Cataphracts, surviving in a world full of mods

“That’s right, sir. This guy is quite strange. His physical strength far exceeds that of the strongest man. Ordinary horses can’t run that far, but he can do it on two legs. We found a lot of medicine in that hiding place, but we don’t know the ingredients. Your doctor, Talina, is analyzing it, and we should have results soon.”

"These rats have indeed made some progress, but rats are still rats after all. They only know how to hide in their holes and plot conspiracies, and all they do are dirty tricks."

“It’s not entirely without merit.” Thesolius chuckled, circling the man bound to the wooden frame, then looked down at his big toe, half of which had been gnawed off, and the pool of blood on the ground:

"They are quite capable. I was lucky this time, and I just happened to have someone as talented as Talina. I'm afraid our southern expedition will have to end here."

"Of course, they are indeed cowards. They killed countless people and pieced together countless severed limbs. Only the most vicious people could do such a thing."

………………

The two men talked amongst themselves, completely ignoring the bound man. Far from being angry, he was secretly delighted—waves of warmth were spreading through his limbs, the effects of the drug were about to wear off, and he would soon regain his mobility. Right now, he couldn't be happier that the two men treated him like he was invisible.

First, his fingers. Although he didn't move, he could already feel a real sense of control. Then his toes began to feel more relaxed. Similarly, the pain from being bitten by the rat became more intense, and even his heartbeat quickened.

As a result, his hands, feet, and back began to warm up, and the heavy, numb feeling gradually faded, making him feel increasingly invigorated. Without making a sound, he turned his eyes to the left and looked at the two people who were still talking, seemingly unaware of his presence. Suddenly, his mind began to stir...

He hadn't forgotten his mission. There wouldn't be a better opportunity than this. They were completely unprepared for him, probably thinking that these few leather straps could hold them back, unaware of his own capabilities.

Amidst the crackling of the burning fire, a small black spot on his wrist became noticeably raised, and soon pierced through the skin to form a tiny spike. The spike also had tiny barbs and sharp edges, which gently hooked onto the leather rope binding his wrist, and then slowly tore downwards, like sawing wood, at lightning speed, cutting through most of it in the blink of an eye.

He deliberately left the last small section uncut to prevent the sound of the leather rope snapping from alerting them. Spikes continued to grow from their wrists and ankles, slowly cutting away from their sight.

Just as he was about to complete his action, his heart was pounding most violently, but he still forced his whole body to remain relaxed, as if he still couldn't move.

It was like dancing on the edge of a knife; the slightest mistake would mean certain death. But he continued dancing anyway, determined to give it his all.

Finally, the last leather strap binding him was almost completely severed; it would break with just a little more force. He took a deep breath, gritted his teeth, and leaped off the wooden frame…

It wasn't until the cold touch made contact with his neck that the man realized the warden was already standing behind him... He had been so focused on cutting off the restraints on his hands and feet that he thought he could get away with it and hadn't realized this at all.

Before he could make a move, the hand gripping his neck tightened, the steel spikes on the fingers piercing deep into his flesh, making his bones creak. In the next instant, it would pierce his neck and easily tear off large chunks of flesh, just like an eagle's talons gripping a pheasant's neck.

In a flash, those hands didn't break his neck. Instead, they pushed him forward and twisted him backward. This terrifying numbness spread throughout his body, causing him to collapse to the ground before he even landed.

"He's certainly got some skills, but unfortunately he's too slow-witted."

The iron claw was pulled out, its tip bearing a glaring purple hue.

………………

The round, plump owl perched on the wooden frame, hopping about and chirping away, appearing far more active than its kind.

Of course, for its owner, it was definitely not just roughly called an owl, but had a professional scientific name, it's just that Tersoly was used to calling it that.

Tarina was focused intently on what she was doing, wearing white silk gloves on both hands, which shimmered with a soft glow to ensure that no impurities or dirt would interfere.

In the large glass container in front of them, a drop of purple medicine gleamed with an eerie light. A thin, long worm, like a thread, clung to the base and wriggled slightly. It was so small that it would be hard to notice unless you were staring at it intently.

The worm was so tiny that it could easily be mistaken for some kind of flocculent substance floating in a liquid. It had tiny segments that were densely distributed, making one wonder if pulling it would open up all those segments.

Doing anything with something so tiny requires exceptional eyesight and dexterity, but it wasn't a difficult task for Tarina.

A drop of green medicine was accurately placed between the purple medicine drop and the nematode in the glass tube, and it quickly spread out, forming green tendrils like tree roots, reaching out in all directions, and then merging into the purple medicine without any hindrance. The white nematode, however, seemed to have encountered something terrible, convulsing and curling up violently, and began to desperately try to escape.

Tarina's eyes lit up; she already had a guess.

The box contained six bottles of this purple potion with white nematodes inside. Based on the intelligence we obtained, we can deduce...

Using pointed silver tweezers, Tarina gently picked up the still struggling worm, took out her knife, and turned her gaze to the clean-furred rat in the wooden box next to her.

………………

The city had been completely taken over by the Empire. The dull, orderly footsteps could be heard everywhere in the streets and alleys as armored patrol soldiers carried out their duties. On this newly conquered land, they would not easily let their guard down. Any abnormal behavior would be dealt with severely. In just a few days, the city's security had been optimized to an extreme. Not to mention serious crimes such as murder and arson, even petty theft was nowhere to be seen.

The arrival of the Imperials brought about a new order and a new atmosphere. They felt a deep-seated disgust for those who roamed the streets and alleys, did not engage in production, and lived off the blood of others. They considered them the culprits who disrupted the city's order, the most troublesome destabilizing factors, and the breeding ground for evil. They believed that these people would only corrupt the atmosphere, destroy the order, and turn the city into a quagmire of darkness and chaos.

However, guided by this ideology, neither soldiers nor officials could tolerate the sight of such a person walking around on the streets. Once discovered and confirmed, they would immediately put on shackles, arrest him, and send him to work as laborers to repair the city. The towers and city walls destroyed by heavy catapults required a large number of people to clear the rubble and repair the gaps, which was quite a win-win situation for the Empire.

A. Dorothy is a resident of this city. This period of time has been like purgatory for her. She used to live a good life in this city with her man, relying on her bread-making skills. She even built a two-story house in a place far away from the bustling area of ​​the city and dared to have two children... But all of this changed completely two months ago.

She had never seen so many troops gathered in a city. Tents of all sizes were erected in every street and alley. Many unfortunate people were forcibly evicted from their homes, which were occupied by officers and soldiers. Anyone who dared to be negligent could be killed. Many residents who once had homes and businesses here became homeless people on the streets, huddled under the eaves, worrying every day about how to get food the next day so they wouldn't starve to death. They were even more destitute than beggars in the past...

Chapter 259 Order

Footsteps echoed from the street outside. A troop of armored soldiers passed by the door. Their gleaming swords were so sharp they reflected images. Although no bloodstains were visible, they carried a faint smell of blood and iron. It was hard to imagine how many limbs these weapons had severed and how many lives they had taken…

The presence of such beings right outside one's doorstep is obvious to anyone with a modicum of sense. The best course of action now is to cower in a corner, making no sound, to avoid provoking these menacing soldiers. Conquerors who occupy a city for the first time are always exceptionally brutal. Although things haven't reached that point yet, no one knows when the Imperial general will order his soldiers to plunder and kill at will within the city. That would be a truly devastating catastrophe.

With cities now under military control, these ordinary people have no control over their own fate. They can only lament their misfortune, minimize their travel, and pray that the terrible calamity will not befall them.

As a result, all production activities in the city came to a complete halt. The only good news was that after the original army was killed and driven out, many people were finally able to return to their homes. The Empire had no intention of driving them out yet, so they had no choice but to stay there in fear and unease, at least that way they wouldn't have to encounter those terrifying soldiers on the streets.

"Come here, Doris... Don't peer through the door, or you'll attract their attention."

Her husband, a burly Holstein man, was nervously waving at her from behind the cabinet, his beard unkempt, his eyes bloodshot, and his long, pointed ears twitching anxiously.

“Don’t be so cowardly, Ark… I need to see clearly what these Imperials are up to. If there are any suspicious signs, we can hide in time.”

Compared to her husband, Doris, who was considerably more voluptuous, didn't even tremble when she spoke. She remained motionless, lying in front of the door, observing the street outside through a crack in the door.

Her husband hesitated for a moment, then finally sighed helplessly and cautiously approached:

“I need to talk to you about something… If you feel you’ve observed enough, hurry back inside; the children are waiting there.”

"Okay, okay, you go back first. The two of us are making too much noise."

Doris waved her hand impatiently, shooing her man into the room, and then continued to lie motionless at the door watching.

Everything seemed normal. Squads of soldiers passed by the surrounding streets at regular intervals. They were wary of any movement, and no one doubted their determination to maintain order with their swords. So the surrounding streets were deathly silent, as if the inhabitants had been slaughtered and only a group of bewildered ghosts remained.

She observed for a while and secretly noted down the intervals between the patrols. These were things she might encounter in the future. If these soldiers really intended to break down every door, drag the men and women inside into slavery, and rob them of all their money, then what she knew might save her family from danger at a critical moment.

Just as she was getting to the point and preparing to go back and discuss it with her man, a sudden commotion on the street drew her attention back to the situation.

"Torayu?! What's he doing outside?"

A tall, thin man, pale-faced, fled down the street, tattered rags of his clothes flying everywhere. He ran barefoot on the ground, moving incredibly fast, and in the blink of an eye, he had escaped to the other end of the street, pursued by shouting imperial soldiers.

The scene before my eyes was so sudden, so out of place with the lifeless atmosphere of the street just now, it was like a mad bull had broken into a bakery, making the surrounding streets lively again.

The man fled, breathless, his body far inferior to that of the soldiers. He was only slightly faster because he wasn't wearing armor, but he also seemed to be nearing his limit, only daring not to stop because of his fear of the soldiers behind him.

"Stop right now, you hear me, you bastard!"

The soldiers inside shouted and cursed, but the man only ran faster, his legs moving like the wind in extreme fear. He let out a low, hoarse scream, looking like a terrified goat.

"You fool, unleash the dogs!"

The military dogs, which had been eagerly waiting in the ranks, were released from their collars and immediately darted out like lightning, barking sharply and loudly, their sharp teeth, white as shattered ice, snapping and clenching.

The man's scream reached its peak, extreme fear and despair emanating from his eyes. His hands flailed wildly as if trying to open something, but in reality, he touched nothing...

The military dog ​​easily caught up with him, and then, when it was about two meters away, it slightly curled its limbs and leaped directly at his face, easily pinning the running man to the ground and biting his throat.

A desperate scream escaped his throat. The man dared not look any longer, closed his eyes, and wept, making his already filthy face even more vivid, as if he had just crawled out of the mud.

Even as the footsteps closed in on him, the expected sharp pain in his throat did not come; instead, he felt a chilling sensation as a sharp object pressed against his skin.

After a long while, someone kicked him in the side, and the man opened his eyes in a panic. Then, at very close range, he saw the military dog's shiny black nose and bright eyes, as well as its long snout that disappeared behind his chin...

Realizing that the large dog had its neck in its mouth, the man dared not move. Although he was still whimpering, he was as docile as a frozen corpse.

"Why are you running, you bastard?!"

The leader kicked him hard again, this time on the side of his thigh near his groin. The flesh there was thick and the skin rough, so it didn't hurt much, but it still made him tremble. He didn't dare to hide anything and said haltingly:

"...I'm afraid...of you."

"What bad thing did you do?"

"No...it's just that I've run out of food at home, and I want to go buy some."

"Then just go directly! Why are you hiding from us? I bet you've done something wrong, otherwise why would you be so scared?!"

The captain sternly rebuked the man before him. Under his fierce expression, the man became even more frightened, tormented by extreme fear and despair into a dazed state, desperately trying to explain himself.

"Spare me! Spare me! I really just wanted to buy some food. My child is so weak from hunger! Otherwise, I would never have come out! Please, gentlemen, spare me! I really didn't do anything wrong!"

The captain of the Imperial Patrol immediately understood—judging from the man's cowardly appearance, he was right; it was hard to fake being so scared. He was just a cowardly timid fool!

Thinking about how this guy had led his group around for quite a distance, the captain was furious and kicked the man hard in the knee again.

"Run! Go ahead and run! You're wasting our time!"

The surrounding houses were filled with the sounds of people falling asleep. All the residents were peering through windows or cracks in doors to observe the situation. Countless sighs could be heard from inside. Many people dared not look any longer and simply closed their eyes, waiting for screams to come from the street.

Almost everyone assumed that this unlucky fellow was doomed today. Judging from the menacing looks of the Imperials, things were going badly, and they were sure his head would be chopped off, or maybe even worse...

Many people had even started packing their belongings—they were worried that the soldiers might become murderous and barge in, so they figured they might as well take advantage of the moment when their attention was diverted and hide in a safe place.

Doris sighed as well, feeling sorry for her neighbor... He was an honest but unlucky man, timid but kind, and well-liked in the neighborhood. However, no matter how well-liked he was, no one dared to actually come to his rescue at this moment...

"You've wasted so much of our time, and now we have to patrol again. I really want to break your leg so you can't keep running like this! Get lost and go do what you're supposed to do."

After kicking the dog twice more, the captain finally calmed down and listlessly let the military dog ​​release its grip.

"Spare me, spare me! I'm just a coward... uh?"

The man, who was still begging for mercy, seemed completely taken aback by what the other party would say. He looked dazed and confused.

"What? You don't want to leave? Fine, come with us to the jail for two days, we promise you'll..."

"I'm leaving right away, I'm leaving right away! Kind adults, you will surely live to be a hundred years old, may you always be healthy!"

The man, who never expected to be let off so easily, rolled to his feet, feeling relieved to have survived, and kept saying thank you as he turned to leave.

"Wait a moment!"

The man's shoulders trembled, and he turned around with extreme difficulty. The smile on his face was more like a grimace, his entire face contorted in pain.

"Sir, what's wrong with you...?"

The captain sized the man up and down, glancing at his tattered clothes and pursing his lips.

“If anyone dares to inflate grain prices, you must report it immediately. There is affordable grain available in the city’s central square. Look at your poor appearance… Alright, get out of here.”

………………

Doris returned to her bedroom, where her husband and two children were already waiting, looking worried. Upon seeing her enter, the man immediately took two steps forward.

"You've finally arrived! We're running out of food. I've searched every corner of the house, and this is all we have left—two pounds of flour, a loaf of dry bread, some pickled cucumbers, and a jar of pickled beans from a few months ago... And these two boys eat a lot. This won't last long. We need to think of something!"

The husband seemed very anxious, while Doris showed no sign of impatience, appearing quite out of place, especially considering that the two boys next to her both looked worried.

This quickly calmed the husband down, and he looked at his wife with some confusion: