great Chieftain's thick fingers rubbed the handle of the battle axe hanging from his waist, veins bulging on the back of his hands.
Stone Bridge Town is small, surrounded by only a simple city wall, unlike larger cities which have complex, concentric walls.
Traditionally, once the attackers capture the city walls, they can basically declare victory.
Abar asked those around him, "Have the human defenders fled?"
He received the reply: " Great Chieftain, this town is surrounded by us, and we haven't seen anyone escape from it."
That means they've blended in with the common people in the city. Hmph, how naive!
"Send word to Aijile," Abar's voice was as cold as a frozen river, "to take control of the entire town, but beware of traps!"
As the main force of the orcs cautiously passed through the empty city gates and ventured into the streets, the entire town seemed to come alive.
"Bang!"
The first gunshot rang out from the top of the clock tower, accurately blowing the skull off an orc named Centurion. Immediately afterwards, the entire town erupted like a powder keg.
In an instant, the roof tiles were ripped off, revealing dark gun barrels; from the windows of seemingly ordinary houses, firearms sprayed deadly lead bullets; even the well in the middle of the street suddenly emerged, as the ambushing defenders launched a surprise attack from underground.
"Throw!" With a shout, a dozen round, iron lumps were thrown from the window of a house, exploding amidst the dense ranks of orcs. Shrapnel and gravel flew everywhere, causing the attackers to scream in agony.
Aijile's armor was embedded with three shrapnel bullets, and he staggered back to a corner.
"Die, you beast." With a voice filled with hatred, a dark gun barrel on the roof was pointed at him, spewing out brilliant flames.
The orc prince was lucky enough that his loyal guard spotted the danger in time and bravely stepped forward to block it, the bullets taking his life.
Deadly projectiles could come from any direction—front, back, left, and right—and under such bombardment, the morale of the first orc army to storm the city quickly plummeted.
The retreating orc soldiers surged toward the city gates like a tidal wave, and every street and alley behind them spewed flames, as if the entire town had turned into a murderous monster.
"Useless! All of you are useless!" Abar punched the pillar of the golden tent, shattering it, and the animal-hide tent collapsed with a crash.
He drew his battle axe, his single eye burning with a bloodthirsty light: "All troops, charge! Kill those little insects hiding in the cracks of the rocks! I want every corner of this city to be soaked in blood!"
With the roar of the Great Chieftain, the main force of the orcs began to advance towards the city gate.
Heavy infantrymen formed dense squares, and archers indiscriminately hurled arrows at the rooftops; the real street fighting had begun.