Cataphracts, surviving in a world full of mods

The officials also looked serious, clearly aware of the implications of the occasion.

"Besides, I'm not going to immediately send my legion to conquer cities and territories. I just want to seize this mountain pass and the area behind it. Otherwise, if I miss this opportunity, wouldn't I be a brainless idiot? If that red-haired guy finds out and sends troops to block me, things won't be as easy as they are now... In short, my mind is made up. You all go and make your own arrangements!"

Those around them readily accepted the order, their voices filled with unwavering conviction and a fiery, impassioned spirit.

At this moment, Natamus had a faint smile on his lips as he looked back at the northern sky... He had indeed not been authorized to send troops this time, which was a major taboo according to common sense. Historically, no general who dared to do so had a good ending.

But he was not worried about this at all, because at this very moment the relevant authorization and orders must have been sent here. His Majesty would never let him lose the opportunity or mess up the important matter because of this. Authorization is still authorization if it is delayed by a few days, but an opportunity is no longer an opportunity if it is delayed by a few days. That is why he did not hesitate to mobilize the legion to prepare for attack immediately after the road was opened.

And when these western barbarians think their little tricks will work and feel pleased with themselves, he will plunge his sword firmly into their hearts and watch with glee as they bleed to death.

How could he allow these barbarians to trespass on the land he was protecting? They were utterly audacious and courting death...

Natamus silently tightened his grip on the reins. His warhorse seemed to sense its master's agitated mood, raising its head and stamping its hooves a few times.

Under the sunlight, a rolling torrent of iron followed the road, with shouts of men and neighing of horses, and banners obscuring the sky.

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

The buildings of the empire are always so tall and majestic that they inspire awe, especially the palace where the supreme ruler resides. The tall and exquisite marble columns make one wonder if they are the dwelling of giants. Standing under them is like a cat looking up at a tree. People will subconsciously hold their breath and concentrate when they walk around here, for fear of disturbing something.

The smooth, flat marble mosaic tiles are pieced together with stones of various colors to create magnificent and beautiful patterns. Servants meticulously clean and wipe them every day, making them so shiny that they can almost reflect one's image. Guards clad in golden armor stand and patrol in such places, their long axes and halberds engraved with golden patterns and their blades polished to a gleaming shine, reflecting a cold light onto their golden faceplates.

At this moment, what is surrounded by this exquisite corridor is not a more magnificent palace, but a riotous and beautiful garden, made of pebbles, white porcelain, marble sculptures and all kinds of exotic flowers and plants, which is refreshing at first glance.

No one would refuse to spend a moment in this garden; it is an innate pursuit of beauty. This garden, meticulously crafted by skilled artisans, is undoubtedly one of the world's finest masterpieces.

In the very center of the garden, surrounded by a cluster of reed-like exotic plants, lies a pond several dozen paces wide. The water is clear and emerald green, with lantern-like aquatic plants floating in the center. Among these plants grow flowers with petals as bright as flames, and below, various precious ornamental fish of different colors, sizes, and shapes swim about. Beside it, a towering artificial hill has marble spouts that continuously supply fresh water, ensuring the pond remains clear and emanating a refreshing mist.

Claudia sat on a stone bench by the pond, watching the fish swimming in it, and finally couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

"Finally, this matter is finished. The messenger must have set off by now?"

"It has already set off, Your Majesty, and is expected to arrive within six days."

The one who answered the emperor was not a maid or an official, but a warrior clad in heavy golden armor. His golden scales covered his entire body, reaching up to his knees, while his shoulder armor was made of layers of gold-plated steel plates. His belt was wide and sturdy, inlaid with gold ornaments and gemstones, and hung with a short sword with a narrow, thick guard and fan-shaped counterweights.

This sword was completely different from the soldier's ornate and sturdy weaponry. It appeared exceptionally simple, with only a leather-wrapped scabbard, brass fittings, and even the hilt was just two pieces of wood clamped together and bound with leather rope. However, its style was completely different from the swords of the Empire, clearly belonging to the Rigut people.

This man was tall with broad shoulders, and his fingers, which exposed his wrist guards, were rough and sturdy, as if carved from stone. A gilded helmet with a red tassel hung at his waist, and he carried a magnificent long axe with a wide blade on his back.

No matter how you look at him, he is a mighty warrior. The only strange thing is his voice at this moment. Even though it is hoarse and deep, it still cannot hide a trace of gentleness, which clearly reveals something.

The emperor nodded, then suddenly leaned back and sighed.

“Sit here and talk to me, Ingersoll.”

He paused for a moment, but ultimately did not try to dissuade her. With a resounding thud, he stepped forward and sat on the stone bench beside him, casually placing the cumbersome axe and helmet on the ground.

If you didn't see her face, it would be hard to believe that she was a woman. Just based on her tall and strong figure and fierce and imposing aura, even the most discerning general would have to give her high praise. But if you look closely at her face, you can still find the undisguised feminine gentleness in every detail, even though this gentleness is armed with a kind of fierce hardness.

She also had short, white-gold hair, simply tied back with a leather cord, revealing a broad forehead. Her eyes were a clear, icy blue, like those of a glacier. Her cheeks were completely pierced by three scars—one extending from her forehead to her cheekbone, one running from one side of her nose to the other, and the last tearing her left lip, revealing her deep white teeth through the gap.

"Have I told you about Karila? She's the girl from the north, just like you. I heard she did a great job this time and made a significant contribution. It's just a pity you don't know her."

Ingersoll frowned in exasperation and reached out to touch the branches extending from a tall, exotic plant in front of him.

“I have told you many times, Your Majesty, our tribe has been away from the north for more than ten years. People die very quickly there. In more than ten years, almost everyone you know will be replaced... I don’t even know this little girl. I’m not even familiar with her tribe. I guess they are all newly gathered.”

"And what about that girl's father? 'The Bonebreaker' Bradrick is quite a famous name, you might remember him?"

Ingersoll continued to shake his head:

"I still don't know. I guess this guy hadn't made a name for himself when we left... But he did have a formidable daughter. This girl named Karila is probably one of the best warriors in the entire north. If Your Majesty would allow it, I would like to have a match with her."

"Of course, no problem. Just be careful with your strength. I don't want either of you to be injured in a match. That would be like two precious porcelain pieces colliding to test their strength... Of course, that's just an analogy, not to say you're fragile or anything."

Ingersoll plucked a leaf and put it in his mouth, chewing it slowly, savoring the bitter juice, while mumbling his answer to the emperor:

“I’m not that petty, Your Majesty… But that girl is indeed quite extraordinary. If I’m not mistaken, her background is probably not simple. However, I can only ask her about these things when she returns.”

"Don't put everything in your mouth and chew it. The things here are just for decoration, and they might be poisonous."

"It's okay, I can taste it..."

Ingersoll tossed the leaf from his mouth into the nearby flowerbed:

"This is an old custom in our area. It's always good to chew on any green thing. If it's poisonous, just spit it out. Such a small amount won't kill you."

"It's almost time. If Your Majesty has nothing else to do, I need to go inspect the palace. There are our people guarding the area, so there won't be any problems."

"Wait a little longer..."

Today, the emperor wore a purple silk dress, revealing two arms as white as jade. His long silver hair was styled into a bun and secured with delicate clips, with only two stray strands falling loosely over his forehead. He was currently gazing down at the water.

"I have a few more questions for you... If it were you, how would you express your feelings to a man you like?"

"ah?--"

With a clang, Ingersoll even lost his grip on his helmet, his eyes filled with surprise, confusion, and even a hint of panic as he looked at his emperor in a rather chaotic manner.

Chapter 383 The Guide (1)

"Uh... tie him up and take him back? If he dares to resist, beat him up..."

This was probably the first time Ingersoll had hesitated like this. After hesitating for a long time, she gave a stammering answer, looking somewhat at a loss. If she had been as fierce and majestic as a lion just now, she now looked like a frightened old cow grazing in a daze.

Even in her most absurd nightmares, she never imagined the emperor would ask her such a question, like a fish in a pond suddenly jumping out and asking her how it was to breathe in the sea... Finally, racking her brains, she simply gave up and went wild, giving an outrageous answer.

"Heh—are you serious?"

The emperor couldn't help but laugh out loud. In the bright sunlight, his silver hair seemed to shatter the sunlight, his bright eyes were slightly narrowed, and his delicate features were as clear as white jade. Even Ingersoll, a woman, was slightly stunned by his appearance.

"I don't know how to answer Your Majesty, after all, I brought my men back myself... Back then, our two tribes were at war, and that guy rammed his ship head-on into ours. He was the first to jump aboard with a shield and weapon, and he fought the bravest. But when he realized the situation was bad, he was the first to lead his men to retreat... But in the end, he couldn't escape."

"You mean Delsayas?"

"Yes, that's him. Out of all the messy-haired guys on the boat, he was the only one who kept his hair neat and tidy, and even his beard was trimmed. He stood out so much that I spotted him immediately. When he tried to escape, I pulled him out of the sea with a rope."

"And then what?"

The emperor seemed quite interested, reaching out to gently stir the clear water in the fishpond, urging his imperial guards leader to continue.

"And then? Well, that's how it was. We just started living together. After we caught him, no one came to ransom him. He was stubborn for a couple of days at first, but after I beat him up, he stopped being defiant. Later, he gradually started fishing and robbing with us. And then we had a child... That's about it."

"Child? I don't see him..."

A flicker of surprise crossed the emperor's eyes at first, but he quickly understood, and Ingersoll calmly spoke:

"He fell ill and died while heading south. We tried everything to save him, but we couldn't, so we had to throw him into the sea... I cried for a while, but then I stopped caring. He, on the other hand, was dejected for a long time."

The emperor stared intently at his imperial guard, noticing the guard's unconsciously clenched fingers and his suddenly lowered eyelids.

"You really don't care anymore?"

"...I had no choice but to ignore it, Your Majesty. At that time, I was the leader of everyone. I had no right or time to grieve...I had to save everyone's lives."

“People who are desperate to survive don’t have the right to think so much. It’s just that he can’t make up his mind like I do, which is why I became the leader.”

"You're right. Once you're in this position, you have to be responsible for it, and you'll often be quite limited... But your method probably won't work for me, or rather, if I really wanted to do it that way, I'd have to send you... Hehe..."

The emperor, seemingly contemplating some scene, suddenly burst into laughter. He pulled his hand out of the fishpond, scattering a series of water droplets, then stood up from his stool, preparing to end the casual conversation and return to his official duties.

"Your Majesty, you are the emperor, and naturally you have the ways of an emperor. People like us can only rely on our own military strength, but you have many more things to rely on. So what is there to be afraid of? Just do what you want."

Ingersoll shook his head somewhat helplessly, put the helmet on his head, and let the golden visor cover his face.

"I just don't understand why you would ask a crude martial artist like me. What good ideas could someone like me possibly come up with? I can only offer bad suggestions."

Sensing the helpless complaint in the other person's tone, Clautina turned and walked away lightly, looking much more relaxed.

“It’s a bad idea, but I still enjoy hearing your old stories, and at least I have my own ideas now.”

Ingersoll paused for a moment, then a soft chuckle came from under his helmet:

"That would be great."

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

Cutting down trees is a dangerous job... People who don't know the situation might even think it's simple, since the trees are just there, they don't run away or move, just waiting for you to cut them down, it's not much different from farming, just more tiring.

Only those who actually do this work, especially the kind of logging in remote, deep forests, know just how many dangers they face...

The most direct threat comes from various poisonous insects and ferocious beasts, which are always ready to kill people in the remote mountains and forests. The cold, damp and changeable climate also threatens the body's health balance, not to mention various natural and man-made disasters—a landslide caused by a heavy rain, bandits roaming in the mountains and forests, or even a wildfire that starts from nowhere can easily take lives.

Even the trees they felled were dangerous, things that could kill at any moment—the direction in which those tall, giant trees fell was often unpredictable. If they bumped into something or made a mistake during the breaking process, they would suddenly fall in a different place. If you couldn't dodge in time, you would be crushed into a meat patty on the spot and die a very tragic death.

Logging is never an easy job; it's arduous and exhausting, and people often die tragically in the forest due to unforeseen accidents. Most people who do this job are young, strong, and energetic adults and teenagers. Of course, there are also experienced elders who lead them, because some difficulties cannot be solved by brute force and often require the help of experience and wisdom.

Bo Audis was an ordinary lumberjack in the Kingdom of Salanod. In the prime of his life, he took over the job from his father, old Audis, and the reason was quite simple...

Three years ago, while cutting down a large tree, old Audis was crushed and both his legs were broken. Although he survived, he was left disabled. To support his family, he had to send his son, young Audis, to work as a lumberjack at a young age. Fortunately, the young man was hardworking, diligent, and quite clever, and he managed to keep up with the job.

A month ago, this group of men received a big job—to cut down a valuable mahogany tree for Count Pelisto and transport it to his territory. It was expected to be a long and arduous task, but the pay was quite generous. Even if the profits were divided among them, it would be a large sum of money, enough to equal most of their income in previous years.

Only the Earl's forest managers knew exactly where that precious redwood grew. They were simply going to cut down the trees that belonged to the Earl. Because of this, everyone was very happy, thinking they had gotten a great deal. They packed their bags early and followed the Earl into the mountains to search for it.

They trekked through mountains and rivers, even venturing into deep forests they had never been before, until they finally found a precious redwood tree that, while thick, was not perfectly straight. The group divided into teams, assigned tasks, and prepared to begin felling it.

Of course, a long series of preparations are needed before actually taking action... After all, people like them who make a living in various dangerous places are always more willing to believe in some kind of supernatural thing. According to their oral traditions, tall and ancient trees like these have their own souls. Cutting them down rashly will inevitably bring a curse, and they will die a violent death for various reasons in the future. Therefore, before taking action, they must invite a wizard to kill the tree's soul first, so that they can cut down the remaining dead body with peace of mind.

Little Audis didn't know if it was true, but he didn't dare to disobey rashly. So during this time, they only cleared the messy bushes around the target, cut down vines, and cleaned the ground to prevent being caught off guard when they actually took action.

And today, the wizard they had invited was finally about to arrive. A day in advance, Otis had already sharpened his axe, eager to try it out. After all, he had had enough of the damp and cold climate in the deep mountains and forests. His toes had become stiff, white, and numb in the past two days. If he stayed like this any longer, who knew what would happen to him? He should finish his work as soon as possible and go home to rest.

The new wizard closely resembled his imagined image—he wore a wide-brimmed, pointed hat with tattered ends, and a similarly ragged black robe. His shoes were made of wrinkled leather, bound with strange ropes, and he held a long staff that resembled a twisted tree branch, its end inlaid with a bizarre-looking gem… The outermost ring was red, the inner two-thirds were white, and in the very center was a black vertical stripe, like the eye of something.

What's most fascinating is that this wizard is an old man with white hair, deep-set eyes, and a high nose, who looks very wise.

Based solely on this appearance, Audis felt that the money they had scraped together was well spent. This wizard clearly possessed great magical power, ensuring that they could work with peace of mind without worrying about being cursed or anything like that.

Of course, to prevent powerful wizards from leaving halfway, it's impossible to pay them in advance. They have to perform a spell here, settle the payment, and then arrange for someone to escort them out before they start working.

The wizard was already busy at work, finding a whole bunch of strange materials to boil in a pot. Scales, grass leaves, soil, tree roots, eyeballs, and blood were all added in a certain order, causing the color in the pot to change again and again, from red to purple, from purple to green, from green to blue, and finally stabilizing into a heavy purplish-black. Although he couldn't understand it, he inexplicably felt it was very effective.

The wizard, in particular, looked old yet nimble, clearly someone who did this often, which reassured them even more.

Audis stood there for a while and his legs started to go numb. He looked around and found a tree stump that had just been chopped down yesterday. Ignoring the dampness, he sat down on it and then put down his axe. He continued to look down with great interest.

At this moment, the wizard had already prepared the potion. Under everyone's watchful eyes, he muttered something as he lifted the small pot to the tall mahogany tree and, to everyone's anticipation, steadily poured it into the tree roots.

*Sizzle!*

As a plume of white smoke rose, green bubbles appeared in the soil beneath the tree roots, and a strange, indistinct sound echoed from underground, instantly eliciting cheers from everyone:

"Great! It's done!"