Cataphracts, surviving in a world full of mods

The uninvited guest was clearly aware of this, and quickly explained:

"If Your Majesty hadn't struck first with your sword, we might have already reached a conclusion. As for the unpleasantness that followed... I had to survive in your hands first, and many of my subconscious reactions may have offended you. I sincerely apologize to Your Majesty once again... After all, facing such a skilled swordsman, someone as humble as me dared not hold back in the slightest."

With a bang, the heavy wooden door was pushed open, and the Camuss, armed and wielding armor, filed in. They carried shields in one hand and short weapons in the other, forming a well-trained encirclement. They immediately locked onto the uninvited guest and swiftly began their advance, preparing to capture or kill him.

Faced with such a hopeless situation, the ugly and strange-looking man simply maintained his bowing posture without making a sound, revealing a sense of composure.

"Wait a minute."

Camus and his companions immediately stopped in their tracks, as if someone had pressed the pause button, and a smile instantly appeared on the man's lowered head...

"Find a chair, tie him to it, and then you all go out first."

The man's smile froze slightly, but he quickly straightened his lips and threw away the two dangerous short knives that gleamed with a bluish-purple light without resistance. He allowed the soldiers to search him and, after confirming that there were no dangerous items, they found a sturdy and heavy wooden chair and tied him to it, even securing his ankles with ropes.

After doing all this, the soldiers who had been so aggressive saluted and left in an orderly fashion, leaving only the man and the king in the room once again.

"Tell me, who exactly are you, and what are your plans this time?"

Turning back to the expensive oak table, Julius pulled out the soft chair filled with swan down and slowly settled himself in. Then he looked up at the man opposite him, who was waiting to be killed.

"Please allow me to introduce myself..."

"Our organization has been shrouded in shadows for over a century, striving for a great purpose... Perhaps you have heard of the Order of the Holy Reveries?"

Julius frowned, offering no reply, which elicited a snicker from the man.

"That's normal. We've always kept a very low profile, and most people don't even know we exist... But that's not important, Your Majesty. We and you are both well aware that this country is on the verge of collapse. The mighty empire's renowned legions are about to come and ravage this place, and leading those fierce warriors is the Imperial Consul Tesolius, who has shattered the entire northern defense line. After losing the northern defense line, the Kingdom of Hols cannot possibly resist such a terrifying enemy."

"I have already sent the peace negotiation delegation..."

Julius said expressionlessly, but his tone was very calm and without the slightest hint of anger.

"Please don't try to make me laugh." The man shook his head, his long, pointed nose twitching a few times.

"How could they be satisfied with some petty gains when they could get more with their own hands? Especially in an empire, a country of war and law? At least when it comes to war, very few of them are not clear-headed."

"So that mission wasn't really there to seek peace, but more to buy time... I think what I'm saying is pretty much correct."

"Although you obtained Atherel's support at some cost... we all know very well that even in the best-case scenario, if Atherel's Shah really did send his own army, they wouldn't be able to shed too much blood for the war between the Hols and the Empire. After all, that Shah isn't exactly without scruples in his own country..."

"The Kurist people in the east have been completely destroyed and are no longer a problem for the empire. The herders on the grasslands have all submitted to the empire, leaving only a stubborn khan with a dozen or so tribes who have defected to the north."

"The northern Kiel launched an attack at the beginning of this year, but it was repelled by the Empire's Northwind Legion... like a cat offering its paw, they quickly retreated. In the end, they were just cautiously probing, after all, the northern Kiel had not recovered their strength since the great defeat in which the Khan died in battle."

"As for the Western countries, there's not much to say. Once those dozen or so countries reach a conclusion, everything will be over... In short, you can't expect countries in other directions to distract the Empire's offensive, at least not this year. And whether your country can hold out until the end of the year is still an unknown."

The man spoke without reservation. Even though he was tied to a chair and had become a lamb to the slaughter, he made no attempt to hide anything, bluntly pointing out His Majesty the King's current awkward and terrifying predicament—no powerful external support, no natural defenses built up over generations, and even his own lords harboring ulterior motives, with someone constantly coveting his position, assassination attempts and poisonings commonplace. Yet, he had to face an invincible general and the prosperous and powerful empire behind him, and the terrifying war machine of this nation…

It can only be said that Julius truly deserves the title—he is the most suitable person for this country to be king. If it were someone else, facing this terrible situation, they might have been driven mad by the pressure...

Now that this long-standing truth has been brutally exposed, he showed no anger, embarrassment, or panic. He remained calm and composed, watching the man in front of him and waiting for what the man would say next.

"Therefore... I extend to you once again a sincere invitation—the Holy Order of Knowledge is willing to reach an agreement with Your Majesty. We will spare no effort to help you and your country in this war. Please believe me, our strength will absolutely surprise you."

Julius raised an eyebrow, remaining noncommittal and unmoved by the other party's lengthy explanation, and then very clearly raised a question:

"What benefit could you and your organization possibly gain from this? After all, it is the Hols who are to be destroyed and conquered. What interest do you have in this that would make you want to get involved, or even stand against the Empire?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the man fell silent. After a long while, a strange smile appeared on his lips, like thick grease poured over honey, mixed with mud and ash—sweet yet revealing something filthy…

“We will certainly have enough to gain… Do you remember the guy who served you when Alpert fell?”

"Hmm, is he one of yours?"

“That’s right, he was indeed sent by us to help Your Majesty, but he probably didn’t reveal much to you at the time… And in order to serve you, we also need the same ‘supplies’…”

Julius fell silent—he knew perfectly well what these guys meant by "supplies"...

"Is it just for this?"

"Please don't have too many doubts. Our goal from the beginning has been to fight against the Empire... to be precise, to eliminate Tersolius... He is a terrible threat to our cause, and it is worth our all to eliminate him."

"Even if it means your death?"

"Even if it means my death."

………………

Silence descended once more, as the firewood in the fireplace roared to life. The flames, recently fueled, blazed fiercely, illuminating most of the room and drowning out the candlelight.

“I need to know more, about your organization, about your strange abilities… I need to know all of that.”

Julius finally broke the silence, his brow furrowed and his fingers repeatedly rubbing the hilt of his sword, as if he were hesitating.

"No problem, you have that right."

"You must not act on your own, and you must not cause riots in my country, or I will not hesitate to eliminate you."

"Of course."

The man answered without hesitation. Beneath his respectful expression, there was an air of complete composure. He had never been flustered except when the sword was at his throat. He remained confident that His Majesty the King would agree to his proposal.

………………

After a brief period of bargaining, both parties reached a reasonably satisfactory result, reaching a verbal agreement... or rather, it could only be a verbal agreement.

Julius stood up, drew his longsword from his waist, and approached the man. He raised the gleaming blade high and then swung it down heavily. With a sharp whistling sound as the air was torn apart, the man watched without changing his expression as the tough ropes binding him were severed with a single sword stroke. He then calmly stood up and removed the broken ropes from his body.

At this moment, this ugly and repulsive fellow actually looked quite dignified.

“Then, I think we can now be considered collaborators, Your Majesty…”

A smile spread across his rough face as he bowed deeply.

Chapter 235 To Begin

The murky water flowed from his hand, gently splashing onto the gleaming blade, washing away the fine grime accumulated from grinding, revealing the bright white blade. The delicate patterns on it, like feathers scattered, were naturally formed, exquisite and beautiful, as if it were the natural appearance of granite cut with yarn.

A soft cashmere scarf was wrapped around the sharp spearhead. With careful wiping, the mud and water stains were cleaned away, revealing the smooth steel that gleamed coldly and pierced the eyes. As a corner of the cashmere scarf brushed past the spearhead, a clear and crisp tremor spread through the air, making one feel as if a gentle breeze was blowing through their ears, instantly invigorating their spirit.

The long, sharp spearhead tube was meticulously crafted with eight facets, each smooth and flat, without the slightest error. Each facet was inlaid with gold carvings depicting various ferocious beasts, lifelike and exuding a murderous aura.

The spearhead has a very gentle tapering at the top, which is also the thickest and most sturdy part of the spearhead. The metal is exquisitely sculpted and shaped here, with gilded dragon heads extending to both sides. The dragon's long neck turns back upwards and interlocks with the spear blade, which also prevents the spear from penetrating too deeply.

Above that is a gently sloping, extremely sharp spearhead with a very subtle waist at the middle. Unlike swords, which are thin, it has a considerable thickness, gradually thinning to the tip. It is sharp and unbreakable, and in the hands of a warrior, it can easily pierce even heavy armor, not to mention that its user is the unparalleled general of the entire empire.

He couldn't tolerate leaving the slightest flaw. In those short two weeks, he almost exhausted himself, without a moment's rest. Except for eating and sleeping, he completely locked himself by the forge, polishing and refining every minute.

The spear shaft has four nail holes at the end, and these four nails were specially made by him, with intricate floral patterns carved at the end. They will be carefully hammered into the spear shaft with a leather hammer to secure it firmly.

The tail grip used for counterweight has also been completed, and its level of craftsmanship is no less than that of the spearhead. It unfolds eight sturdy iron blades, each engraved with intricate patterns. The short, blunt, pointed tip at the very end is the most robust, capable of easily breaking hands and feet and crushing bones.

He placed all the parts on a clean white cloth, carefully wrapped them up, immediately got up, opened the door, and went out to the largest barracks in the center of the craftsmen's camp.

A huge wooden basin was placed in the center, and several old men were busy around it. Every now and then, they would scoop up a basin of greenish liquid from the basin and pour it onto the black gun barrel in front of them. Then they would carefully polish it with a cloth wrapped with fine sand, and every now and then they would do it again to wash away the excess mud.

As they continued their movements, the gun barrels became increasingly smooth, and their originally dark appearance suddenly became shiny and lustrous, revealing a blood-red hue.

These colorful spots are evenly distributed, like flowing clouds in the sky, with an extremely graceful and soft shape. As the craftsmen continue to polish and perfect them, the spear shaft, which is several meters long, suddenly turns into a color like a burning cloud, exquisite and beautiful like a work of art.

Only after the final polishing, when even the most discerning craftsman could find no flaws, were the water basins removed by the apprentices, and the spear shafts moved to a sturdy wooden frame.

Alprilos took a wood file from his apprentice and carefully and quickly filed the surrounding wood into a rough cone shape around the iron core in the spear shaft. He then checked the spearhead and, seeing that it fit perfectly, turned to look at Alip, who was installing the copper ring.

Alipu immediately understood what the teacher meant, turned around and brought over a small pot heated in a water bath from the stove next to him. Inside the pot was a dark blue-black viscous colloid that was bubbling.

This is the famous Miluo glue, from Asri in the south. It is said to be a secretion from a unique tree after it is injured. Even in a dry and hot environment, it is difficult for it to become brittle and maintain its viscous state for a long time. Only when mixed with a unique medicine can it exert its unparalleled strong adhesive power.

This unique resin is boiled and filtered several times, then gold and silver powders are added, and it is wrapped in silver to become the finished product. Each time it is used, it must be mixed with the medicine and heated in a water bath to maintain the most viscous state.

Using a wooden shovel, the sticky colloid was scooped up and applied to the rough, cone-shaped surface. While it was still hot, the spearhead was firmly pressed onto it. An old man with a full head of white beard carefully and quickly hammered the nail in. Several layers of thick leather were stacked on top of the wooden block to make a leather hammer, with an iron counterweight specially added in the middle, so as not to damage the metal surface when hammering.

After a series of clanging and banging, the glue would become strong in another hour or two, so strong that even three oxen wouldn't be able to pull the spear off. The group breathed a sigh of relief, finally ending their busy work, and stepped back a little to admire their results.

Seeing this, everyone felt satisfied, clicking their tongues in admiration and nodding incessantly.

Even the most discerning and demanding person would find no fault with this spear. It is a true masterpiece, long, tough, sharp, and sturdy. It would surely have a place even in the treasury of the emperor's golden palace. No one who makes a living with swords could resist its allure.

Even if it were exchanged for a whole chest of gold, many people would probably be willing to pay the money. After all, not everyone has the good fortune to have several of the empire's top craftsmen forge weapons for him... But this spear is no longer something that can be bought with gold. The moment it was completed, this weapon belonged to General Tersolius, to one of the pinnacles of imperial authority.

As time passed and the glue was deemed to have hardened, Alprilos stepped forward and brought the spear to a close-up view, where everyone gathered around to examine it closely.

Up close, it looks even more magnificent. This deadly weapon now appears to have a graceful quality, like a sunset, especially the paint layer on the shaft that flows and spreads like fiery clouds, as if it is brewing some kind of amazing power, like lava flowing beneath the rocks of a volcano about to erupt.

Just as everyone was still marveling and pondering, they heard continuous commands outside, accompanied by the sound of armor clashing and heavy footsteps, and knew that General Tersolius had arrived.

As the gate was pushed open by the guards, the craftsmen waited on the side, all smiles but also somewhat uneasy, awaiting the evaluation of the spear's owner.

Thesoris, clad in heavy armor, entered with a smile. His attention was immediately drawn to the magnificent, long spear. He stretched out his hand, and Alprilos gently placed the spear shaft in his hand.

"We have successfully completed our mission, sir."

"You've all worked hard. Please accept these first, and let me try them out..."

Two heavy chests were placed in front of the craftsmen. The clanging sounds inside indicated that they must contain unimaginable wealth, but no one was in a hurry to open them. All eyes were on Tersolyus, who stood holding a spear.

This spear weighs more than twice as much as a regular spear, but it is just right for this particular lawyer. The center of gravity is also cleverly distributed, making it feel like an extension of his arm or finger in his hands.

He slightly raised the tip of the spear, then exerted force with his arm and swung it downwards—accompanied by a sharp, heavy whistling sound, the iron core, which was difficult for ordinary people to bend, bent into an arc in an instant, and then quickly rebounded in the blink of an eye, bursting out with a muffled thunderous sound in the air. The stirred air blew through everyone's hair, and for a moment, it felt like a gentle breeze.

Thesolius nodded slightly—he had already gained a good grasp of the situation with just that one moment, and was therefore even more satisfied, marveling at this rare masterpiece.

The space was cramped, and there were too many things scattered around, making it difficult to maneuver. So he simply slung the spear over his shoulder, turned around, stepped out of the room, and came to the spacious area outside.

He still held the spear in one hand, pointing the tip forward in front of him, the gleaming blade eager to pierce something...

With a heavy stomp on the ground, dust billowed up, and the spear shaft whipped up a whirlwind that swept past, directly knocking away several straws from the roof. Yet, it was extremely resilient, bending for a moment only to spring back instantly, producing a terrifying whistling sound.

The sharp spear tip turned into a white blur in the air, its shape completely indistinguishable. It seemed to be scattered everywhere, then in the blink of an eye, it converged into a single point, the spear tip still trembling slightly.

Theros's smile turned into a full-blown laugh. He stopped all his movements, stroking the spear in his hand with extreme pride, no longer harboring any doubts.

Seeing this, the craftsmen knew their efforts had been recognized and immediately cheered with joy. The older, more composed men, unlike the younger ones, did not lose their composure, but still smiled, sharing in the pride.

………………

The camp was far from quiet at night, at least in Tesolis, with officials, clerks, and officers bringing in a flurry of military matters to handle.

But Terzolith was not busy at this time, after all, the staff he had assembled was for this purpose, allowing him to spend his time on more important things.

Of course, generally speaking, this more important matter certainly doesn't refer to someone holding a spear and laughing on the sidelines...

The first thing Talina saw when she hurriedly lifted the tent flap was this scene—Tesolius, with a smile on his face, was stroking a shiny spear in his hand, occasionally tapping the shaft lightly with his hand, listening to the crisp sound like fine metal clashing, and couldn't stop smiling.

Thinking about how hard her group of people had been working non-stop... even the gentle-natured Talina couldn't help but stare at Tersolius with a blank expression.