Cataphracts, surviving in a world full of mods

The god lowered his head slightly, and this simple action caused the space around him to distort. The distant stars changed their positions, and a tentacle shot forward heavily like a crossbow, disappearing directly into the starry sky.

Like piercing a piece of paper with a pencil, half of the bright and dazzling tentacle disappeared before his eyes, as if it had been cut off by a sharp blade—but in fact, it directly tore open that space, probing into some unknown place, and quickly rolled back and retracted.

At the very end, at the thinnest part, a tentacle as thick as a wrist, gleaming with a golden-red luster, was coiled around something that looked like a seed. It had a spindle-shaped form and vertical lines, but its entire body was as crystal clear as glass, with a tiny slit at one end.

"This is?"

Thesolius stared intently at the seed-like thing... Though called a seed, it was actually larger than a normal man's head, as bright and beautiful as a gorgeous jar. It was hard to imagine what kind of behemoth it could grow into.

"These are things I collected during my travels. They're not seeds... To be precise, the outer layer isn't important at all; it's just a container. What's important is the liquid inside."

As it spoke, the tentacle twitched slightly, and a pale blue light flashed through the gap:

"This liquid is extremely dangerous. They are living aggregates that will obliterate everything they come into contact with, and they themselves will also disappear... Even for me, it is quite troublesome, so it must be carefully preserved using safe methods. However, it can easily destroy the larvae hidden in the planet."

"I cannot get too close to this world, so you are the only ones who can do this... However, ordinary humans cannot get close to it at all. They will be detected early and become food, sheep entering the tiger's mouth. But you are different. You are the only variable in this world."

Thesolius paused briefly, then suddenly realized:

"Is it because of my soul...?"

“That’s right. Even though it was just a fleeting moment, your soul has already acquired completely different qualities. You are a stranger to it, something it doesn’t understand, something it can hardly perceive… But this also means that in order to avoid alerting it, you can only do this by yourself. Even if you are considered extremely brave in the whole world, doing this is still a matter of life and death.”

"...No, that's even a rough way of putting it...In most cases, you'll die underground, and you might even disturb the larva prematurely, causing it to wreak havoc in its struggle for survival...Now, do you understand?"

The massive being, as tall as a mountain, rotated its tentacles, causing the seed-like container to sway slightly, but not a single drop of the so-called liquid could pass through the seemingly possible gap.

"You are about to do something with a pitifully low success rate, and you have to do it all by yourself, without the assistance of a large army as you usually do. Your wisdom and talent will be hard to utilize... If you still decide to do it after all I have to say, then take it."

Tersolius raised his head and met the gaze of this being, regardless of whether the part that looked like an eye had the same purpose as his... Then he stretched out his right hand, without the slightest tremor or hesitation, and firmly grasped the lower end of the seed.

The curled tentacles loosened little by little as he clenched his fingers to prevent the so-called seed from drifting away, while a heavy sigh came from above:

"Then let's do it... I don't need to waste my breath on people like you. You probably already know the entrance. Now it's up to you to figure out a way."

………………

"Tesolius! Tesolius!!"

A violent shaking suddenly came, and Thesolius, whose head had hit the edge of the bed, opened his eyes. He then saw the emperor, whose eyes were already filled with tears, gripping his shoulders and turning his head to one side, as if calling someone over.

His black silk robe was stretched and deformed, and beneath him lay the soft, large, luxurious bed in the emperor's bedroom, covered in smooth, cool velvet silk, with bright and colorful light streaming through the stained glass windows beside it.

"I'm fine, Clautina, I'm fine..."

It was as if he had run for dozens of miles in one breath and then jumped into the water and swam for a long distance. A strong sense of fatigue washed over his whole body, tormenting every bone and muscle. The soreness and swelling crawled like snakes in his joints, making him weak and listless even when he spoke.

"Wake up, he's awake!"

The emperor immediately cheered, and hurried footsteps sounded beside him. Talina, her eyes red and swollen, peeked into his line of sight.

"grown ups……"

Thesolius rubbed his brow and slowly got up, looking at the dim sunlight:

"Why are you all here? How long have I been asleep...?"

"A whole day." The emperor rubbed his eyes, somewhat embarrassed and shy, and stood up from the bed.

“You fainted without saying a word, and we tried everything to wake you up, but we couldn’t. Tarina was even prepared to use some more drastic methods…”

Tersolius forced a smile, about to say something more, when he suddenly froze… Then, to everyone's astonishment, he reached under the silk quilt and pulled out something the size of a head, like a large seed. Its exterior was a beautiful glassy color, glowing with a reddish firelight, with only a sliver of blue occasionally flashing through the small opening…

Chapter 529: The End (8)

"What a huge tree!"

He waved his hand to wipe the dew from his forehead. The dull sound of a spear piercing flesh came from the side. A very unique smell of blood lingered in the air. The dirty and sticky color covered the area thoroughly. When the iron boots stepped on it, they would bring out sticky threads. It was even darker under the shadow of the leaves.

Beneath the shady ground, which spans several hundred paces in circumference, densely packed armored soldiers stand like a forest, their swords and spears stained with sticky blood and bits of flesh. Torn limbs and severed bodies are piled up in small mounds on the grass, and heavy, orderly footsteps, accompanied by shouts and commands, echo from all four corners.

A large army was entrenched around this once desolate hill. All the trees had been cut down to prevent any escapees from using secret passages, and the cavalry patrolled the area day and night in small squads. If any situation arose, they would send out signal arrows to summon reinforcements, making the area as secure as an iron barrel.

“The general is right. This is the largest tree in Tritling. The local mountain people say that there is an evil spirit guarding this place, so no one dares to cut it down. I never expected that such a group of guys would occupy this place.”

A pale-faced man stood beside him with a fawning smile. Although he tried his best to appear humble, he seemed uncomfortable and stiff all over. Only his face remained smooth and composed.

He was the lord of this territory, but the kingdom he once belonged to had been destroyed, the royal family had fled to countries further west, and the remaining lords had long since fallen apart and had no chance of resisting the imperial army. Some of the more resourceful ones had begun to try to make connections with the imperial people, while the more rigid, stubborn, and greedy ones were still fantasizing about using their pitiful strength to protect their power and wealth.

The latter will become the best target—a target to be constantly destroyed and used to demonstrate the consequences of confronting the Empire, so that those who are still hesitant and trying to waver will be terrified and give up resistance.

Of course, those who voluntarily surrendered also rarely obtained what they imagined; their right to rule the land would eventually be taken away, which was no exception in any land conquered by the empire. But compared to their colleagues who met a tragic end, at least they could retain some of their current wealth.

He saw things more clearly... While other nobles still retained some of their former pride and arrogance, he had already discarded them completely, knowing that he no longer had the means to maintain his former composure...

The 15 knights who had pledged their loyalty to him, along with a large number of soldiers, had long since died in the forests near Salanod and were being devoured by wild dogs. He was now just an incredibly weak shell, still maintaining his former dignity, but as fragile as an eggshell, it would break at the slightest touch. He had to find a way to sustain these things...

At least this is an opportunity right now... In fact, he knows very well who these guys are, and he even had a pleasant working relationship with them in the past. He is also aware of their insidious and troublesome methods, so while cooperating with them to gain benefits, he has never forgotten to be on guard. Over the years, he has never fallen into their trap, and the capital he has accumulated is now coming in very handy.

Since he was determined to do this, he would go all the way... and that's why the entire legion surrounded the place, and the cultists' several attempts to break through the defenses failed. Instead, the scene was one of horrific carnage, with mountains of corpses piled up.

To be honest, despite having dealt with these guys quite a bit, the variety of tricks they displayed in this life-or-death situation still broadened his horizons—there were things like spider-like creatures with barbed hands and feet that could move swiftly between trees, things as strong as oxen with a hard outer skin and sharp horns on their heads like iron rods, and even bizarre creatures that couldn't see and had to be caught and found by the noses of military dogs.

These things even caused considerable casualties to the Empire's army, but they were ultimately unable to resist an entire elite legion in broad daylight. Under the crushing and trampling of steel, they were all turned into minced meat. Until this moment, they finally ran out of tricks and were completely sealed off underground.

Now, the engineers accompanying the army are preparing to cut down this towering tree to expose the exit, and they are doing it very quickly. At this moment, half of the crown has been sawed off and fallen to the ground, allowing the long-awaited sunlight to illuminate this land.

The tree was thick and wide, but not particularly tall, so there was no need to worry about any impact when it fell. A tall machine was efficiently carrying out the work, its robust structure made of steel, hardwood, and brass luxuriously powered by strong warhorses to drive the saw teeth to cut off the thick trunk and dense foliage.

This is a rare and unusual sight in this land. Not only the villagers conscripted from nearby villages, but even the soldiers of the empire often watch intently as the disc-shaped saw blade, driven by a thick leather belt, rotates and cuts into the branches of trees, bringing out large amounts of wood chips.

Whenever a warhorse runs out of horsepower, an energetic one will immediately replace it. All the parts have been prepared in the previous city and can be replaced as well.

Before the sun even reached its zenith, the giant tree could no longer hold on and was cut into pieces. Each piece was immediately removed, and the remaining massive roots were also divided into several pieces by the carpenters and pulled out of the soil by dozens of strong oxen.

The power the Imperials had displayed in that short morning terrified the lord. He could almost see these men leveling his castle in the same amount of time… which made him even more cautious and respectful.

After the trees were completely cleared away, the huge, deep hollow left behind exuded an ominous and sinister aura, making people shudder at the sight of it; at least, he would never want to walk down it.

In fact, the Imperials didn't seem to intend to continue... Under the lord's astonished gaze, one jar after another was transported from the side. With the escort and assistance of the soldiers, the viscous black substance inside was poured into the pit, jar after jar, until all eight wagons were completely emptied. Only then was a torch neatly thrown in.

With a deafening roar, as if the flames of hell had been unleashed upon the human world, a massive fire dragon erupted from the pit, its terrifying heat rapidly drying out the surrounding earth. His hair became matted and his skin parched; he looked like a fish laid out to dry in the sun…

Chapter 530: The End (9)

Wisps of smoke rose straight into the sky, mixed with the stench of burnt flesh and blood, making people afraid to approach. What was originally a cave only a dozen steps wide had now been carved into a huge pit. Countless pieces of soil and rocks were dug out and transported out day and night by laborers and auxiliary soldiers. In just a few days, it had become as spacious as a mine that had been dug for more than ten years.

Armored and armed legionary soldiers stood ready nearby, while elite archers were stationed on higher ground. A large number of scouts patrolled the area to prevent the rats trapped underground from playing any more tricks and to kill any monsters that might emerge.

The excavated soil and rocks had already piled up into a hill next to it, and as the cave was opened up, what was exposed inside became more and more terrifying and eye-opening—the cave wall structure with its smooth arcs and spiral gates, which seemed to grow out of itself, were extremely sturdy. Even a steel pickaxe could only dig a small pit and splash a few sparks when it hit them. It was only after being scorched with a large amount of kerosene and then doused with cold water that they could be cracked.

The deeper they dug, the thicker and larger the structure became. Eventually, a vast palace appeared directly in front of them, its majestic and magnificent appearance no less impressive than the palaces of the capital, only lacking the exquisite and beautiful decorations, making it appear gloomy and terrifying.

On the very day they discovered this place, rumors of fear began to circulate among the laborers. They believed it to be the underground palace where the god of the underworld hid, and that their souls would be cursed if they approached it rashly. However, the soldiers quickly discovered and suppressed these rumors, and a few of the most panicked and outspoken ones were even whipped.

When the next day dawned, the demolition work continued. The tall stone pillars were broken in half and lifted to the ground by cranes. The smooth floor tiles, the exquisite sculptures, and the most conspicuous statue were also mercilessly smashed into pieces. In less than half a day, the place was left in a mess, like locusts devouring crops, completely destroying everything that was majestic and magnificent.

During this process, no one or any creature came to their aid, as if those hiding underground had been wiped out, which only made them bolder and more unrestrained in their actions.

In fact, several days earlier, all the high-ranking members of the Holy Order of Knowledge and their patriarch had already hidden in the secret chamber beneath the hall. However, for them, this was not a desperate last stand, but a calm way of watching the ignorant mortals walk step by step into their own death.

For this reason, they abandoned all previous experimental results and external personnel, and entered this secret chamber with great anticipation, praying fervently for the descent of the Lord of Wisdom, waiting for Him to destroy the foolish mortals on this earth who dared to disobey.

For them, this was the moment they had been looking forward to all their lives, the most wonderful time when their wishes and ideals could be fulfilled, and every minute and every second was worth savoring... This good mood lasted until their apostle pierced and tore apart a high-ranking person from behind with his bone claws.

Everything happened so suddenly. Five fingers with sharp bone blades sprouted from the flesh and tore the man's body apart as easily as cutting through tofu. The parasites inside him cheered and climbed onto the claws, then seeped in like melting sewage.

He was smiling just moments before, and still had a smile on his face. While everyone was still in terror, he had already raised his right hand and sliced ​​off half of another person's head, absorbing the parasite inside as well.

Immediately afterwards, without explanation or even intimidation, an unusually swift and direct massacre unfolded here—and many of them did not even understand the situation at all, and only thought of resisting when more than half of them were dead or wounded, but they were no match for the enemy and were dismembered and torn apart in the most cruel way!

With each kill, the parasite within the corpse is absorbed into his body, increasing his power, speed, and even causing his form to twist and change. Sometimes bone blades sprout, sometimes long whips of flesh extend, or his entire chest bursts open like a gaping maw of fangs, chewing people to pieces. He doesn't answer any questions or roars, simply smiling as he relentlessly tortures these so-called high-ranking officials, leaving them covered in blood and entrails scattered everywhere.

As his claws crushed the last skull with a crack, sending the brain matter gushing out along with the parasite, the opponent's dying counterattack also tore open a large patch of flesh on his side... But the gushing blood only lasted for a moment. The next instant, dense granulation tissue began to sprout around the wound, then connected and adhered to each other, binding the flesh back together until the mark was no longer visible.

The once clean, tidy, sturdy, and cold secret room was now incredibly bloody. Thick blood plasma covered the floor, almost submerging half of the boots. The still steaming internal organs were even wriggling slightly. Splattered red and white substances piled up inside, making one want to vomit. Yet, this did not cause even a moment's hesitation or change in the genuine smile on his face.

Even after a brief hesitation, he found a protruding spot to sit down, reached out and grabbed a severed arm from the side, his cheeks split open like a crocodile's, revealing delicate, spiky fangs, and he chewed the bone and flesh together, the blood dripping from his chin.

In just a few bites, he stuffed the arm, skin and all, into his stomach. Then, without stopping, he grabbed a half-eaten head from the side and continued eating. The only sounds in the entire chamber were the eerie chewing and breaking of bones, mixed with the agonizing screams of flesh being torn apart.

Just like a person finding shelter under a big tree on a sunny spring day and slowly munching on the bread he brought, he also savored the corpses scattered on the ground as food, truly chewing slowly and carefully by the standards of his large mouth.

His stomach was like a bottomless pit; no matter how much he put in, he never felt full. He slowly devoured the corpses on the ground, leaving only the thick blood plasma to settle. Then he let out a satisfied burp and quietly began to wait... but no one knew what he was waiting for.

Meanwhile, on the ground, Natamus's vast and sturdy camp welcomed someone he had been longing to meet.

Chapter 531: The End (10)

The spacious camp was enclosed by sturdy wooden walls. Patrolling cavalrymen, their fiery red cloaks billowing like clouds, trampled the land until it was as hard as iron. Even the heavy hooves of horses could not leave any marks on it, and the road was completely barren.

Everything here seemed hard, calm, and austere. The rhythmic, synchronized clatter of hooves approaching from afar intensified this atmosphere, like dozens of war drums thundering simultaneously. The oppressive sound felt like it was crushing one's heart.

As the cloud of dust rapidly approached, it gradually revealed the gleaming iron armor and ornate banners within. They surrounded a dignified young man in the center, marching straight toward the camp. None of the patrolling soldiers came to stop them; instead, they all bowed respectfully as they passed. After briefly displaying tokens and documents at the entrance, they dismounted and advanced unimpeded to the central command tent.

Meanwhile, amidst the fierce battle, Natamus was frowning as he looked at a large parchment containing a meticulously drawn topographical map of the excavation site by his engineers. As the excavation progressed, unsurprisingly, difficulties had arisen…

They had exposed all the underground structures to the light of day. The solid rock walls and floor tiles had all been destroyed and demolished. The burning oil had turned the area into a dead zone, where even ants were scarce. Yet, they still hadn't found the true core of these cultists, nor had they found any of their leaders.

So now the laborers and auxiliary soldiers are no longer dismantling solid buildings, but are aimlessly digging through mud and caves, constantly expanding them in the hope of finding new discoveries.

Even he had some doubts about whether everything here had already been thoroughly excavated. Now the empty cave was as useless as an abandoned mine, while his army was tied up here, unable to advance or retreat.

But he was also worried about leaving just like that, fearing that there might be some lingering influence, allowing these cultists to rise again. So he hesitated and was in a dilemma, which was unusual for him.

Natamus only snapped out of his reverie when his wine glass on the table was suddenly snatched away. A look of surprise immediately spread across his face, and he reached out to pull the smug man in front of him into his arms.

"You little bastard, when did you get here?! You didn't even let me know!"

Thesolius coughed as his brother strangled him, quickly patting his arm to beg for mercy. At the same time, he chuckled, poured himself a glass of wine from a nearby jug, and drank it down in one gulp.

"Don't even mention you, brother. I doubt even the provincial officials I passed through here know... I only brought a dozen or so people and rushed here at top speed. I changed horses five times and didn't stop along the way. I practically forced my way through."

Natamus's face instantly hardened and turned serious. He realized that his brother's desperate and elaborate efforts were definitely not for some minor scabies. And since he had come here, it meant that something big was definitely going to happen, something that could even threaten the entire country.

Tell me.

"That's what I was just about to say."

………………

"No, I absolutely won't agree!"