Cataphracts, surviving in a world full of mods

Normally, hunting these creatures still requires a spear... A leopard that has never fought a hunter will see the spear as part of its opponent, chipping its teeth against the sharp steel, or using a powerful bow or crossbow to strike from the shadows... Relying solely on a short sword, close combat will ultimately make it easy to get injured.

Recalling her impulsive actions just now... at least 60% of it was probably to vent her pent-up emotions. Otherwise, even though this guy had already backed down, she wouldn't have taken the risk so easily and would most likely have let this unlucky big cat go.

Looking helplessly at the bleeding wound on his calf, Colin tore off the hem of his robe to bandage it. After pressing hard, the bleeding finally stopped. The slight pain wasn't a major obstacle, but the torn flesh would likely require a couple of stitches to heal.

After letting out a long breath and briefly clearing his mind, Colin suddenly realized that he felt much more relaxed. The leopard next to him, with its mouth wide open and tongue sticking out, was still blatantly displaying its actions in the blood. The gradually cooling and stiffening corpse swayed slightly in the wind like a tattered rag.

Without realizing it, the girl raised her blood-stained hand and looked at the marks left by the bright red liquid. Suddenly, she felt her heartbeat slow down. When she pierced the beast with the sword, the feeling of being alive was incredibly clear and distinct. She could almost feel the touch of the beating heart. Everything was incredibly real and tangible.

She recalled her past, her arduous yet vivid childhood and adolescence—the days of fighting wild beasts in the mountains and forests, contending with rival tribes, and battling bandits and thieves; the days of singing loudly in the dense forests and running around freely… During those times, when did she ever feel lost or afraid? She would only act immediately after determining her goal, until she achieved it.

Her previously calm heartbeat suddenly became restless. In the pouring rain, the girl pressed her hand to her chest, feeling the strong beating and the vitality bursting forth from her body...

Without realizing it, a smile appeared on her face, and she made up her mind... She shouldn't hesitate. No matter what the outcome, hesitation would only be like a dull knife cutting into her flesh, constantly creating wounds in her heart... After the rain stopped, she was going to do what she had always wanted to do but had never dared to.

Sometimes, perhaps it's necessary to revert to a degree of savagery...

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

Rain pattered against the roof tiles, and water droplets seeped down from the uneven and loose spots, bringing dampness into the room.

It was a not-so-small but dimly lit house, shrouded in snow. It contained a bed, a cabinet, a table, four chairs, and some other scattered furniture. The floor was covered with clean stone slabs. The edges were rough and irregular, clearly not made by a professional craftsman, but it was still much better than rammed earth, at least there was no need to worry about the grass seeds growing so abundantly in the soil.

On this small bed, a woman with gray hair and a thin body was panting. She was obviously not young. The wrinkles at the corners of her eyes were deep and dry, and her face was sallow from the torment of illness and weakness. The quilt she was wrapped in was clean enough and effectively protected her body temperature in this kind of weather.

The sky outside was frighteningly gloomy, as if the sea were hanging upside down overhead. The torrential rain washed everything outside the houses, quickly turning the normally firm ground into a soft, wet mess. A long time had passed since the first drop of rain fell, yet the downpour showed no sign of stopping, washing away the dust in the air as if it were trying to thoroughly cleanse the world of all its impurities.

The woman's body was being tormented by illness. Her lungs were constantly panting rapidly, and her throat was dry and sore, as if she had swallowed a handful of steel filings that had just been rubbed off a piece of iron. Every joint in her body ached, making it quite a challenge for her to move.

She was no stranger to this ailment... It was ultimately due to overwork when she was young, which had left her with health problems. However, none of them had been as severe and unbearable as this one. She had been in bed for five or six days, but there was still no sign of improvement. Her throat was getting more and more painful, and her mind was starting to become confused.

Such an illness is difficult to cure... or rather, their family doesn't have the ability or resources to try it. Usually, when things get bad, they just find some suitable herbs to tide them over... but they've never been as desperate and cautious as they are now.

The black dog kept in the yard hid in its kennel supported by broken tiles and wood. Because the ground was raised, it was not bothered by the rain at all. It was also the guard and protector of this yard. At this moment, like its owner, it was in a half-dreaming state... However, even in this state, it could easily detect those who could deceive ordinary people.

Time passed, and the middle-aged woman on the bed finally regained some consciousness. She barely opened her eyes, took a while to think and process the situation, and then couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

She was almost certain that part of her life had been ruined—and in a way she had never anticipated or seen before. Inexplicable scenes had appeared on the land of the Imperial Central Province, which she had thought would always be safe, and her once familiar home had now become dangerous.

If it weren't for this sudden illness, she should have run away with her daughter, but now she's become a burden forced to stay at home. The only saving grace is that her daughter eventually left this place of trouble. The trustworthy young man next door often goes to visit…

Chapter 474 Hunting and Being Hunted (6)

The wind and rain seemed to never stop. In the dim sky, leaden clouds blocked most of the sunlight, making everything around appear blurry and dark. The damp air was constantly invading the soil, making the indoor space, protected by roof tiles, even more damp and cold.

The woman, already showing signs of aging, was curled up in her bedding, tormented by weakness and illness. She could barely open her eyes and could only vaguely hear sounds... She didn't know how long this oppressive, cold, and damp time had passed.

Suddenly, the old man heard a very faint sound—it was the black dog in the yard, suddenly barking threateningly but then abruptly stopping, followed by complete silence. This silence, however, was unsettling, like the last struggle and sigh of a gatekeeper whose throat had just been slit, signifying that something was approaching.

But the old woman was helpless; no matter what she faced next, she had no power to resist... She could only pray in her heart that everything would be alright.

With a creak, the old wooden door was slowly pushed open. The old man forced open his burning eyelids and spoke in a weak, almost lifeless voice:

"Who—who is it?... Coming to this old woman who's about to die at this hour? If you're after money, there are only two silver coins left in the cabinet next to me..."

"Mother!……"

"Aunt Suli."

An excited girl's voice and a boy's suppressed greeting rang out at the same time, causing the old man to open his eyes wide. After struggling for a while, his blurry vision finally became clearer, and he could see his daughter's face, which was red and swollen from crying, and the worried expression on the boy's face beside him.

"Donna! Cough cough cough!! Why are you back? Hurry up and go! Didn't I tell you not to risk coming back? Cough cough!... This old woman is fine staying here to recuperate!"

The old woman's face flushed crimson with excitement. Overcome with emotion, she was no longer weak and struggled to sit up in bed—she had never imagined her daughter would secretly return! She had finally managed to persuade her to leave, and now those vicious soldiers were still around. Hadn't all her efforts been in vain?!

Even if she were to die here, she would never want to see her daughter in danger... If it's truly because she, as a seriously ill old woman, is a burden to her daughter, then she might as well die sooner! It's better than messing things up even more.

"Calm down, Aunt Sully, it's not what you think."

The boy grabbed the old man's arm, and to avoid making too much noise, he didn't dare delay. He quickly organized his thoughts and explained the whole situation as fast as he could. As he spoke, the old man became increasingly calm, finally letting out a long sigh and relaxing.

"...They've finally come, they've finally come! I knew they would come...His Majesty will not abandon this land, nor will the legion..."

“That’s right, Auntie… We already know. They are traitors. They have betrayed our country and are trying to instigate a rebellion to assassinate His Majesty… A legion is on its way. Everything will be alright.”

The boy gently patted the old man's shoulder, his eyes shining like polished obsidian in the darkness, his will as firm as ever... He knew he would probably never forget this day, nor would Dona... After all, they had received a truly remarkable blessing.

That was the promise given by the power that was about to cleanse this land, and the unwavering vow of the swords that protected this country. It would bring peace back to this land, even if it meant rivers of blood.

Having had enough of the turbulent days, he sincerely looked forward to that day, even if it meant continuing to herd sheep as before... at least that would be a carefree luxury.

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

In most situations, a short sword is a versatile and useful weapon; people only complain that it's too short, not that it's too long... But there are always a few exceptions, such as when you need to skin someone and find that you don't have a dagger with you.

The leopard's body was not completely stiff yet, and its fur was still warm and soft, making it the best time to peel it. Colin was not troubled for long and quickly came up with a solution.

Use a short sword to make a cut in the sturdiest part of the tree trunk, cut off a hard and usable piece of wood, and then trim it slightly with the blade to get a wedge-shaped tool that can be used to separate the skin from the flesh. Then use the short sword to make a cut in the soft, milky-white fur on the belly, and you can use this piece of wood to separate the skin from the flesh little by little.

Humming a song, the girl stood in the treetop, separating the pelt from the fur in her hands. The pain and anxiety she had felt earlier were completely gone. She wiped sweat from her brow as she worked, the undried blood leaving traces on her face. Only the leopard, its eyes still wide open in death, trembled with each skinning motion. Its now cloudy eyes stared blankly at the dense canopy.

She was quick and nimble, and even with a piece of wood, she was no slower than someone using a dagger. She quickly peeled off a whole piece of soft, thick fur, and even preserved the tail intact from the base of the tailbone. Then, starting from the head, she rolled it into a thick tube and tied it directly with vines from the tree.

Finally, after prying open the big cat's bloody mouth and checking the condition of its teeth, the girl shook her head with some regret—the condition wasn't good; one tooth was even broken and blackened, making it not worth removing.

So she left the rest of the carcass there without hesitation, like a predator that takes what it wants and then abandons the rest to share with the other carnivores in the forest... a kind of luxurious leisure.

The downpour finally began to subside. She landed lightly from the treetops, letting her boots sink into the mud, making it almost impossible to walk for a moment. She could only awkwardly wipe off the excess mud on the nearby stones, and then choose a path through the relatively dry soil under the shade of trees.

After reaching a wide open space, the girl stopped what she was doing... A heavy rain had washed away all traces, leaving even the most sensitive-nosed hounds and the most knowledgeable hunters helpless... Even in this situation, tracking a giant beast would seem like a foolish and laughable effort, but fortunately, sound is a way of transmitting information that can always be effective.

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

When Teresolius saw Corinne, she was in this disheveled and fierce state—mud splattered all over her body, her hair a mess, and her once beautiful cotton robe now wrinkled. A bloodstained leopard skin was rolled up around her waist, making her look less like someone who had gone into the forest to sulk and more like someone who had impulsively slaughtered a poor leopard.

"Boss... are you alright?"

Kochkin's face showed worry, while Colin simply smiled and waved to everyone.

"Of course it's okay. Let's hurry back, we're going to be late."

Thesolius waved for everyone to follow, then took two steps forward to the girl's side. After a brief hesitation, he turned to look at the seemingly unaffected girl:

"Is there anything you want to tell me?"

"of course."

Colin answered without hesitation, and a bright smile appeared on the girl's lips, like a ray of sunlight piercing through the dark clouds at that moment.

"I'll tell you when we get back, when we get back."

She nodded as if confirming something, then suddenly quickened her pace, overtook him, and sped away through the puddles and mud...

Chapter 475 The King's Head (1)

The burning camp had become a half-extinguished ember, and the stench of corpses scorched and dried by the flames lingered. Twisted fingers, like withered branches, trembled and stretched towards the sky. The red-hot armor had become a pile of scrap metal, mixed among the cleanly burned bones.

This is undoubtedly a terrifying, hellish scene. What a person can see, hear, smell, and touch here is destined to be bad. A person with a slightly fragile mind may even easily have this scene etched into their memory and regret it for the rest of their life.

Just as he had predicted, the troops whose pay had been withheld were demoralized and lacked any will to fight; their defenses were so fragile that they could be torn apart at any moment. Under the well-prepared offensive, the entire line of defense was breached in just two days. The remaining troops retreated in a panic and disarray from the first line of defense, retreating according to the original plan.

In this process, they naturally suffered heavy losses. Natamus almost made the most of his light cavalry, tracking and killing, ambushing and dividing, surrounding and harassing... He was always able to find out the information he wanted, and he was always able to judge the weakest and most vulnerable points based on the information... Just like it is difficult to separate strong bones with a thin scalpel, but if you use this blade to cut the fascia and flesh at the key point, it can be done easily, and it will not even cause much damage to the thin blade.

He commanded his wolf pack to hunt across the western lands, and they had already torn their prey to shreds, leaving them bloodied, weak, and exhausted... and there were some extra surprises.

The heavy box required two strong soldiers to carry it. They were skilled at wielding long axes, but now they had to exert all their strength, bending over and lowering themselves, to get the box into the tent. They even nearly hit their own fingers when they put it down.

As the lid of the box was lifted, a dazzling and terrifying golden light burst forth, making the entire tent noticeably brighter. The glittering gold piled up, and with each shake, it produced a crisp sound that could reach the depths of one's soul.

"My lord, after careful inventory, the gold coins in this box alone are worth 30,000 fula. In addition, there are 40,000 fula in silver and copper coins... This is no small sum. If we don't consider logistical support and only consider it as military pay, it would be enough to support an army for at least half a year."

Natamus reached into the small pile of gold coins, grasped the gleaming, cold metal in his hand, and watched them slowly fall through his fingers, making a crisper sound as they clattered. The dazzling gold was almost blinding, and there were tens of thousands of the same gold coins in the box.

Any one of these gold coins could easily provide a comfortable life for a family of four for a considerable period of time. Just a few coins could buy a strong ox, and a dozen or so could allow one to dream of a swift and powerful horse... Even a king would feel as if his own flesh were being torn apart if he lost this money.

“...It is indeed a bit dangerous...Steardo, if we are any slower, his soldiers might get their hands on the money. Then this defensive line will not be so easy to break through, and we will have to put in more effort and pay a higher price.”

An old man with a long wooden cane stood nearby, nodding repeatedly as he heard this.

"Indeed, we prepared for too long this time... But then again, it would have been just as difficult to succeed if we had acted too early. And this time it was just right. We took the opportunity to intercept this military pay, which will probably make Redbeard Yotserro quite uncomfortable."

"It's probably not just discomfort, it's almost like taking his life... but he's probably a little short of going insane."

Natamus's lips curled into a malicious smile, a malice so pure it sent chills down one's spine. It was the smile of a warrior who, without hesitation or delay, would strike a vital point the moment he saw a weakness in his opponent.

“Let’s try to push this red-haired fellow a little harder…press his army a little tighter…and then see what happens.”

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

"Come here, come here quickly! Take a look at this."

Yotesero blinked, somewhat bewildered, wondering if he was still half asleep... The one calling him now wasn't a servant or a conscious minister, but a black, mangy wild dog...

The dog's fur was patchy and sparse, with some areas having exceptionally thick fur and others having no fur at all. Its gray skin was covered with scars and diseased sores. One of its legs was lame and could not be lowered, so it could only be tilted outwards. Several of its teeth were broken, its nose was dry and cracked, its eyes were cloudy, and its ears were drooping limply... It seemed that it was not impossible for it to die at any moment.

But now, this old and sick stray dog ​​is standing in his hall, giving him a friendly look, just like an old friend.

Overwhelmed by surprise and momentarily at a loss for words, he, who should have been angry, burst into laughter after a long pause. He even slapped his chair, stood up, calmly walked to the stray dog, and poked his head out.

"Oh, is there something you want me to see?"

The stray dog ​​panted heavily, its long red tongue lolling out, but a rather human-like smile appeared in its bright eyes and at the corners of its mouth:

"Of course it's this one. Look how good this is! There's so much meat on it."

Yotesero looked ahead, following the dog's direction, and found a chicken that had been mostly gnawed off under a magnificent, sturdy wooden table... Most of the chicken's meat had been gnawed off, but the person who ate it was quite cunning, not biting through the joints, leaving the skeleton somewhat intact. In the places that were hard to reach, a considerable amount of skin and meat remained. After being roasted, oiled, and spiced, the meat emitted a rich aroma, but its flavor was greatly diminished by the coldness of the meat.

"I traded one of my legs for this opportunity, and now it seems it was all worth it... I'm starving and on the verge of death, but with this chicken, I can keep living. Haha, heaven is really looking out for me. I'm going to enjoy my spoils now!"

As the stray dog ​​spoke, it began to walk forward triumphantly, though it didn't move very fast because of its missing leg... At first, Redbeard Yotserro simply stared at the dog, but then, for some reason, a strong sense of disgust suddenly surged from the depths of his heart, and immediately developed to an uncontrollable degree. It was as hateful as maggots crawling out of a hole in his stomach, making him grit his teeth in an instant, almost wanting to draw his sword and kill it without a second thought.

But he soon realized that he didn't have a sword on him... After only a brief hesitation, he stepped forward, kicked the unsuspecting wild dog in the side, and then grabbed the chicken bone with a lot of meat left and threw it out the window.

"No! What did you do?!"

The stray dog ​​became enraged, baring its broken teeth and viciously biting at his leg. Undeterred, he kicked back, determined to shatter the beast's teeth...

………………

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!!——"

The red-haired man suddenly sat up in bed, his forehead covered in cold sweat, as if he had been soaking in water... and the eunuch he knew and trusted most was standing by his bedside, anxiously shaking his arm.

"What……"