Cataphracts, surviving in a world full of mods

Chapter 146 Hidden Clues (3)

The sharp, barbed ratchet would tear flesh from your skin if you touched it. No one dared approach this horrific weapon, but for those standing on it, they had no choice…

This was truly a grotesquely bizarre thing: a greasy hemp rope hung from the ceiling. The steel cage was extremely cramped; anyone inside could only stand, and to make matters worse, there were ratchet wheels with sharp steel barbs underfoot…

If it were merely a cage and thorns, it would simply be a bloody and terrifying instrument of torture. But the addition of a hemp rope compels the prisoner to involuntarily tighten the rope, desperately trying to escape the horrific instrument below. It offers the tortured a pitiful glimmer of hope.

Moreover, the rope was coated with grease, and it required all one's strength to barely grip it. The pull of one's own weight would exhaust every last bit of strength, and then, in despair, one would fall onto the ratchet that was rolling below.

The barbs on the ratchet would tear flesh and tendons out of the foot in the blink of an eye, turning the sole into a mass of rotten flesh. The unbearable pain would cause the victim to grab the rope again and pull themselves up until they had no strength left, at which point they could only let out a desperate scream and fall down again...

This blood-stained steel creation reveals the creator's intense malice; its purpose from the beginning has been quite clear—to torment people's bodies and minds.

Normal people would never want to be associated with this kind of thing; just one look at it would send chills down their spines. Yet now, a man from Iris is having close contact with it.

The veins on his hands, gripping the rope, were bulging, yet he couldn't stop himself from sliding downwards. The man let out a bloodcurdling scream, as if a venomous snake was crawling inside his crotch, desperately trying to move his hands upwards, hoping to elevate himself further.

However, human strength is ultimately limited. Before long, his hands were sore and numb that he could no longer feel them. Every skeletal muscle and every tendon was screaming in pain. His palms were clenched so tightly that they turned white, but his grip strength was still inevitably getting weaker and weaker...

Until the bare feet, stripped of their boots, stepped on the sharp, blood-stained spikes of the roller, a scream that seemed inhuman vibrated the eardrums of everyone around. The white tendons were pulled out of the soles of the feet by the curved barbs, and blood gushed out like a broken pipe.

To prevent him from bleeding to death too quickly, the jailers even tied his calves with leather ropes soaked in water. So the bleeding slowed down significantly after a while, giving the man new strength to continue pulling himself up...

After this process was repeated five times, the exhausted man was finally released. No matter how much he begged for mercy or said he was willing to confess, the silent jailers remained unmoved, as if they were there to torture him rather than to extract information.

The middle-aged woman next to me was having small pieces of skin peeled off from her shoulders and chest with a knife. The jailer's hand was very steady, and he didn't cut off any extra parts. Apart from causing terrible psychological torture and excruciating pain, he didn't even bleed much.

The older, wealthy merchant from Iris to his left had completely lost consciousness. A deliberately bristly iron skewer was slowly inserted into the gap between his fingernails, causing a terrible pain that could make one grit their teeth. The skewer pierced through the nail and bulged high under the skin, with dark blue bruises covering the entire back of his hand, making one feel as if worms were wriggling in their teeth just by looking at it.

………………

The horrific torture before them was unbearable even for the most vicious criminals, let alone these merchants who were used to living in luxury... But no matter how much they pleaded or agreed, they would not receive any forgiveness. The jailers precisely controlled the intensity, just to make them feel as much torture as possible.

He was released not because he was forgiven, but to allow him to rest for a while so he would have the energy to continue playing that horrible game...

They were subjected to this torture again and again, in different ways, and they suffered terribly. Being whipped with a leather whip soaked in salt water was the easiest of the tortures, and it could even be considered a kind of rest.

Amidst such horrific torment, the consciousness of the five individuals gradually weakened and blurred, their ability to think clearly diminished, and the despair of living a life worse than death left them without even the strength to scream in agony. They were like pigs being forced onto a table, at the mercy of others.

………………

Only when the ground was stained with a thin layer of blood did the warden nod slightly, confirming that the men's will to resist had been completely extinguished. He then waved his hand, instructing his men to lock them up in five heavy cells.

…………

As a bucket of cold water was poured over his head, the startled Iris man sat up abruptly and began to gasp for breath, his eyes filled with confusion and terror.

"your name."

"what?"

In just a moment's hesitation, the whip lashed across his cheek, tearing away a strip of skin. The searing pain caused him to scream in agony, clutching his face and curling up on the ground.

"your name."

"Halido Ils!"

The man from Iris, realizing what was happening, immediately said his name. Fearing another lash, he desperately retreated until he was huddled in a corner with nowhere left to go.

Your address.

"The fifth house on the left on the third street of the Iris neighborhood!"

"Your gender."

"?"

Another vicious lash struck his cheek, tearing his ear open slightly, just to punish him for that moment of confusion.

He had no room for resentment or anger; he was completely filled with fear, and dared not even look at the man holding the whip. He buried his face in the ground and gave a panicked answer:

"I'm a man! I'm a man!"

How many direct blood relatives do you have?

"There are 5 of them, and 5 of them are still alive!"

…………

And so, as the questions were answered one after another, the man had completely learned to obey. No matter how boring or unnecessary the questions were, he would give his answer immediately, for fear that the whip would come down again at any moment.

As yet another tedious question ended, the prison guard in charge of the interrogation didn't even look up, and asked in his usual calm tone:

"Who instigated you to launch a rebellion?"

“It was Dorit, he said…”

The man suddenly realized what he had said, and paused in panic. The next instant, the whip lashed down, tearing open half of his eyelid, revealing bits of flesh and blood. The extreme pain made him disregard everything and continue speaking:

"He told us that the greatest war was about to break out in the south and north of the empire! The country itself was also going to fall into chaos! Soon the empire would cease to exist, and its territory would be divided up. This was the best opportunity for us, the people of Iris, to establish our own nation!"

"We heard that the Empire's most powerful General Tersolius has died in battle in the south, just as he told us, which is why we thought there was an opportunity to take advantage of the situation!..."

Even the usually impassive jailer's hand trembled slightly, as if he had heard something extraordinary. His legs even felt weak, and he could hardly believe his ears...

He had only intended to dig out some information about the rebellion, but he hadn't expected what this guy said to be so terrifying... He looked at his colleague next to him in a panic and found that his eyes under his bronze mask also showed a confused look. Both of them had an urge to cover their ears at the same time.

But the empire's harsh laws would not tolerate them doing so. Although they were the upholders of the dignity of the law, they were also bound by it... No matter how unbelievable or sensational what they heard, they had to record it honestly.

After swallowing hard beneath his mask, he tried to regain his composure and continued asking:

Where is Dorit?

"It's right here in Hariya's house! A tunnel and basement were dug beneath his house, connecting to the adjacent shops, and it can house hundreds of people!"

"How did he get in touch with you?"

"He approached us a few years ago to do business with us. He was the one who facilitated the sale of armor and weapons to the Kurist people! It made us a lot of money."

"What do you look like? Where are you from?"

“He’s from the south, an Assele! He has a long beard and green eyes, and three moles next to his eyebrows! Oh, and he’s bald, with only a ring of hair on the back of his head and at his sideburns! He’s easy to spot, I can take you to catch him!”

"Who else is with him?"

“He has dozens of agile servants! I suspect they are all his Mamluks! This man's identity is definitely not simple! I can lead the way for you, otherwise they will run away!”

How many entrances are there to the basement? Where are they located?

“There are three in total! One is next to Dorimos’s flower shop, where there’s a well, and the side of it has been dug out. Another one is behind Jasmine’s bakery, where there’s a dead tree, and the space under the dead tree is hollow. The last one is inside the house. In the third bedroom of the house, there’s a big bed. Move it aside, and there’s a hidden door underneath!”

…………

Once that first step was taken, there were no more inhibitions. Like a speech, the man poured out everything he knew, speaking frankly and without reservation...

The jailer only stopped interrogating him after he had completely drained him of everything he knew. But before leaving, he suddenly gave him another beating, making him roll on the ground and beg for mercy.

This lash was noticeably heavier, a result of his emotional outburst, before he angrily threw the whip away and turned to leave.

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

Thesolius frowned as he looked at the four men before him, who were like zombies, completely dazed—a state he was all too familiar with, but he also knew exactly what caused it. He sighed and ordered his personal guards to take them out and behead them, then wrap their heads in lime.

Surprisingly, one of the five Iris people survived, without having his head eaten by the strange insect... It's unclear whether this was a pre-planned conspiracy or an unexpected bonus.

Even Talina, the only one among them who knew a little magic, was powerless to deal with this bizarre and strange situation. Even if she could find the parasite in the brain, it would be difficult to catch it without killing the host.

That's why they had obtained very little information from their previous encounters with the other side, but now it seems that the situation has changed.

Halido Ilse was dragged out by his arms. His feet were completely rotten and he was unable to walk. He could only be dragged like a sack, while trying to curl up his feet to avoid further pain.

But what terrified him even more than the physical pain was the unknown fate that lay ahead. After enduring such horrific torture, he not only did not contemplate suicide, but cherished his life even more, fearing that what awaited him next was the gleaming execution axe.

But no matter what he faced, he had no chance to resist. Even a child with a knife could easily slit his throat now.

As the heavy iron door was opened, a force came from his shoulder, causing him to fall face-first to the ground like a dog. He immediately felt a sharp pain in his chest and elbows, but before he could cry out in pain, he frantically raised his head, trying to see his current situation.

What comes into view is a tall general sitting in a chair. His thick iron armor reflects a well-maintained cold light, and the intricate patterns and gilded plates decorating his shoulders, wrists and other joints bring a touch of nobility. His slightly long black hair and sharp, heroic eyebrows gleam in the sunlight, making him as captivating as the majestic warrior sculptures in the central square of the capital.

In that instant, the terrifying majesty almost made him forget to breathe, especially after suffering such horrific torture; he was as terrified as an ant exposed to the scorching sun.

It wasn't until a hard slap landed on his face that the man regained some composure. He then prostrated himself on the ground in the most humiliating way.

"Most precious and most merciful sir, I am willing to say anything I know and do anything to atone for my mistakes!"

"Your sins may not be atoned for, but you can tell me one thing now..."

Tesorius paused slightly:

"Perhaps you don't know that your four companions have all died, and because of some uncontrollable factors... You should know more about that Dorit. Now, carefully search your mind and tell me—why you were able to survive."

Chapter 147 Hidden Clues (4)

The man from Iris was stunned, almost unable to process the terrible news he had just heard—the five of them were usually rivals who wished for each other's families to be ruined so they could steal his business.

While imprisoned, they often shifted blame onto each other, their resentment and anger reaching their peak, wishing they could take the other's flesh and blood. But ultimately, in this terrible place, they were all the same, and the thought that others were suffering with them made them feel much better, even leaving a sliver of relief in their hearts.

But now, hearing that everyone else was dead and he was the only one left, an indescribable sense of loneliness overwhelmed him like a black tide... It was as if a string in his mind had snapped, and the psychological pressure he had suffered in the past few days and the torture he had endured not long ago surged into his heart. The crazy and desperate emotions made him widen his eyes suddenly... He opened his mouth wide and made a dry hissing sound like a snake whose neck had been stepped on.

Seeing the man's hands and feet begin to move erratically, on the verge of madness, Alkamer silently stepped forward, grabbed his clothes, lifted him up, and slapped him hard across the face, knocking out two teeth. The blow sent stars through his eyes and brought him back to his senses; he collapsed to the ground, feeling as if his bones had been stripped away.

"Could it be you...you..."

Tesorius shook his head slightly:

"Although each of your sins is enough to warrant having your head chopped off ten times, I do not wish to take your lives yet, at least for now."

The man wasn't stupid; if he were, he wouldn't have his current wealth and status. So, in the blink of an eye, he understood what the other person meant...

“Wise man, if the situation is as you say, then I think I do know something.”

The man was in a state of confusion, on the verge of collapse due to the series of shocking facts. But cruel reality bound him like an iron clamp, making it difficult for him to even break down.

"If they're all dead and I'm the only one who survived, there must be something I haven't encountered. The only thing I can think of is that glass of wine..."

"liquor?"

"Yes, sir, that glass of wine."

"After we decided what we were going to do, while everyone was gathered together, Donette brought out a gold flask inlaid with glitter and said, 'To celebrate the partnership, let's all have a drink...'"

"I have never seen such a beautiful wine vessel. The delicate gold is carved into all kinds of intricate patterns, with a large number of figures, beasts and gods crowding on it. It is so gorgeous that it is almost blinding. If I had come across this treasure at other times, I would definitely have tried to get it."

“We all think Donette is a thoughtful fellow, having prepared so thoroughly for this moment… I was also prepared to drink that glass of wine, after all, its rich aroma clearly comes from the Borodo Farm in the heart of the Empire.”

"Then why didn't you drink it?"