Cataphracts, surviving in a world full of mods

Chaos suddenly broke out in the Kurist camp. People were running around telling each other about a big event: last night, someone attempted to set fire to the Khan's tent to assassinate him, but was startled by a wild bird in a tree, and all the offenders were captured by the guards.

The men in each tent began to march towards the place where the royal flag was raised. They all sensed that something big was about to happen, and some even instinctively brought their weapons.

By the time the Kurist people gathered before the Khan's battle, they had already formed a sea of ​​heads, jostling each other, their voices clamoring, their dirty sheepskin robes torn open to prevent them from sweating profusely in the sun.

The tribe's nobles and their men arrived faster than anyone else. They had known the news long ago and were aware of what was going on, so they rode their fast horses and charged over.

Right in front of the royal tent was a large open space that no one dared to set foot in. Fully armed guards surrounded the area, and several men with soot-stained leather robes knelt in the middle.

"Isn't that the Qishubu sword?"

Some sharp-eyed people have already noticed the unique patterns on the scabbards of the knives at the waists of these people. Each tribe has its own unique pattern, which is how they distinguish their tribes.

Countless whispers spread quickly, and the head of the Qishu tribe—the tall and thin Luo Liangge—had his face turn dark. His confidants and followers around him instinctively gripped the knives at their waists.

As a sudden chorus of footsteps sounded around them, the Kurist guards, bows drawn and spears drawn, immediately surrounded the Qishu tribe members. Without any attempt at subtlety, they pointed their gleaming blades at them, conveying a bloody message directly.

"Tori's right there! Make him come out and see us!"

Luo Liangge roared desperately and fiercely, and his subordinates around him shouted at the same time:

"We want to see Khan Tolidu! Khan, come out quickly!"

“Even if you want to kill us, Toridu, say it yourself. Don’t hide behind others like a coward!”

"Come out and explain yourself to us!"

"........."

As the people of the Qishu tribe began to shout loudly, the people of Kurist, who were on the verge of a bloodbath, also began to stir. Gradually, some people joined in the shouting, wanting their Khan to explain the matter clearly.

Just as the commotion was growing increasingly apparent and the situation was about to spiral out of control, a voice suddenly rang out from within the crowd:

“I’ve always been by your side, Luo Liangge.”

The voice was so calm, without any extra emotion, like greeting an old friend you'd seen for decades, yet it instantly silenced the shouts around you, causing everyone to instinctively shut their mouths.

Khan Torid stepped out from among the guards with a composed gait. He was not wearing his helmet; his greasy hair, braided into plaits, hung down to his temples, and the leather-trimmed armor rustled.

"What do you mean by this, Toridu! Why have my tribe surrounded? Do you intend to annex us in front of everyone?! Did you bring the Kurist people here just so we can kill each other?!"

You know perfectly well what's going on.

Tori didn't stop, walking straight up to the group of people kneeling on the ground. He then grabbed the leader by the hair, revealing his face.

“This is one of your men; I think you all know him.”

Luo Liangge was suddenly rendered speechless, as if someone had grabbed him by the throat—he had initially thought this was just a scapegoat that Toridu had randomly chosen to frame him, slaughtering all his men before anyone could react, giving him no chance to reason… but he never expected that these were actually his own subordinates!

His confidants immediately erupted in uproar, with many even looking at him with suspicion—at this moment, quite a few already believed that the assassination squad had indeed been sent out by him.

"When I assembled the army, your Qishu tribe made excuses and delayed my orders. When you were plundering the empire's lands, you disregarded my orders and ran off to the west of Cerisonas. And now! You dare to send your men to try and burn me alive in the main tent. Are you really so ignorant of death?!"

With the Khan's roar, all the guards drew their swords, and more soldiers surrounded them with weapons. In the blink of an eye, blood would be everywhere.

Tori waved his hand expressionlessly:

"You've opposed me time and again, and now you're trying to kill me. Even the most merciful person wouldn't forgive you! ... Do it!"

Before he could offer any explanation, accompanied by the muffled thuds of spears and swords piercing flesh and the whistling of arrows flying everywhere, a complete massacre unfolded before the Khan's royal tent. The well-prepared elite guards quickly slaughtered all the Qishu tribesmen there.

Blood flowed out, soaking the grass; steaming entrails spilled onto the ground; screams and pleas for mercy echoed one after another. It was a chilling sight.

All the tribal nobles fell silent, carefully restraining their followers, and in the blink of an eye, they became as submissive as sheep... completely devoid of their previous arrogance.

The people of the Qishu tribe may or may not have assassinated the Khan... but no one cares now. As long as this man still has power and authority, then even if this is a lie, it is true.

Conversely, if the Qishu tribe is powerful enough, then even if this matter is true, it can be made to appear false... Every nobleman in every tribe understands this.

………………

In an instant, the horns sounded. The nobles gathered once more in the royal tent, their feet stained with blood, yet their expressions remained unchanged, as if hundreds had not been slaughtered before the tent entrance…

The Kurist people are fierce and cruel, and their cruelty is never directed only at other peoples... Bloody massacres like this happen every year on the steppe, and most people have become accustomed to it and take it for granted.

One corner of the Khan's massive tent, made of white wool felt, was charred black. The highly flammable wool felt had been burned through, leaving a huge hole about three meters wide, allowing sunlight to stream in.

Those with sharp eyes quickly noticed that the burned section was precisely where the Khan usually rested... This made the nobles even more horrified, and for a moment, there was a sense of order and order.

Torid lifted the curtain and strode in, passing through the gathered nobles, before sitting down in the chair in the center of the tent—a chair that had come from the south and was just becoming popular on the plains of the Kurist people, where it was welcomed by many nobles.

"I won't waste any more words. Those of you who are smart enough can see that... we can't stay here any longer. We have to go back immediately, or we won't be able to leave."

A low murmur arose within the tent, but before they could utter a word, Tori continued speaking relentlessly:

“This time, every tribe of ours has reaped great rewards. There is nothing more on this land worth risking our lives for. This country is not weak and easy to bully. If it weren’t for the betrayal of the Iris, we wouldn’t even have this opportunity.”

"But the Empire has already realized that staying here is suicide... Once we get back, we must pack our bags, feed our warhorses, slaughter all the livestock, and throw away anything useless. This time, our opponent is that Tersolius... If we can't keep up, we deserve to die."

“What about those Iris people?…”

The nobleman sitting to his left asked hesitantly.

"Then it depends on their own luck and ability... We have already accomplished what we promised to do by clearing this land. As for how to deal with the imperial army, let them figure it out themselves."

A burst of laughter erupted, and almost everyone beamed with joy. But the distinguished person who had asked the question earlier seemed unwilling to give up and continued to ask:

“Your Majesty, what I mean is… these Iris people are quite wealthy, and they looted quite a lot this time. Should we rob them too? That way we can prepare coals for the winter.”

Another burst of laughter rang out, but many nobles also revealed greedy looks in their eyes—the Iris who launched the rebellion in Chersonas had made a fortune, which they all envied greatly. If they had the chance to take advantage of it, these nobles of Kurist would not hesitate at all.

A slight smile appeared on Torid's lips. He twirled his mustache with his fingers, and after a long while, he spoke:

"Let's leave it this time. If we don't leave now, the Imperial Legion will surround this place. There's no need to risk our lives for this little bit of stuff. Let them keep these valuables. When the Imperial General arrives, these Iris people can at least buy themselves a second life... maybe even half a life."

The uproarious laughter nearly lifted the tents off their roofs, with many people even slapping their thighs in laughter. But soon some people realized that there seemed to be a very wealthy Iris in the camp... They exchanged glances in twos and threes, and immediately made up their minds.

Tori frowned, but ultimately said nothing—it was a potential problem, and it was better to get rid of it.

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

The weapon in his hand was exquisitely crafted; the smooth, warm red oak was polished into a long handle, a brass buttstock balanced the weight, and the steel-forged axe blade, spearhead, and hook gleamed with a cold light.

.

This is a powerful halberd with a sharp axe blade, a spearhead, and an armor-piercing spike for hooking and catching cavalry. Although its center of gravity is too far forward and requires more strength to control, once mastered, it can easily unleash terrifying power.

Tersolius tentatively swung the halberd in his hand, constantly adjusting the angle of his wrist to adapt to the center of gravity of the weapon.

His movements were somewhat clumsy at first, but they quickly became proficient. Thrusting, chopping, hooking, pecking, picking... every movement became refined. The wielding blade brought gusts of wind, sweeping across the surrounding space almost non-stop.

His movements became faster and faster until they became impossible to see clearly. All that could be seen were the afterimages of steel, like several silver snakes circling around him, hissing and ready to devour anyone who might approach him.

As he slightly turned his feet, the halberd blade, carrying a fierce wind, slashed horizontally from the side, then came to a steady stop, without any residual movement, only stirring up a cloud of dust on the ground.

Gently placing the long pole on the ground, Tersolius raised his eyebrows without batting an eye, feeling as if all the bones in his body had loosened up considerably—he had been riding a horse for the past two days, and even he was a little stiff.

After stretching his shoulders, Thesolius tossed his halberd to a soldier beside him, then opened the tent flap and went outside, only to find that it was already a star-studded night.

He spent a long time getting used to this weapon with a high barrier to entry, and before he knew it, he was addicted to it. Unless something important happened, no one dared to bother him, so he kept playing with it until midnight.

The military camp had quieted down in the darkness. The army's camp stretched for miles, yet it remained sturdy and well-prepared. The wooden stakes that had been prepared long ago came in very handy; all that was needed was to dig trenches and bury the earth to quickly build a wall.

They will arrive at Fariaburg tomorrow, and the scouts they sent out have already reported back that the fortress is still in the hands of the Empire. The Kurist people, lacking the means to siege a city, will ultimately have to leave disappointed.

And some of his guesses will be confirmed tomorrow...

Chapter 128 The Kurist People (6)

News from the East sent shockwaves through the entire Empire. Although they had known for some time that a rebellion had broken out in Chrysonas in the East, no one had imagined that it was the ungrateful Iris who had colluded with the barbarians of Kurist in the East to wreak havoc on the Empire's provinces, plunging this important horse-breeding region into the midst of war.

Every general, every soldier, even every civilian, every beggar on the street corner was roaring for revenge. A fierce anger swept through the streets and alleys. Everyone was shouting to take revenge on those ungrateful people and give them the cruelest punishment. Every day, thousands of people gathered in the central square of the capital to petition the emperor and the Senate. The surging and boiling public opinion was loud and unstoppable.

Generals of every legion are requesting to join the war, their enthusiasm undiminished even though they are thousands of miles away from Cerison. The nobles of the Senate discuss matters concerning Cerison every day, and the intelligence constantly coming back from the front lines makes them realize that the situation is not as bad as they have imagined... in fact, it can be said that it is rapidly developing in a positive direction.

Even by the most conservative estimate, the Kurst invaders who appeared in Cerisonas numbered at least 30,000. So despite the previous arguments, the order to mobilize the legion was still passed down, and the newly appointed legionary consul, Tersolius, was in charge of this campaign... Although they all harbored considerable animosity towards Tersolius, they still had to admit his military talent and ability.

Therefore, many people have relaxed about the rebellion, believing that news of victory will come soon, and have turned their energy to the business of intrigue and power struggles.

As for the governor of Cerisonnas's failure to promptly detect the Iris rebellion and the resulting deterioration of the situation, this is now being discussed. Once the war is over, there will be some punishment... but the specific charges are still causing endless debate among the senators.

The governor of Cerison had long stood firmly on the side of the Senate, so even though he had caused such a huge mess, many people defended him, and for a time, the entire Senate was in an uproar.

Although the nobles still held an overwhelming majority of seats, the emperor's side was no longer so passive. Coupled with the prestige brought to the emperor by successive victories, the situation became tense... So, seeing that this debate was unlikely to end in a short time, the emperor simply announced the end of the meeting.

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

The turmoil in the city had little effect on the emperor in the golden palace. After removing her gorgeous robes and heavy cloak, Clautina, looking much lighter, sat down at her table.

As she expected, a new letter was placed on the table—a report from Cerisonnas had the highest priority and had to be presented to the emperor immediately.

Unwrapping the parchment envelope, the emperor saw the handwriting he had only recently become familiar with and began to read it carefully.

Not long after, Claudia threw the paper in her hand into the glass container next to her. A flash of orange-yellow light appeared, and the paper turned into fine ash, which fell into a bottle through the glass tube below.

His bright, spirited eyes narrowed slightly, revealing a hint of joy, like a hunter who had spotted his prey at close range. But in the blink of an eye, the joy vanished, and he transformed back into the majestic emperor.

In the dim firelight, a slender finger gently tapped on the solid wood table, producing a crisp sound.

"Thump! Thump thump! Thump!..."

With the deep, resonant sound of war drums, the legionary soldiers were advancing slowly. Every part of the massive army formation gleamed with the silver light of steel. Each square formation was fully armed and ready for battle. Sharp spears formed a forest of spears pointing to the sky, and sharp crossbow bolts were already in their quivers. Archers had also loaded their long arrows onto their bowstrings.

The cloaks of the elite light cavalry, rushing in with a whooshing sound, formed a blood-red cloud as they patrolled and guarded the outer perimeter of the army. Every now and then, elite squads would return with heads and prisoners of war—they were clearing out enemy scouts and sentries.

Thousands of elite cavalrymen, fully armored, gathered in the center of Tersolius's army, guarding the black double-headed eagle banner, riding their warhorses, ready to launch a charge that could shake the earth at any moment.

Two legions stood in formation on one side of the great river. Not far behind them, a towering military fortress stood on the flat, vast grassland, the imperial banners fluttering in the air, proclaiming the empire's unquestionable control over the area.

In the distance, dust billowed as countless hooves pounded the earth, and a massive army loomed menacingly.

"Sir, they actually came here!"

In response to Karasaloni's astonishment, Tesorus remarked with a touch of emotion:

"If it weren't for the officials sent by the governor, who would have thought that this bend in the great river would turn into a shallow shoal this season?... If we had gone to the vicinity of Faryab as originally planned, they probably would have found a chance to escape."

"Then why did they suddenly abandon their attempt to cross the river? Otherwise, we wouldn't have been able to stop them."

"Because they dare not."

"…………"

The group still looked puzzled, but they were beginning to ponder the matter.

"How many people can cross this shallow area at a time?"