Cataphracts, surviving in a world full of mods

However, all the wealth he had accumulated would ultimately benefit himself.

Tersolius tossed the scale armor back casually, in high spirits. It was undoubtedly a valuable treasure, even more valuable than gold... After all, in this era, only those who possessed such things could keep their wealth.

Wandering around, he came to a large wooden rack displaying helmets. Looking at the dazzling array of helmets, some with Holstein and others even Imperial styles, Tersolius suddenly realized…

He had a persistent concern: his helmet was left on the battlefield, and no one else had a spare. So, he had been exposing his head to the elements for some time. It was fine normally, but it wasn't safe on the battlefield.

The helmets here look to be of good quality, so I'll pick one for myself...

Just like choosing vegetables at a market, he walked past helmet after helmet, slowly passing by these sturdy and exquisite steel creations, selecting the one he liked.

Thesolius suddenly stopped in his tracks. A cluster of bright red plumes caught his eye, just like the one on his lost helmet, only longer...

He reached out and took out the helmet; the small scales woven into the neck rustled, and underneath was a layer of chainmail lining.

The four large, curved armor plates are connected together by sturdy steel beams and rivets, capable of withstanding the chopping of a large axe. The steel-plated gold faceplate is shaped like a soaring eagle, with long, slender wings dividing the eye sockets and protecting the entire face.

Several steel thorns protruded from the top of the helmet, and among the thorns was the long plume. The eye sockets of the visor were long and sharp, carrying an inorganic coldness and sharpness, as if they possessed their own will and were scrutinizing him, the visitor, with cold eyes...

He made his decision almost immediately, not only because the helmet was of excellent quality and provided good protection... but more importantly, it looked incredibly cool. The wings on the helmet were definitely an extra bonus, making him stand out from the crowd.

He examined the helmet in his hands for a while before removing the lining of his chainmail, putting it on his head, adjusting its position slightly, fastening the leather straps to secure it completely, and then straightening his neck.

Surprisingly, the field of vision inside the helmet was quite wide, unlike the narrow field of vision of a typical visor. He moved his neck a few times and was even more satisfied after finding it quite flexible.

It seems that the lady of the lord's house is hiding something from me... I'll go and ask her about it later.

---------------------------------

Thesoris, wearing a winged helmet, was extremely eye-catching. Although his unique majesty and sharp aura made him recognizable to everyone, the exquisite helmet undoubtedly added to his charm. Almost everyone who passed by stared at him, and when his helmet turned around, they would bow their heads in awe.

His logistics officer was busy haggling with merchants from all over the country. Because the city was under strict lockdown, no one had been able to leave so far. The nearby garrison, whether due to prolonged peace or because they were all incompetent, hadn't even realized what was happening yet...

But they couldn't let this opportunity go to waste, so they started purchasing supplies in large quantities this morning, buying everything they could use from every passing caravan and continuously transporting it into the city...

These merchants, of course, would quickly spread the news, meaning he had given up his last chance to escape the city unscathed...

Marcus was rubbing his beard with a troubled expression, but he didn't slow down at all. The merchant in front of him was defeated by his words and could only lower the price of his goods with a wry smile. Then he called his caravan to drive into the city and unload a large amount of goods.

His logistics officer was troubled by his beard because it seemed to have undergone some inexplicable changes...

The color is getting redder and redder. At first, it wasn't obvious, with only the tips of the beard showing a reddish sheen. I don't know if it's because the blood splattered on it wasn't washed off properly in time, but now it looks like half of the length has turned into a light red, which looks rather strange.

Most Imperials had dark hair and beards, and this oddly colored beard certainly didn't fit the Imperial aesthetic. As far as he knew, Marcus had considered shaving it off and letting it grow back...

He tossed a bag of coins into the merchant's hand. Seeing the dark-skinned merchant with a turban and a long robe, counting the coins with a smile, he knew that the miserable look on his face earlier was all an act, and that the merchant had definitely made a lot of money.

The sound of armor plates vibrating and rubbing came from the side. A tall, dark shadow blocked out the sunlight. The merchant turned his head in surprise, and then immediately realized the noble status of the person in front of him. He placed his right hand on his chest and bowed.

Tersolius raised his hand, and the merchant immediately straightened his back. This was a customary gesture when imperial nobles received guests; when the host made this gesture, it meant that the guest should not be too reserved.

"It is an honor to meet you, esteemed sir. Thank you for allowing me to enter this city to sell my goods. This is a kind act that only a benevolent person would do."

"No need for formalities. What you've brought is what we need. Your accumulation of wealth through this is a legitimate and honorable act... This city always welcomes merchants who abide by the rules."

"Your open-mindedness surprises me... Please forgive my bluntness, but perhaps I should supervise the workers unloading the goods; those guys are always so clumsy..."

"It's alright, you can go do your own thing."

The merchant bowed again, then slowly retreated until he reached the edge of the steps before turning away. Tersolius also turned to his logistics officer.

“I organized 300 slaves, and all the other strong men were also organized. I discovered a lot of good things.”

"My lord, what good thing are you talking about?..."

"Let's organize the manpower first. Maybe we can put together something that looks like a military unit on the surface soon... But we'll need to put in a lot of effort to get them to work."

"As ordered."

Marcus didn't ask any more questions, and continued to stroke his reddish beard as he quickly left, his chainmail rustling and the hilt of his sword slapping against his thigh with the rhythm of his run.

………………

The men and women, their faces haggard and emaciated, held their children and looked anxiously at the large pot in front of them.

Inside, a pot of piping hot meat porridge was simmering. The chopped, dried meat pieces tumbled and rolled around in the boiling broth, releasing wave after wave of terrifying aroma. Everyone around was swallowing hard, their throats throbbing as if a thick worm was inside them.

Another large basket of leafy green vegetables was washed, chopped, and poured in. After being stirred a few times with a wooden spoon, the aroma of the meat porridge was mixed with a hint of fresh fragrance. The sounds of people drooling around them were so dense that they were like a spring drizzle, making them want to swallow their own tongues.

But no one dared to move. The whipping they had endured over the past few days had taught them to obey orders and to clean their hands before eating, then bring their containers to eat instead of scrambling for food directly from the pot.

This happened the first time they were fed. Several strong men tried to take over the whole pot of meat porridge by themselves and then coerce the other slaves... but they were soon hanged on the city gate, and before they were hanged, they were given a good whipping.

The cavalrymen's whips were used to drive their warhorses. How could human skin compare to the thick hide of a warhorse? A single lash would leave a bloody welt. Even in the most chaotic situations, a good lash would calm the slaves down.

Today must be some special day, because they put so much meat in their food. Watching the red, white, and black slices of meat tumbling in the pot, everyone's eyes were glued to it, unwilling to look away for even a moment.

The porridge was finally cooked after their agonizing wait. They were then made to line up in four rows, and two strong mountain men used long-handled wooden spoons to pour the meat porridge into their broken bowls.

Even if they got food, they couldn't eat it immediately. Many people ate too quickly and burned their throats with the scalding porridge... What awaited them was only pain and a long recovery period. Not only could they not eat meat porridge, but there was also a high probability that they would die directly.

The clattering sounds of people eating haphazardly echoed in the city's central square, as streams of water flowed past the slaves. They passed through countless homes throughout the city before finally reaching the moat…

Downstream, a troop of cavalrymen, in a panic, rushed along the main road, frantically whipping their warhorses as they chased after the setting sun.

PS: The system seems to have malfunctioned, messing up my formatting. I'll delete it and repost it... By the way, will it be available on Friday? (^?^*) I'll be saving up some chapters these next couple of days.

Chapter 52 Preparation (3)

A strange message suddenly began to circulate throughout the empire; merchants who had come from the Holsian territory were all talking about something unbelievable…

There were many conflicting accounts about the battle at the Bone Basin throughout the empire... Everyone had their own sources and version of events, which plunged the entire empire into turmoil for a long time.

But now, a group of merchants from the Kingdom of Hols are all telling the same story...

General Tersolius, who was said to have led his armored cavalry to their annihilation on the Plain of Bones due to his own mistake, has actually appeared in Alpert, a border city of Hols!

Everyone who received the news was in disbelief... The city of Alperth was extremely well-known throughout the empire.

The city is located at the intersection of the two mountain ranges of Mount Caterham, running from east to west... The fortified city is flanked by towering cliffs, giving it an unparalleled defensive advantage.

In every war with the Kingdom of Hols in the past, the imperial army that attempted to conquer this place always returned defeated, suffering heavy losses against the strong defenses.

This was a war fortress that supported the entire northern Hols region and was also the most important grain-producing area. No expense was spared in building this city; the strongest materials were used, and it took 23 years to complete.

No army could withstand the sheer number of defensive machines and the overwhelming barrage of arrows to capture this fortified city, not even by filling the moat with their own corpses.

But now the city has fallen into the hands of General Tersolius, and he was not brought here as a prisoner, but as a rightful conqueror who took the city...

This completely dispelled the rumors that had been circulating throughout the empire... Anyone with a normal IQ could see how ridiculous these rumors were.

How could a defeated and captured general possibly have the strength to conquer such a strategically important military town?

After realizing this, a sense of unease began to spread throughout the empire; everyone understood what occupying Alperth meant…

This means that a breach has been torn in the Hols' strongest northern defenses... and the city could even become an obstacle for them.

However, the imperial army could set out from this city at any time to conquer their land.

No one could resist such temptation, especially the empire's generals...

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

“We cannot send troops to support them! Tersolius has been captured by the Hols, which is a terrible trap that will destroy our legion!”

Arius's fat face was jiggling rapidly. He looked extremely angry, but hidden within that anger was a deep-seated fear.

Natamus, however, no longer displayed the anger he had shown that day. The tall, burly general wore a mocking smile, as if he were facing a comical clown.

No matter how a clown performs, it's hard to make people angry, especially if he's about to die; nobody cares about him then...

So, despite his fiery temper, he remained calm, much like a lion tamer.

"But this seems different from what you said before, Consul Aristotle. Didn't you say that my brother and his entire army were wiped out? Didn't you say that he disobeyed your orders and attacked without authorization? Didn't you say that my brother was doomed?... Or is everything that comes out of your mouth a lie?"

The general's hideous scar on the corner of his mouth twisted, making his face look more ferocious than a lion and more menacing than a tiger.

His fierce and piercing eyes seemed to overflow with frost, carrying an undisguised and intense malice...

"Let me guess what you're afraid of. Do you think those soldiers who followed my brothers into this desperate situation know anything? If they return to the capital, I think I can get a lot of interesting information from them..."

The obese governor's lips trembled incessantly, but he still gritted his teeth and said:

“My lord, everything I have said comes from the bottom of my heart. We witnessed General Tersolius and his men being surrounded by the enemy. Because of his reckless actions, we didn’t even have time to send reinforcements before they were wiped out by the Holstein army…”

He turned around and looked at the elders behind him:

“Everyone in the four legions can testify to me that they saw it with their own eyes! It was precisely because of such heavy losses that I made the decision to retreat!”

"And the news of Alpert's capture was relayed back by a group of merchants... I have reason to suspect that Tersolius has already succumbed to the Hols! That's why he's cooperating with them in this charade, just to lure our legion into their encirclement!!"

"The battle of the Bone Basin has just ended, and our country cannot afford any more losses! Therefore, we absolutely cannot send reinforcements! It would be a reckless, foolish, and completely irresponsible adventure!"

The nobles of the Senate began to speak up in support of Arius's idea... They quoted extensively from classical texts, their loud voices almost lifting the stained-glass ceiling of the council chamber...

Some of them may have different opinions on this matter, but being in their current positions means they can only say what they are supposed to say.

The Senate's inherent duty was to check the emperor's power. Regardless of the truth of the matter, allowing Tersolius, the invincible general and the emperor's confidant, to return to the empire was not a good thing for them.

The emperor, seated beneath the golden double-headed eagle, calmly observed the commotion before him, his eyes, bright as molten gold, carrying a faint, almost imperceptible smile.

The golden crown on his head was inlaid with blood-red gems, and his magnificent purple robe was tied at the waist with a belt inlaid with gold plates and gems.

A wide red silk cloak with a smooth velvet lining was draped over the throne as the emperor sat languidly.

The emperor seemed completely uninterested in what was happening before her eyes... but a faint, cold glint shone in her eyes as she searched among the chattering elders.

Until Natamus suddenly touched the greatsword at his waist, she knew it was time for her to speak...

boom!

The guards, clad in golden armor, slammed their halberds heavily into the ground, the synchronized boom silencing everyone...

Everyone bowed, waiting for the emperor to speak.

………………

“I am willing to respect the wishes of the nursing home, and your opinions are indeed very pertinent... Any cultured citizen would not deny the rationality in your words.”

The emperor's lips curled slightly upwards:

“But this matter is too important to be decided too easily, so I have decided to send an envoy to investigate… I think this is the appropriate way to handle it.”

All the members of the Senate were speechless, or rather, this was a solution they could accept...

"So... my legion commander, General Natamus, are you willing to accept this mission?"