Cataphracts, surviving in a world full of mods

Do you know who we are?

"You?—" The young hunter suddenly realized something and looked around in terror. At the same moment, there were faint, scattered movements in the surrounding darkness. One after another, ancient, dark bronze masks emerged from the darkness, their black robes woven as if cut from the clouds of the night sky. The crossbows and scimitars in their hands had a dim luster, but they still could not conceal the terrifying danger.

Among them were people who carried chains, ropes, long-handled iron forks, and other items to control prisoners. Without exception, when they appeared from the woods, they were as terrifying as ghosts, even more frightening than the dagger that appeared in Black Ear.

“We are the imperial penal code, we are the left side of the scales in the hands of the goddess Fusgrina, we are the judges of the wicked, ensuring that all the unruly and criminals of this country receive the punishment they deserve… or rather, that more people keep their dark thoughts to themselves forever, so that they know the consequences of daring to commit evil.”

Brazilian Saiyaros spread his arms wide, surrounded by jailers in the shadows. Even the firelight dimmed in that instant, finally turning into a hazy red.

"And what I want to tell you is very simple: you have exceptional talent, at least here. So if you're willing, you can enter our training institution in the south and become one of us in the future. That day will come soon... So what will you choose? Will you step down the mountain now and return to your old life, or will you choose a different way of living, a way of living that you never imagined in your entire life?"

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In the northern part of the Kingdom of Hols, there is a traditional stew made by melting butter extracted from milk, frying flour, and then adding broth or hot water to create a rich and flavorful soup. This soup is then used to stew meat and vegetables, resulting in a delicious dish. Traditionally, it is topped with chopped thyme and toasted walnut pieces, and served with freshly baked soft bread with a crispy crust.

Every time I drink the soup, I can feel the pleasure transmitted back to the cells on my tongue. The oily aroma of meat, the milky fragrance of butter, and the sweet aroma of vegetables are mixed with the strong fragrance of thyme and the rich aroma of walnuts and nuts... In addition, the mellow taste brought by the flour dissolving in the soup is enough to make you feel full just by drinking the soup.

If, at this moment, you were to add a dish of roasted mushrooms sprinkled with salt and pepper, along with fresh sausages that had been marinated for less than a week, brightly colored cheese, and steaming hot, hard-crusted bread still covered in flour… this would be Tersolius and his companions' dinner for the day.

Such a meal would be considered meager at an imperial noble banquet, but it would be considered a special treat in the military. Fortunately, everyone present was quite satisfied with the taste of the food and enjoyed this rare hot meal as dusk approached.

When they leave the army camp to go on patrol, their most common food should be dried meat and hard biscuits that can be stored for a long time. They would soak them in hot water to soften them before eating. Although this would ensure that they could replenish their energy, the taste would certainly be unsatisfactory. It would not be as delicious as a meal that was freshly cooked in a hot pot. If given a choice, even the most unpretentious soldier would prefer to enjoy hot food.

The sausage is not sliced, so users can choose to eat it whole or sliced. When making it, high-quality fresh meat with about one-third fat is specially selected. The proportion of salt and spices is precisely controlled to ensure that the final flavor is rich enough but not too spicy or salty, exceeding the limit that would make it greasy.

The mushrooms are also slowly smoked over charcoal. The large, thick, and tender mushrooms have a unique umami flavor that only needs a little salt and spicy pepper to bring out. The crispy edges do not affect the overall taste but instead bring out a unique flavor.

Bread is the simplest and most basic ingredient, but it is also an important foundation. If the staple food is of poor quality, all the other foods will be affected and become less appealing. Only when it is soft and fluffy enough can it complement other meats and soups.

Just as he had said before setting off, Tersolius seemed to have really brought everyone here to eat. Even his personal guards, under his orders, split into three groups to eat separately, surrounding this ordinary roadside food stall. The imposing and flamboyant banners could be seen from miles away.

But the girls all knew there was more to this than met the eye. Just look at the owner's unbelievable speed at which he served the food—almost as soon as they sat down and had barely taken a few breaths, hot soup at the perfect temperature was served, followed by freshly baked bread and sausages, and crispy, juicy mushrooms... This was clearly pre-arranged, not to mention the so-called owner's extremely respectful attitude towards Tersolius.

That respectful attitude wasn't the instinctive fear of ordinary civilians towards powerful figures; it was more like a loyal soldier facing a mission personally given by his general. Although he lacked the iron-bloodedness of an army, he still carried out the orders without reservation... He was probably either a jailer or someone arranged by his henchmen.

After drinking the third bowl of soup, and finally feeling that her appetite had run out, Karila scratched her head in frustration and looked up at the gradually darkening night. It was now completely dark, and everything around her was shrouded in a thick layer of black. Only the small shed built of wood and reed mats was still flickering with light and constantly emitting the aroma of food.

They had been waiting for a long time, from the still bright afternoon until now, when the lights were on all night. But there was still no news of the last assassin's capture. The search party was still searching the nearby mountains and seas, like fishermen catching a big fish. But even now, when the last messenger arrived, there was still no news of success.

Just as Brazil's Saiyaros said before, the south was destroyed and conquered so quickly that even the empire's administrative and law enforcement agencies couldn't react in time. This left the forces in the shadows relatively weak. Although they successfully lured the enemy out, it would still take some effort to successfully capture them...

Chapter 409 Each with their own ulterior motives (4)

Patience is a trait that varies greatly from person to person; some have more, some have less. This is partly due to innate personality traits, but also shaped by life experiences and trials. For some, sitting patiently all day is effortless. For others, however, keeping still for even ten minutes is as unbearable as being bitten by insects or burned by fire.

Tersolius was used to waiting... A war only lasts for a few days of actual fighting; the rest of the time is spent on preparation, deployment, advances, and probing. Marching is the majority of the time in warfare, and a truly large-scale battle will not end in a short period of time. The two armies clash and grind against each other in the crucible of iron and blood. Commanders do not have a so-called God's-eye view; at most, they can only see the general outline from a high vantage point. More detailed information depends on the constant stream of messengers and officers under their command before they can make a judgment.

In this situation, patience is not a praiseworthy quality, but a necessary foundation... Otherwise, a moment of impatience might bring annihilation to one's army. Only by being calm and composed enough, and not being disturbed by external factors, can one make accurate judgments based on limited information. This is the essence of remaining calm even when a mountain collapses before you.

If he wanted, he could sit here until tomorrow morning and ponder many things during that time, but there was clearly no need for that now, because a messenger had already appeared in their sight.

The man was stopped by the guards when he was about ten meters away from the small shed. As he dismounted, much of the dust on his black robe was shaken off. His brass mask was shaped like a bird's beak that protruded forward. To reduce weight, it was covered with diamond-shaped cutouts of various sizes, and it seemed that there was a filter material in the middle.

After a brief examination, he was allowed to pass through the heavy guards and approach Thesolius, where he knelt on one knee.

"My lord, the operation has been a success. We have captured all the culprits, including the mastermind behind it all. Minister Brazilairos instructed me..."

I've come to report this to you and request that Dr. Talina handle the matter.

The long-awaited news finally arrived, and everyone felt relieved—after all, their concern was never that the other side was invincible, but that these cunning and treacherous guys would take the opportunity to escape, making it impossible to capture them, which would mean all their efforts had been in vain.

"Let's go then, we've been here long enough..."

Tersolius stood up and stretched his shoulders. They had spent the entire afternoon eating and drinking there. Although they hadn't drunk any alcohol to avoid interfering with their business, it had still been a bit too leisurely, allowing his tense nerves to relax considerably. Standing up now, he felt the muscles in his back gradually loosen from their tension.

“I’m tired of catching these rats everywhere. This time, let’s try to dig out their rat holes—if the rat holes are within our reach.”

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If a person's hands and feet are bound, and the only part of their body that can move is their tongue, then they are truly without freedom and cannot even end their own life—biting off one's tongue to commit suicide is a very harsh method. In most cases, even if you can endure the pain and bite off your tongue, the amount of bleeding is not enough to kill you. At most, you will lose the ability to speak and can only hope that the severed tongue will retract and block your airway... but that is still not very reliable.

In this situation, a person has absolutely no control over their own life and safety, and is completely at the mercy of others. The captives can do whatever they want to them, inflicting all sorts of torture on their bodies and using pain and extreme torment to extract information from their minds.

Reaching a state where one cannot live and cannot die is definitely not anyone's wish. Compared to that, a quick and clean death seems exceptionally merciful. Therefore, as long as you can make up your mind, suicide is a good choice before your ability to move is completely restricted, provided you have the ability to do so.

Patrick certainly has this ability. In fact, if he doesn't replenish the primordial fluid regularly, the awakened parasite inside his body will begin to devour his flesh from the inside out, drain his brain, and kill him in extreme pain. This process will not even change because of his will, just as a raging flood will not change course because someone stands in his way.

In addition, he can control the parasite in his body to sever vital organs and nerves at any time. Even if it detects that his tongue has uttered certain words, the vicious guest in his body will not hesitate to destroy his mind and completely take over his body. So no matter what, he has no chance of leaking information. From the moment he was captured, his fate was already sealed.

Although he had anticipated this day, he still couldn't help feeling a little melancholy when it finally arrived... Yes, only melancholy, and perhaps a little nostalgia.

He couldn't help but think of his days as a leatherworker—in other people's eyes, being a leatherworker was tiring and smelly, spending every day in smelly leather, hair and mud, not only sweating profusely, but also always having a stench that was hard to get rid of even after repeated baths.

Neighbors would even build their houses further away for this reason, to avoid being repeatedly affected by the strong stench... Given a choice, few people would choose to be a cobbler, even though the job pays quite well.

To others, his life seemed quite difficult, but when he looks back now, he only feels nostalgic. It was only half a month ago, but it feels like decades have passed. It feels both strange and familiar to him, yet he can clearly recall every blade of grass and every tree there.

The seven or eight large barrels piled up in the yard, used for soaking tanned leather, smelled terrible in the hot weather, but he had gotten used to the smell and could reach in and take out the soaking leather without batting an eye.

The scraper used to remove hair from leather was specially made by the village blacksmith according to his usage habits. The handles on both sides are angled slightly larger, making it more convenient for him to use. The steel is also quite hard, and he has been using it to this day with very little need for sharpening.

He made five wooden frames himself to stretch the leather, while his apprentices made the remaining three. Although the two apprentices were not exactly clumsy, they were always careless about the details and had been scolded by him several times.

He built the two houses bit by bit himself. One main room was used for sleeping, resting, and eating, and the other side room was used as a warehouse to store the leathers and other things they had cleaned. He was prepared to live there for the rest of his life, so both houses were made of solid materials and it took two whole years to barely finish building them.

He even vividly remembered the days he dug the foundation, painstakingly clearing away excess soil and stones bit by bit with shovels and picks, piling up the large rocks to form the foundation. He then carbonized one end of a thick log and buried it deep into the ground…

What an ordinary and arduous life it was, almost one where you could see the camera at a glance... But he had already killed the leatherworker with his own hands, drowning him in the water. Now he was just an assassin, and a failed one at that.

He had heard how the Imperials dealt with their enemies and criminals who fell into their hands. The jailers were not only good at arresting criminals—to be precise, torture was their main job, and arresting criminals was a less important responsibility.

They never hesitate to use the cruelest methods on those they deem guilty. Even if someone has an iron tongue, they will peel off that iron tongue bit by bit once they fall into their hands. Of course, he doesn't think he can withstand such torture, but fortunately, he doesn't have to.

He briefly reviewed his life, sighed with melancholy, and then a bitter smile appeared on his lips. He prepared to end his life at the right time—to order the parasite inside him to destroy his brain and completely hand over this body to it.

He would then become a complete monster, and he wouldn't care what happened to that monster, even if he were torn to pieces by those black-clad crows. After all, who could blame a dead man?

As for the timing—of course, it would be when Tersolius came to watch the results of his hunt. His completely mutated body would then be able to give the other party a surprise. Even if he couldn't completely eliminate this major threat, there was a high chance that he could injure the other party's trusted followers. Even if he couldn't injure anyone, he could still free him.

Just as he was lost in thought, a metallic scraping sound came from the side, completely diverting his attention... and this was a decision he would later regret.

What came into view was a steel mask with a half-smile, covered in scratches. The edges and some dents were dark in color, but there was no rust. The steel gleamed warmly from being rubbed, and dangerous eyes seemed to be thoughtfully observing him from behind.

"Nice to meet you, my prey. I still don't know your name. Perhaps you'll tell me before I make my move, so I won't have to give you a number."

Patrick frowned, a sense of foreboding creeping over him, but the other person shook his head as if he were making a fool of himself.

"Never mind, I'll ask you later, but it seems like you're plotting something rather unsavory—"

"!!" His eyes widened suddenly as he realized something, but it was too late. The steel claws embedded in the deerskin gloves gripped the severed tentacle on his shoulder, piercing it with their sharp tips, and then released it without hesitation, like a viper biting its prey with lightning speed.

But he was horrified to discover that the parasite inside his body was rapidly losing its vitality—this was the first time he had ever felt the creature so weak and powerless since he had accepted it. It should have been vicious and restless at all times, and he had to be on guard and vigilant against it at all times.

“This isn’t the first time we’ve dealt with guys like you. After being burned twice, we naturally know how to handle this…” Brazil’s Saiyar looked at the drop of green liquid at the end of his glove’s steel claws and shook his hand in disgust. “Speaking of which, those freaks of yours that commit suicide as soon as they’re caught disgusted me for a long time. But at least their corpses were useful. They showed me the general distribution of this stuff in your bodies, so we can treat the problem effectively.”

The inside of the gloves and steel claws of the Brazilian Searos are engraved with a small groove filled with drugs. The effects range from numbness, pain, and confusion to death. The drugs take effect the moment the steel claws pierce the flesh, making them quite interesting for both capturing criminals and interrogating people.

He was not only a master of arrests, but also an expert in torture and imprisonment. He was the figure that criminals and traitors feared. He had dealt with and handled all kinds of strange guys. The expression on their faces might be very subtle to others, but it could not be hidden from him. He naturally knew what this guy was up to.

It's not uncommon for prisoners to commit suicide before being interrogated; some even slit their own throats the moment they see them, just to avoid the torture that follows... In a way, they're not wrong at all.

"Alright, you're still very useful to us. We'll have to figure out how to get this thing out of your body later. Don't worry, we'll try our best not to let you die. But in the meantime, you should think carefully about what choice you should make."

"I would welcome you to persevere a little longer, as that would be a good thing for me as well. After all, no matter what skill it is, it will become rusty if you don't use it for a long time. I haven't practiced it for quite some time now."

Finally, he tapped the man's head twice with his knuckles. Brazil's Saiyaros chuckled mockingly and leisurely left amidst the man's livid face. In the brightly lit stone cell, illuminated by torches and braziers, only a human figure remained, bound by iron chains, clamps, and a sturdy cross, now too exhausted to even struggle.

A few skinny mice, along with cockroaches, crawled out from the dark corner, beginning their squeaking. And yet, dawn was still a long way off…

Chapter 410 The Nest (1)

"It's very difficult, sir."

Tarina frowned as she scribbled on the parchment in front of her. Colin, curious, leaned closer and saw that a human figure had been quickly sketched on the paper with delicate strokes. It was clearly a compact man, and the long, thin tentacles drawn with dark ink on the limbs and key parts of the body were undoubtedly what they wanted to remove.

Colin felt dizzy just looking at it. The tentacles of all sizes covered almost every corner of its body, and even the tips of its fingers had tiny branches. It was as if another blood vessel was growing out of the human body. The two most important convergence points in the body were the brainstem below the brain and the area below the heart where it meets the lungs.

These very things granted this ordinary man superhuman agility and strength, yet they also completely occupied every inch of his body, making one wonder whether he was a man who had undergone physical modification and was being parasitized, or a monster who retained his past consciousness and appearance.

Even with no prior knowledge of this subject, Colin immediately realized the difficulty of the task—removing all these things from a person's body was akin to replacing all of their blood vessels without endangering their life... Could a mere mortal truly accomplish this?!

Karila, who was next to her, was clearly unaware of the current situation. She turned her head in confusion to look at a bird hopping in a tree outside... It was a chubby little bird with a round head and downy feathers all over its body. It had a pale yellow beak and amber round eyes. There were two tufts of feathers on its head sticking out diagonally, like two small horns.

She had seen this little creature in the capital of the empire; I think its name was something like Scops Owl… or maybe it didn’t have horns? Karila only remembered that Talina had said that this little thing could deliver messages and relay information, but she didn’t know how it managed to do that with its round head and chubby face.

"Too many parts of his body have been infected by parasites and modifications. To completely remove these parts, we would have to cut him open... This is extremely difficult, and we could easily ruin everything if we were not careful."

Tersolius raised an eyebrow in surprise... He certainly understood what Talina was saying. His surprise wasn't because of the difficulties they were about to face, but because Talina actually had a chance of success under such circumstances!

Given his knowledge and the circumstances of their time, he simply couldn't imagine how to remove such a thing from the human body, especially something that was so deeply entrenched and ubiquitous, like tree roots... And Tarina's implication that he still had a sliver of hope of success in this situation surprised him greatly.

"...You mean even under these circumstances, you can separate the parasite from his body? Doctor, even if there's only a 1% chance?"

Tarina nodded solemnly.

"Yes, sir, but it's only a theoretical possibility, and only a possibility of separation... not including other issues that follow. Moreover, his body is very likely not able to support me to that extent, and he is more likely to die halfway through. The modifications he underwent were too profound, to the point that he can hardly be called a human anymore, more like a chimera with a parasite."

"They are almost indistinguishable from one another. Many of their vital organs have been suppressed and devoured by the parasites. Even if we are able to separate them, it will inevitably cause severe damage to the original body, and the consequences are still unpredictable."

“The toxins we usually use are also ineffective this time. It is different from any target we have captured before. It is the first time that it has shown such a profound symbiosis.”

Tersolius tapped the steel armor on his arm with his fingers, paused briefly, and then suddenly asked:

"What about the other person? Is he in the same situation?"

Tarina shook her head, reached for another parchment, and her expression softened considerably.

"...The other target's condition is different. The parasite inside him is unusually weak and atrophied, as if it had been in a long slumber. It doesn't have that extreme irreplaceable quality, so the chances of removing it are much higher, and it's also easier for it to recover its health, making it more valuable to us."

“We probably can’t confirm who their leader is yet…” Tersolius took two steps forward, looking down at the prisoner who had been crippled by the piercings in his shoulders and the back of his knees. “Besides, I won’t believe anything that comes out of those two tongues now; they’re bound to carry a sinister poison, trying to harm our health without us even realizing it. In comparison, the information that Brazil’s Seyalos extracted from them is more trustworthy… But I think even if the surgery is successful, they’ll have a hard time withstanding the torture, won’t they?”

Tarina drew her silver short staff and gently poked the prisoner's well-developed muscles:

"To be precise, they cannot withstand severe torture. Their bodies are very tough, and they are not easily killed by any torture other than those that cause disability... Perhaps Mr. Brazil Saiyaros could give it a try."

A shadow flickered in the corner, and Brazil Saiyaros, who had been standing there the whole time, slowly walked forward to their side and bowed to Tesorus.

"Please entrust them to me with confidence, sir. I will squeeze every last bit of value out of their minds... We are not skilled in crude techniques, nor do we need to harm their bodies to achieve our goals. Sometimes pain doesn't have to be bloody."

Tesorus raised an eyebrow, looked at the calm and composed face of Brazil Saiyaros, and began to speak with interest:

Are you very confident?

“Yes, sir.” A chilling smile appeared on the lips of Brazil Saiyaros. “This situation is not uncommon for us. Not all prisoners are strong enough to withstand those severe tortures. There are always some who have become accustomed to a life of luxury and indulgence, letting their bodies become weak and feeble. We naturally have other methods to deal with them, but these guys are generally not tough, so we rarely use them.”