Cataphracts, surviving in a world full of mods

In the pitch-black night, the bright torches stood out starkly. A troop of soldiers, fully armored and armed, marched along the road with serious expressions, leaning on their gleaming swords and spears. During their march, they would actively probe for any disturbance, even the slightest rustling of a rabbit would arouse their suspicion.

The dense antlers have blocked off the surrounding roads, prohibiting anyone from entering or leaving at will. Horses are extremely rare here; only messengers who need speed have to ride them, but they will tie their horses far away early and walk over to deliver letters and reports.

In the deep darkness, the chill of the night seeped in through the cracks in the door, but it did not sway Talina's resolve in the slightest—this was partly due to the blazing fireplace providing ample warmth, but also because her current actions were of paramount importance and allowed no room for error.

There was a drop of viscous red liquid in a clean ceramic dish, and another drop of clear, blue liquid was teetering in a glass tube, about to drip in.

She practically stared at her own breath until the drop of liquid fell from above and gently dissolved into the red slime, only then did Talina breathe a sigh of relief. She hurriedly picked up her staff from the side.

“ds,pae,yt.”

A blue ripple rolled across the surface, and the drop of liquid in the plate began to tremble rapidly before returning to its original state within a few breaths, bringing a hint of joy to Tarina's face.

Without even looking, he accurately picked out a bottle from the side by touch and pulled out the stopper. The light black powder inside looked like coal ash scraped from the bottom of a pot, and also had a unique coke smell.

“ku,saw,ty,io.”

The powder and ink were sprinkled evenly and neatly across the entire plate, and then the side was gently tapped with a staff.

"Ding!"

Accompanied by a crisp and melodious trembling sound, the coal ash began to fluctuate, constantly changing its shape along the liquid in the center, until the trembling stopped. In many places, the white porcelain plate was revealed under the black, and the black and white formed strange patterns, sharp and angular, with sharp turns, which spread all the way to the edge of the plate.

Chapter 283 The Possibility of Plague (2)

"Damn it, how did that thing become so smelly?! Ugh! I can't take it anymore. Wait here for me for a bit, I need to catch my breath, or I'll suffocate here."

"Wait, I'm here..."

The strong man's face was ashen, every hair on his beard trembled, and his eyes narrowed to the extreme with utter disgust. He turned and fled as if a tiger were biting his rear, disappearing into the woods before his companion could even utter a complete question.

The young man who was left behind had a sparse, soft mustache and looked like he had just come of age. He still had a youthful and flustered expression on his face. When he saw that his companion had already left, he turned around and looked at him with even more worry.

About 50 meters to his right rear, a livestock pen surrounded by deer antlers and enclosed by thick wooden planks exuded an ominous aura in the darkness. Armored soldiers stood guard around the area. Despite the cold weather, they had long since donned warm, thick cotton-padded coats under their armor and wore fur-lined boots with multiple layers of leather soles. The cold night wind blew in gusts, but they remained unmoved, observing everything around them with vigilant eyes. Even a fox that suddenly appeared would be driven away and shot down by them.

To be honest, he really didn't think there was any need for the two of them to be standing there—after all, with these elite soldiers guarding it, he couldn't imagine anyone other than an army getting close to that heavily guarded livestock pen. Their foreman, for some reason, still sent the two of them out to stand guard with spears at a road intersection outside the soldiers' defensive perimeter, on the way to their sleeping shed.

Aside from each person carrying a long spear, along with a matching short sword and shield, they had no other armor. They wore cotton-padded clothes, which weren't too uncomfortable in the cold night wind, but what was truly deadly was the constant stench coming from behind. Every moment, it felt like a slimy slug, burrowing into their noses and brains, and into their stomachs, trying to scoop out everything they had eaten that night.

After his companion left, he felt the stench seemed even more intense. In the past, he thought the smell was the worst thing that could stand up on the ground, thanks to the unhygienic, slovenly boy next door. That guy only had one pair of socks, and to avoid having to wear shoes barefoot the next day, he often didn't change them for months at a time. Wherever he went, everyone avoided him, and no one wanted to associate with him unless absolutely necessary.

Now he was witnessing what it meant to be outmatched by others and to be exposed to all sorts of dangers—the stench emanating from behind him was like someone's stinky feet had been stuck in the rotting entrails of a fish, fermenting for many days before being covered by rotten mushroom stumps, eventually accumulating into a rich and pungent stench.

"Ah! What the hell is that?!"

Just as he was feeling dizzy from the fumes, a panicked shout suddenly came from the nearby forest, which jolted him awake. He straightened his back immediately and realized in the next instant that it was his companion who was shouting.

In the utter silence, this sudden shout was remarkably loud. Not only the soldiers guarding the area nearby, but also the workers' resting quarters below lit up with fires. Of course, he and the soldiers beside him arrived even faster. In the blink of an eye, a squad of guards gathered here, spears in hand, swords at their sides, bows drawn and arrows nocked.

"What's wrong? Who's screaming in the night?"

The young man pointed tremblingly to the nearby woods:

"It's Stott! He just went into the woods."

The captain, with a solemn expression, looked around for a moment, then pointed to the left and right respectively. The six soldiers immediately spread out in unison and surrounded the grove of trees, while the remaining four entered from the front.

The young man stood there in a daze for a moment, then immediately turned around and rushed towards the shed area where the lights had just been turned on.

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

The spearhead parted the withered grass, its sharp point leaving a scratch on the bark. The armor plates rustled as they moved through the vegetation. The bowstring was slightly taut, ready to unleash an arrow in the blink of an eye.

It was just a small grove of trees. The soldiers had quickly searched the other areas and were converging on this spot in the northeast corner, their torches flashing in unison. Meanwhile, more troops had surrounded the area, ensuring that not even a rabbit could escape.

In a patch of fallen bushes, they found the man named Stott, and also discovered the carcass of a deer, except...

This was undoubtedly the carcass of a red deer, except that its once beautiful brownish-red fur had now turned rotten and green, exposing its bones and internal organs. Its four slender legs stretched out high like withered tree branches, lying in the mud in a strange posture.

A strange red light spread here, so lustrous and bright that it even overshadowed the flames burning on the torches in their hands. The soldiers were so surprised that they stood still and, out of some instinct, began to retreat hastily. In the process, one of them did not forget to grab the stunned guy on the ground by the back of his clothes and drag him away.

In the darkness, the crimson hue and firelight mingled, and on the body of the red deer, its intestines rotting, bones decaying, and blood flowing freely, fungi resembling teacups were growing and spreading. The tall stalks and caps were fused together, distinguished only by tiny bumps, while within the concave caps, a blood-red, fluorescent liquid rippled gently, like fine wine… except these “wine cups” stretched from the deer’s head to its hooves, covering every inch of the area with countless tiny, densely packed clusters. (Such fungi do exist in reality; this has been slightly modified.)

This scene was enough to send chills down anyone's spine after the initial awe; their deepest instincts were driving them away from this beautiful yet dangerous area... especially when the captain saw that the deer's head was still twitching slightly...

………………

The thick wooden door was flung open, and a pungent, musty smell rushed out, overwhelming everyone's sense of smell and reason like a tidal wave, causing them to turn away and cough violently. Even the thick masks they wore couldn't block out the eerie odor.

A magnificent, vibrant red pierced through the wooden door, reflecting on everyone's face as if it had been splashed with blood. Every animal was covered in brilliant, goblet-like, blood-red fungi; milky-white hyphae burrowed deep into the flesh, keeping it in a state of decay yet brimming with life. This caused the skin and flesh to peel away on a large scale, exposing the underlying bones, muscles, and internal organs.

Intermittent gasps of breath still lingered here, and at a glance, one could see that there were still surviving creatures emitting their final cries, maintaining a decaying vitality.

Tersolius stopped what he was doing, a wary look in his eyes. He waved his hand lightly, and everyone immediately retreated, moving as far away as possible to a safe zone 30 meters away.

The situation deteriorated far faster than he had anticipated; in just a few hours, and not even late at night. What initially appeared to be a simple plague had escalated to this point, with these dangerous, bizarre, and beautiful things everywhere… No normal, rational person would consider approaching such things a wise choice. The best course of action would be to pour kerosene on them, throw in a torch, and let the intense flames destroy everything unsettling, damp, and rotten.

"What is Dr. Talina doing right now...?"

Before he could ask the question, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly sounded beside him. Hearing the familiar rhythm and voice, Tersolius immediately knew:

“You’ve come at just the right time. Come and see, Talina, this place is very strange.”

"My lord, I've discovered it! This isn't a plague, it's an infection, a fungal infection..."

Talina hurried along, but when she reached Tersolius, she was drawn to the intense, vibrant red light. She turned her head and froze, her words only half-finished.

“Your judgment is absolutely correct, Doctor, but now our first priority is figuring out how to deal with this. I don’t want all the warhorses in the camp to end up like this.”

Tersolius adjusted his face mask, which had been soaked in medicine, and shifted his shoulders slightly due to the constriction of the protective suit he was wearing. He then turned to look at his personal guards behind him:

"Clear the surrounding forest. I don't want to see any wild animals coming near here and spreading this damn stuff... I hope this stuff hasn't spread yet, otherwise it will be even more of a headache."

"By the way, the canal excavation project should not be stopped, except for sites 27, 26 and 28. Except for necessary ones, all horses should be under control, and if any infection occurs, they should be isolated immediately."

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

Babies have a very different perspective from adults. Most things are new and explorable to them. Because of this, they do many things that seem silly and cute to adults, and they devote all their energy to these actions and enjoy them immensely.

Especially during the period when their teeth are growing in, the most important thing for them to explore the world is their mouths. There is almost nothing they won't put in their mouths to taste, to try out the texture, and they do it quite quickly without any hesitation, even if the thing they want to taste is part of their own brother...

Ikosoya started babbling, but unfortunately, wrapped up like a cotton ball, he didn't have much room to move. His little arms and legs couldn't even touch the things around him. He could only let his sister nibble on his cheeks with her tiny mouth, which only had two tiny teeth the size of rice grains, and spread her saliva evenly on half of his face.

This biting behavior was unlikely to cause any harm and was mostly to relieve the itching caused by teething. However, it made Ikosoya feel strongly offended. After finally getting to the edge of the crib and finding stable support with one of her little hands, she kept twisting her head, which was wearing a white cotton hat, trying to bite back. The two little ones quickly became a ball again, leaving drool marks on each other's faces and making a mess of the wool blanket they were on.

A slender hand, calloused at the fingers, reached into the cradle and gently cradled Fercitara's head, pulling the restless little one off her brother. Fercitara unceremoniously grabbed the hand, opened her mouth, and bit down, rubbing her soft gums against the other's fingers. As she chewed, her expression became subtle, and finally, her cheeks puffed up, and she hugged the hand tightly, biting even more enthusiastically.

"Sometimes I wonder if my two children have too much energy. They stayed up late last night and woke up before noon today. Shouldn't children this age be very sleepy? Why are they not like this at all?"

Christina smiled and reached out to pinch Felsitara's cheek. Only after making the child laugh did she finally release the emperor, allowing Clautina to glance at the drool on her fingers with amusement, before reluctantly taking a soft cotton towel from the side to wipe it clean.

"Perhaps I should issue an order that these two little guys will be able to come and go from the arena without any hindrance in the future; they will surely become stars there."

"I don't think it's necessary. Anyway, with the two of them around, these two little guys will inevitably have to deal with swords and knives in the future. Do you remember those two knives?"

"Of course I remember, it was given to me by Tersolius, right? But it seems they won't be useful for another few years."

The emperor smiled as he grasped the pink sword and drew its blade. The gleaming edge showed no sign of diminishing its sharpness, remaining as sharp as it should be, even though it was a gift for a child. Whether in the hands of a child or an adult, it could easily slice through flesh with astonishing lightness, giving the illusion that even a skinny monkey could wield it.

Christina had been smiling, but the smile gradually faded, and a deep worry surfaced. The emperor noticed the change in her mood, and with some doubt, sheathed his sword and turned to look at her.

"Why that expression? Christina, you can tell me anything."

"...What is the situation at the front? Your Majesty, you must have other things to say, so why are you hesitating so much?"

Chapter 284 Unexpected Discovery (1)

“I just wanted to come see you, Christina. You shouldn’t have doubts about them. Don’t you know that guy? Who could possibly put those two in such a difficult situation? And if anything goes wrong, I can’t hide it from you.”

Clautina was somewhat helpless; the emperor, who held supreme power, was now having a headache and trying every means to dispel her friend's doubts.

"Although the Assele have declared war on us and have begun mobilizing their legions, those deserters in the south have no idea what they're about to face. We've already discussed our countermeasures. Natamus will provide support from the south; they won't be able to cause any trouble, they'll only get themselves involved..."

"Alright, alright, it's good that you're alright. I was worried about you."

Christina smiled gently, quickly calming the fussy little one in her arms until he was giggling, and then gently placed him back in the crib.

"I believe you will handle national affairs well, and I don't need to worry... My only concern is whether you are under too much pressure?... You may not know, but since you came in, your brow has been furrowed."

“I know that being an emperor is a very difficult thing. Such a large country, there are so many things that need your responsibility, so many decisions that need your making, and so many people who are secretly opposing you... I can't do much, but I want you to know that no matter when, no matter what your status is, you will always be my closest friend, and my trust in you will never change in the slightest.”

The emperor was stunned. He subconsciously touched his forehead and felt the gentle undulations on his smooth, jade-like skin—a slight frown.

Only then did the emperor realize why everyone he had met since that morning had looked so apprehensive—because they had all seen his furrowed brow and, fearing to offend the emperor's authority, dared not say a word.

None of her trusted advisors were in the capital, so it was only Christina who pointed out the worry in her eyes... Otherwise, she might not have noticed it until the next time she looked at herself in the mirror.

"You're always so understanding, Christina, if you keep this up, you're going to completely charm me~~"

The emperor smiled brightly, then nestled against Christina as if boneless, wrapping his long, slender arms around her waist and gently blowing a breath onto her neck:

"Perhaps I should snatch you away from Natamus? Hmm?"

With a blank expression, Christina reached behind her and accurately grasped a soft, elastic piece of flesh, then twisted it forcefully to the left.

"Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! You're offending the Emperor's dignity... No! I was wrong, I was wrong! Be gentle, be gentle!"

"Don't make jokes like that! You audacious little girl."

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

"That should be about right, sir! I've already scrubbed myself three times, and I'm sure I've rubbed off a layer of skin, because my whole body aches, even getting dressed hurts!"

"That's about right. Please understand. After all, you were the first person to discover it. If there is any infection, you are the prime suspect. And it's not just you; everyone who came into contact with the livestock in those two days is being treated the same way. I also find it quite troublesome, but there's nothing we can do about it."

The young scholar was fully dressed in protective clothing. In front of him was a man in clean linen clothes. His skin was red from being rubbed in the medicine, and he was moving his shoulders with a stinging sensation all over his body. Even his hair had been shaved off and burned.

He was absolutely cleaned, probably never before in his life. He could even feel his skin was as slippery as oil, and he felt extremely uncomfortable all over.

Although he doesn't have to work now, rests every day, and receives his usual food and vegetables, and even had a little meat in the morning, it should be a very comfortable life. The lazybones in the village probably dream of living like this—but for him, he'd rather pick up his hammer and chisel away at big rocks than suffer like this again…

You should know that in just this morning and afternoon, he was asked to scrub his whole body three times, and at least five times yesterday. Moreover, he couldn't sleep well at night. Every now and then, scholars wearing protective suits soaked in medicine and cloth bags on their feet would come in to check on them. His drowsiness would be interrupted. Even though he slept until the sun came up in the morning, he still felt very tired. He was also asked all sorts of questions until he was dizzy and confused.

The other workers were in a similar state, all looking dejected and completely lacking energy. After all, although they didn't have to work, they weren't allowed to drink or gamble, so they had no idea what to do. They could only stand there blankly in the sun, and when they were done staring, they would go back to sleep—of course, someone would check on them at any time and wake them up.

"Let's finish this quickly. I feel a sense of familiarity looking at those rocks now, and I can't wait to smash them open with a hammer..."

He never imagined he would say such a thing one day. Right now, all he wants to do is do something, even if it's just to work... It's better than being monitored and spacing out like this. This makes him, who has been busy since he was a child, feel lost and helpless.

A scholar carefully carried a sealed glass box on a wooden tray. They walked quickly past him, and everyone knew that there must be something dangerous inside, so they all avoided him. He walked through the crowded square, up a gentle slope, and finally arrived at a neat little house.

The reason this house is described as well-maintained is that no normal person's house has ever been sealed up like this—there are no windows or ventilation spaces, every corner is firmly sealed with volcanic concrete, and the exterior looks like a smooth and clean large area. Even the door is pitifully small, so narrow that only a man can squeeze in sideways.

This is definitely not a place a normal person would want to live in, yet the scholar walked up to it and knocked on the door without hesitation: