Cataphracts, surviving in a world full of mods

Of course, their opponents were not pigs and sheep to be slaughtered, and during this process, the armored soldiers led by Karila also suffered casualties... but they had undoubtedly begun to stir up the previously stalemate.

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A slender green snake was slithering among the branches. Its scales were as clear and translucent as jade, its eyes were a beautiful pale blue, yet as cold as glass, and its tongue was a blood-red color. Its tail coiled around the branches as nimbly as a finger.

A slender hand gently touched the top of the snake's head, but it did not provoke a violent reaction at all. Like a gentle breeze, it lifted the snake off the branch and placed it directly into the palm of the hand. The index finger and thumb then gently stroked its cool and smooth head.

The cold-blooded animal continued crawling silently, almost treating the finger as a twig, as docile as a kitten, even though its mouth contained venom capable of instantly killing a person.

He flipped his fingers, keeping the little snake crawling. Under the hood, a pair of bright eyes thoughtfully watched a figure riding a white horse a hundred meters away, his fingers tapping incessantly on a sharp blade.

Chapter 495 Battle (12)

Her goal was very urgent... This might not be obvious to others, but to her it was as hard to ignore as a fire in the dark. She clearly captured the other person's slightest movements and subtle changes in his face, and easily made that judgment.

As for the reason for her anxiety, it was quite simple and clear—even she could easily see that the current situation of the battle was not good. The rebels' heavy infantry group's fierce attack had made no progress at all, and the left flank was showing signs of collapse and wavering for some reason. Catapults and ballistae were still reaping their lives, and the situation was deteriorating slowly and steadily, like a boulder rolling towards a cliff.

If the situation continued like this, the rebels' defeat was already inevitable. As the mastermind behind their rebellion, Turials certainly had every reason to panic and be nervous; maintaining a semblance of composure was already a remarkable feat.

She silently flicked her fingers, letting the little snake stumble and wriggle along them, realizing that the opportunity she had been waiting for was about to appear before her eyes—the situation was so bad that Turiars would eventually send in more reserves to reverse the tide, leaving the surrounding area completely undefended and making it easy to succeed.

But she was still somewhat hesitant, filled with suspicion about this guy with a familiar face... Moreover, there was no difference in his figure or physique, so it was really difficult to tell unless she used a sharp blade to peel off that face.

After a brief hesitation, she quietly disappeared into the darkness among the leaves, deciding to investigate more carefully.

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The long axe spun in the air, emitting a piercing shriek that squeezed the heart, before crashing down with the force of thunder, tearing through the tough chainmail like ripping paper, severing the head and half a shoulder, splattering internal organs and blood everywhere.

Kicked away a corpse falling towards her, Karila continued forward without even panting. She swatted away a spear thrusting at her as if swatting away flies, took a small step back to dodge a halberd slashing at her, then raised her foot and crushed the halberd handle covered in steel plates. Before her opponent could even react in disbelief, the axe blade swung upwards and sent him flying.

The dull thud of a bowstring vibrating came from not far behind. A heavy arrow, as thick as a finger, accurately pierced the eye of an enemy centurion in front of him, penetrating his iron helmet and protruding from the tip, which was covered with bloody red and white substances.

With a soft smack, Karila, who had already raised her axe to kill her opponent, instantly changed her target, reversed the axe, and used the sharp, thick armor-piercing spike on the back to smash the head of a heavy infantryman.

This formation, completely deprived of its high-ranking officers, collapsed and crumbled. It was then torn to shreds by the elite armored soldiers who surged forward with her, carving a deep hole in the enemy's line. Heavy arrows, crisscrossing each other, constantly sparked sparks and blood between the two formations.

Their achievements were remarkable, but their losses were equally evident. By now, they had suffered over a hundred casualties, and even the mountain people who were firing at them from the front lines had also suffered considerable casualties. Although they had inflicted several times the casualties on the enemy, they inevitably became exhausted after a long battle.

With a swing of her long axe, she tore a shield to shreds, shattering several fingers along with it. With a twisting motion of her arm, she cleaved her opponent in two at the waist. Karila wiped the blood from her face and shouted a command behind her. Immediately, flags waved, followed by a flurry of footsteps and the rolling of gleaming armor like a storm. The troops resting in the rear immediately stepped forward to relieve those who were exhausted.

Taking a quick breath, Karila ripped the water bottle from her waist, lifted her helmet visor, and drank the slightly bitter liquid inside. At the same time, she kept an eye on the battle situation ahead. Only after seeing that her side had clearly gained the upper hand and squeezed the enemy's formation did she feel relieved.

After just two sips, Karila immediately felt her strength recover considerably. She quickly moved her hands and feet, wiping off the thick layer of blood and mud that had accumulated on her long axe, shaking off the dried blood scabs on her body, and using her feet to help scrape the blood-soaked mud off her boots.

The mountain archers behind them were also extremely exhausted. Drawing their bows repeatedly was not an easy task even for them. By this time, their arms were numb and their fingers were sore. Kochkin was shaking his arms like he was shaking water, waiting for the auxiliary soldiers behind him to bring him new arrows. He had just emptied two whole quivers of arrows, and even a rough calculation showed that his haul was not small.

But this was still a rare and arduous battle for him... So far, he had been hit by seven or eight arrows, but because he was wearing heavy armor beforehand, he was not injured because the arrows did not hit any weak or vital points. However, several of his men had their armor pierced by powerful bows and crossbows, and two unlucky men died before they could be saved.

With a heavy sigh, Kochkin reluctantly reached into his helmet, scratched the back of his head, and then roused himself to relax his limbs... Rest time was precious; he would soon be back in battle, and this moment couldn't be wasted.

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The liquid in the kettle is made by repeatedly boiling three-leaf clover and two-leaf clover together, then mixing it with honey and water. It tastes astringent and bland... In theory, it's nothing special, just that it doesn't spoil easily and is easier to drink... But when Bivis drank it, he felt refreshed and his fatigue seemed to have lessened considerably.

The old man suddenly realized that there must be something he didn't know about added to it. He raised his eyebrows with interest and took a few more sips, but still couldn't tell. Suddenly, his curiosity was piqued, and he had an urge to go and ask his student right now.

Of course, he was no longer an impulsive young man, so he wouldn't do anything reckless just because of a momentary curiosity. In the end, he just smiled, took a few more sips of his drink, and made up his mind to ask him properly after the battle was over.

At this moment, about 10% of the catapults on the side have stopped working, not because they were hit by the enemy, but because they were used too hard and too violently, causing wear and tear. The counterweight catapults are relatively easy to deal with, but the torsion catapults are powered by the force of tendons and hemp ropes twisted together. If they are used too violently, they are prone to malfunctions. They had just launched a large number of stone projectiles in one go, so naturally some of them are no longer usable.

Fortunately, they had made ample preparations beforehand, and spare tendon ropes were already prepared nearby. All that was needed now was for skilled craftsmen to disassemble and replace them. However, due to the structure, the time required was bound to be considerable. With the enemy approaching, he no longer needed to give precise commands, so he had some free time and found a tree stump to sit on and began to daydream.

At this very moment, the sun had long since hidden behind the clouds, leaving the earth with a precious period of coolness. The air ahead was thick with the aura of blood, and a gust of wind made him feel as if he were immersed in blood, making it difficult for him to breathe…

Chapter 496 Battle (13)

His temples throbbed with pain, like a worm wriggling inside, intently devouring everything inside. This made it impossible for him to concentrate, leaving him constantly agitated.

Under these circumstances, the king received his logistics chief and general, as well as mercenary leaders and brokers... and as he had expected, there was no good news at all.

"Our logistics route has been repeatedly attacked and is not going smoothly. Now, in order to keep it running, we have to send more soldiers to escort it. Moreover, we have been delayed here for too long. The amount of food we have consumed is already astronomical. If this continues, we will not be able to last more than a few days."

"Several cities in the rear are quite shaken, and the people there are extremely dissatisfied, believing that you have broken your promises to the cities."

"Today's headcount revealed that over 100 people escaped... but this is significantly fewer than yesterday. Those who remain are steadfast supporters of Your Majesty..."

"Sir Fords led his soldiers to collect supplies from nearby villages and towns when they were ambushed by the Imperials and their entire army was wiped out..."

At this point, the official's face stiffened, but he swallowed hard and continued:

"The Imperials cut off their heads, tied them together with rope, and then had Sir Fords' warhorse take them back to the camp. The soldiers were very uneasy, and many deserted that night."

The king's lips twitched violently, but he said nothing, only waving helplessly to signal them to continue their report.

"Knight Fochedo of Camp 3 has been killed in battle... He disobeyed orders and led his cavalry into battle, only to be ambushed by the Imperials and his entire army wiped out. He was dragged to death by the enemy cavalry with ropes..."

………………

One piece of bad news after another, yet it was becoming increasingly difficult for him to feel anything. He listened to the bad news almost numbly, no longer harboring any hope for good news, feeling neither sorrow nor joy. But unknowingly, he had already made the voices of others quiet down.

Yes, what's there to look forward to? All he can do now is keep putting up with this mess...

Everyone else had said what they needed to say, and their mouths were dry, but the logistics supervisor still looked hesitant and troubled. He had some bad news to deliver, which was especially difficult in the atmosphere, but he finally swallowed hard.

"...Your Majesty, the messengers we sent to request aid have returned...only two returned in total."

As if pricked by a needle, the king abruptly raised his head, his expectant gaze beneath his disheveled hair sharp and compelling his logistics supervisor to continue. The supervisor paused for a moment before speaking:

"The Kingdom of Winddin claims they are organizing a large army and believe Your Majesty's army can hold out for this period... and also says..."

"What else did he say?"

"He also said that even a coward could hold out for two months by playing defense, and he believed you could do even better."

"Defense, defense! Where am I supposed to get the money for defense?!"

The king finally lost his temper, grabbed a porcelain cup from the table, and smashed it to the ground. He angrily shouted amidst the broken pieces. A shard with gilded patterns grazed the cheek of the logistics supervisor, leaving a streak of blood, but the supervisor didn't dare to move.

"To support this army, I'm practically drained of my bones. Where can I squeeze any more money out of this land?! If this continues, I might as well tear down all the cities and sell the bricks and tiles!"

The king gritted his teeth, but his anger did not last long. He eventually forced himself to sit back down, realizing that the bad news was probably not over yet.

Sure enough, after a long period of hesitation, his logistics supervisor's disheveled goatee trembled twice, and he spoke cautiously in a voice slightly louder than the buzzing of a mosquito's wings:

"And Your Majesty, our supplies haven't arrived for a long time, it's been delayed for three days now, and the messengers we sent out will be targeted and killed by the Imperials..."

"Didn't you say you had already sent troops to escort them?"

The king frowned; the lingering anger from his earlier outburst hadn't even subsided before it began to surge again.

"...In fact, our troops have also disappeared without a trace, Your Majesty. I suspect they may have already..."

The king's heart skipped a beat, and a strong sense of panic suddenly exploded within him... He had never imagined that the supply routes for his rear would fall into enemy hands—that was the source of his confidence to gather a large army for this decisive battle. Blocked by mountains and rivers, the roads were impassable for the army. To be precise, even if the army could be forcibly gathered, the king would definitely have noticed.

Enemy scouts could certainly infiltrate and kill their outnumbered messengers and reconnaissance soldiers, but they could never send a large army without being detected... And if it wasn't an army, how could the troops I sent out to escort the supply route have been completely wiped out?!

But if there really was even a one in ten thousand chance that they actually succeeded… Thinking of this, Yotesero could no longer bear it. His hair stood on end, and he realized a terrifying possibility—the army gathered here had already accumulated a lot of resentment. Once their food supply was cut off, wouldn't they collapse and scatter in an instant?! At that time, he and his men would truly be doomed.

In fear and terror, they all jumped up and began berating their logistics supervisor:

"Why are you only telling me about something this important now?! Is this how you treat your responsibilities?! You stupid, goat-like bastard!"

Seemingly driven to the brink of despair, or perhaps venting his emotions, Redbeard Yotser unleashed a torrent of abuse on his logistics supervisor, his voice hoarse as all sorts of vulgarities poured from his mouth. The logistics supervisor, who was about to say something, trembled and lowered his head, determined to wait until the other man calmed down before continuing.

Finally, the responsibility of being a king forced Redbeard Yotsero to calm down for the time being and listen to the other party's explanation. However, his clenched teeth at this moment looked truly terrifying, not like a human being, but more like some kind of bloodthirsty carnivore.

"...You've been unconscious for several days, Your Majesty..."

The king choked, his face turned bright red, and his tongue felt as heavy as lead, rendering him unable to speak. He could only breathe heavily, like a bull.

Everyone else remained silent, each lost in their own thoughts. But at this awkward and tense moment, a sudden commotion erupted outside, which quickly expanded and spread into a vast, overwhelming noise, clearly the result of thousands of people shouting and the clatter of tape against each other.

Everyone was somewhat surprised and frightened. The king even kicked his chair aside and tried to crawl out of the tent, but some guards outside had already crawled in.

"Your Majesty, esteemed officials... the Imperial army has appeared behind us!!"

One sentence was like stirring up a hornet's nest, instantly making the entire tent noisy. But compared to the increasingly loud commotion outside, their voices were merely ripples in a tsunami...

Chapter 497 Battle (14)

Under the dim sky, a disturbance and chaos were spreading rapidly. In this military camp located at the exit of a valley, countless soldiers were running around in panic. Their organization had become a mess, officers' orders could no longer be obeyed, everyone was doing their own thing, and fighting and looting were everywhere.

The reason for all this is obvious—the banners that surrounded them from all directions, the iron armor that gleamed in the dust, and the marching footsteps of the army trampling the land. If someone were to lie down on the ground and look closely, they would see the twigs, leaves, and dust being shaken and rising slightly from the ground, as if the pulse of the earth were beating for them.

Amidst the fiery red banners that resembled a cloud, countless spears formed a breathtaking forest of spears, and gleaming halberds were carried on the shoulders of soldiers, their polished blades capable of slicing through armor. The city's iron walls stretched as far as the eye could see... Although at this distance, all that could be seen was a bright white line appearing on the horizon and swirling yellow dust, it was enough to make many people panic so much that they couldn't even stand still.

Of course, if it were just a large army pressing in from the front, they could still barely muster the will to resist... After all, if it was really difficult to fight back, they could retreat from the valley behind them, and they wouldn't be completely wiped out again. But now, even behind them, there was billowing dust, red flags, and the glint of iron armor. Moreover, the commotion was quite large, and the dust raised almost covered half the sky. It was clear that a large army was poised to attack.

Everyone suddenly felt that they might die here, so how could they not be anxious? In fact, the nobles and mercenary leaders in the camp were almost frantic, especially the latter. They came here to make money, and if they hadn't been unable to resist, who would want to lose their life here?

The chaos in the camp became increasingly difficult to contain, and some people even tried to escape through the camp gate, but most of them were blocked by the guards... This was not because the gate was so difficult to cross, but because many people were so desperate that they were too lazy to run away and did not gather together to storm the gate.

When the king appeared with his personal guard of knights, the situation finally eased a little, and the camp calmed down somewhat. Some of the robbers and even murderers were dealt with, but the camp was still as fragile as an eggshell about to break, and there was a risk of it collapsing completely at any time.

Almost everyone thought they were doomed, surrounded by the imperial army, and didn't even know where to escape to... But because they realized this hopelessness, some people decided to fight to the death. The army's high command also quickly seized this opportunity and tried desperately to boost morale, hoping to turn the tide of battle.

But this effort, whether it was futile or not, quickly failed—the Imperial cavalrymen swiftly charged out from their respective ranks, dragging their blood-red cloaks as they galloped across the grassland. Once they approached the camp, they began shouting at the top of their lungs. At first, the shouts were not very clear, but as the voices gathered together, they immediately spread in all directions.

"By order of General Natamus! The soldiers in the camp may flee westward! Our targets are only the king and the nobles!"

"By order of General Natamus! The soldiers in the camp may flee westward! Our targets are only the king and the nobles!"

………………

Redbeard Yotsero's face turned ashen, his mind exploding as if a swarm of wasps were buzzing through his head... He knew it was all over. His vision blurred, and the calls of his servants seemed distant, but the sudden explosion of the camp below was unavoidable.

The emotions and discontent that had accumulated over the past few months were completely ignited at this moment. After experiencing the despair just now, even the slightest hope was enough for these soldiers to grasp at like a lifeline. They were unwilling to think about whether the Imperials would keep their promises. They only knew that there was a chance to survive without fighting to the death. As a result, the situation that had just been somewhat stable immediately collapsed.

Countless people immediately swarmed towards the various gates of the fortress. The entire camp was thrown into chaos. Everyone felt that those who stood in their way were in their way, and they did not hesitate to brandish warhammers, swords, and axes, fighting each other until their heads were bleeding and their bones were broken.

Those who were pushed to the ground by the crowd mostly had no chance to get up. Countless feet trampled over them without stopping, and even horses' hooves crushed them into the mud, turning their flesh and bones into dust, leaving them lifeless.

In the blink of an eye, even though the Imperials were still a mile away, their camp had already suffered terrible casualties. Everyone was fighting for their lives like a mad bull, attacking anything in their way with their weapons, their eyes bloodshot and completely insane.

The soldiers guarding the gate were the first to flee, after all, being close to the water gives them an advantage. They had already run over a hundred paces away, but they managed to open the gate, attracting the soldiers to rush forward. However, because no one was willing to give way, they quickly became a crowded mess.

Although the gates of the military camp were very spacious, only a few people could pass through at a time. But at this moment, there were no fewer than several hundred people crammed in there. They were entangled, pushing, shoving, and beating each other. The knives, axes, swords, and hammers in their hands were soon stained with the blood of their comrades. Countless people died in the trampling and crowding.

Soon, corpses piled up beside the gates of several huge camps. Only then did people realize that they were not facing city walls, but stockades made of wooden stakes that could be split open with axes, instead of being forced to futilely smash their way to their deaths. So, with someone taking the lead, anyone with a bladed weapon immediately began to dismantle their own stockades.

The combined power of so many people working together was terrifying. The wooden walls of the camp, which had taken more than half a month to erect, were torn open in the blink of an eye, leaving dozens of huge gaps. The soldiers rushed out in a panic, some on horseback, but those horses might not have been theirs... After that chaos, countless people were ambushed. Even knights and nobles would not show them any leniency in this situation.