Cataphracts, surviving in a world full of mods

The infantrymen raised their shields and swiftly scaled the walls. Archers rained down arrows on the rioters who tried to stop them, and in the blink of an eye, a silver torrent of steel surged onto the walls and began to clear the way.

Until the city walls fell, the legion didn't even have time to beat the marching drums a second time or sound the horn a second time.

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The sturdy city gates were opened, and the legion's soldiers filed in, quickly beginning their assault on the entire city. They drove out the Iris people hiding in every corner, teaching them obedience with swords, hammers, and axes. The ground, which was already covered with congealed blood, was now flooded with new bloodstains.

The horrific scene in the city was beyond expectations. The corpses piled up in the streets and alleys, the wild dogs gnawing on the carrion, the blazing fires with charred, twisted bodies inside... all of this fueled the legion's soldiers' rage and killing intent. More corpses of Iris began to appear in the city and spread rapidly.

The roar of vengeance echoed throughout the city as the imperial legions sought revenge for the blood debts owed to their people. The previously frenzied Iris were now the targets of slaughter, and the entire city was shrouded in a thick stench of blood.

When Tersolius led his cavalry into the city, more than half of the remaining Iris had already been slaughtered, and the rest were driven like pigs and sheep to the city's central square, where they were tied together by their necks with leather ropes.

The cries for blood to be repaid shook the surrounding tiles and beams, and the enraged legionary soldiers raised their shields and swords, making way for their arriving legionary commander.

Even now, the emissary of the Iris still looks dazed and confused, as if he is completely unable to accept the facts he is facing and has fallen into a state of self-avoidance.

Tersolius glanced around at the panicked Iris, then nodded slightly. Dozens of cavalrymen scattered and announced the emperor's command to the remaining mob:

The people of Aerys were declared rebels. They were no longer protected by any law, nor were they granted any form of amnesty. Regardless of age or gender, they would lose all their rights, including their right to life!

Ignoring the wails around him, Tersolius spurred his horse onto the high platform of the central square, surveyed the desperate mob with cruel and cold eyes, and then his decision brought cheers that nearly overturned the entire city.

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The messenger of the Iris let out a desperate and miserable cry. He struggled desperately, but two strong soldiers made him unable to move and could only be dragged along to the simple wooden stake in the distance.

They salvaged usable wood from the city's burning ruins, dug a deep pit, erected the charred stake, pierced his wrists and ankles with thick iron nails, secured him to it with ropes, then stripped off his outer clothing, exposing his entire body to the scorching sun…

These simple wooden stakes, with people driven into them, stretched from the city gates into the distance. Thousands of people were impaled on these stakes at Tersolius's command, and they would slowly bleed to death under the scorching sun, a process that would last two to three days…

The screams and wails of thousands of people could not drown out the cheers in the city. All the surviving empires learned of the news, and they rushed out of their hiding places, cheering the name of Tersolius, weeping and banging their heads against the walls and sculptures until their faces were covered in blood.

A campaign of revenge against the surviving Iris was immediately launched. These Imperials, who had endured a hellish existence, showed no mercy to any of the culprits. Apart from the strong men who were impaled on stakes, the remaining Iris were slaughtered, leaving no one alive.

The soldiers ignored this and simply blocked the streets and city gates to prevent anyone from escaping until the city was completely cleared.

The men who had been tortured were beginning to lose their strength, their curses and insults were weakening, crows in the treetops were darting to perch on their heads and pecking at their eyes, and ants on the ground were crawling up their bodies and gnawing at their soft skin.

And this terrible torment will continue for a long time, until even the wild dogs come to join this feast, and these thugs will finally be free... This is the greatest luxury for them now.

The imperial flag once again appeared atop the walls of Keryat, and soldiers and civilians filled every corner, cheering loudly at the imperial banner and raising their weapons high.

The setting sun bathed the entire city in a blood-red glow. In this hazy, gentle light, it was difficult to distinguish for a moment whether what was falling on the ground was light or blood…

P.S.: I feel a little uneasy writing this chapter; I wonder if I got a little carried away... By the way, I've already designed the map, and I'll post it for everyone to see once I've colored it. =_=

To supplement the map settings

The author designed a world map based on his outline. He originally wanted to draw it with AI, but for some reason it always looked wrong, so he decided to do it manually instead (；′⌒`)…… Many parts are quite rough, please forgive him, just take a look and see if some parts are not very rigorous.

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Color block markings... The watercolor washes are too intense; the edges are all blurred.

Chapter 123 The Kurist People (1)

Disposing of corpses is no pleasant job. People are always filled with fear and disgust at those mangled, rotting, stinking, and grotesque bodies. This disgust ultimately stems from a rejection of death; people instinctively avoid it. However, the accumulation of corpses inevitably leads to plagues and severe environmental degradation. Thus, the profession of corpse disposal naturally arose, and those unclaimed bodies after violent deaths were dealt with by them.

But the city's corpse collectors were no longer able to do their work. The huts on the city's outskirts, shunned by the city, had become unbearably smelly. The corpse collectors in their black robes were long dead, their bodies bloated and rotting. Black and yellowish, foul-smelling liquid seeped from the ground; even their corpses needed to be disposed of.

The ruthless Iris slaughtered three-fifths of the city's remaining population. These people suddenly rebelled in the city, set fire to the city's guard camp, and even opened the city gates to the invading Kurist, which led to the city's terrible fall.

Then they swiftly launched a massacre, tearing apart and robbing previously amicable neighbors amidst burning torches and unbridled laughter. They plundered and killed residents throughout the city, transforming it into a living hell in just a few days, a place teeming with the stench of blood and littered with corpses.

Fortunately, the inhabitants of the empire were never just ordinary artisans, merchants, and farmers. Even in the face of such a sudden situation and organized mobs, they formed resistance by street and used the makeshift weapons they found to fight against the mobs who were trying to rob and kill them. This is how they were not slaughtered during this period.

When the Imperial legions arrived, the Iris, who had not anticipated this at all, were plunged into despair. Now, no amount of pleas for mercy would elicit any pity. The Imperial soldiers, who had murdered their loved ones, wished they could tear them apart and sleep on their skin. These cowardly, vicious, cruel, and shameless Iris finally paid the price for their actions.

The wealth they plundered will never truly belong to them; only the hatred and anger are real and will ultimately come back to haunt them.

All the Iris were stripped naked, and most of their corpses were mangled beyond recognition. The vengeful Imperials were not content with simply killing them; it was not uncommon for them to be hacked to pieces. The bodies of their relatives, neighbors, and friends were buried by the living, and unclaimed bodies were also properly buried. However, few were willing to touch the bodies of the Iris. The intense hatred and desire for revenge made people more willing to see these bodies rot in a miserable way, devoured by wild dogs, torn apart by crows, and teeming with maggots.

But Tersolius could not tolerate the city falling into such a state of decay. After all, the people here still had to live, and they could not live in peace in a place ravaged by plague. So, on his orders, the entire city was thoroughly cleaned up.

The snow that had frozen on the ground was washed away with clean water, and the corpses were transported out of the city one by one by cart. A large pit had already been dug there, large enough to properly bury them and prevent them from being dug up by wild dogs and causing a plague.

As the city's savior, no one would disobey his orders. Moreover, after calming down, many people could not tolerate the filthy, rotting corpses piled up in their city. With the participation of all civilians and some soldiers, the corpses in the city were cleared out in just one day, and the large pit was filled in.

Some of the criminals and thugs nailed to the stakes have already bled to death, and the rest are barely surviving. Every day they have to endure the scorching sun, which makes their skin red and peel, but no one will give them a drop of water. They can only desperately stick out their tongues to lick the water droplets running down their faces when the fog condenses every morning.

Everyone was driven mad by the torture. Their hoarse pleas for mercy, confessions, and curses were barely audible. The wounds on their hands and feet had turned red and swollen, which actually slowed down the bleeding and delayed their death.

Looking at the wooden stakes lined up along the road from the city wall, it's as if they were markers set up for merchants and travelers since the city was founded, though there's a strange sense of harmony to it.

The empire has never been a benevolent nation, nor have its people ever been excessively forgiving. In this vast land surrounded by enemies, they have been able to firmly occupy the fertile plains, traversed by a wide, flat river with abundant water, convenient for irrigation, and capable of supporting a large population, all thanks to swords and blood. The martial tradition of this nation has always instilled fear in its neighbors.

The people of the Empire are eager for revenge and regard righteous vengeance as a supreme honor. They also have a strong sense of unity; for every capable and determined young person who wants to get ahead, joining the army is the best option. When they suffer injustice and cannot get justice, their first reaction is to use their swords to solve the problem... Now that their blood feud has been avenged, although they still feel sad for their dead relatives, friends and neighbors, a burning joy has begun to spread throughout the city.

The bloodstained taverns were cleared out, and people gathered in the streets and alleys, pooling their resources for food and drink. They lit up the lights of countless homes at night, sometimes crying, sometimes laughing, to release their pent-up emotions and alleviate their grief and anger.

Most of the surviving residents in the city were young and middle-aged men and women, and some children who had been protected. The elderly and frail were almost all gone. Many streets and alleys were now empty, and the citizens who once lived there were now corpses. The once bustling shops were now dilapidated, and the workshops and factories that provided most of the jobs for the city's residents were no more.

It's fair to say that the city was already more than half destroyed. The arrival of an army of 5000 men brought some life back to the city. At night, braziers and lights illuminated most of the city. Tersolius's legions completely took over the city's defenses, making this already fortified city even more impregnable.

The city lord's mansion was also cleared out. The city had been without an administrator for a long time due to some commonplace squabbles over interests, which also led to the accumulation of dust in the administrator's mansion, which had not been cleaned for a long time.

Tersolius climbed hundreds of steps to reach the platform. Behind him stood the magnificent and imposing city lord's mansion. The city's terrain sloped from east to west, and he was located at the highest point, offering a panoramic view of the entire city.

The howling night wind ruffled the edges of his white lion cloak, but could not shake the sturdy, heavy iron scales. He stood as immovable as an iron tower, with only his sharp, eagle-like gaze sweeping over every corner of the city and the vast grasslands beyond.

The air smelled damp, and he immediately realized that it would rain tonight. Although it wasn't a downpour, it would be enough to make the ground slippery and difficult for the army to pass.

Even his legion relaxed slightly under these circumstances—after all, few people would send a large army on a night raid in the rain, as the non-combat casualties would likely be greater than a defeat, and even if they reached the enemy camp, they would often be exhausted and unable to launch an attack.

However, he still issued orders for his troops to set up camps outside the city, forming a defensive triangle with the city's defenders. At the same time, he deployed a large number of scouts to hide around the surrounding roads, making full preparations to deal with any potential attacks.

Although the east of the empire was slightly better than the north, it was still barren and cold, especially the northeast occupied by the Kurst people. There were huge mountain ranges there, covered with snow all year round. Not to mention farming, even livestock could not survive there. Even the Kurst people would not live there. Every year, tribes would fight over the grazing land in the south, which was rich in water and lush with grass.

People raised in such places possess an innately resilient character. While they may be savage and brutal, they are also tenacious, risk-taking, and disregard the lives of others, let alone their own. They are particularly adept at achieving victory through surprise, always appearing when the enemy least expects it, and ruthlessly exploiting weaknesses.

In this situation, if anyone would be willing to take such a huge risk and attempt a night raid, it would only be these tenacious and fierce nomadic peoples... When facing them, a steady and methodical approach is especially necessary.

Moreover, he had a strange premonition—his adversary was fast approaching…

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As the raindrops began to fall, Torid sighed inwardly—though his aching shoulder told him the truth, he was still somewhat unwilling to give up and led his army a little closer. Only then did the rain begin to fall, soaking the grass and causing several riders to overturn, falling and suffering bruises, broken bones, and swollen faces.

The probability of this happening was even greater, especially with so many troops gathered here—the wet mud trampled by horses' hooves was enough to make even a skilled horseman tread carefully, not to mention the crowding between warhorses and the chaos caused by the inconvenience of giving orders in the dark.

He was almost certain that many tribes had already fallen behind, which was inevitable in the darkness without any fires lit. His plan to select elite troops and launch a surprise attack on the enemy while they were still establishing themselves was already showing signs of failure before it even began. It wasn't impossible to continue, and with his prestige he could certainly do it, but it would inevitably attract a lot of discontent and leave him with future troubles.

Surrounded by his guards, the Khan of the Curists gazed at the distant spark. To avoid arousing suspicion, he hadn't even lit any torches among his troops, leading his elite force of 1 men here solely through verbal commands. Although the rain was pouring down, making the city seem impregnable, the outer camp appeared to offer a glimmer of hope—a wall of wooden stakes was far easier to breach than a city wall built of stone.

Tori hesitated, and his hesitation was so obvious that it was noticed by the others.

The Khan of the Kurist people shook his whip slightly with a hint of impatience, gently touching the mane of his warhorse. His heart was in turmoil. His army had stopped and was waiting for his orders... It had taken a long time to achieve this, and even now some people were running around like headless flies.

To attack or to retreat? It's a difficult choice...

The rain pounded against his helmet, soaking his horse's mane and seeping through the gaps in his armor, clinging to his undergarments. The cold dampness made him feel uncomfortable all over. The army behind him began to stir, wondering why they were standing there letting the rain soak them without taking any action.

Tolidu's expression turned grim only after the three scouts returned to the high ground where the Khan was. Eight had been sent out, but less than half had returned.

This alone made him realize that the other party was already prepared.

He finally sighed, then turned his horse eastward—this was very likely a trap set for him, especially given that his opponent was that Tersolius; he couldn't help but suspect it. In the darkness, if a chaotic battle broke out, even he couldn't control his own troops, while the enemy had already prepared their camp. Even if he rushed over, he wouldn't gain any advantage; their population was far smaller than the empire's, so he couldn't afford to scatter his troops indiscriminately.

Having made his decision, Toridu had no more doubts. With the new orders being given, although there was still some confusion and slowness, they slowly moved eastward, leaving the gentle hilly area near Keryat.

Only numerous hoofprints and animal dung remained, letting explorers know that a large army had once gathered here.

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The morning sun slowly illuminates the earth, and the dew on the grass reflects colorful light. The air is moist and fresh, making people feel invigorated. The bushes become even more lush and verdant, and with the slightest breeze, a large amount of dew will pour down, covering any intruders with dew.

A pair of dangerous eyes slowly opened on the tallest, most majestic tree. After glancing at the dead warhorse on the ground, the mountain man, wrapped in oilcloth, cautiously climbed down from the tree, a longbow on his back and a gleaming short axe, still stained with blood, hanging from his waist.

He pursed his lips, raised his neck, and let out a clear birdcall. The nearby woods immediately responded, and soon a figure, also wrapped in oilcloth, emerged from the bushes and appeared before him. The figure ripped the leaves from its head, revealing a face, though covered in a beard, that was still clearly that of a young man.

Chapter 124 The Kurist People (2)

Unlike nobles in other countries, the city lord's mansion in each city does not belong to the city lord. It is more like an office and residence provided by the state to the city administrators. They cannot take a single brick or tile with them when they are transferred.

However, furniture and other items that you purchased yourself are not included, and no one will say anything if you take them.

So all that was left for Tersoviz's living quarters was a bare wooden bed, a long wooden table, and a cabinet. He would lay his wolf-skin rug on it and sleep there.

Upon waking up the next morning, the air was fresh and moist, thanks to the good rain the previous day, which was invigorating. Teresolus straightened the belts on his armor, then pushed open the door and went outside.

Sunlight streamed into the damp streets, giving the whole city a sense of new life. People got up early to clean their homes, carefully removing any remaining grime.

Thanks to the fact that the city’s irrigation canals were not damaged, water drawn from the river could be used at any time to wash the streets, preventing the spread of the plague as much as possible.

Yes, plague... Tersolius knew the horror of those two words. Even in the technologically advanced modern era, plagues often bring considerable trouble and casualties. Not to mention in this era when people's understanding of plagues was still very primitive, a plague could often devastate a country and cause countless deaths and injuries.

In Earth's past history, the once-prosperous Eastern Roman Empire during Justinian's era was interrupted by a great plague, which killed hundreds of thousands of soldiers alone, making it a terrible catastrophe.

Even with people like Talina in his army who possessed advanced medical technology, he didn't want to deal with the trouble of the plague, so the best approach was to nip it in the bud.

He was utterly ignorant when it came to preventing and controlling the plague. So he entrusted the entire matter to Tarina and ordered his army and the city's inhabitants to obey the doctor completely and not to be negligent or shirk their responsibilities.

At that very moment, dozens of groups of residents were carrying sacks and spreading lime on the ground, taking care of all the corners where the corpses had been piled up. Some places where the corpses had been piled up and rotted for too long were no longer habitable. If there were no other houses nearby, they would be burned directly. If there were other buildings, they would be disinfected with large amounts of lime.

There are plenty of herbs in the city, but since they could have gotten their hands on gold and silver, no thugs have bothered with them. They've all been collected and put to use.

When burying a body, lime must be sprinkled on it for disinfection. People responsible for burying the body must wear masks. After finishing their work, they must throw away and burn their clothes, and then wash their bodies with hot water that has been used to boil herbs.

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Even after using all the methods she knew, Talina was still somewhat uneasy, so she arranged for those who had come into contact with a large number of corpses to live in a separate block, isolating them from the others.

Even so, the girl was still very nervous... Tarina had heard her teacher describe those terrible disasters—polluted water sources, rotting corpses oozing yellow pus, flocks of crows with red eyes perched on charred branches, vomit, excrement, and all sorts of filth piled up with the corpses...

Such a terrible disaster was like hell descending upon the earth, making people wonder if it was a punishment from the gods. The death brought by the plague was a vast, quiet, and unstoppable blackness... far more terrifying and efficient than the death brought by swords.

She still remembers what her teacher said with a sigh as he boiled the medicine:

"Even with such a terrible disaster, there are ways to combat it... Even if they can't be immediately effective, they can still reduce the number of deaths, but they're just not very useful..."