Cataphracts, surviving in a world full of mods

This kind of life wasn't easy; they had to get up very early every day to light the fire. They started working before the roosters crowed and didn't go to bed until very late at night... but they could earn a lot of money and live a relatively affluent life in the city.

After finishing their own business, the couple finally had time to see what was happening outside. There had been some unexplained commotion outside since earlier, but because they had been given orders, they dared not open the door to see what was going on.

Only when the ban was lifted did they dare to find out what had happened... and then they saw elite soldiers patrolling the streets and alleys with their gleaming swords and spears, as if the city had suddenly become a huge military camp, with fully armed legion soldiers everywhere.

They watched with some worry as a patrol of legionary infantry left the street, exchanged glances, and were about to say something when a sound of footsteps suddenly came from the side.

The footsteps were very leisurely, as if they were visiting a good friend next door. Each step was steady and coordinated, but the speed was not slow. Before long, the person who made the footsteps appeared in front of them.

"Arich, what are you doing here!?"

The bearded male homeowner exclaimed in surprise. The man in front of them looked young, with smooth, wrinkle-free skin and a clean-shaven beard.

His facial features appear to converge in the center, but not very obviously. Overall, he can still be considered a spirited young man. His thick eyebrows give his face a touch of honesty and simplicity, which is further emphasized by his slightly drooping eyes.

It is worth mentioning that this young man has a pair of bright, clear, grass-green eyes that reveal a cheerful expression and highlight the unique energy of youth.

"I just arrived here a couple of days ago, didn't I? This whole mess has really scarened me so much that I'm too scared to leave. So I had no choice but to swallow my pride and come find you, my old friend..."

The young man named Alicize blinked and spoke to the shopkeeper with a hint of sarcasm, while adjusting the bundle on his shoulder.

The only thing on his body that could be considered a weapon was a short sword at his waist, and it didn't look very good. Apart from the blade, there was no extra metal on it, and even the handle was made entirely of wood. Such a handle could not protect his hand from sword attacks; its only purpose was to prevent his hand from slipping onto the blade.

Add to that his dusty and tattered burlap clothes and shoes with his big toe showing... this young man looked quite destitute, almost ready to become a beggar.

“Yalich, what happened to you... Didn’t you used to go into business with Hado? You even bragged to me about how you made a fortune…”

A wry smile appeared on the face of the young man named Arich:

"Don't even mention it... If I hadn't been lucky, you wouldn't be seeing me now."

Just as he was about to continue speaking, the shop owners realized that they had made a customer stand at the door for so long, so they quickly opened the door and invited him in.

The young man didn't refuse and walked into the shop with a smile... Just as he entered, a group of fully armed soldiers walked over from the street corner, only to find the street clean and empty.

………………

"Hado and I used to run a wine business in Karicuya in the south. The grapes there are famous throughout the empire, and they produce a lot of wine every year. In those big cities, a bottle of that wine would cost at least six silver coins!"

Six silver coins!

The shop owners both exclaimed in unison... Their lives were relatively comfortable in this city, but six silver coins were still not something they could just casually spend, and certainly not the kind of luxury they would use to buy a bottle of wine.

"Yes, that's how expensive it is. Although it can't compare to the wine that noble gentlemen drink, it's still a pretty good wine. And the newly brewed wine in the local area only sells for 23 copper coins! We can make a fortune just by reselling it."

"Who would have thought that this kind of wine would be so cheap in its country of origin? But we couldn't miss this great opportunity... So the two of us took out all our savings and prepared to go all out and make ourselves rich."

“We used the money to buy carriages and everything else we needed, and even hired a few guards... and then bought five carriages of goods at the largest winery in the area.”

“Alic, so now you…”

“That’s right…” The young man gave a wry smile, and even his bald scalp twitched, clearly indicating that a significant portion of the muscles in his face were being used.

"We both messed everything up, and almost lost our lives..."

Chapter 152 Transfer (2)

"I was lucky, but Hado didn't escape. All our goods fell into the hands of those bandits..."

“I spent a whole day in the mud after the heavy rain before I escaped and found the nearby garrison. Fortunately, the garrison officers were also planning to deal with the bandits, but they were hard to find because they were hiding in the complex mountain forest. My arrival was a pleasant surprise for them.”

"The garrison officer mobilized all his men and found more than a dozen hunters and guides from nearby villages. We surrounded the bandits' camp and slaughtered all the thieves, but because I escaped, Hado had his throat slit..."

At this point, a look of pain appeared on the young man's face. His intense sorrow seemed to have a certain infectious quality, causing the shop owners to wear the same expression.

“That damned Fyka was so angry he didn’t even want the ransom anymore. They beat him half to death with sticks, then hung him up and slit his throat. The blood stained the pillar red.”

"What's worse is that the wine we stole has been drunk up by these bandits... They can drink like pigs, we've lost all our money, and Hado even lost his life."

"After struggling for a while, I finally managed to scrape together some money. I heard that the wool trade in Cerisonas was very profitable, so I came here with a caravan, but I never expected..."

A bitter smile appeared on the faces of all three men. None of them had had an easy time in the past. The swift and elusive Kurist barbarians had turned the entire province into a mess, not to mention the destruction that the despicable Iris had brought to this land.

They lived in fortified cities and had not yet suffered too much hardship, while the poor people living in villages and towns suffered heavy casualties in the repeated looting and massacres, and many places were abandoned and houses were uninhabited.

Some time ago, that esteemed lord ordered the mobilization of slaves from the entire province to resume farming and herding, distributing them across the land in the hope of recovering some of the losses, but it remains to be seen what the specific effects will be.

“Alich, now that you’re here, there’s no need to think about it anymore. Just stay here with me for now.”

The bearded shopkeeper interrupted his friend, having already made up his mind in an instant, while simultaneously feeling sorrow for the suffering his old friend had endured.

"There's another room in the backyard for you to stay in. It just needs to be cleaned up. You can stay as long as you want... You've suffered so much, it's really admirable that you've managed to pull yourself together."

“The lockdown order has been issued, and you can’t leave for at least three days. Since your household registration isn’t here, it’s easy for you to get into trouble. It’s better if you live with us; it will save you a lot of trouble.”

"No, I'd rather not. Otherwise, you'd have to spend money to bribe them again... I have a place to stay at an inn in the city. I'm just here to visit you."

Arich shook his head repeatedly, seemingly unwilling to trouble his friend, but this only strengthened the shop owner's resolve:

“Since you’ve come all this way to Peridos, it’s a disgrace to me to have to find your own place to stay. People back home would say I’m mistreating my friend! If you still consider me your friend, then agree to move your things here today.”

“That’s right, Alejandro!”

The shop owner's wife nodded repeatedly. She was a simple woman with black curly hair, and she was also from the same hometown as Alic. She had come to this city with her husband to make a living.

"Since you're here, why don't you stay here? Otherwise, if they check your household registration in a couple of days, it'll be quite troublesome if they find out you're staying in a horse inn. We've been living here for several years now, so we can help you out."

…………

After several reluctant postponements, Arich finally gave in to the shop owners and agreed to move in that day, but insisted on helping them with their work, otherwise he would rather be thrown in jail.

And so, this bald young man named Arich moved into the pie shop and worked alongside the shop owners from dawn till dusk. After a few days, he seemed to have completely adapted, and the shop owners were even able to entrust him with the task of making the pies.

The neighbors were all curious about where this young man came from. But after the shop owner, who was always well-liked, gave a brief explanation, everyone's doubts were dispelled, and several people even became acquainted with Alistair.

The city's blockade remains in effect, and there are reports that a notorious spy has yet to be caught. Therefore, the general has ordered that no one is allowed to leave the city.

Such orders are fine in the short term, but over time they reveal a variety of drawbacks—cities are not villages after all; they do not have large tracts of farmland and cannot produce food and vegetables. Without income from external resources, major chaos can easily break out here.

Therefore, many people speculate that the order should be lifted within a week, at which time business people and vendors who are preparing to do some small business will be able to enter and leave the city.

After failing to catch the traitor, a major operation finally took place in the city—every Imperial citizen living in the city and countryside had a clear household registration record in the Governor's Mansion, and newborn children had to be registered to be recognized as healthy individuals. Therefore, whenever needed, it was easy to find people who were not from this city.

A large-scale census was immediately launched. Soldiers and officials roamed the streets and alleys every day, investigating the population of every household and every room. Anyone whose origins could not be explained was immediately taken away.

…………

The young man with green eyes leaned his upper body into the kiln pit and accurately stuck the water-soaked dough in his hand onto the surrounding walls. His movements were quick and light, and he finished in no time.

Then put the lid on top and wait for the charcoal inside to bake it, and you'll have a delicious pie that's crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and juicy.

The reason this little shop's pies sell so well is because of their excellent value for money. For just two copper coins, you can get meat, which is a rare find elsewhere. Although the portions are small, the delicious taste keeps their business booming.

This is the second batch. After this batch sells out, we'll close for a break and prepare to chop onions and meat for the next day, knead dough, buy firewood... In short, there's a ton of things to do.

He can read and write, so he is responsible for calculating the day's accounts every night, so he rarely has any free time during the day.

"Peridot, are you there? Come out with your wife for a bit!"

A rough voice suddenly came from the side. Arich turned his head and saw a middle-aged man walking towards him in a hurry. Behind him were two soldiers in chainmail and a clerk holding parchment.

The man was unexpectedly robust, like a bear standing up. He wore a red military-style short robe, a long military knife at his waist, and his waxed leather boots gleamed.

With his neatly trimmed black beard and short-shaved hair, the man was clearly an officer.

The shop owners immediately set out from their camp, bowing and scraping halfway there, clearly showing great respect for the man.

The burly-looking man ignored the shop owners' compliments and asked, as if it were a routine matter:

“The general has issued an order that every household must register all the people living in the house. I know very well that you two are registered in this city, but I heard that a relative of yours came to stay with you these past two days, so I came to ask about his situation.”

"I'm making this clear to you beforehand, so there's nothing you can hide..."

At this point in the painting, the burly officer's face darkened, and an undisguised malice and murderous intent subtly appeared on his features.

"The spy we're going to arrest this time is a notorious villain. Anyone who dares to help him will come to a bad end. You don't want to know what it's like in prison. Don't protect anyone because of connections. It won't do you any good; it will only lead to your utter ruin!"

The officer's menacing threat turned the couple pale. Almost instantly, they realized they had done something similar—Alich, though an old friend, was unregistered and of questionable character… According to regulations, they should have reported the situation to their tribunal.

But because so many suspicious individuals had been arrested in the past two days, the two of them worried that their old friend would suffer the same fate, so they hesitated and ultimately did not report it.

The officer squinted at the two men's suddenly pale faces, a hint of suspicion creeping into his mind. But he didn't show it on his face, simply calling the new young man over.

The young man looked honest and kind, not like someone who would commit crimes. First impressions are often very important and can influence one's judgment... But the pale faces of the couple just now made the officer more suspicious, and what should have been a brief conversation was prolonged.

"Where are your sign and ticket? Let me see them."

The sign was used to record personal identity, while the travel ticket was a necessary document for every traveler and merchant. Every time they passed through a province, they had to be reviewed by local officials, who would then leave a mark on the travel ticket. Upon arrival at their destination, these documents would be checked, and any discrepancies would be investigated.

This kind of document is disposable. A new one must be applied for each journey. If you start from the destination again, the old document will be discarded. Every year, the markings on the documents in each province will change to prevent people from using old documents to get away with it. Each province will also keep a record before the caravan or traveler sets off, so that if any problems arise, they can be traced back to the caravan.

Arich obediently produced the required items. The officer then began a meticulous inspection, carefully comparing each mark with a level of rigor far exceeding that used when inspecting others.

Unfortunately, even though the officer and the clerk tried their best, they couldn't find anything wrong with it. At least under the current conditions, this was all they could do. If they wanted to check more clearly, they would have to go to the southern provinces to check.

After asking a few more questions, they found that the young man was completely discreet and didn't reveal anything suspicious... So the group had no choice but to leave. However, the officer was still wary and gave the shop owner a meaningful look as he left...

This look made the shop owner's face grow even paler, and he even seemed about to collapse.

………………

By nightfall, all the work was done. The kneaded dough was fermenting in a wooden basin, and the chopped onions and minced meat had been marinated with spices. The tomatoes would be chopped and added on-site the next day to ensure the best flavor.

These tasks are not easy, especially kneading dough. Kneading soft, heavy, and highly elastic dough requires physical exertion no less than that of heavy manual labor such as logging or farming. Even the strong and robust male homeowner felt his waist and shoulders aching and weak, and he was so tired that he lay down on the bed and was about to fall asleep.

But he didn't dare close his eyes. A terrible thought caused a struggle within him, and terrible anxiety kept him tossing and turning all night, as if he wanted to be torn in two.

The man understood perfectly the meaning behind the officer's gaze during the day... He and his wife were, after all, just ordinary citizens, and couldn't bear such a tremendous responsibility. If Arich really had a problem, they had to step forward; otherwise, they would definitely be in deep trouble if investigated later.

There's no doubt that Alic is problematic... others may not know, but the master of the house knows something.

The other person was an old friend from his hometown, but after he and his wife went out to make a living, they rarely kept in touch. It was three years ago that he came to Cerisonnas, and he didn't tell anyone. Yet the other person was able to find the place accurately.

It's important to know that the city's layout is quite complex, with many chaotic buildings that are not as orderly as those in the central cities of the empire. Unfamiliar people might even get lost.

Moreover, he had heard rumors in the city—that the empire's spy had green eyes…and his old friend happened to have green eyes, which was too much of a coincidence for him not to be suspicious.

Moreover, the other person's personality has changed a lot. They are no longer as outgoing and cheerful as before, but have become somewhat sullen, making them seem a bit unfamiliar to him.

All these factors, coupled with the warning the officer gave him today, made the man increasingly restless, tossing and turning in bed, unable to fall asleep.

Even his wife remained silent, knowing what her husband was troubled about.

He didn't want to put himself and his wife in danger, but betraying his friend was equally difficult. He looked haggard and eventually sat up in bed.

…………