Though Sauron’s immense magic shrouded the sky, preventing even the sun’s rays from piercing through to protect the Orcs and Uruks from the light, the colors between heaven and earth seemed perpetually dim and gloomy.

Yet, in this surging tide of Rohan cavalry, the riders forming the sharpest point of the wedge unexpectedly emanated a faint golden glow, as if bathed in sunlight that had finally broken through the darkness. Their morale and fighting spirit seemed to rival the sun itself, intent on shattering every barrier before them and transforming the very hues of this great land!

Witnessing this indescribable might, the Contractors following close behind the regular Orc army suddenly felt a sense of foreboding, even a desire to retreat. Meanwhile, Zi and Jiao Shi’s expressions grew grave as they looked toward Fang Senyan, realizing his foresight in positioning the team’s battleground here was remarkably astute. San Zai even exclaimed in wonder: “Brother Yan, how did you predict beforehand that the enemy knights would be this formidable?”

Under normal circumstances, there were plenty of Contractors proficient in melee combat. In previous city defense battles, those skilled in close quarters often found themselves with no opportunity to shine, leading to a suppressed frustration. Thus, gaining a chance to engage King Théoden’s cavalry up close would naturally incite a rush to vent that pent-up aggression. This was only human nature. Yet, Fang Senyan had managed to restrain his own inner urge, calmly holding back until the very end. It would be hard to believe there wasn't some underlying reason for this restraint.

Facing the expectant gazes of his team, Fang Senyan could only offer a wry smile and shrug his shoulders: “If I told you I also hadn’t anticipated how powerful King Théoden’s knights would be, you probably wouldn’t believe me, would you?”

“Tch…” “Middle finger…” “Don’t believe it.” “Contemptible.”

Faced with their collective skepticism, Fang Senyan sighed helplessly: “I truly didn’t know the extent of King Théoden’s power. I just felt there was no need to expend energy and spirit on a battle of this magnitude, because a fight ten times more brutal awaited us later…”

“A more brutal fight? When we breach the city?” Aldaris finally couldn’t help but ask.

Fang Senyan merely sighed, smiling without speaking. As for this matter, he was currently just steering the grand scheme toward his intentions. Whether he could truly realize his vision still depended on taking that crucial final step, so he dared not make any guarantees. Better to act first than to talk first—acting was worth ten thousand times more than speaking.

However, while the Ace team was still engaged in lighthearted banter, King Théoden’s cavalry was already entering the trap zone. It could be seen that the foremost ranks of the cavalry were illuminated by a faint, ethereal cyan light—the divine spell Grace of the Wind had been cast. Under this enchantment, the horses could leap and gallop with surprising lightness through the pitfalls. Although some horses were still injured, letting out piercing screams as they fell, the overall damage was far lighter than anticipated.

The subsequent impact on the Orc slaves and laborers could only be described as unstoppable!

Furthermore, the rout of the defeated slaves and laborers crashed back into the main formation of the regular Orc army! Their tightly arrayed formations were thrown into chaos; the so-called first and second lines of defense proved to be truly brittle, like mere paper!

Only the third defensive line, composed of the regular Orc army, managed to put immense pressure on Théoden’s cavalry. Their assault was only checked at this point, but merely checked. This meant the Contractors’ prior calculations—expecting to face scattered, exhausted riders—had been utterly naive!

What they now faced was still the fierce impact of a cohesive cavalry unit, their momentum unbroken!

Looking down from high above, one could clearly see the massive torrent of cavalry plunging headlong into the sea of Orcs before them! Ostensibly, this should have been a case of countless rivers merging into the ocean, but this torrent moved forward unstoppably, boldly cleaving through the Orc ocean! What a razor-sharp momentum!

As early as passing through the trap zone, Fang Senyan had sucked in a sharp breath. Although he had adequately estimated the grim situation, he had never imagined the sheer power of King Théoden’s cavalry would be this immense!

When the cavalry tore through the Orc slaves and laborers, Fang Senyan calmly stated: “San Zai, it looks like we’ll have to unveil another trump card today.”

San Zai looked astonished: “Is it time? Has Krukutgo’s entrance arrived?”

Krukutgo had so far only appeared as a masked, mysterious Earth Mage. Although others knew he was controlled by San Zai, they regarded him as merely a powerful Earth Mage specialized in support.

In response to San Zai’s question, Fang Senyan nodded decisively: “Yes, and I strongly suspect that even if Krukutgo goes all out, we might not be able to withstand it. I might have to intervene with my full strength as well.”

Zi heard this and exclaimed in surprise: “These knights are really that strong?”

Fang Senyan narrowed his eyes: “The strength of these knights wasn't entirely outside our prediction, it’s just that… our side seems to have overlooked one thing. Since our people could set out to intercept Aragorn and the others, it’s equally possible that the opposing side might dispatch forces to intercept our reinforcements!”

Hearing Fang Senyan’s analysis, Ronnie gasped audibly: “You mean… our reinforcements, the Haradrim who can command those incredibly powerful Mumakil, might be late?”

Fang Senyan nodded: “Yes. This means that after King Théoden’s mighty cavalry inflicts devastating damage on the Orc army, the Haradrim war elephants might finally arrive belatedly. By then, King Théoden might even have linked up with the garrison inside Minas Tirith! Minas Tirith has ample supplies to replenish them, and Théoden’s wounded and archers could reinforce the city!”

As Fang Senyan spoke, Krukutgo began executing his innate abilities. The ground before Fang Senyan and his team slowly swelled upward, eventually forming several intersecting, thick stone walls. These walls weren't very high, perhaps only about three meters, but they were over three meters thick and about ten meters long.

These few stone walls couldn't possibly dam the surging tide of cavalry like a dike, but horses, unlike armored vehicles, are intelligent creatures. Under training and encouragement, they might fearlessly charge over enemies, but they wouldn't be foolish enough to smash their bodies into stone obstacles ahead.

Thus, these crooked, seemingly random stone walls acted like reefs in a rapid current, forcing the tide to flow around them from either side, or at the very least, slowing the enemy’s charge speed.

After expending all his energy reserve, Krukutgo roared low, his entire body seeming to inflate. He rapidly transformed from a tall, thin figure shrouded in an earth-yellow robe into a grotesque, squat monster, over four meters tall, with skin the color of dark brown, sinewy muscles, and skin over every muscle marked with spiral battle scars!

An supreme majesty emanated from Krukutgo’s body—the natural oppression an upper-tier being exerts on lower beings. Krukutgo then bent over and plunged his left hand deep into the earth, almost up to his shoulder.

This posture resembled a fisherman feeling for fish in the water. When he pulled his hand back out, the ground violently shook. In Krukutgo’s massive, muscular left hand, he held a terrifying great-club made of rock, the tip glowing fiery red, occasionally dripping molten lava.

At this moment, nearly all the Contractors not currently engaged in combat turned their gaze toward this display. Sensing Krukutgo’s immense power, they also sucked in sharp breaths. No one had expected the Ace team to be hiding such an astonishing trump card at this juncture!

Some even felt a surge of apprehension. Such a powerful, primeval legendary creature, whose combat strength nearly reached the peak of the Hammered Ones, would undoubtedly perform as effectively as a giant catapult during the siege. The leader of the Ace team had such deep self-control to withhold this card and leverage it for greater gain—his political acumen was breathtaking!

By now, King Théoden’s cavalry had broken through the forward Orc army and even the Contractors’ positions, charging forward like a mad tide. Fortunately, Fang Senyan had chosen his spot well, cleverly avoiding the arrowhead zone of Théoden’s charge and positioning himself on the flank, almost along the left edge of the tip. In this location, the chances of encountering the elite riders were small, and consequently, the pressure endured should also be the lightest.

Even so, standing atop the thick stone wall, witnessing the organized cavalry charge, Fang Senyan could still feel the piercing, sharp force washing over him. As long as the entire cavalry remained in formation, the sensation was that of an overwhelming ocean, the pressure descending like a tidal wave—as if the observer himself had to withstand the ferocious charge of those eight thousand terrifying warhorses alone!

However, as these riders sped within fifty meters of Krukutgo, their horses suddenly reared up, shrieking terribly, and rapidly decelerated. They had clearly sensed the pressure emanating from this terrifying creature. Although the horses were imbued with various divine spells, upon entering Krukutgo’s formidable domain, they experienced a potent reaction and influence.

Fang Senyan’s team didn't hold back. Zi unleashed Force Barrier: Collision, Aldaris sent out a Mind Storm, and they poured everything out. Immediately, horses tumbled, riders fell, and those at the front were immediately impeded, but the riders behind, maintaining their speed, caused the front ranks to become obstacles and suffer trampling. Cavalry relied on this terrifying, relentless momentum to charge forward fearlessly!

Under the sheer inertia of the cavalry charge, Krukutgo’s suppressive power wasn't absolute. No matter how panicked the horses became, they were swept forward by the current. At this point, the sturdy stone walls constructed earlier—or more accurately, the stone barricades—proved highly effective.

These granite barricades, over three meters high but nearly four meters wide, could not possibly be crushed by cavalry. They served excellently to impede the charge, allowing Fang Senyan’s team to wait comfortably in the clear spaces between the barricades.

Of course, the Contractors on the Dark side weren't fools. This tactic wasn't difficult to conceive; others could devise similar stone walls without draining too much Earth Magic proficiency.

The difficulty lay not in erecting a few walls, but in the fact that Théoden’s cavalry, when deployed, covered an impact front spanning several kilometers. Against such overwhelming force, a few similar walls offered limited utility. More importantly, among King Théoden’s knights, there were certainly powerful figures. These stone walls might stop horses, but for high-ranking knight commanders, unleashing their fighting aura or a charge skill would take mere moments to neutralize them.

In an instant, this small sector of the battlefield was enveloped in dense, pale-green mist. Fang Senyan faithfully maintained his support role, tossing out potions first. Ronnie, meanwhile, was in his element, fishing in troubled waters amidst the chaos, an occasional flash of crimson light reaping the lives of Théoden’s knights.

Suddenly, one of Théoden’s knights slowed his horse and veered around one of the stone walls.

Even ordinary knights of Rohan possessed distinct personal characteristics. Their horses were clad in leather armor for good defense against arrows, though higher-ranking officers often used slightly heavier scale armor skirts. A wooden shield reinforced with iron hung from the knight’s left saddle, bearing the Rohan royal crest in the center. Their weapons consisted mainly of javelins for ranged use and axes or swords for close combat.

To avoid burdening their horses, knights typically wore dense protection on their upper bodies—iron helms and hardened leather plating inlaid with iron over vital areas like the chest were standard, but protection for the lower body was less comprehensive.

Seeing a target, this Rohan knight instinctively spurred his horse to accelerate, only to be violently slammed face-first by an invisible, massive wall. Tears immediately streamed down his face, and his mount let out a piercing shriek while rearing up.

Next, though he couldn't see, the knight was assaulted by the foul stench of an Ogre. Instinctively raising his shield, he managed to block a swing from the big-nosed brute’s chain hammer, but the sturdy shield shattered with a clang! The mount staggered backward uncontrollably.

The knight’s body was already numb, but a sharp pain in his ribs made him realize with horror that all his strength seemed to be draining away from that spot. In his corner of his eye, he glimpsed a ghostly figure retreating rapidly, haloed by a dim crimson light. The mortally wounded knight gathered his last ounce of courage for a final strike, but a pale blue bolt of lightning descended from the sky, killing him instantly!

This was the assembly-line manner of killing perfected by Fang Senyan’s team: first, Zi used ranged bombardment to dissipate the opponent's initial momentum; then, the brute Ogre shattered their defenses; when the enemy was at their weakest, Ronnie entered high-damage mode, striking vital points for the killing blow. Finally, to prevent any desperate last counterattack, Aldaris provided the finishing sweep with ranged attacks.

Since the Ogres bore the brunt of the most strenuous blows, after each swing of their massive chain hammers, the next Ogre would immediately step in to relieve them.

This arrangement could be summarized in three words: Efficiency, ruthlessness, mechanical precision.

This was the slaughter plan devised by Fang Senyan. He had also kept Jiao Shi, Fang Senyan himself, Krukutgo, Jiao Shi’s servant Number Seven, Ramtas, and two rotating Ogres as backup trump cards, sufficient to handle any unforeseen circumstances, even potential betrayal from their own allies. Thus, under his command, the Ace team operated like a meat grinder, swiftly harvesting the lives of Théoden’s knights. The contribution points gained from these kills were surprisingly high; Fang Senyan was shocked to find that a common knight yielded a full ten to fifteen contribution points!

This ratio sounded terrifying—the combat power of one common knight was equivalent to over ten common soldiers. However, when calculated, it was roughly comparable. Considering the current astonishing state of the battle, even with precautions taken, Théoden’s eight thousand cavalry had thrown at least 150,000 Orcs into utter disarray, turning the battle into a complete mess. Even if the eight thousand cavalry’s power didn't equal that of the 150,000 Orcs, it wasn't far off.

But if 80,000 ordinary human soldiers faced 150,000 arrayed Orcs, they would never achieve the current result; the outcome would only be annihilation!

So, when broken down, earning ten to fifteen contribution points for killing a common knight was certainly not an excessive price. To rush in and take a bite out of that rolling tide of blood and iron—the risk involved was immense!

In less than ten minutes, thirty-four fallen knights lay near Fang Senyan’s location. Smelling the intense scent of blood, the big-nosed Ogres, clad in steel armor, succumbed to their savage instincts, letting out excited roars. They dragged over the corpses of the horses and began to chew, drinking blood and eating flesh with savage relish.

Fang Senyan noticed that as they fed, the wounds on their bodies healed rapidly, indicating that these monsters were indeed born warriors, exemplifying the principle of sustaining oneself through combat. With this ability, as long as they survived the engagement and had sufficient food, they could quickly recover their fighting strength.

Perhaps noticing the stagnation of the assault in this area, a cavalry commander, fully clad in mail armor woven from interlocking plates, charged over. This individual was larger than the others, wore a gray cloak signifying rank behind him, and crucially, carried a horn at his waist, followed by more than ten clearly elite knights.

Fang Senyan’s eyes flickered when he saw the horn. Intelligence suggested King Théoden possessed at least two legendary items.

The first was his sword, Herugrim—an ancient-style blade, its scabbard inlaid with gold and adorned with emeralds. Since it was quenched in dragon’s blood, it possessed immense deterrent power against all manner of creatures.

The second was, naturally, the large horn that had just been introduced.

When the great horn was blown, over a hundred smaller horns responded, projecting its power across the entire army. This officer possessing a small horn meant he was certainly a person of stature within the ranks.

After charging over, this cavalry commander acted cautiously. From a distance, he led his subordinates to draw their bows and shoot volleys of arrows in a high arc. This type of attack perfectly targeted the weakness of Fang Senyan’s group—the dark-skinned members were perpetually vulnerable in ranged defense once their immediate support was neutralized.

Moreover, the parabolic trajectory meant the arrows bypassed the obstruction of the stone walls. Krukutgo was hit by over a dozen of these specialized arrows, arrows capable of piercing the hide of a Mumakil, causing him to roar in pain repeatedly.

Fang Senyan immediately looked toward Jiao Shi. Having survived life-and-death situations together for so long, there was no need for words; they nodded in mutual understanding!

Just then, Krukutgo, enraged by the pain, roared and conjured a massive stone sphere in his hand, engulfed in fierce flames. He hurled it at the group of charging cavalry.

The throw was extremely violent, and as the flaming rock flew, it shattered into several pieces, knocking several elite knights off their horses with piercing screams. Terror flashed across their faces.

The cavalry commander reacted instantly. The moment he perceived the incoming boulder, he executed the correct countermeasure—since retreating on horseback was agonizingly slow, his only option was to press forward—he immediately flattened himself onto his mount and jammed his heels into the horse's flank, launching himself forward!

This strike was delivered purely for survival; it was executed with every ounce of effort, a frantic dash to escape the possibility of being overtaken. However, this fellow was exceptionally cautious, having maintained a prudent distance from Fang Senyan and his group all along. This desperate burst of speed only carried him thirty to forty meters forward. Seeing that the enemy remained another thirty meters or so away, a sense of unease gripped him. Just as he was about to wheel his mount around to flee, he suddenly noticed the towering, shield-bearing man turn his gaze toward him, and then extend his right hand directly at him... RS