Cataphracts, surviving in a world full of mods

Wiping the water stains from his damp beard, the already quite experienced Baria continued forward until he heard a sharp copper whistle from the side. He immediately quickened his pace and led his troops swiftly and steadily toward the source of the whistle to provide support.

After turning three corners, he could even see other squads rushing there. The large group of archers nocked their arrows and ran swiftly along the eaves of the street. The cold glint of their swords, spears, axes, and halberds made even the wild cats hiding on the beams tremble with fear.

Near the target point, they regrouped one last time and then charged in without hesitation, following their captain. In an instant, they joined a bloody siege. Blades clashed, shields clashed, and arrows flew. In a flash, the outcome was decided. The imperial army annihilated the last large-scale resistance force of a hundred men, leaving only a dozen or so wounded prisoners kneeling trembling on the ground.

They tied the men's hands with ropes, bound them together with a beam to make sure no one could run around, and then a small group was separated to drive them toward the east gate to join the ranks of prisoners there.

Before he could catch his breath, another whistle blew from the left. He and the squad leader opposite him exchanged a glance and nodded in tacit agreement. The two teams then flanked from both sides of the street and plunged into the next battle without hesitation.

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

The city is a saber, the city is a spear...

A sentence inexplicably popped into his mind. Looking at the city still billowing smoke, he gently tapped the reins with his fingers, waiting there leisurely.

He now felt a pang of nostalgia for his past life—as a general, he would often charge into battle, tearing apart enemy lines, trampling them under his horse's hooves, and letting his spears and swords soak in his blood. But now, as the high-ranking consul and commander-in-chief of the entire empire, he could no longer lead from the front. The responsibilities he bore meant he could no longer afford to act rashly and irresponsibly.

The fact that he had to personally take to the front lines meant that the battle had reached an extremely critical juncture. Even he was going to risk his life, which was bad news for everyone.

In his position, all he needed to do was to manipulate the army as if it were his own sword or his own limbs, making them conquer lands, seize cities, crush enemy legions, destroy their castles, bind their princes and nobles to his presence, and bestow victory, glory, and wealth upon his soldiers.

Cities are undoubtedly the most concentrated embodiment of civilization, a symbol of a nation's wealth and prosperity, and the lifeblood of its politics and economy. They are also powerful weapons against enemy armies. He has now broken the enemy's spears and destroyed their swords, leaving the remaining lands of the Hols defenseless, exposing their vulnerable chests... And now comes the feast...

The fall of this city was something he had anticipated, and even the purpose of digging the canal was not for it... To be precise, the main purpose was not to capture the city, but that was just a side effect. The more important thing was to open up this river so that the imperial fleet could sail south all the way into the Sea of ​​Us, thereby threatening the Hols and intimidating the Asel.

He had already learned of the Assele's invasion and had a general plan, all of which required the cooperation of the fleet. If things went smoothly, he intended to annihilate the Assele's reckless army in the southeastern valley... Moreover, he was very interested in seeing what their most fertile eastern plains were like, whether they were truly as rich as the legends said, and whether the land was really so fertile that it could produce abundant and plentiful grains...

Resistance within the city was gradually fading, and the cries and screams were growing fainter. A large number of prisoners were being brought out from the eastern city gate, now trembling under the gleaming spears. They would all be sent to build roads for the new empire's provinces, ensuring that the empire could quickly take control of the newly conquered lands and allow more supplies and troops to arrive continuously.

It wasn't until midday, when the sun was at its fiercest, that Tersolius finally took his next step—he gently squeezed Moss's belly, causing the massive, magnificent warhorse to snort and begin to move forward quietly. His guards and armored soldiers immediately followed, the sound of their armor clashing like a surging tide, their fluttering banners forming a dazzling forest, as they marched straight toward the city's opened south gate.

The place was now packed with Imperial soldiers. They filled every corner, even the towers and city walls were crammed together. Each of them was covered in the blood of the enemy. Their blades were chipped and their shields were dented, but this did not diminish their fierce and indomitable spirit. Like an iron wall, they stood arrogantly on the land that the Hols had just lost.

A cold winter wind blew, causing the white fur on his shoulders to tremble slightly—the thick, tough white lion's hide remained unmoved by the breeze, only the soft, thick white fur danced with it. His golden winged helmet shone brilliantly in the sunlight, its two-foot-long red plume billowing behind him like a blazing flame.

All the soldiers' faces flushed crimson, their eyes glued to the figure for a single moment, as if their gaze were tangible, now stuck there by a sticky substance… In this moment! Faced with yet another resounding victory, that figure was no longer mortal! All worldly expressions of reverence and admiration for him paled in comparison; he was like the embodiment of the god of war and law, bringing them glory and victory time and again! Wealth and conquest!

The magnificent black warhorse drew ever closer, and the soldiers' emotions surged, yet an unspoken understanding and a subtle circumstance prevented them from unleashing their pent-up energy. They simply focused their gaze on the figure… until the horse's hooves touched the drawbridge over the city gate and moat, and then it rode forward. The horse's hooves clattered crisply on the hard wooden planks…

Ta-da... clatter...

Thus, the warhorse carried its master across the moat, to the open space in front of the city gate, across the open space, through the city gate... until the moment it finally entered the city, when cheers that could no longer be suppressed rose into the sky.

"Long live Thesolius! Long live the Emperor!!"

"Long live!!"

"Tesorius!!"

"Long live the Empire!!"

A deafening roar of cheers engulfed the entire city, announcing his arrival.

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

"Hurry up, you idiot! If I see anyone daring to stick their hands out at me, I'll chop them off right now!"

"Don't fucking stop to loot! What we need to do is capture the Holstein nobles and high-ranking officials, that's the real achievement! All of you, move faster, hurry up! If you dawdle any longer, you can go back to drinking your milk!"

His greatsword was dripping with blood, half his face was covered in blood, and his hair was a mess. Colin stood on the high ground and shouted loudly, telling his men, who were often too proud to admit their mistake, to catch up with the group.

Colin and her men were part of the second wave of troops that attacked with the fleet. Although it was nighttime, these elite hunters from the mountains were not afraid at all... rather, they were like fish in water. Even though the enemy was more familiar with the terrain, they were able to fight with ease, cooperating with each other perfectly. They even used the night as their cover, killing the enemy until they were dizzy and routed.

By daybreak, the remaining enemy forces in the city had been wiped out. Apart from the prisoners who were sent outside the city, those who dared to resist had become corpses piled up in the streets and alleys. The whole city reeked of blood. Colin, with a clear objective, led his troops all the way to the city lord's mansion.

Although the city lacked an inner city due to its structure, the count, as the city's ruler, was not foolish enough not to have some defensive measures in place for his residence. There were still towering walls and dangerous arrow towers. They initially attempted an attack, but ultimately they were outnumbered and had to retreat temporarily. After gathering several other troops from other places, they finally broke through the city in one fell swoop. At this moment, other troops had begun to pursue the fleeing enemy, while they continued to charge towards the tallest and most magnificent place with a clear objective.

This place can be described as extremely luxurious, after all, this city is a very important commercial center. The coming and going caravans can bring the lord here a very considerable income, not to mention the money from other sources. Everywhere you look, there are exquisite and beautiful carvings and paintings, the walls are covered with smooth oak panels, the edges of the curtains are outlined with delicate lace with silk thread, and they are embroidered with bright flowers, birds and animals. It is an place of extreme luxury and extravagance.

Everyone they encountered, whether man, woman, old person, or child, was seized on the spot. Anyone who dared to resist had their arms and legs broken. They advanced rapidly in this manner, eliciting countless screams and howls, and smashing many things in their way, until they finally saw the sturdy, carved solid wood gate located at the deepest part of the path...

Chapter 289 (Part 2)

A wooden door, intricately carved, gilded with opulent gold, and inlaid with tiny gemstones at its edges, unmistakably displayed the noble status of its owner. Anyone who wasn't truly a fool or blind could tell just how high-ranking and powerful the person who could decorate their room with such a magnificent door must be, and how immensely wealthy they must be…

Normally, this would undoubtedly be a good thing, adding prestige to the distinguished owner and showcasing his dignity and wealth to his guests—this was undoubtedly the intended purpose of the wooden doors when they were created. But now, these magnificent wooden doors have brought utter disaster upon their owner, allowing malicious pursuers to quickly discover the location of the esteemed person within the building.

"Such a beautiful door, that guy must be hiding behind it, boss! Let's make our move!!"

Kochkin, whose head was half-covered in blood, didn't bother wiping the blood from his face. He just blinked occasionally to prevent the blood from flowing into his eyes. At this moment, he was pointing at the large wooden door in front of him with great interest, and it looked like he would kick the door open if no one stopped him at the next moment.

As for his current disheveled state, it was embarrassing for him—while rushing in carelessly, he was hit on the forehead by a fallen candlestick, which tore open a finger-length gash. If Warif hadn't caught him in time, this reckless fellow might have been knocked unconscious and had his throat slit by those Hols running around.

This made him feel a little ashamed, so he couldn't wait to show off—ideally, he could capture a high-ranking nobleman, which would be a real triumph.

"Okay, let's get started."

Colin didn't want to linger here. After waving his hand to signal his men to get ready, he took two steps forward and kicked the middle of the door hard, leaving a dusty and bloody footprint on the ornately carved door frame.

"Bang!!"

The force of the kick was undoubtedly great, causing the heavy wooden plank to slam heavily against the walls on both sides with a whooshing sound, revealing the scene inside in its entirety before their eyes—

Just as most people imagine, the space here is very spacious. The floor is covered with an intricately patterned Arthur carpet, and the floor-to-ceiling windows inlaid with stained glass cast a dreamy glow in the sunlight. Exquisite sculptures and magnificent paintings decorate the space everywhere. Every corner is filled with patterns and sculptures that can fill any blank space, making people dazzled and mesmerized.

"puff!"

The heavy greatsword pierced the soft wool carpet, spurting blood as it was pulled out. A Holstein soldier, clutching a short sword, collapsed from behind. Colin, expressionless, surveyed the vast, luxurious space, then frowned and began to lament his bad luck:

"Damn it, that guy got away!"

The spacious and luxurious room before them was completely empty. The others looked at each other in bewilderment for a moment before rushing in and starting to search everywhere. They pulled off the thick carpets hanging down, carried away the sturdy mahogany table, and even kicked over the chairs one by one. In the blink of an eye, they had turned the once dignified and exquisite room into a complete mess, as if a pack of vicious dogs had been let in.

"There's another bedroom! Come quick, let's break it open together!"

Kochkin had the sharpest eyes. While the others were still busy searching everywhere, he was the first to spot the small door hidden under a blanket on the side. He called to a squad leader next to him to help him. The two of them turned their shoulders to the side, one kicking and the other ramming, and quickly broke the door open. Then they hurriedly raised their swords and rushed inside.

Colin quickly followed, but before she could get close, she suddenly heard a woman scream and Kochkin's somewhat panicked shouts from inside, prompting her to rush in.

The scene inside was exactly as she had imagined: Kochkin was struggling with a woman. Several times, the young mountain man's face contorted with rage, as if he wanted to chop this troublesome fellow down with his sword, but he ultimately restrained himself, only kicking him a couple of times and pulling and pushing the woman, who had lost her mind and was clinging to him like a reptile, until she rolled onto the bed.

"Behave yourself! If you move again, I'll cut you in half with my sword. You don't want to know what your intestines look like."

The bloody implications of those words finally terrified the screaming woman, who began to tremble uncontrollably. Tears streamed down her face like a cut water pipe, soaking her cotton clothes and causing her flaxen hair to stick to her face.

The others had already begun searching the crowded house, and after finding nothing, they all crowded around the woman, their eyes gleaming with malice, looking like a pack of wolves ready to tear their prey apart and devour it.

They had fought their way through the city, and each of them was covered in blood. Their armor was soaked with blood, so they certainly didn't look like kind men and women. Let alone a young girl, even a strong man would probably be trembling with fear and unable to speak.

"Where has the owner of this mansion gone? Tell me!"

A mountain man roared out a sentence, sounding like a vicious wolf howling. But instead of the response he expected from the little girl who was used to hearing it, she froze on the spot, her face turning pale. She was as stiff as a frog staring blankly in bright light.

The group exchanged bewildered glances, realizing that the girl in front of them had been terrified.

"Let me slap her twice and she'll come back to her senses! That's what people do when they're startled by a mountain spirit back in my hometown."

"Oh, then hurry up and do it. Remember to go easy on her, don't break her mouth, otherwise we won't understand her even if she speaks."

Colin nodded repeatedly, then turned around and gestured for Warif, who was behind him, to step forward.

The burly middle-aged man threw down his axe, stretched his shoulders, spat into his hand, pressed his large, fan-like hand against the girl's cheek, made a couple of gestures, pulled his shoulder back, and began to gather strength... Each gesture brought out a slight cold wind, it seemed that his purpose was not to wake her up, but to kill her outright.

At first, the trembling little girl's eyes were unfocused and dazed. The second time, her eyes clearly brightened. But as Warif's thick shoulders began to gather strength, panic finally showed in her bright black eyes. She let out a scream and scrambled backward. Just then, Warif finished gathering his strength, and his thick hand, accompanied by a gust of wind, swung down, grazing the little girl's forehead before slamming heavily onto the bedpost beside her. The solid wood bedpost, as thick as a wrist, creaked and tilted downwards, a crack appearing at its base revealing the whitish wood beneath the black lacquer.

…………

"You don't really want to beat her to death, do you?"

Even Colin became suspicious, and the others looked at Warif with probing eyes, causing the bearded man to scratch his head in confusion.

"That's how my dad taught me, and it always works..."

"Have you ever hit it?"

"...It's strange, but I've never hit it once. Every time, I wake up just as I'm about to hit it."

"I understand now, you can go away."

Colin shoved Warif aside and then moved closer to the girl:

“Listen up, girl. We’re looking for the owner of this building. As long as you obediently tell us, you’ll be fine. Judging from the calluses on your hands and the clothes you’re wearing, you’re not from a wealthy family. There’s no need to cover for him… Otherwise, I can’t guarantee that our methods will still be so gentle. Do you understand?”

The girl with flaxen hair nodded frantically, speaking tremblingly:

“I…I’m a servant here…I don’t know where the master…I just…when things got chaotic outside, I came here to hide…and then I saw you all…”

“But before you came in, I heard a lot of footsteps outside… then the sound of something heavy being dragged away, and then nothing. I don’t know anything else. Please don’t kill me! I… I… I’m just a servant, I don’t know anything, and I’ve never seen your faces! Please don’t kill me, I still have some money left! It’s right here!”

As she spoke, the girl took out a small purse from her bosom and couldn't help but start crying again, but the mountain people didn't care anymore. They rushed out in a noisy swarm and began searching in the hall outside.

Kochkin was the last to leave. As he walked, he suddenly felt he couldn't take another step, and he felt he had to do something. So he scratched his head, turned around, looked at the Holstein girl still curled up by the bed, and said:

"Don't worry, we won't kill anyone indiscriminately. Just remember not to take anything related to weapons, not even a rolling pin... Also, you won't be able to stay here anymore, so hurry up and think of another way to make a living... Maybe not, but you'll always be able to survive, so don't worry about that. Okay, just stay here and hide well, and come out when things calm down."

As soon as he finished speaking, he quickly turned around and slipped out, making sure to close the door behind him.

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

Another chaotic search ensued, but this time there was a clear target. Every heavy object in the spacious room was lifted up by burly men, and then someone else lay down and used a knife to pry open the floor, searching for any hidden doors. In no time, the group had searched every corner, leaving only the last soft couch for lying on one's side.

The soft couch had a sturdy black teak frame, strong and heavy. It took four people working together to slowly lift it up. Kochkin quickly lay down and tentatively pried at the gaps in the wooden planks with his dagger, while carefully listening to the sounds below and tapping around with his knuckles.

"Empty! Empty! Empty!"

"It's done! This is it! Let's dismantle this place together."

When he heard the hollow echo, the young man was overjoyed. He quickly directed the others to throw the large object aside, grabbed an axe, and prepared to split the place apart.

"Crack!"

The axe sank into the oak floorboards almost like a hot knife through butter, sending splinters flying everywhere. With a powerful upward hook and pry, a large section of the floorboards burst forth, revealing a dark hole. Kozikin, now even more energized, swung the axe with ferocious force. He hacked and chiseled around the hole, peeling away the fragile planks until the axe struck hard stone, sparks flying. He had carved out a hole large enough for a person to crawl through.

"Let's go, don't let him really get away!"

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

In the narrow terrain, the greatswords that the mountain people were accustomed to using, though incredibly powerful, were no longer very useful. A slight misstep could result in them striking the hard rock face. In a life-or-death struggle, such a mistake could be fatal. Therefore, none of the dozen or so people who came down brought their own greatswords, but instead each carried an axe, something they were used to—no child who grew up in the forest didn't know how to chop wood.

The underground passage had no forks, which made things easy for them; they could just keep running with their heads down. Soon, a hazy light appeared ahead, and with a sudden burst of panicked noise, everyone knew they had finally caught their opponent's tail...

The battle in the narrow passage was over in an instant. Sharp axes and shields clashed and clashed with short swords, splitting flesh, tearing open chests, slitting throats, and splashing large swaths of hot blood all around. In this damp and dark place, one could imagine that the stench of decay would linger for a long time, continuously attracting insects and rats.

He smashed the last soldier who dared to fight them to the ground with his shield, then cleanly chopped off his neck with an axe. Turning his head to avoid the spurting blood, Colin looked at the well-to-do middle-aged man huddled in the corner with a ferocious and triumphant smile. He waved his hand, and someone stepped forward to tie up their prey with ropes.

Mission accomplished, Colin couldn't help but relax. She shook her blood-stained hair and walked a few more steps towards the end of the passage with some curiosity. Then she saw a small door made of iron bars and wooden planks. Pushing it open, a wave of damp air rushed out, and the burning wreckage was still emitting thick smoke. Broken planks floated slowly past her, and the river that ran through the city came into view.