Cataphracts, surviving in a world full of mods

Everyone was drinking hot soup from their bowls and eating dry bread and salted meat. The mountain people were the last to arrive; everyone else had already eaten their fill.

Kochkin tore the bread in his hand into pieces and then soaked it in the soup. This not only lowered the temperature of the soup but also softened the hardened bread.

He quickly shoveled the large bowl of food into his mouth, and his stiff body soon warmed up. After finishing, he rinsed his wooden bowl in the stream, threw it into his bag, and hurried to pack the rest of his things.

Although they didn't sleep at the camp yesterday, they left all their miscellaneous belongings here, which now need to be packed up and loaded onto the mules and packhorses.

Each mountain dweller has their own mount, as they are important scouts who need to be at the forefront of the army to scout and ensure that any possible ambushes can be detected in time.

Although their mounts were ordinary mules and horses, which were fine for transporting goods but not for galloping, they were able to ensure that each of them could safely carry their belongings.

When they were scouting, they didn't rely on ordinary mules and horses. They would usually advance a short distance and then rely on their own two fast legs to search the surrounding mountains, forests, canyons, and other suspicious places as quickly as possible. They would often stumble upon some prey, adding some meat to the army.

The cavalrymen were the second to set off. They would clear the way forward, eliminate any enemies spotted by the mountain people, and pave the way for the army.

The last slaves to depart would dismantle the entire camp, placing the sharp wooden stakes used to build the walls on wagons, taking away everything of value, leaving only the camp with the roads and trenches dug out.

Then they would form four columns on the road, each consisting of a hundred men, leaving a passage in the middle for wagons and cavalry to pass quickly. They would put most of their supplies on the backs of mules and horses, and set off one after another.

Such a long and narrow marching column would be in immediate danger if it were ambushed, so reconnaissance was extremely important. Only after thoroughly surveying the road and terrain ahead could the army pass through with peace of mind.

Natamus led half of the cavalry at the rear of the column as reserves, so that they could provide support as quickly as possible in case of emergencies and prevent the column from becoming separated.

After making these proper arrangements, they began their day's march.

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

The women sat in the carriage chatting and laughing, attracting the attention of the slaves on both sides. Birds and beasts in the jungle were startled by the rolling footsteps and scattered in all directions, creating a noisy and bumpy environment.

This was hardly a good place to sleep, but thanks to exhaustion, Tarina slept soundly.

The girl wrapped herself up in a thick cashmere blanket, curling up her arms and legs and burying her head inside the blanket, with only her pale blue hair peeking out from the messy burlap sack.

A simple-looking mountain woman smiled and smoothed her hair, as if looking at her own child, and tucked the blanket around her. Talina was completely unaware; the fatigue accumulated from the intense work she had been doing earlier seemed to have erupted in the last two days, leaving her feeling somewhat dazed every day.

"The doctor is still just a child... I wonder how much she suffered to escape from those bastards. If the general hadn't killed them all, the whole village might have died in vain."

"Yes, yes, yes! I heard it from my man. He shot 60 arrows in one go that day, and his hands were all worn raw. The arrows he shot were like raindrops, and many enemies were turned into hedgehogs."

The women discussed it excitedly. Mountain women never thought that revenge was something that couldn't be mentioned. If a mountain man got revenge on someone, he would be regarded as a real man.

Cowardice and incompetence will be despised by everyone. Even if a mother only has one son left, she will not hesitate to put a sword in his hand and let him avenge his father.

Honor and hatred permeate the lives of the mountain people. The pressure of survival forces them to fight with all their might, which is their spirit and has also shaped their fierce and tenacious character, making them a double-edged sword in the eyes of every imperial governor.

"You asked if they've heard about it..."

A gaunt mountain woman suddenly spoke in a mysterious tone, clearly trying to pique people's interest.

"Tell me what you know!"

"Exactly, exactly, they're dragging their feet and not being efficient at all."

"........."

Urged on by the others, the woman turned to look at Tarina, a smug expression on her face:

“I knew you wouldn’t know! You know the woman who escaped with our doctor, right? We were assigned to live in the same courtyard a while ago, and I learned a lot from her.”

"Actually, those Holstein cavalrymen who were wiped out didn't have a lord to command them. Guess where that commander went?..."

Immediately, someone connected this to her earlier gesture towards the doctor and said incredulously:

"Could it have been our doctor?... Impossible! This girl doesn't even know how to use a sword! She only knows how to cut herself, how could she possibly kill a lord?"

"Who says you can only kill with a sword? You have to admit that some people are just smarter and more capable than us. Let me tell you, this is how it happened..."

The voices suddenly lowered, and the women who were huddled together with their heads down occasionally let out a gasp of surprise. One after another, people looked at Tarina, who was curled up in a ball, with admiration, as if they were looking at a hero.

Even the slave soldiers passing by curiously strained their ears, trying to catch some information, and the snippets they gleaned spread through the ranks...

In the afternoon, the girl finally woke up from her deep sleep. The scorching sun had made her forehead covered with a layer of sweat. She rubbed her sleepy eyes, jumped off the carriage, and hurriedly looked for the tent belonging to the medical team.

But soon after, she was filled with extreme surprise...

"What on earth is going on?!"

Chapter 83 Imperial People (1)

Glasses clinked together, people laughed and talked loudly, creating a lively and bustling scene, making one wonder what kind of good thing could have made them celebrate like this.

Moreover, the place where they were celebrating was just an ordinary tent, and the tent's owner was currently staring in astonishment at the chaotic scene unfolding in his workplace...

Tarina suspected she might not be fully awake yet, otherwise how could she wake up to find a group of people drinking and singing in her tent, the scene so lively yet so abrupt and surreal.

Weren't they on a march? How come a group of people are suddenly having a banquet here? Although the food was just dry bread and hot soup, and the clear liquid in the cups was obviously water mixed with alcohol, probably only with a slight taste of alcohol, many people had gathered here.

The girl, who was standing blankly at the entrance of the tent, eventually attracted the attention of others. A group of mountain women immediately cheered and crowded around her, almost forcibly dragging her inside.

Amid her confused and panicked cries, the mountain people who had gathered together began to sing a song, a song imbued with wildness:

"The eagle's talons snatch the rabbit away."

The white wolf's howl startled the stag away.

The boy picked up his father's sword.

............"

Tesolis stood outside the tent, amused, watching Tarina clumsily accept the wine glasses offered by others, and accept their blessings with a bewildered expression. Everyone seemed genuinely happy for her, and some of the older mountain women even had kind looks in their eyes.

The mountain people could only cause such a ruckus with his permission. Otherwise, even if they had three more lives, they wouldn't dare to make a scene in the military camp.

What they are doing is the most important activity for the mountain people, which each man or woman will only do once in their lifetime, and the whole village will participate.

In the minds of mountain people, a child's age and physical maturity do not mean that they are a real adult. Only after doing something to prove themselves can they gain everyone's recognition. This could be making a reliable piece of clothing, hunting a rare prey, or successfully taking a trip.

Of course, the most glorious thing is to avenge one's family and friends. It is a deed worthy of being passed down through the entire village, and anyone who can do it, whether man or woman, will be regarded as a respectable and dignified person.

From then on, he or she could participate in discussions of important village affairs, receive their own spoils after a hunt or a war, and marry and have children. They would gain all the rights of a respectable person.

After Talina's story spread among them, all the mountain people were amazed and impressed by her wisdom and courage. Although resources were limited, they still felt that they should hold a real party for such a courageous and wise girl, otherwise, in the mountain people's mind, life would be left with a great regret.

Still bewildered, Tarina couldn't figure out what had happened until the brief gathering finally ended. Only then did she glean information from the snippets of conversation, and her expression became even stranger.

Never before have so many people sincerely wished her well. Everyone genuinely hoped for her future, believing she would be a person of great potential and with countless wonderful things waiting for her.

Tarina didn't know what expression to wear... Countless patients and wounded expressed their gratitude to her, knowing full well that they wouldn't have survived without a doctor. Their respect for her was genuine.

She was already very satisfied with her life. Not only could she have enough to eat and clothes to wear, but she could also put what her teacher had taught her into practice. Everyone in the army treated her very well, and she didn't have to worry about any danger.

But now she found her heart pounding so fast. So many people's thanks and blessings made the girl blush and her words became incoherent. All the previous hardship and pain seemed insignificant at this moment. She had actually saved so many people—this fact appeared before the girl in an unstoppable way.

She had never imagined she could do such a thing; it was all so different from her previous life. She would never have encountered such people, such customs, such an army, such a war, or such a general before…

A new path appeared before the girl, and she had already embarked on it. And predictably, she would continue on it without hesitation.

The inside of the tent had been cleaned up. The mountain women carried the bowls and plates to the stream and washed them, chatting and laughing. The men were responsible for putting everything back in its original place and restoring the medical team's tent to its original state. After saying goodbye to the doctors, they all went to do their own things.

Tersolius walked in slowly, and when he saw that Talina was still standing there in a daze, he deliberately lightened his steps and approached her from behind almost silently. The reason for saying "almost" is that the sound of the armor plates rubbing together cannot be eliminated by skill, but the girl was too confused to notice it.

It wasn't until he quickly reached out and patted the girl's shoulder that Talina came to her senses. She turned to look at him in a panic, even staggering slightly, unsteady on her feet.

"Are you finally awake, doctor? How are you feeling?"

Tarina paused for a moment, then a smile appeared on her face:

“I’m so happy, sir, even happier than when my teacher praised me… I love everything about me now.”

"That's good. These guys are always making a fuss, I was worried they'd scare you."

"No, it won't happen." Tarina shook her head slightly. "Everyone here is a very kind person. We should repay the kindness others show us. It's just that it happened so suddenly that I didn't have time to react."

"Do you see our surroundings, Doctor?"

Tersolius's words had nothing to do with what had just happened, but Talina still instinctively turned her head to look, only to find that the surroundings were completely different from when she was asleep—

Although the surrounding area was still covered with dense trees, a wide, clear area had been cleared out. A neat road appeared in this area, sloping slightly on both sides and paved with appropriately sized stone slabs, flat and orderly.

Talina recognized this kind of road; it only appeared in the Empire… It not only required a solid foundation but also consisted of three layers of materials: a layer of evenly distributed gravel at the bottom, fine sand in the middle, and a smooth stone slab on top.

These wide stone-paved roads are resistant to rain and do not easily collapse or deform; they are durable and last for years. Well-trained soldiers can rely on these roads to advance quickly and reach their destinations in a very short time.

Wherever such roads exist, prosperity and abundance tend to follow quickly. A constant stream of caravans travels along them, carrying goods from one region to another, earning large sums of money, and facilitating the flow of wealth and resources.

The only drawback of this type of road is that it is too expensive. The gravel, sand and flagstones used to pave the road would bring huge costs, not to mention the skilled craftsmen and workers who would complete the work. Even a short stretch of the road would be enough to bankrupt a small lord.

Only powerful empires would build such extensive and interconnected roads within their own borders, openly displaying their wealth and prestige.

Such roads also serve another obvious purpose: to inform travelers from other countries that they have entered the empire's soil...

"Have we already entered imperial territory?!"

Talina asked Tersolius with slight surprise, "The sun is high in the west. It hasn't been long since we set off, yet we can already see the road to the Empire?"

“That’s not the case.” Tersolius shook his head, smiling as he denied the doctor’s guess. “We won’t reach the southern province of the empire until tomorrow. This road was just built.”

"Just repaired?!"

Tarina seemed a little surprised. Was this neat road in front of her really newly built? How much manpower and resources must have been used up?

“That’s right. When my brother set off from the southern province, he had already given the order to build the road. This is actually an old road that caravans from both countries used to pass through. It’s just that this new road has been paved on the old road.”

"We just encountered a legion and slaves building a road. If all goes well, news of our arrival has already reached Labfia. Let the news spread first, and we'll enter the city first thing tomorrow morning."

“If nothing unexpected happens, someone should react... Unless he’s a real idiot, I wouldn’t mind slitting a idiot’s throat.”

——————————————————————————————————

A soldier in a red jacket rode his warhorse recklessly. Pedestrians on the roadside could hear the crisp sound of the copper bells tied around the horse's neck from a distance, and they quickly moved aside to both sides of the road to allow the messenger carrying the intelligence to pass quickly.

The people of the Empire were curiously asking each other what kind of news the messenger had brought. General Natamus had just led the legions of the southern provinces to the south, and the people of the Empire were paying close attention to the news coming from the south.

News of the victory had arrived days earlier, and the whole city was in a frenzy of celebration. All the taverns were selling their beer at half price, the men were drunk, and the women were lingering in the streets.

Even the beggars begging in the dark streets knew of the legion's victory—the Holsian fortress city of Alpert had fallen completely into the hands of the Empire, and the Hols who besieged the city had been repelled and suffered heavy losses. These cunning, pointy-eared creatures had their spines broken and had suffered an unprecedented defeat.

The emotions of the people of the Empire underwent a dramatic change in just a few months. When they first received news of the army's defeat, everyone was agitated and cursed, searching everywhere for someone to take responsibility for the defeat. During that period, almost the entire Empire was spreading the idea that General Tersolius was greedy for credit and reckless.

But before this claim could really take hold, merchants from the south spread a new message. Because it was so incredible and exciting, the new message spread even faster. People in the city's baths, arenas, taverns, and streets were discussing the news that General Tersolius had broken through the siege and captured the city.

Immediately following this news, it was revealed that the former army commander, Consul Arios, had been stripped of all his posts and was now awaiting questioning as an ordinary senator.

Everyone understood that once General Tersolius returned, the truth about that disastrous defeat would come to light. But just as everyone was waiting for the legendary general to return to the empire, news came that Alperth was under heavy siege by the Hols.

Immediately following this, General Natamus led three legions from the southern provinces south to provide support, taking away most of the province's troops, and news of victory arrived just half a month later.