Cataphracts, surviving in a world full of mods

"The mutated parasites must replenish this substance, which means that no matter how clean and efficient their infiltrators are, they will have to replenish this substance every once in a while, and they will inevitably give themselves away. As long as we maintain long-term monitoring, it will be easy to find their flaws."

"Doesn't the human brain contain the same substance? What if they choose to secretly murder ordinary people to obtain it?"

"That would only expose them faster. After all, compared to those nematodes, the matter in the human brain is far too scarce. To obtain enough through this method, they would have to commit a horrific massacre. And even if they did do that..."

Tarina's face turned slightly pale, as if she subconsciously didn't want to continue, but in the end she frowned and pursed her lips:

"They couldn't possibly have eaten that many brains... That's something a humanoid creature simply couldn't do, even if they've been modified... After all, the substance they ingested wasn't their own, but rather parasitic tissue implanted in their bodies; they themselves didn't possess that kind of terrifying digestive ability."

"According to the intelligence obtained from the interrogation, the creatures that assassinated you consumed a large amount of brain tissue before setting off. That brain tissue was a byproduct of their modification. It wasn't for their most basic needs, but simply to improve their condition, just like someone preparing to do heavy physical labor would eat as much oily food as possible before setting off."

"In conclusion, they must resupply, so they will inevitably reveal their weaknesses! At present, it seems that a single resupply can only last for a month at most."

Talina confidently drew her conclusion, while Tersolius nodded, tapping his fingers thoughtfully on the table.

"That's really interesting—"

........................

Cities are the most densely populated areas, and they often mean the concentration of wealth and power. Even the most ordinary beggar can get more food and money here, and live a much easier life than in a village or town.

With a large population, many problems inevitably arise, and some people inevitably have the opportunity to scheme. Rather than creating wealth, they prefer to plunder the wealth of others, becoming parasites in the city through coercion and enticement, sucking the blood of hardworking citizens. Eventually, when an organization has a structure, gangs will emerge.

They are like cockroaches breeding in the shadows; no matter how much you try to clean them up, new ones will always emerge. Ultimately, the reason they exist is the lack of a robust grassroots government structure, which gives them an opportunity to exploit and make a living by sucking blood.

Such phenomena are gradually disappearing in this city. The former vampires have mostly turned into corpses swaying on wooden poles or mutilated bodies with their heads chopped off in the execution ground. A new order is being established in this city—a powerful and inviolable order.

In the dead of night, men were patrolling the streets in a line. After the army set off, there were no longer armored soldiers everywhere on the streets of Toracasi. Instead, there were men from various units who had received military training and were patrolling the streets with the weapons they had been issued to catch bandits and thieves.

This was still a new experience for them—although the dark night and familiar streets and alleys always brought a sense of strange dread, the sight of them walking in groups with weapons made them feel more at ease and more cautious. After all, this was where they lived, where their families lived, and few dared to cheat or do anything dishonest.

Yak exhaled a puff of white breath. The city night was damp and cold, making his fingertips feel less nimble. So he transferred the iron-clad short stick in his right hand to his left, taking the opportunity to put his right hand inside his clothes to warm it up. Once it was completely warm, he switched his left hand in to make himself feel better.

As the team leader, he naturally had to walk at the front and was most familiar with the patrol route. He was currently preparing to cross a small alley between two streets, take a detour, and return to their neighborhood. Then they could finish their work for the day and go home.

Of course, before that, they needed to report to the Imperial soldiers in charge of the area to confirm that all of them had arrived and no one was absent before they could fill in the blanks on the parchment that belonged to their team.

The torches swayed in the wind, making their shadows on the ground twist and turn, as if they had come to life.

Behind him was his neighbor, a burly man holding a hunting fork. He used to be a hunter in a nearby village. After hunting for several years and saving up some money, he moved to the city. He had no wife, no parents, and no children. He was a lone wolf.

There was no wind in the alley, but it was even more damp. The moss on the stone slabs, which was often trampled on, still grew sparsely. Sometimes, people would slip and fall.

The group walked along, chatting idly. The weather was too cold for them to talk much, and they were all thinking about finishing their errands quickly so they could go home and get some sleep. Their footsteps were messy, but at least they were lively... Just before they were about to leave the alley, Yak suddenly felt someone tap his back with their knuckles, and his body stiffened instantly.

"What's wrong, Derodo?"

He turned his head with some confusion to look at his companion who had suddenly nudged him. This experienced hunter had a unkempt beard and haphazardly combed hair, and bright eyes with scars. He was staring intently at the corner of the wall beside him, as if someone had scattered gold there, completely absorbed. After a while, he lowered his voice and whispered to him:

“There are marks in front of the house next door. Someone just climbed up there... I can see it very clearly. The marks are very fresh, and there is still wet soil on them.”

The others were completely unaware of their movements and continued to slowly incline forward. In the quiet darkness, they couldn't help but become complacent and were all eager to go back to sleep.

"Are you sure someone climbed up there? Maybe it was a stray cat. We never burn those kinds of animals around here. Just the other day, it stole a piece of smoked meat from the kitchen."

The old hunter narrowed his eyes warily, but did not doubt his judgment:

“It’s definitely a person. I’m not that old yet. How could a cat have such big footprints? And that guy was very quick. He climbed to the top of the wall in just two steps… He might be a skilled thief.”

"you mean?"

"If we catch a thief, there's a reward of 30 silver coins. If we split it, we can each get three, enough to live comfortably for a couple of days... What I mean is, isn't it a waste to just let him go like this?"

“Let’s go forward first, and after we get to that street ahead, we’ll turn left and circle back. That’ll be a good way to get around this area. That guy is most likely near that sugar pastry shop. If we’re careful, we should be able to catch him. Let’s not make any too much noise now, so as not to get noticed.”

As his thoughts raced, Ark simply continued walking forward without making a sound, and the others maintained their previous posture, following him in a loose formation... Some were still complaining about the training they would be participating in in a couple of days, feeling that wasting time on such things would delay their ability to make money, but they only complained a few words, after all, the Imperial Army had only left a few days ago, and no matter how bold they were, they wouldn't say anything in the street.

The old hunter still carried his hunting fork, his signature tool for hunting wild animals in the mountains and forests. It had three sharp points with spiral patterns forged from twisted metal. Even a half-finger-thick bear hide couldn't withstand such a stab. No matter how ferocious the beast, it would shrink back when it saw him holding this thing.

Soon, he was pleased to see that the leader, Ark, temporarily changed his route and led the entire group to circle around to the left.

………………

The leather soles were studded with several hard copper nails, providing excellent grip and preventing him from slipping on the smooth moss on the stone slabs, allowing him to quickly glide onto the roof.

The houses here are all relatively low, with a layer of lime plastered on the walls to prevent moisture and insects. The roof tiles are mostly old and covered with moss and succulents. You have to be careful when you step on them, because the sound of these tiles breaking is quite loud, as crisp as a ceramic jar being smashed. Even the soundest sleeper will be awakened in an instant.

He climbed over rooftop after rooftop, through wool mills and bread alleys, ignoring the stray cats he had startled. His speed increased and his skills improved until he reached a low bungalow.

The moonlight bathed the area in a pure white glow, and the city was shrouded in darkness with only scattered lights. Most residents were reluctant to light lamps after nightfall, which conveniently provided him with the opportunity to act covertly…

Chapter 276 Firelight (2)

"Young man, young man, why are you wandering the streets?"

Don't leave your sword at home and let it rust.

Don't let your shield become a breeding ground for moss and termites.

"How fertile the land is, yet you let it grow weeds."

Glory is beckoning to you, but you're too busy bowing your head...

The resounding song echoed between armored vehicles, weaved through banners, and flew over bare branches in the woods. Passing through the gently falling snowflakes, it carried further and higher with the soldiers' fervor, so that this land would know their passion and their will.

The imperial legions were marching on the road. In the damp and cold winter of the Kingdom of Hols, the road conditions were quite bad. They often encountered muddy places where snowmelt had accumulated, and walking through them made their feet feel heavier.

In such situations, it is necessary to send advance soldiers to deal with the road conditions, spread lime on muddy areas, fill in potholes with soil, repair road breaks, and repair damaged bridges to ensure that the army will not encounter any trouble when passing through.

"Hurry up! How long are you going to take to drive that log into the ground?! If you delay any longer, the army will be here!"

"Captain, there are too many rocks here. We've dug five or six times already, but we still can't get them all out. Every time we drive the wooden stakes in, we have to pull them out and start digging for rocks again!"

"Damn it, this road is a mess! ... You guys come here, let's work together to dig out this hole first, and then fill it in, otherwise we won't be able to build this bridge plank tonight!"

Baria took a deep breath, watching the white breath he exhaled shoot far away like smoke billowing from a chimney. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and continued to dig with his pickaxe, pulling one jumbled rock after another from the soil.

He is now the captain of an entire squad... He has been promoted to a high position after only a few months in the army, especially in the elite legion of the empire. This was something he would never have dared to dream of in the past. After all, he did not think he was any better than others, especially in this elite legion full of hidden talents. His greatest wish was just to live as an ordinary soldier until the end of the war and save enough money to buy a couple of plots of land and take care of his parents.

Now it seems that he may have already achieved his initial wish... If he continues in his current state, saving enough money will not be difficult at all.

Kalido, who had always been inseparable from him, had also become a captain, so they could no longer stay together as before. At this moment, he was repairing a bridge, while Kalido was marching with the army in the rear. In a while, they would cross the bridge that he had repaired.

Even a resilient and honest young man like him couldn't help but feel a little ambitious at this moment—if he could work harder and achieve more merits, he could become a 50th sergeant...

"clang!"

The vibration he felt under his hand almost made him drop his pickaxe. What was exposed was a black rock formation the size of a bull's head. Its rounded shape clearly indicated that a large part of it was still buried deeper. His full-force strike had only left a dent the size of a little finger and a white dot on it...

"Damn it, this is bad..."

The newly appointed captain, Barea, scrunched up his face, instantly pulled from his reverie, and looked at the huge rock with a wry smile.

"It just so happens to be in this location, and it's impossible to put the wooden stakes up somewhere else."

One of his deputy captains also looked distressed, sighing as he stared at the troublesome hard rock in the pit they had dug—to support this slab, they would have to erect a sturdy bridge pillar here, and even moving it to the side by an inch would cause the bridge to become unstable, a risk they dared not take.

The sheer size and hardness of the rock meant that they couldn't dig it out quickly or smash it cleanly.

"If all else fails, should we dig it shallower?"

The other vice-captain was a Kurist with slightly curly, light black hair and high cheekbones, giving him an air of shrewdness. He was also scratching his head, looking somewhat bewildered.

"no!"

Baria shook his head, rejecting his subordinate's suggestion:

"We don't know how many more troops and important people will pass through here. If we don't dig deep enough and cause damage to the bridge, which delays logistics, we'll be in big trouble."

"Then let's not delay any longer, let's get started digging!"

The first vice-captain to speak sighed, then quickly rallied himself and urged the others to bring chisels and sledgehammers to break the hard rock.

Everyone knew it was a stupid method, but at that moment it seemed there was no other way but to use a stupid method. In the end, Baria lowered his head and was the first to reach out and take the hammer.

Perhaps Calido can come up with some other ideas here...

He could barely control his thoughts, and couldn't help but sigh. He beckoned a burly soldier to place his steel chisel against the rock, preparing to chisel out a hole.

The unusual sound of leaves being rustled saved Barea's life.

The instant he heard the tree branch snap, as if by instinct, he dropped the sledgehammer, rolled into the dug pit, and shouted as he did so:

"The enemy is attacking the defensive formation!"

Almost the instant he finished speaking, a thick arrow shaft struck the spot where he had been standing, its fletching still trembling slightly and kicking up a few specks of dirt. Another arrow grazed a soldier's head and struck the vice-captain's neck, exiting through his Adam's apple.

The Imperial Legion soldiers' practice of carrying their shields in areas where the enemy might be active also saved most of their lives. As the sound of arrows whistling through the air, like the sharp cry of birds, rang out, everyone instinctively took off their shields and huddled together, using them to cover their heads, chests, and abdomens.

In a very short time, hundreds of arrows were scattered. A soldier who reacted a little slower was hit by seven or eight arrows in succession. Most of them were weakened by his chainmail, but one arrow pierced through the back of his head and out of his mouth, ending his life...

The instant he rolled into the pit, Baria grabbed his battle axe from his waist and his shield from his back, and scrambled out of the pit, standing in the formation of his soldiers.

"Everyone, put your shields up! They don't have that many arrows to waste. The enemy will be charging soon!"

Another arrow slipped through the gap in the shield, grazing Baria's cheek and embedding itself precisely in the gap between his helmet and face, leaving a small but noticeable scar on his cheek. Yet, he didn't utter a sound of pain, maintaining an almost cold composure as he surveyed the dense thicket beside the bridge, letting the blood trickle down his cheek and drip into his clothes.

Just as he said, the enemy was not as wealthy and powerful as the Imperial Legion, and they did not have the luxury of wantonly firing a large number of arrows. After seeing that most of the arrows they fired had no effect, a dozen Holstein soldiers rushed out from the rustling leaves amidst a cheering shout.

"Military merit has come knocking on your door?"

One of the soldiers, whose shoulders were being supported by Balia, suddenly uttered this remark, causing the others to burst into laughter and instantly easing the tense atmosphere.

"That's right, let's wipe out this rabble in one fell swoop!"

Baria chuckled twice, then issued a new instruction without hesitation:

"Move forward, block the area blocked by those two rocks, and push them back!"

"Understood!!"

The soldiers cheered, holding their shields in front of them and concealing their weapons behind them. They pressed forward in tight formation, precisely intercepting the enemy just as they were about to pass through the two rocky obstacles.

In an instant, blades pierced bodies, shields collided, and bodies were shoved to the ground in a chaotic mess. Swords and blades clashed and twisted, short hammers swung up and down, axes slashed and hacked, and the seeping blood soaked the dry riverbed mixed with pebbles.

"incite!"

As the sharp bronze whistle sounded, the soldiers simultaneously raised their shields, using their broad surfaces to protect themselves, enduring the enemy's relentless hacking and slashing. They didn't retreat an inch, forming a wall of oak.

"incite!!"

At the same time, dangerous gaps appeared in various parts of the wall, from which sharp swords pierced fiercely and ruthlessly through the weakest areas, drawing out dripping blood, bringing death screams like venomous snakes poking their heads out, before being withdrawn with lightning speed.

"incite!"

The shields rejoined, and the attackers' counterattacks could only leave large and small scratches on the shields, like desperate beasts futilely tearing at the hunter's spear.