Chapter 159: Fortress Siege 4


    Duke Dodge watched the battle atop the fortress with a stern expression.


    The situation was dire. The defending forces were clearly being overwhelmed by the rebels.


    After careful consideration, hemanded, Deploy the reserve troops to assist our soldiers in retreating to the inner wall.


    The bugler beside him immediately raised his horn and began to blow in a special rhythm.


    The old Duke said to an officer behind him, Bring out our secret weapon.


    The officer was shocked. My lord, thats ourst resort! It shouldnt be used unless absolutely necessary!


    Duke Dodge gave a bitter smile, Cant you see? The time of absolute necessity is now. Or rather, if we dont reveal this trump card soon, we wont survive to see that moment.


    With a bitter expression, the officer nodded and replied, Yes, my lord, before turning and sprinting away.


    Retreat to the inner wall!


    Retreat to the inner wall!


    The officers, fighting alongside the soldiers on the fortresss outer wall, passed down themand to their subordinates.


    The defending soldiers quickly gathered around their respectivemanders, covering each other as they moved towards the inner wall.


    As aplete defensive stronghold, Thorn Fortress had twoyers of walls. The distance between the outer and inner walls was about 15-20 meters, with the inner wall being taller, thicker, and more difficult to breach.


    The rebel soldiers, having climbed the outer wall, pursued relentlessly. They couldnt afford to rest now. Allowing the defenders to fall back to the inner wall would cause many problems. The merlons on the inner side of the outer wall were short and small, offering poor defense against arrows from the inner wall.


    However, the inner walls gates suddenly opened, and arge number of soldiers, the reserve troops of the defending army, who had been conserving their strength, eagerly watching the battle on the outer wall, rushed out as soon as the Dukes order was given.


    The reserve troops immediately reced their brethren who had been fighting earlier. The rebel soldiers, having fought hard for a long time, were already showing signs of fatigue and were unexpectedly suppressed by the fresh reserve troops on the outer wall.


    But the reserve troops did not linger in battle. Given their numerical disadvantage, they quickly retreated back to the inner wall after covering their retreating brothers, then firmly closed the gate.


    Lord Samar! Weve taken the outer wall!


    Good!


    Samar was overjoyed, not expecting to take the outer wall of Thorn Fortress so quickly.


    Immediately send the second wave of troops to press forward!


    Yes!


    The rebels, braving the arrow and bolt fire from the inner wall, opened the outer gate. Arge number of rebels carrying scalingdders and battering rams charged in, and the attack on the inner wall of the fortressmenced immediately.


    Still leading the charge were those soldiers in enchanted leather armor, biting their swords and vigorously climbing thedders to the inner wall. From the initial 500, about 300 remained capable of fighting after the earlier skirmish.


    Another group of soldiers gathered at the city gate, vigorously battering the gate with a ram.


    Oddly, the defenders only hindered the rebels as they climbed thedders. Without the cover of siege engines, the rebels suffered heavy losses from stones and ming oil attacks. However, once they reached the top of the wall, the defenders who had fiercely resisted suddenly dispersed to the sides, leaving arge area around the siegedders empty.


    What are they up to? the rebels wondered, momentarily stunned upon reaching the wall. Nheless, they raised their weapons, remaining vignt, and covered theirrades as they continued to ascend.


    More and more rebel soldiers climbed onto the inner wall.


    Attack!


    Once a significant number had gathered, disregarding their confusion, they roared in unison and charged at the defenders.


    Suddenly, a voice from the defenders shouted, Aim!


    Then, many soldiers wielding strange weapons emerged. The front of these weapons, resembling nozzles, pointed directly at the rebels.


    Fire!


    The strange nozzles suddenly ejected long tongues of me directly at the rebel soldiers.


    In an instant, a fiery hell descended!


    By the time the mes reached the rebels, they had turned into a massive fire column. Many soldiers were engulfed, instantly catching fire.


    Screams of terror and pain erupted among the rebels.


    A closer observation would reveal that the defenders strange weapons were actually spraying a burning liquid, sshing onto the rebels and fueling the mes, eventually igniting their clothing.


    The burning soldiers frantically tried to pat out the mes on their bodies. Theirrades rushed to help extinguish the fire, and those severely engulfed rolled on the ground. But no matter how hard they tried, they couldnt extinguish the mes and watched helplessly as the fire consumed them.


    Even more terrifyingly, those attempting to put out the fire found their hands catching fire too. They shook their hands violently or rubbed them against the merlons to extinguish the mes.


    No one dared to help the burning men anymore; they could only watch them be consumed by the fire.


    Even the watching defenders, including the me-throwing soldiers, were stunned by the overwhelming power of their weapons. They hadnt anticipated such a devastating effect.


    Those standing near the me-throwers instinctively distanced themselves.


    What are you waiting for? Keep firing! The officers, recovering from their shock, loudly urged their subordinates tounch a second wave of attack.


    Yes!


    The me-throwing soldiers, snapping out of their daze, continued to unleash their nozzles, sending fierce dragon-like fire towards the rebels again.


    The inner walls gate suddenly opened, and as the rebels gathered at the gate attempted to charge in, they were met with streams of fire


    Another tragic scene unfolded.


    Whats happening?


    On a makeshift wooden tower, Samar and Scott watched the scene on the inner wall in stunned silence.


    From their vantage point, they only saw shes of fire on the wall, followed by their soldiers catching fire, struggling powerlessly in the mes until they fell motionless.


    The soldiers lucky enough not to be burned retreated from the wall, desperately climbing down thedders. However, when the siegedder became crowded with men, the defenders seized the opportunity to direct a stream of fire downwards, setting the entiredder aze


    Angrily, Samar descended from the tower, ordering a knight, Go and find out what happened!


    The knight had not yet departed when arge group of their own routed soldiers came pouring out of the fortress.


    Following them were the cavalry of the fortresss defenders, who mercilessly cut down the disorganized rebels, unable to mount an effective resistance, who were merely running towards their own lines.


    Samar immediately ordered, Form up!


    He still had a considerable number of soldiers who quickly formed a tight phnx, their long spears nted towards the fortress, aiming at both the enemy cavalry and their own fleeing troops.


    A knight with a loud voice shouted to the retreating soldiers, Those who dare break the formation will be shown no mercy!


    The routed soldiers knew this was no joke and dispersed to the sides.


    The rebel cavalry also began to trot, covering their nks.


    The defenders cavalry, seeing that the remaining rebel forces were well-prepared, withdrew back into the fortress after a short pursuit.


    Samar breathed a sigh of relief. He immediately ordered the regrouping of his troops and summoned one of the returning officers for a detailed inquiry.


    The officer, with a striking burn on his arm and still in shock, said, The enemy used some method to spray unextinguishable mes at us. Many many of our brothers were burned to death.


    Unextinguishable mes?


    Yes, my lord! Unextinguishable!


    The officers face showed fear and disbelief.


    Between the outer and inner walls, theres a small pond. Some brothers who were on fire jumped into it to extinguish the mes, but but


    But what? Samar demanded.


    But the mes on them grew even bigger!


    How is that possible?


    Even Scott, standing beside Samar, doubted his ears. Water extinguishes fire  this ismon knowledge even to a three-year-old.


    mes that grew stronger in water, something not even the proudest of mages magic could achieve  how did these mortals manage it?


    Samar, however, was unusually calm. He let the officer go to reorganize his troops and then, with a stern face, ordered, Retreat!


    Retreat? No, my lord!


    Scott was reluctant to withdraw like this; he had high hopes for this attack.


    Its just some incendiary substance. Theres no such thing as fire that water cant extinguish. Those fleeing soldiers must have made up excuses because they are scared to death.


    Shut up! My soldiers are fighting to the death out there, and you dare to nder them like this?


    Samar suddenly yelled at him, his face and neck turning red with anger.


    Scott was startled by his outburst and stood speechless.


    Sorry, Mage Sir, I was a bit impulsive just now.


    Samar calmed down.


    I know that officer. He is not a coward. Otherwise, he wouldnt have been chosen tomand the assault team. And have you heard of Greek fire?


    Scott heard the term for the first time, his face showing confusion, Greek fire?


    Samar nodded, Greek fire, a terrible mmable liquid. A long time ago, possibly during the era of the ancient Gubera Empire, Greek fire was once widespread. Its said to be made from a ck viscous oil, mixed with certain proportions of sulfur, tar, resin, and other mmable substances. Not only is it highly mmable, but it also burns on water, and cant be extinguished. But the specific form, especially the ck oil, was lost due to excessive secrecy.


    Scotts eyes widened, Theres such a miraculous substance?


    This is a disaster that only God can save us from, the only way to escape when attacked with Greek fire is to kneel and pray for heavenly salvation  thats how it was described in the legends.


    Samar sighed, s! I never thought this long-lost weapon would reappear in the world and that I would encounter it.


    Scott, still unwilling to give up, asked, Isnt there any way to counter Greek fire?


    Samar shook his head, Perhaps there is, but I dont know it. For now, all we can do is retreat and keep watching the fortress. I cant risk the Dukes troops a second time. A single misstep could greatly trouble the Dukes n to unify the south.


    Scott looked back at Thorn Fortress with endless regret and said, Alright! Ill follow your arrangement.


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