Even on the return journey, nothing untoward occurred, save for the unrelenting stares of envy and covetousness directed at the five massive wooden wagons.

Putting aside the exuberant Banshou (Wrench), the mere sight of the dozen or so Earth Elementals pulling the carts was enough to dissuade ninety-nine percent of anyone harboring ill intentions. When they subsequently witnessed the shield formations of the Jiaoshi (Reef), they understood that the team's most probable weak point had been shored up, leaving them with no choice but to dismiss any improper thoughts and watch them depart.

Strictly speaking, however, the Earth Elementals summoned by Kulutegou (Kruger) were somewhat of a trick. While these elementals were perfectly suited for menial tasks like cart-pulling, akin to livestock, throwing them into actual combat revealed a flaw: these typically tough and resilient earth-kin were surprisingly fragile, easily scattered by a single grenade—much like the difference between an ordinary draft horse and a warhorse.

The Orc officer in charge of accounting, Sige. Quan'er (Sisko. Dog-ear), was inexplicably absent, replaced instead by a fellow whose tusks protruded far past his lips. His skin was as rough as tree bark, the texture of its scales sharply defined, clearly betraying genes from the crocodile or giant lizard lineage. One couldn't help but admire the old Half-Orc leader's unconventional taste, wondering just how far gone his lust must have been to spare no expense, even with a female crocodilian.

Fang Senyan and his group worried whether this replacement could even count, fearing some blunder where one plus one equaled one. Unexpectedly, beneath the crocodile-man’s clumsy exterior lay a startling efficiency in calculation; in short order, he sorted the timber and stone Fang Senyan's party had hauled back, and generously awarded them one hundred and sixty Contribution Points.

But at that moment, Fang Senyan suddenly spoke up:

"What is your designation, General?"

"I am Jite. Mengxi (Gith. Monitor Lizard); you may also call me Lord Lizard," the creature replied bluntly. As he spoke, a foul stench wafted from his jagged mouth, accompanied by drops of white foam, suggesting that a normal person would rather take ten cuts than receive a single bite.

"Lord Lizard, we are only willing to sell one cart of lumber and stone. We need to keep the rest to construct a defensive perimeter for ourselves," Fang Senyan abruptly changed his terms. "The enemy's assaults have been too fierce. I don't know what they are using, but without something to shield us, we won't be able to sleep soundly tonight."

Lord Lizard Gith flicked out a thin, scarlet tongue and hissed softly:

"You need to be clear. I have already added ten extra Contribution Points to your tally. If that cursed dog were here, simply because you dared to slay its kin, those six carts of wood and ore would certainly be pressed down to less than one hundred and thirty Contribution Points."

Fang Senyan stated resolutely:

"I have thought this through completely, Lord. Thank you for the reminder."

Consequently, all the hard work put in by Fang Senyan’s party earned them only twenty-five Contribution Points, leaving five full carts of stone and timber behind. As soon as he left, Zi couldn't help but question him:

"You don't have much faith in the quarry then? There are five hundred defenders stationed there, and combined with the manpower we send for night harvesting, that should be a considerable force. Keeping five carts of materials now is clearly an attempt to hoard something valuable. Yet, I saw the reserve yard behind us piled high with stone and timber. If the valley operation goes smoothly, what we leave behind might just be worthless tomorrow."

Though Zi's words were sharp, they carried undeniable logic. Fang Senyan merely smiled:

"What you said in your last sentence is impossible. This war is destined to be a protracted one; it absolutely will not end quickly. As the siege progresses, the consumption of timber and stone will never reach saturation—this is a battle that will decide the fate of the continent! Even if the valley holds in the end, anything we hold back for a few more days will certainly be sellable."

As they spoke, the group arrived at their assigned camp area, skinned, gutted, and chopped the bodies of the giant azure wolves. They tossed the meat into a large pot to stew. Thanks to the liberal use of spices and thorough washing to remove the blood, a rich aroma of meat filled the air.

Even though the wolf pelts and offal had already been devoured by the nearby Half-Orc slaves and laborers, whose chewing sounded like hungry specters, they now gathered around upon smelling the fragrance, their eyes gleaming with the feral green light of starving wolves.

These orc laborers and slaves proved quite manageable. They were diligent in fulfilling the requests of Fang Senyan's group, and since Suolun (Sauron) paid little attention to these weak combatants, feeding them sufficiently meant temporary hires could easily become long-term ones. Moreover, securing a local following was excellent for gathering intelligence—the only real cost was keeping them well-fed.

Fang Senyan wasn't the only one with such an idea; there were quite a few, judging by the faint, distant sound of a guitar. Some Contractors were even providing spiritual sustenance for them. Even their own Half-Orcs were craning their necks to listen, showing that every Contractor had their own unique skill set.

After stopping the drooling Half-Orcs from sneaking their hands into the pot for the Nth time, Fang Senyan finally nodded. The Half-Orcs swarmed forward. Fortunately, having anticipated their current state, Fang Senyan hadn't prepared roasted meat, opting instead for stewed broth.

Perhaps due to originating from different planes, all food brought by the Contractors could be tasted, experienced, and eaten by the Half-Orcs, but it could never truly satisfy their hunger. To fill them up, only native food from this plane was effective.

Thus, even though Fang Senyan's group tossed many cans to these Half-Orcs, the consumption of those items only made them hungrier. Honestly, the half dozen giant azure wolves had been a great help; calculating the effort of skinning, bleeding, and butchering, they yielded at least seven or eight hundred jin of fresh beast meat. Mixed with an equal weight of water, and then adding fifty or sixty jin of what the Half-Orcs called Gedamian (lump noodles), the total mass, even after cooking, reached one thousand five or six hundred jin, allowing each Half-Orc laborer and slave to receive seventy to eighty jin portions.

Even with the astonishing appetites of these savage beings, this meat broth was enough to satiate their stomachs comfortably, even providing enough food for the next day. Seeing the utterly savage Half-Orcs lying back, burping contentedly towards the sky, soon followed by thunderous snoring, Fang Senyan finally relaxed. This meant they would likely remain hired for at least another day.

Just then, Sanzai (Three-One) suddenly stood up, his expression shifting between suspicion and uncertainty. He turned to look towards the valley, and then saw Kulutegou immediately drop to the ground, pressing himself flat—a level of scrutiny that surpassed even the perceptive sensitivity of the Two-Headed Cyclops to the earth.

"The battle has begun," Sanzai stated with certainty. "And it's large-scale; this isn't just some impulsive action."

Fang Senyan pondered for a moment and said slowly:

"This definitely isn't an official maneuver. Minas Tirith is teeming with Contractors right now, and the actual standing forces are stretched thin. To confront five hundred well-trained Orc troops occupying advantageous terrain is certainly not something a mere handful of Contractors can accomplish..."

At this point, Fang Senyan abruptly shifted his focus, asking Reef:

"Do you think there's any possibility that before entering this world, someone predicted that the valley of Luosanaqi (Rhosangach) would become a key defensive point and specifically conducted offensive and defensive drills targeting it?"

"That's impossible, isn't it? The battlefield isn't finalized until..." Reef hesitated.

"But they provided three alternative options beforehand!" Fang Senyan took a deep breath. "The map of Middle-earth is easily obtainable. They could have meticulously analyzed the terrain of the three sites, developed corresponding preemptive plans, determined which locations were essential for attack and defense according to the characteristics of the War of the Ring, and conducted targeted drills for each!"

"That... how could anyone achieve that?" Luoni (Roni) exclaimed in astonishment.

"A small team like ours couldn't pull it off, but that doesn't mean a large-scale team couldn't. Moreover, the battle we're experiencing now is extraordinarily special—it's a National War! If the nest is overturned, can any egg remain intact? If the Space they reside in is weakened, will the lives of the Contractors belonging to it be any easier?" Fang Senyan mused:

"My thinking had entered a blind spot this time. Fortunately, I didn't plunge headlong into that trap after all."

Soon, however, the camp below became noisy. Before long, they heard someone shouting:

"The Blue Light Team has gone to reinforce! Should we go too?"

A faint, cold light flashed in Fang Senyan's eyes. Going now would benefit the overall situation. If the Ace Team joined the fray, the enemy would lose at least five or six members, increasing the win probability for Noah Space C by a fraction of a percent. But this would be disadvantageous for the Ace Team itself—if Blue Light succeeded, their prestige would soar. What if they then assigned the Ace Team to the most dangerous and least rewarding front lines? Go, or stay?

Going meant an obvious, major disadvantage. Not going meant their reputation among their peers would be ruined. Neither outcome was what Fang Senyan desired.

So, Fang Senyan decisively waved his hand:

"Everyone, go to sleep. No need to go. I trust the powerful Blue Light Team can handle this matter."

As he spoke those words, Fang Senyan inwardly sneered: If the situation was as long-planned as he had analyzed, the enemy might very well have prepared an ambush for reinforcements. There is an old saying: True gold fears no fire. The true mettle of the Blue Light Team would be revealed after this battle.

Hmm, a friendly recommendation for a friend's book. Wu Ao

This is the world of the Martial Gods! Blazing Sword Martial God, Gale Martial God, Bloody Martial God, Slaughter Martial God, Life Martial God, War Martial God... A thousand transformations weaving the most brilliant tapestry of martial enlightenment! The adopted son of a noble house rises proudly from adversity, only to discover the Martial God he has forged is uniquely strange. The path leading to the pinnacle of the strong is vast and glorious, accompanied by fragrant companionship. Ten thousand years is too long; the Martial Gods are immortal, standing proud over the world!