Armored Cavalry, survive in a world full of mods

Realizing he might be in serious trouble, Kalido didn't dare hide anything. He quickly told them everything he knew. After he finished speaking, the 10-person team opposite him fell into an eerie silence, then quietly distanced themselves and began to discuss things in hushed tones.

The young people are still on high alert, but at least they can catch their breath a little...

“Parkinson, something seems off. We saw the messenger go by with our own eyes, so how come this kid says they didn’t see the notice at all?”

A mountain man with messy hair scratched his curly hair and asked his captain in confusion. His captain, however, hadn't figured anything out either and remained silently squatting on the ground.

"Was it done by these bandits we're hunting? Maybe they sensed something and are trying to escape from the other side of the pass?"

"They must have a death wish! They dare to expose the proclamation issued in the name of the magistrate, as if they don't want to die fast or miserably enough? They're determined to attract more people to deal with them."

"But this brat said that the officials in the town over there didn't say anything to them... Could it be that the news hasn't reached them yet? That shouldn't be the case. They should have arrived by now, even on foot, let alone on a fast horse, with such a good road."

"Alright, everyone shut up."

The bearded mountain leader, his eyes deep in thought, scratched his chin.

“There’s definitely something fishy going on here. It’s something we can’t figure out. Let’s report it to those ‘Black Crows’ and let them handle it. Those guys can get even a mute to open their mouth and confess to their crimes.”

"Yes, that's what we should do. Those guys are the best at this kind of thing."

"Anyway, we can't figure it out with our own brains, so it's best to let the professionals handle it."

"As expected, Captain, you're the smartest!"

…………

Ignoring the rambling flattery from his men, the bearded mountain man turned to look at the still somewhat wary young men:

"You're lucky today. We're going back anyway, so we can give you a ride. Hurry up and pack your things, we'll leave right away."

————————————————————————————————————————————

The carriage was traveling on the road again. The three draft horses were very lucky and were not hit by arrows. It was also possible that the bandits deliberately did not want to harm these precious animals, so that they would not have to use their own manpower to pull these large carts.

Another piece of good news is that Uncle Maris was not killed by the arrows. As a seasoned driver who often transports goods, he had deliberately worn a leather armor made of hard cowhide under his clothes before setting off. Although he was caught off guard and hit by several arrows, he was not seriously injured. He was just unable to move because of his injuries.

The bodies of five companions were piled on the wagon, their blood dripping onto the ground, leaving long red streaks. The sorrow emanating from those pale, familiar faces cast a somber shadow over the entire procession. They simply walked forward with their heads down.

Before even reaching their destination, a quarter of them had already been lost, a devastating blow and a painful lesson for these young people. The deaths of their peers, with whom they had spent so much time, also deeply saddened them, with some even weeping in secret.

But now that things have come to this, no one is willing to back down. After all, they have already paid such a high price, and they cannot go back empty-handed. Those who can make up their minds are not too confused; they can all understand this point.

As dusk enveloped the sky and the setting sun cast a faint purple glow, they finally saw their destination: Poridos, the capital city of Cerisonas. The twinkling lights in the city became guiding beacons, rousing everyone to quicken their pace.

Thus, this long journey finally came to an end.

…………

Two days later, the messenger returned to the capital city after traveling a long distance and delivered the message to Tersolius, who finally learned the results of the investigation into the unusual situation that had occurred two days earlier.

These jailers, who came here specifically to be at the emperor's command, were indeed extraordinary. Or rather, they performed the functions of police to some extent. Although their attire was similar, they had a strict hierarchy and division of labor within the organization, and cases like this were also within their scope of responsibility.

In just two days of investigation, not counting the time spent traveling, they had already reached an accurate conclusion—the town officials in the Karalast Pass had deserted their posts and colluded with bandits in the mountains, leaking the whereabouts of "easy targets" passing through the town to those vicious and ruthless bandits, and then sharing the spoils of the robbery to obtain bloody wealth.

These bandits also understood the importance of doing business for the long term, so they never hesitated to share what they should with their partners... Through these dirty deals, more than a dozen caravans have disappeared silently into those mountains and forests in recent years, but due to the complexity of the mountains and forests and the deliberate perfunctory attitude of these officials, the cases were often dropped and covered up.

The messenger who delivered the message has been confirmed dead; it was those audacious bandits who did it. Because of the messenger's negligence, he did not raise the army's flag, so he was mistaken for an ordinary traveler. After all, it was just a mountain road, and he could have made the round trip in a morning.

The bandits obtained the relevant documents from this messenger and immediately realized they were in deep trouble. Several leaders immediately led their core men to flee... Before fleeing, they didn't even forget to inform their partners. So when the following caravans arrived, the town was no longer under any administration, which is why they were completely unaware of the blockade order.

Meanwhile, the abandoned ordinary bandits remained oblivious to their impending doom, continuing to search for prey in the dense jungle... and that is the truth of it all... at least based on the evidence found so far.

167 The Father's Trail (1)

Now that the general situation had been confirmed, there was no need to delay any longer, and Tersolius made a decisive decision:

"Go and fetch Colin for me."

The order was immediately relayed, and before he could finish reading the other document in his hand, the person he was looking for had already walked in and walked right up to him.

"Please take a seat when you arrive. I have a task for you."

As Thesolius spoke, he looked up, and then he was struck by surprise…

Why do you look like that? Is something wrong?

The mountain girl before me no longer possessed her usual vibrant energy and wildness; even her hair was disheveled, and her face was filled with a troubled and worried expression. Her two slender but not delicate hands were clasped together and twisting back and forth, almost as if she were expressing all her worries on her face.

His impression of this woman had always been that of a tomboyish, carefree girl. She dared to raid his army the very first time she escaped from the mountains. Although it was a desperate measure to survive, it still demonstrated her utter lawlessness. After all, most people would have been too terrified to move at the sight of so many menacing, armored cavalrymen, yet she managed to incite those who had escaped with her to attack.

What Teresolus admired most was that she didn't just think about plundering supplies by risking her life. Instead, she clearly recognized her own weakness and cleverly used a diversionary tactic, drawing the enemy's attention with the majority of her forces while the more agile stealers took the opportunity to steal supplies. Moreover, she had planned a complex and difficult retreat route in advance, so that no matter how difficult the target was, they could rely on their resourcefulness to avoid most of the losses.

Moreover, this method only steals a small portion of the supplies, and most caravans are unlikely to bother with such a small amount, let alone venture into the dense forest to settle accounts with them. No matter how you look at it, it is a very good and foolproof plan, and a good way to make money slowly and steadily.

Unfortunately, they encountered Thesolius, who had piqued their interest. The anger of being tricked by the bandits would not allow these proud cavalrymen to give up easily... and so the situation became what it is today—the mountain people, under irresistible pressure, finally lived a life of plenty, with no worries about food or drink, free arrows, and monthly pay, and were almost suffocating from the weight of their affluent lives.

In a situation where she has nothing to worry about and only needs to fight hard, she shouldn't be showing such an expression... In other words, something extraordinary must be happening to make her look like that, something that could even destroy her mentality.

Thesoris's expression quickly turned serious, seeing that the other party was still hesitant. So he spoke directly:

“Just tell me what’s wrong. This dragging on is making you look like a frightened little girl.”

These words finally elicited a response from Colin, who gritted his teeth and raised his face:

"My lord, I must apologize to you!"

As soon as she finished speaking, she knelt down on one knee, burying her head almost in her knees, an awkward and sorrowful feeling spreading out, almost without any attempt to hide it.

Thesolius sighed and stood up:

"Tell me, what trouble have you gotten into this time? You didn't get together and gamble on a huge scale again, did you?!"

"No! No." Colin shook his head. "We already lost enough face last time! If they dare to do it again, I'll hang them from the flagpole and whip them to death!"

"Why is that? Tell me straight, don't beat around the bush."

…………

After a dozen seconds of hesitation, the mountain girl, her face full of worry, finally uttered these words:

“Parkin and his squad brought me a message—they saw the beacon totem my father set up in that forest! They might be in that forest.”

"Isn't this a good thing? You said before that your father led half the people in the opposite direction to try to survive, and now that you've finally found them... You mean..."

Theorrhus's expression first showed confusion, then sudden surprise, and finally a thoughtful look.

Colin, however, spoke without hesitation what Thesolius had left unsaid:

"That's right, it's that forest with the thieves..."

Would your father be the kind of person to do such a thing?

Tersolius narrowed his eyes slightly as he began to think. He realized that this matter was one that required his attention and effort to resolve, rather than simply leaving it all to his subordinates…

"I don't know, sir..."

Colin bit his finger with a conflicted expression:

"Logically speaking, my dad shouldn't do such a wicked thing... Although he's usually unserious and prone to impulsive and reckless actions, he'll always lend a hand to anyone in need. Several boys in our village survived because of his help. But he values ​​everyone in the village, and if they really can't survive..."

Tersolius immediately understood what she hadn't said—if his people were truly on the verge of starvation, that man probably wouldn't be bound by any morality or ethics; he would still rob them, just like Colin had done before.

Given the ferocity of the bandits roaming those mountain roads, it's quite possible that it was these mountain people, each a skilled hunter, who did it.

Tersolius realized the seriousness of the matter—Colin was already an important general under his command. If the girl's father became a mountain bandit, slaughtered caravans, or even dared to intercept messengers, the negative consequences would be immeasurable. Whether the girl could remain in the army was uncertain, and she might even be implicated and imprisoned.

Regardless, he needs to handle this matter as soon as possible, and do it well and steadily.

"Can we find them?"

“No problem. The people in our village make special marks in the forest so that only our own people can find their homes by following the marks, preventing the bandits who are everywhere in our area from finding the village. I think my old man is no exception. Maybe he erected that beacon totem hoping that one day we would see it.”

"Then let's not linger here." Tersolius reached out and took the sword with a belt from the wooden shelf next to him, and tied it around his waist.

“Select 150 of your fellow villagers from your men and have them assemble outside the camp gate. We’ll go find them immediately… and see what’s going on.”

"Sir, are you going too?!"

Colin looked somewhat surprised, but also a little apprehensive and expectant; even Terzalus could notice the change in his expression.

"Of course, only I can handle this. Stop wasting time and get ready."

Thesolius waved impatiently to shoo them away, and his guards, carrying armor, draped it over him, tightening the buckles and adjusting its position, transforming him back into the heavily armored General Thesolius. He was imposing, dazzling, and so proud that one dared not look directly at him, as if the very embodiment of the word "war."

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

A quarter of an hour later, the gates of the military camp swung open, and a group of cavalrymen in dazzling armor rode out. They did not drape their warhorses in heavy armor, and even their own armor was simplified to make their movements more agile and convenient.

Closely following them were light cavalry mounted on warhorses, their fiery red cloaks billowing like endless clouds, rushing out amidst the neighing of their horses and the clanging of their armor and weapons. Yet, they were disciplined and maintained a perfectly orderly formation at all times.

Fifty mountain men, along with their mounts, waited there. The one at the front, Tersolius, said nothing, simply nodded, and then spurred his horse onto the wide road, heading towards his destination. The cavalry, the mountain men, and the rest of the mountain men immediately followed, quickly advancing along the wide, flat road into the distance.

————————————————————————————————————————————

The young people from the village settled down, finding lodging near an inn in the city. It was a cheap place for travelers; a dozen or so of them squeezed into a large dormitory-style room. Although the living conditions were poor, it saved them a lot of money.

Three days later, as the assessment was about to officially begin, the young people dared not slack off. They selected three people to go out and buy some meat, and everyone gathered together to have a good meal, then conserve their energy and wait for the day they could succeed in one fell swoop.

The three people chosen were, of course, the three most prestigious among them, so that others would not suspect that someone had embezzled the money that everyone had pooled together.

Besides Caledo and Balia, there was also the robust young man who was the first to turn and fight when the villains attacked. His name was Batialis, and his family were Kurist people who had migrated from the east. They had lived in the village for a generation, so in his generation, they were honored to have the opportunity to join the elite legion and embarked on this journey with the other young people they had grown up with.

The three of them had already inquired about the situation and knew that the place in the city that sold meat was in the southeast corner. A large number of fat sheep were slaughtered there every day, and mutton could be bought almost anytime. Moreover, there were restaurants nearby that could process the meat, making it a one-stop service.

Those who truly know how to eat will wait for the freshest, still-beating lamb slaughtered every morning, then take it directly to the restaurant next door so the chef can cook it as soon as possible while it's still fresh. They'll enjoy it with hot morning pies, and then they'll have extra energy for the rest of the day.

Of course, the three of them didn't understand this principle, and they went there in the hottest part of the day, in the afternoon, when the meat was already a bit stale... Of course, the price was also a bit cheaper, so it's hard to say they got ripped off.

Despite having already asked, finding the exact location still required some effort. The bustling city also captivated the three of them, causing them to linger and frequently stop to point out lively spots. Their pace slowed down considerably, and by the time they came to their senses, the sun was already beginning to set in the west. Not daring to delay any longer, they quickened their pace.

No one was slaughtering sheep anymore; only a few pieces of leftover mutton remained on the butcher's stalls. Most of it was grayish in color and not very fresh.

When the three of them went over to ask about the price, they found it was much cheaper than they had expected. Overjoyed, they took out their money and bought a lot of things, threading straw ropes through them and carrying them in their hands. They also bought some taro and radishes that were still not very fresh, planning to cook them with the mutton when they got back.

A stray dog ​​wandering around was attracted by the meat they were carrying and sneakily tried to approach from behind and take a bite. At first, Bartalias, who was carrying the meat, seemed unaware, and the other merchants and pedestrians around them just watched the spectacle with smiles and no words. This was not a rare occurrence. The stray dogs that could survive here were all incredibly cunning, even more so than foxes in the deep forests. Watching the first-time visitors have their meat snatched away by dogs had become a rare form of entertainment for them.

Just as the mangy stray dog ​​approached within two steps of the burly boy, seemingly about to snatch a bite of meat, Bartalis suddenly turned around, gently looped the rope behind him, and caught the stray dog's outstretched snout. He then pulled hard, tightening the slipknot on the rope and binding the dog's mouth shut.

Before the stray dog ​​could even struggle, Bartalis lifted it off the ground with a single effort, examined it closely for a few moments, and then showed a look of disgust.

"I thought I could get a few dozen Priers' worth of meat for free... but it turned out to be a mangy dog, covered in pus and inedible... You're lucky, you dog..."

No sooner had he finished speaking than the sturdy young man kicked the stray dog ​​in the belly, sending it tumbling away with a pitiful howl. Then, without hesitation, he limped away as fast as he could, not even daring to look back.

A small cheer erupted around them. Almost no one expected that such an ordinary-looking boy would have such abilities. A bearded Assele man even picked up two onions and threw them to them, giving them a thumbs up.

Bartolomew revealed a slightly smug expression. His two companions were also surprised by his move and patted him on the shoulder repeatedly.

………………

The three of them had bought enough food. Although they were still a little reluctant to leave the bustling street (they had no idea that the street used to be much more prosperous and was now quite dilapidated), they still had to hurry back and not delay their business.

Just as they were about to turn and leave, a voice suddenly came from the side:

"Go and see! There are cavalrymen passing by on the main road over there."

The three of them stopped abruptly, exchanged a glance, and then changed direction without hesitation, rushing excitedly towards the crowd.

168 The Father's Trail (2)

The Imperials always love to join in the fun, and they have no resistance to well-disciplined and elite soldiers. Although they won't block the army's path because of their ingrained discipline, they can't help but stand by the roadside and take a second look.

A large cavalry force came from afar, raising billowing dust. The sound of their iron hooves was like thunder rolling across the land, attracting the attention of the market's inhabitants early on. No one cared whether they still had things to do; they only felt immense regret for missing out on this spectacle.

Whether they were butchers, cooks, deliverymen, or wood carriers, everyone in the market gathered on the main road beside them, discussing amongst themselves about three meters from the curb. However, out of respect for the sheer size of the crowd, no one dared to whistle or cheer.

The three young men were strong and agile, so even though they learned of the news later, they squeezed to the front and were now excitedly watching the passing elite troops.

After just one glance, an undisguised fear appeared in their eyes, causing the three of them to involuntarily take a half step back—this was the first time they had truly felt the presence of killing intent...

The cavalrymen at the forefront, clad in full iron armor, had only their eyes visible. Their fine, heavy armor reflected glints of silver light, and every detail was meticulously crafted, embodying the dedication and will of the artisans.

Even when they relayed orders, they did so in a barely audible voice, maintaining a terrifying silence most of the time, upholding an orderly formation with absolute discipline and tacit understanding, even their warhorses did not deviate in the slightest.

The spears in their hands, the swords and sabers at their waists, and the iron staffs and chain hammers were all of excellent quality and sturdiness, turning the weapons in their hands into scrap metal pieces, which they didn't even want to look at again.

Just watching the cavalrymen pass by, the three men felt a suffocating sensation, as if a gleaming blade was pressed against their hearts, ready to take their lives at any moment.

The cavalrymen's calm indifference was not a deliberate emotion, but simply a matter of not caring... After donning their armor, mounting their warhorses, and setting off with their general, they cared little for anything other than the enemy; they would only use their martial skills to take the lives of their enemies.

The light cavalry following closely behind were all dressed in fine clothes and riding spirited horses. Although they did not have the heavy armor of the armored cavalry, they were still well protected. Their red cloaks swayed with the air currents, and the bright feathers on their helmets danced like burning flames. Their quivers on their backs contained 30 steel-piercing arrows and 30 broad-bladed arrows for shooting unprotected targets.

Although they moved swiftly and gracefully, appearing quite carefree, they still maintained their inherent discipline. No one dared to disrupt the formation, ensuring that the group maintained a constant and rapid pace.