Cataphracts, surviving in a world full of mods

Stepping inside, he reconnected with the thoughts that had just been interrupted... Some of his emotions had become quite weak, to the point of being hard as stone, but some things were indeed impossible to completely separate, still occupying a significant part of his memory.

They had once depended on each other for survival, an undeniable fact. The point at which their once closely intertwined destinies were separated remains vivid in his memory, allowing him to recall every detail of that time. He still remembers the six black, pointed tentacles of the worm wriggling in the blue slime, as well as the unforgettable hunger and the almost maddening despair he felt.

The stone chamber that became their hope concealed the knowledge collected by a group of sages who had been working silently since classical times. The other two believed that these people had spent their lives exploring some supernatural power, but only he, the persistent explorer, obtained the true truth.

Those wise men who devoted themselves to exploring things and achieving results did not aim for that; what they truly wanted to do was to block and prevent certain things from entering the world.

--------

While many parts of this land were still shrouded in savagery, a king finally emerged in the war-torn Central Plains to end the chaos. That king was Celesteka, the first emperor of the empire—the great conqueror, the king of the sun. His chariots completely wiped out the last opponent who dared to resist him, and for the first time in history, he unified this land that had been cut short by blood and fire.

A new order was established here, the new nation is thriving, and the people are finally able to thrive and multiply without having to endure the pain of being ravaged by war as they once did.

In just a few decades, the population here has grown rapidly, creating countless riches and glories. One city after another has been built here, roads have been widened and repaired, and irrigation canals have been continuously used to irrigate the wheat seedlings in the fields. The younger generation is always enthusiastic about continuing to develop the desolate areas and to build new villages and towns.

Meanwhile, Celesteka had transformed from a powerful conqueror into an aging emperor. His achievement in building a prosperous nation from scratch had earned him almost divine worship in this land. His mind, far from becoming senile with age, remained clear and sharp, still full of creativity and charisma, leading the nation to prosperity.

No one knows why the emperor was able to establish such achievements. It was as if he had descended from the heavens into the crowd and immediately led them to victory. He had undoubtedly reached the pinnacle that a person could achieve in this era, and his life was without any regrets.

But disaster struck at that very moment... and began to ravage the entire country—a terrible plague suddenly spread across vast areas from west to north, people died in entire villages and towns, cities became hells piled high with corpses, the once clear waters of wide rivers became completely undrinkable, and even crows and wild dogs did not come to gnaw on the bones and flesh of the dead—because they too had suffered.

This disaster nearly destroyed the entire country… In the current imperial history, the plague disappeared on its own after a few years, but the truth was far more brutal…

This was not a calamity that could arise from the human realm, but rather the tentacles of some divine and malevolent being reaching out to this world. After paying a heavy price, clearing out more than a dozen cities, and barely managing to contain the spread of the disaster, the emperor's sages finally came to this conclusion... and they called this being—Perus... the Sin of Thirst.

This was a war between mortals and gods, and the newly prosperous nation was nearly destroyed... No one knows how the emperor did it, but he did prevent the disaster and allowed his kingdom to continue. It was during this time that the worship of the goddess of war flourished...

He even found a way to seal this evil thing away—forgetting. As long as no one calls out to it, it will become weak, but its traces cannot be completely erased, as that would cause it to lose its last restraint. So he can only maintain this state and let time wear it down...

Thus, the truth of everything from that year remains unknown to anyone. The aging emperor once again used his iron fist to complete what he had to do in the end. Only his wise men continued to carry out his orders... and they undoubtedly failed. No one knows what happened during this time, but in the end, only this knowledge remained here, becoming the last trace left by the wise men of this world. Apart from that, there were no remains of their bodies.

And that deepest curse, that most terrifying power, ultimately fell into his hands...

Before the last door, the last two guards remained. Only he slowly walked in, entering the dimly lit cave. In the darkness, his clear blue eyes reflected a colossal six-winged creature, its edges fluttering like insect wings. A sharp, clear hiss pierced his ears:

He said, “Come, eat your fill.”

Chapter 517 Eliminate the Weeds at the Root (3)

Continuing forward, as the darkness gradually dissipated, the shadowy behemoth finally revealed its full form, gradually showing its twisted and smooth body and its six strange wings that slowly unfurled.

Like the thin, shiny, transparent wings of a cicada, stacked together in dozens or thousands, those six wings had no feathers at all. They looked like countless insects forcibly intertwined and twisted into this shape, devoid of any holiness, only making people feel distorted and disgusted.

Its body is even more bizarre—unlike normal creatures that have a torso and limbs, it is supported by a jagged skeleton like a square door frame, covered with a glossy thin skin, and a large area in the center has a translucent purple texture. Several thick tentacles twist and bind its entire body to the ground like tree roots.

He walked forward and reached out a hand into the semi-transparent area in the center. It was as easy as plunging his hand into water, but he didn't tear the thin, translucent layer. Instead, a chilling gnawing sound suddenly rang out.

Like thousands of ants dissecting flesh, his outstretched hand was visibly tearing open the flesh. The skin melted away rapidly, the muscle fibers broke free one by one, unfolding like downy hairs, and the silvery tendons were gradually gnawed away from their ends, peeled off the bones, until finally all the flesh disappeared, leaving only white bones.

Without the restraint of muscles and tendons, such bones should have fallen apart immediately, but his hand still maintained this structure, the pale joints firmly held in place by some unknown force.

"Ugh... I'm full..."

Thousands upon thousands of wings fluttered once more, transmitting some kind of information into his mind. As he heard this sound, he withdrew his hand. The white bones, like fingers, bent, and then a layer of red began to seep out from the inside out, covering the entire bone like a thin film of blood plasma. It quickly thickened and enlarged, giving the bone the outline of a hand in the blink of an eye.

He lowered his hand without changing his expression, and the white sleeve covering his wrist was quickly stained red.

"Revelation".

He pursed his lips and hissed out the two words like a snake. The translucent membrane in front of him immediately changed. A trace of blood began to spread on it, then quickly disappeared, forming a crooked pattern like writing—and it had nothing to do with any language or script in the world, making it look terrifying.

But he immediately understood its meaning, and an uncontrollable smile immediately bloomed on his face... The goal he had been pursuing had finally arrived before him. His ambitions were never limited to the mortal world. When his Lord descended, even he would ascend to a position above mortals.

From beginning to end, this man only wanted to become a god... but unfortunately, there was only one such position, and he would not allow anyone else to have the chance to touch it except himself.

He had made up his mind that the whole world could serve as food for him, except for himself... After being rejected by his two old friends, he had already made up his mind.

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

The clear, amber-colored liquid was slowly poured into the plate, emitting a strong, salty aroma and a honey-like thickness. Just by looking at it, one could tell that it was definitely a delicacy.

And that was indeed the case. Another large plate next to it was piled high with chunks of roasted meat and vegetables, which were being picked up by a silver three-finger fork, dipped lightly in the amber liquid, and then put into the diner's mouth.

In this era, the rich, savory flavor exploded in his mouth, perfectly blending the deliciousness of the meat with the crispness of the vegetables. His tongue and teeth couldn't help but work faster, chewing and swallowing more meat.

Tersolius looked at the liquid in the plate with great surprise... He really didn't expect that the artisans in this city had already mastered the fermentation technique of fish sauce to this extent. Not only was the color clear and there was no fishy smell, but the taste was also so good that even he could hardly find fault with it.

In fact, fish sauce was not a rare commodity in the legion; he had eaten quite a bit of it. Soldiers used it regularly for their meals. However, that particular fish sauce was cloudy in color, and although it had a salty and umami flavor, it also had many other unpleasant tastes. Some of the poor-quality ones even had a bitter taste, making them difficult to swallow.

The reason is quite simple: the fermentation technique is rudimentary and crude. This food was originally invented by fishermen at sea after they caught small fish and shrimp that were difficult to process. They didn't remove the internal organs from the raw materials, nor did they clean or scale them. Sometimes, they could even just dig a hole in the ground to ferment the food, resulting in a lot of messy impurities inside.

"I am very interested in knowing how it is made; I'm sure you've put a lot of effort into it."

One of the city's artisans' representatives, a weathered-looking man with thick hands and feet, sprang up from his seat as if bitten by a dog. His tongue, which had previously been able to argue with the merchant without losing ground, now stiffened.

"My lord! ...My lord, it is my honor to introduce you!"

He was visibly tense from exertion, which his companion couldn't bear to watch. He quickly grabbed his belt, pulled him back into his seat, and stood up himself.

"Sir, this fish sauce is made using a method we just developed this year, which makes the process much more refined—"

“Unlike the crude methods of the past that used all sorts of fish and shrimp, we only use the finest anchovies. They are carefully selected, with the rotten and inferior ones removed. After cleaning and gutting them, they are fermented in fine oak barrels at the perfect temperature and time. In the end, the tender fish meat is transformed into this wonderful liquid, enough to make any rough food delicious.”

Tersolius nodded... This technique was almost identical to the method he was familiar with in later generations, and with its unparalleled advantage in taste, it probably wouldn't be long before this product quickly took over the empire's market.

“Well done. Send 3000 barrels to the army camp tomorrow. My quartermaster will pay you. As for the corruption of the newly appointed market administrator, it should have been resolved by now. If it was true, he will be punished.”

Joy immediately appeared on their faces. They bowed humbly, and their shoulders relaxed involuntarily, as if a heavy burden had been lifted.

"certainly--"

His shoulders, which had been drooping, suddenly straightened up again.

“If you, representing the city’s artisans, are framing this newly appointed official for some reason, then I will not tolerate it. The order established here will not be tolerated by anyone who insults or destroys it… I believe you understand this.”

His shoulders relaxed again, and Thesolius nodded, confirming his judgment. With a slight smile, he let them leave, and at that very moment, a parchment was placed on his table.

"As expected, but it was still a bit too fast... How did such an idiot get in? Any official with a brain knows that even if they want to make money, they should wait until they have a firm foothold before doing so, otherwise they are just asking for death..."

He rubbed his temples with a hint of exasperation, then carefully tossed the parchment into the pile of documents beside him, genuinely feeling a headache coming on from the things he had to deal with.

On the Eve of Chapter 518 (1)

A pair of slender hands reached out from behind him and took over his fingers to massage his temples. The fatigue from handling official business for many days seemed to be relieved, and his brows immediately began to relax. He covered his palms with those much softer fingers.

"This is not surprising. Human desires are always challenging their rationality, trying to find gaps in this imperfect surface. If he feels that he can do it perfectly and there is enough temptation, he will naturally do it... And once he succeeds, the taxes that Rick deducts from the artisans in the entire city market are enough to make him rich in a few months."

"They could also be executed within a few days."

Tersolius shook his head repeatedly, but a faint smile appeared on his lips. He reached out and grabbed Talina's fingers, gently pulling them forward so that she leaned against him, and her soft, full breasts pressed against the back of his head.

A faint herbal aroma wafted into my nose, but it was slightly different from the previous one, carrying a subtle bitterness, like the fresh and invigorating scent of boiled and dried willow bark.

This is the scent that Tarina always carries. A girl who deals with herbs all year round naturally has the qualities of herbs, which always makes him feel at ease and peaceful, and calms his chaotic thoughts.

"Get rid of this guy quickly and severely... We shouldn't linger here. Leave the two legions we brought here to defend. We need to deal with the threats from the north and west... Hopefully, this chaos will end here."

"The Southern Legion has arrived; they have now entered the Central Province, and our forces have finally come together."

Talina sighed with emotion... In the past year, she had basically never left the military camp and the battlefield, and she had rarely even conducted drug research. She had devoted a considerable amount of energy to military affairs. Now, if she were to recall the proportions of some drugs, she might be a little confused for a while, but she could arrange for a large army to march in an orderly manner.

This was completely different from what she had imagined for her future... When she was a doctor in the village, she always thought that one day she would have the opportunity to go to a big city and carry forward her teacher's medical skills, but she never thought that she would one day command an army.

Moreover, she was well aware of the man's exhaustion... Thesolius seemed to be invincible, and any enemy would crumble before him. Whoever was his opponent had to be extremely careful and struggle to move forward.

But he was not a god after all, and he did not truly have complete control over the war. He could only rely on his advantages and use courage and wisdom to crush his opponents. No matter how triumphant he was, he would never feel that victory was a given, even though he never showed it on his face.

When faced with truly daunting challenges and sudden threats, he too would feel tense and doubtful. The light in his tent would often stay on until late at night, and his eagle-like eyes would stare intently at the maps and intelligence, repeatedly analyzing and deliberating in his mind, gradually approaching his opponents and driving and guiding their troops to the right positions.

Today's trivial matters may seem annoying, but compared to the day and night raids and the insurgent advance of the rebels in the past few days, they are just insignificant things, and they wouldn't even be worthy of being put on his desk. If the situation hadn't been constantly improving, he wouldn't have had the leisure or leeway to deal with them.

"...It's finally stabilized, you know what? Doctor, I actually feel a huge sense of relief now."

"Of course, just like a lesion in a person's body will eventually become uncontrollable if it develops for a long time, but if it erupts in advance and shows symptoms, it can be cleared away with drugs or techniques, avoiding potential future troubles."

Tersolius smiled and nodded repeatedly:

"That's a good analogy... After all, they also got a share of the spoils in the war in the South. If things continue to develop, they will definitely be much more difficult to deal with than they are now. However, they are also well aware that our strength is also growing stronger, so they can only seize this last opportunity."

"What I'm grateful for is that we didn't have to shed more blood to solve this hidden danger. In the end, we controlled it within a certain limit and prevented it from causing greater disaster and damage to the country. Now that I think about it, maybe it would have been better this way. They all jumped out to achieve their own ambitions, which made it easier for us to pick them out and slit their throats."

"These two legions have now experienced real warfare and are capable of shouldering heavy responsibilities. Hersalos will lead them here, while we will take the cavalry and prisoners back to the imperial capital, where we will assemble a powerful army capable of sweeping across the entire northern and western continent!"

The sun outside cast dappled light through the stained glass windows. A plump bird perched on a branch and hopped about. The branches were bare of leaves, and the stone-paved street was covered with a thick layer of fallen leaves. Workers hired by the city hall were sweeping the leaves, which were piling up in the flower beds and at the base of the trees.

The two legions' main camps were located several dozen gallons west of the city, firmly controlling the most important transportation hub. Supplies were continuously being gathered from nearby villages and farms and transported there, like countless blood vessels supplying blood to vital organs.

Meanwhile, the large horse farms established by Cerison in the east have begun to play a role, with thousands of strong, young, and impetuous horses being delivered to him along safe roads. Although only a few hundred of the most outstanding Passatrian warhorses are available, the combined reserves of the central province and the fine armaments of the central ironworks are still enough for him to raise an armored cavalry force far larger than ever before.

Whether it be the Kiel, the remnants of the Curists, or even those restless kings of the West... they will all be crushed to dust under their iron hooves.

This will be the first time that the war machine of this vast country will operate at full capacity without any hindrance. Even Tersolius had no idea how much power it would unleash, but it was undoubtedly enough to bring about earth-shattering changes to the world. The natural barriers that had once blocked them had long been breached, and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity was appearing before them.

This is the ultimate goal that countless monarchs of this country have tirelessly pursued, and the great undertaking of conquering the entire continent is enough to make any general's blood boil. When this opportunity appears before him, he will only ask himself why he doesn't do it.

The parchment on the table was being quickly collected and packed into hardwood boxes, while the already exquisite and beautiful decorations remained as they were, untouched, and the marble mosaic floor tiles were repeatedly trampled by iron and leather boots.

That was the last thing he needed to do in this city. Now, all he had to do was set off, just like in the days before, to do what he had to do…

On the Eve of Chapter 519 (2)

The massive burning fence was gradually collapsing, the sturdy ropes used to hold the solid wooden stakes in place rendered useless by the flames. They quickly twisted and turned black until they were completely burned through, eventually becoming part of the ashes themselves. The human flesh burning as fuel in the process emitted a horrible stench that made anyone who smelled it want to vomit.

A warhorse, now without its master, was clad in a thick chainmail bridle. Countless arrows were lined up from its shoulders to its tail, many piercing its flesh. However, the iron rings prevented the arrows from penetrating too deeply, allowing it to remain standing.

A chainmail-covered boot was dragging along one of the stirrups. The dead knight was being slowly pulled along by his warhorse like a bundle. The fatal wound was caused by a spear that had pierced his ribs, and the spear shaft was now broken off, stretching out from his body like a small tree.

A spearman wearing a conical iron helmet was struggling on a tree trunk—a legion soldier's javelin had pinned him to the tree. Being considered a low-ranking soldier, he had never received any good armor, and the simple bark was easily torn through. Although the spear had not penetrated the tree trunk deeply, he no longer had the strength to struggle to pull himself out. He could only futilely and desperately trample on the corpses piled up at his feet, not even knowing where he should be striving.

A swordsman clad in chainmail was hanging from a burning spiked fence. A stake pierced one layer of his chainmail but not the other, lifting that part high up. No one knew how he got there; perhaps he was thrown up by charging cavalry, or perhaps he climbed up in a panic. But now he was a corpse that was gradually growing cold.

An Imperial soldier, expressionless, walked through a pile of corpses, pulling his boot from the abdomen of a dead man. Rotten intestines and blood thickly covered his foot. He then bent down and grabbed an axe that had been cleaving the man's head. With a slight twist of his wrist, he easily pulled it out, bringing with it a viscous mixture.

A civilian laborer was gathering warhorses on the battlefield, holding the reins of the well-trained beasts together and sending them to the rear camp. Not far from him, his comrades were sweating profusely as they dug a large, square pit, piling up the rubble mixed with stones with shovels and picks.

The endless pile of corpses on this battlefield were stripped of their still usable armor and thrown naked one by one into the large pit. Each layer was covered with a thick layer of lime to prevent the spread of plague as much as possible.

This is perhaps the only army in the world that would give its opponents such preferential treatment. Although this often takes the army several days longer, the benefits are equally obvious: the lands they conquer are rarely plagued, and even if there are signs, they can be easily wiped out.

Natamus wiped the blood off his helmet, while brushing his sweat-soaked hair back from his forehead. His greatsword, also covered in blood, hung at his waist, the gap between the scabbard and the guard almost glued shut.

"That's interesting..."