Cataphracts, surviving in a world full of mods

Chapter 456 The Shadow of War (2)

A forest had been completely cut down, leaving only bare tree stumps that silently testified to something. The slightly cracked wood, still damp with moisture, proved that the tree had not been felled for very long, not even long enough for it to dry completely.

From above, the felled trees in this dense forest stretch out in a continuous line, as conspicuous as bald patches on a thick coat of hair. Conservative estimates suggest at least several thousand trees have been felled and hauled away, and three cleared roads have been built around the area to transport the timber.

Wood was an indispensable material in this era, needed in all aspects of people's lives, and even more so for a large army. Whether it was the fences and walls for setting up camp, the spikes in the trenches, or even the barracks for living, all needed to be built with wood. The amount was also quite astonishing, and only an army could cut down an entire forest in a short period of time.

These timbers, which were not air-dried, were destined to crack quickly afterward. If there was a lot of rain, they might also become moldy and could not be used for long. However, for the army, these were the only uses for them. As long as they could be used temporarily, it was considered to make the best use of them. When the soldiers left, they would often discard these cracked timbers or simply chop them up to use as fuel.

The mobilized army is not only a catastrophe for humans, but also an irresistible natural enemy for any creature in the world. The slightly more alert creatures in the forest have already begun to leave, and those that are less alert have basically become wild game stewed in the soldiers' pots... They don't care whether the animals in this forest will become extinct, they only care about whether they can add more oil to their own bowls.

With a sharp crack, the whip snapped against the draft horse's rump. It made a loud noise, but it did little to harm the thick-skinned horse. It only pulled out two hairs, kicked up some dust, and made the behemoth snort and begin to move slowly forward.

With a powerful burst of strength from his strong muscles, he easily began to drag the tree trunk tied to the thick hemp rope. In the rolling yellow dust, he began to move along the road at a steady and slow pace. The soldiers following behind would occasionally crack their whips to keep the horse moving. On both sides of the road, soldiers like him drove livestock or wagons to transport timber in an endless stream, and the billowing yellow dust they kicked up could be easily seen even from miles away.

The legion had prepared plenty of livestock this time, seemingly having received considerable support from somewhere, which made the soldiers' work much easier. Otherwise, these tree trunks wouldn't have been pulled by livestock, but rather dragged back bit by bit on their shoulders. Even a strong man might not be able to make two round trips in a whole day, and could only drag away a maximum of four tree trunks as thick as a bowl at a time.

At the border between the central province and the northern province of Northri, three legions camped and converged, their camps stretching for dozens of miles, almost as majestic as a city. The gleaming armor of the soldiers in the camps shimmered like carp in a river as they marched in formation, and the banners fluttering in the wind were painted with the honors of their legions, showcasing the glory they had achieved in the past.

The camp here is only half-built, with gaps in many places. The outer trenches are not yet lined with sharp stakes, and are being filled as soldiers bring back timber. The camp's craftsmen and auxiliary soldiers are using various tools to process the still damp timber, digging out the soil and creating trenches.

This is undoubtedly a powerful military force. The simultaneous operation of the Empire's three legions poses a tremendous threat to any neighboring country. They are capable of destroying a nation, ravaging a land, and causing war to spread to millions of people, making them a man-made natural disaster.

Such a powerful military force is now approaching the central province without orders from the Senate or the Emperor, and has even reached a point only a little over a hundred miles from the capital... What does this mean? It is already quite clear to many.

They have undoubtedly become rebels... Of course, no one would be foolish enough to admit it verbally. In name, they still use a fairly reasonable pretext—a rebellion has broken out in the capital, and they have been ordered by the elders to quell it... This is, in a sense, the absolute truth; at least they really did receive orders from the elders, and a rebellion has indeed broken out in the capital...

However, for the legion's leaders, things still went beyond their control... The most fatal point was that the capital legion was not completely driven to the brink of rebellion, and the emperor did not die in the assassination attempt. Their fig leaf for covering up their actions became precarious, and they would have to pay a much higher price to achieve their original goals.

If things hadn't happened so quickly, and the emperor hadn't completely broken ties with them publicly, they would probably have become notorious traitors throughout the empire long ago... That would have been the truly dire situation, as the emperor, at the height of his prestige, could easily rally the nation's power, and they would have completely lost the opportunity to seize the country with a small amount of blood.

Time was no longer on their side... Continuing to delay would have dire consequences, and after what they had done, the emperor would no longer forgive them... Now, they had to make a decision. If they were going to do it, they had to do it thoroughly... At the very least, this emperor, who had already broken all ties with them, could not live! And Tersolius, who posed a threat to all of them, had to die too!

The best opportunity has passed, and the capital remains heavily guarded, but at least they have amassed superior forces and closed to this distance...

Turials stared grimly at the sky, knowing he had only one last chance. The ghost of the emperor was relentlessly pursuing him; if he failed, he would die…

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

"It's a truly marvelous structure. Each leg has an independent gland and a storage sac, and the sharp, bony claws have a groove in the middle to guide the venom. Moreover, the venom secreted by each gland is different, and each one alone is enough to kill a giant beast. If injected into a target at the same time, it will directly melt the flesh."

With focused attention, Tarina used the tweezers in her hand to part the slender limbs in front of her, and with the knife in her other hand, she continued to dissect the exquisite, evil, and terrifying creation before her—it looked like a bizarre spider the size of a plate, with a long tail. However, each of the so-called spider legs was covered with hard and sharp bone, and the tail had a pincer-like structure that could help it fix itself in various places that were difficult to climb.

Unlike the constructs they had encountered before, this one was the most exquisite and agile, and it was not made of human limbs, but of birds with light and strong bones. Even its core was a unique parasite that had undergone additional mutations.

This creature had very few internal organs, clearly indicating it was sent out as a disposable consumable, yet it was still incredibly deadly and insidious... It would be very difficult for a normal person to guard against something like this that could climb to the ceiling, weighed only as much as two pigeons, had the ability to change color and disguise itself, and carried deadly poison.

No matter how tight the defense or how elite the guards, it is difficult to detect its infiltration. Just as a person will not realize that a mosquito has flown into their room until they are bitten hard, it is the pinnacle of human ingenuity in assassinating targets.

"...It's truly a chilling experience."

Thesolius stood thoughtfully to one side, wearing a simple black robe, completely ignoring the stench emanating from the decaying limbs. The emperor, standing to his left, was also dressed simply. Both men wore masks and maintained a certain distance from where Talina was working.

After a brief moment of thought, Thesolius turned to look at the emperor:

"Your Majesty, so this thing is really close to you?"

The emperor nodded without hesitation, his furrowed brow revealing a hint of lingering fear.

“That’s right. This thing has infiltrated my bedroom, which is guarded by Ingersoll himself. Even my hounds couldn’t have gotten in without leaving a trace and launched an assassination attempt on me.”

"Looking back now, it still seems unbelievable. I was like I was possessed, taking the swords and knives off the wall on my own..." Clautina reached out and touched the military knife at her waist, her slender fingers repeatedly opening and closing on the gold-threaded hilt.

"I don't know why I swung that sword, but by the time I realized it, it was already done subconsciously, and it just so happened to cut the sword that was about to jump down and pierce my neck in two, as if someone was holding my hand and guiding me to do that."

Thesolius fell into thought again, but this time it was extremely brief; something subtle flashed across his eyes.

"Since the outcome is good, there's no need to dwell on it... Regardless of whose help it was, I am sincerely grateful. If Your Majesty had truly perished, then the situation would have been truly irreversible..."

"...Hearing you say that, I actually feel a little happy. Are you worried about me, General Tersolius?"

A slight smile appeared on the emperor's previously stern face. He bent his elbow and gently nudged Thesolius's shoulder. Thesolius took the bump without resistance, his upper body tilting to the side, his expression slightly helpless.

"Of course I'm worried about you, Your Majesty. Even if you weren't the emperor, I would still be worried about you. I was so worried that I almost ran my horse to death."

The emperor was slightly taken aback and took a step back in surprise, completely unprepared for Tersolius's straightforward answer. However, his smile grew even brighter. After a brief hesitation, he took two firm steps forward, bringing them even closer together.

"You can say more; your emperor is very happy to hear it... If you say something nice, I might even reward you, hmm?"

Tersolius turned his body to the side and crashed into the emperor's arms without any regard for the consequences. Clautina was caught off guard and staggered back two steps. After regaining her balance, she kicked him again in a fit of embarrassment and anger, wanting to punish her general for his offense. However, he simply turned around and dodged the kick, causing the emperor to stumble instead.

Before the emperor could decide to continue the pursuit, Tersolius intervened in time to prevent the war from escalating... or perhaps it could have worsened the situation:

"I'm now certain that some force was helping Your Majesty back then, otherwise, with your current skills, you definitely wouldn't have been able to dodge this thing..."

The emperor narrowed his eyes, a dangerous glint flashing within them:

"Alright, no more rewards, now for punishment! Stand still and let me step on you, this is the Emperor's order!"

"Then please submit this proposal to the Senate, Your Majesty. We will discuss it carefully and reach a conclusion—oh dear!"

Before he could finish his trash talk, the emperor stomped on his boots without hesitation, leaving a bright white footprint on the fine leather. And he wasn't going to stop there, launching a continuous attack that left Tersolius with no choice but to dodge.

Tarina, who was standing next to her, had finished her work, meticulously recording it in her parchment notebook. She had also soaked the remaining limbs in the preservative solution. She had already washed her hands and was wiping the water droplets off them with a cotton cloth, watching the interaction between the two with great envy.

There is probably only one person in this world who can joke and laugh with the emperor... Their relationship has never changed because of their status and power. They have always had complete trust in each other, a trust that is enough to entrust their lives to one another.

This is not something that can be formed by simple friendship, but something deeper, like fate, intertwined and almost inseparable. It is a bond between two young people who came from that small village together, a bond stronger than blood ties. Therefore, they have no doubts about each other, nor do they waste time doing anything unnecessary.

In this brightly lit house, bathed in the light streaming through the windows, the emperor chased after his general, who was approaching his advisors, preparing to rely on Talina to evade further pursuit. Everything seemed jubilant and lively, almost unreal, yet pure and precious.

After all, there are only three young people here...

Chapter 457 The Shadow of War (3)

"Maybe I should find someone to teach you to dance..."

After chasing for quite some time, the emperor finally had no choice but to stop. He wiped the fine sweat from his forehead, looked at Tersolyus who was not even out of breath, and clearly realized the obvious difference between people.

Thesolius was tall and imposing, with an extraordinary presence, but few had ever witnessed his agility and skill in complex environments. He was as nimble as a leaping bird, and after his initial kick, the emperor never managed to touch him again, instead running himself up in a sweat.

"With just a little training, you'll definitely dance very well, enough to make even professional dancers feel ashamed."

After teasing his general, the emperor finally caught his breath, reached out and pulled a chair over from the side, and sat down without caring about his image. Talina, who had neglected her exercise due to being too busy lately, was also covered in sweat and was leaning against the table, panting. She even seemed a little dizzy, which made Tersolius look at her frequently.

Under such gazes, Talina felt inexplicably guilty... At the same time, she realized that she had indeed been too engrossed in her hobby these past two days, hardly ever leaving the laboratory, while Tersolius and the Emperor were busy reorganizing the new legion.

“I don’t like dancing, and I don’t need that kind of thing. On the battlefield, it’s just a crowd of people, there’s no time for you to adjust your steps… These two skills should be very useful when dueling with someone.”

He casually opened the window beside him, and facing the slightly glaring sun, Tersolius rubbed his temples. His expression finally turned serious as he turned to look at the emperor:

"Your Majesty, the commotion should end now. I need to prepare to depart."

The emperor nodded calmly at almost the same time, showing no surprise whatsoever… or perhaps that childish chase just moments before was an unspoken farewell, bringing this brief reunion to a close.

"Then go ahead, and don't forget to come back with a victory as soon as possible. There will definitely be a lot of messes for us to clean up afterward... No matter what you want to do, there will always be someone holding you back. It's infuriating to think about, but I will take care of it. You just need to focus on the battle."

“Of course.” Tersolius slowly curled the corners of his mouth into a smile.

“While I would not claim to be invincible, Turials is no match for me… He must also be looking to finish the job in one fell swoop, but I will show him just how difficult that is.”

"The terrain around the capital is rather flat, and they have to come here, so their options are already very limited... It's right here—"

A finger covered in steel armor touched a node on the map on the wall, as if a natural disaster had struck the land:

"I will utterly crush their ambitions and delusions."

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

Let's go! Let's go!

Everyone cheered the word, and soldiers, fully equipped and ready for battle, formed an endless iron curtain in the square, their banners fluttering in the new silk. They were determined to add gray smoke and blood to this symbol of honor, to add luster to their still meager glory.

Everyone was cheering. Soldiers raised their swords and slapped their shields, struck the paving stones with the shafts of their spears and halberds, and stomped on the ground with their boots. The clanging of metal echoed like waves, washing over every corner, making it almost impossible to hear anything else but see the surging waves of this man-made ocean.

The finest soldiers, selected from across the capital, awaited their general to lead them into battle, to bring them glory, and to crush the enemy. A surge of fervor coursed through their hearts, accompanied by waves of cheers that pounded in their chests, making their faces flush red. Even with hoarse throats, they refused to stop.

Amidst this great anticipation, on this majestic and imposing Senate Square, the troops were eagerly awaiting their arrival. The First Guards Corps of the Capital, the Capital Garrison Corps, and the elite troops who had previously rushed to the aid of the capital, a total of 23,742 soldiers, were ready for battle!

They had been waiting for this moment for so long, they were calling out, they were anxiously waiting—to have someone appear before them who could bring them victory and glory… and they soon received a response.

A tall figure clad in silver armor appeared as if emerging from the sun, standing atop the towering steps of the Senate. His golden winged helmet resembled the outstretched wings of the Imperial Double-Headed Eagle, and every hair on his magnificent white lion cloak shimmered with a crystal-clear brilliance.

He was so heroic and extraordinary, so imposing, that just by standing there, he forced all eyes to be focused on him. This was the combined gaze of hundreds of thousands of people, enough to kill the weak, but to him it was just a negligible breeze, not even enough to make him waver for a moment.

His generals and confidants appeared behind him, each exuding an imposing aura. In the sunlight, their armor gleamed dazzlingly, as if the gods were blessing them at that moment.

Raise your right hand and gently clench your fist... The next moment, as if someone had grabbed your throat, everyone shut their mouths, ending their hysterical cheers. The city instantly transformed from extreme noise to extreme silence, but the emotions did not diminish in the slightest. Like a suppressed volcano, they were silently boiling.

"Set off."

Two simple words, no long speech, no inspiring cheers, just a simple command, clean and decisive like severing a limb, yet it was as if he were giving an order to the whole world. In the next instant, everything around him began to respond to his command.

As bugles and war drums sounded together, and flags waved in response, the long lines of steel formations on the square began to separate, entering the city's main thoroughfare in an orderly fashion, albeit somewhat chaotic, manner, and beginning the legion's march.

Advancing a large army is no easy task, but they are no strangers to it... The veterans followed the column with composure. After retiring from the legion, they had marched like this countless times in their dreams. Those memories that seemed like a lifetime ago have now become reality. After a brief period of familiarization, they moved with more skill and tacit understanding. The spears, halberds and long spears on their shoulders gleamed with a cold light, and the shields hanging behind them were painted with the symbol of the First Guards Legion - a grinning white wolf.

The Capital Garrison Legion is also a well-trained army, but because the country is too powerful, they rarely have the opportunity to be used. Today, they are only responsible for maintaining the city's security. Today, they are also in high spirits, convinced that they can wash away the shame of the past and gain glory in the war to protect the empire.

Thesolius promised them ultimate victory and said he would lead them to retrieve it, and everyone believed they would eventually succeed.

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

Click!

An ominous sound came from beside him. Without any hesitation, he immediately relaxed his shoulders, and with a sense of dread, slowly returned the bowstring to its original position, then unhesitatingly removed the arrow.

A clear crack had already appeared on the bow, which was carved from yew wood, cutting through three layers of the wood grain on its back. It could break completely at any moment, and if he hadn't stopped in time, the broken bow could have even hit his face, broken his teeth, and blinded him.

Such things were quite rare for archers in Western countries. The tough and sturdy yew wood was not easy to break, and its simple structure ensured its durability to a great extent. It was not easy to have any problems whether it was in humid fog or dry weather... But that did not mean that there would be no problems. At least he had seen it before.

And that unlucky fellow was none other than his father—his hometown was always heavily taxed, but if one could use a strong bow and become an archer when the lord went to war, half of the taxes could be waived, and one could also receive military pay. So his whole family knew how to shoot arrows, and his father was impaled in the throat by a broken bow... This was quite unlucky among those who encountered such misfortune.

A longbow with a high draw weight inherently possesses terrifying power. Once drawn with all one's might, it is easy to injure the user if there is even the slightest mistake... At this moment, he was already drenched in sweat and felt quite fortunate, thankful that he might have managed to protect one eye and a few teeth.

Of course, besides feeling relieved, he also felt an intense pang of heartache—this was his only bow, and it was the one he was most comfortable with. Now it was broken, and things were really going to get complicated… At the very least, he wouldn't get those eight Friel's worth of money. What kind of archer is an archer without a bow?

But his frustration vanished almost immediately, replaced by a deep-seated despondency and anger that made him grit his teeth and kick the fence beside him, leaving a muddy footprint on the sturdy wood.

Not long ago, he was genuinely happy because their salary had increased from 6 frials a day to 8, which meant an extra 30 frials a month... But now, he felt only genuine anger and scorn towards the king. If he weren't afraid of being arrested and hanged, he could have spouted his filth for a quarter of an hour straight.

The reason is quite simple: the promised 8 Freer were only distributed for one month, and after that, even the original 6 were not reached. Now, each person is only receiving 3 per day! It's like a severe blow to their health!

He had initially thought he could save a small amount of money, but after careful calculation, he realized that after deducting the cost of armor maintenance and other necessary expenses, he could only save a few coins at most, which meant he had risked his life for nothing... For soldiers who live on the edge, what could be more resentful than this?

After all, if it were just a matter of halving their pay, there would still be discontent, but it wouldn't have reached this point. However, Redbeard Yotserro first announced that he would increase their pay, and then after a month, he only gave them a pitiful amount of money... Under such circumstances, even a fool would feel that their king was insulting and mocking them.