Armored Cavalry, survive in a world full of mods

They all beamed as they gathered their tents and sleeping bags from the nearby bushes, packed their backpacks and slung them over their shoulders, and after organizing everything they needed, they lined up and left, leaving behind those damned long-legged mosquitoes and blood-sucking leeches.

………………

They moved swiftly, traversing mountains and valleys, and soon emerged from the deep, dense forest. Because of their well-organized formation, they moved even faster than elite mountain hunters… and thus witnessed this scene before them—

The boxes had already been placed on the ground, and a group of men who had come with them to help had opened the bags and were picking through the gold, gems, silver, and copper coins inside, laughing and stuffing them into their pockets, like bandits returning from a robbery and dividing up their spoils.

The mountain archers stared in disbelief, then a chilling sensation spread down their spines... In their excitement, they hadn't even considered this, forgetting just how much of a scoundrel their lawless fellow countrymen were!

Without their leader needing to say anything, everyone immediately scattered and rushed into the midst of the still-moving creatures, grabbing their sword sheaths without mercy and striking them on the head. Countless curses poured from their mouths like raindrops as they kicked and punched them away from the valuables.

Having spent so much time in the military, they quickly picked up all sorts of swear words, and now, under their barrage, the jovial mountain people were completely bewildered. They were about to run away with their heads in their hands, but one by one, they were grabbed by their clothes and arrested.

Arresting them wasn't enough; they showed no mercy whatsoever, beating their fellow villagers mercilessly until they were crying out for their parents and writhing in agony.

The one who fought the fiercest was a short girl. Colin was so angry that his hair was practically on fire. He grabbed his sword sheath and started hitting people indiscriminately. Several of his own men were even accidentally injured by her and hurriedly ran away.

Only after all these people had been knocked to the ground, their groans of half-dead agony filling the air, did Colin, finally managing to catch his breath, speak out angrily:

"You bunch of idiots! Are your heads empty? You sons of bitches! None of you are as smart as the pigs in your own mud sty! Who told you to rummage through these spoils! If you want to die, just tell me, and I'll give you a quick and painless kill! If you want to die a little slower, I'll slowly skin you alive!"

As Colin's insults grew increasingly vulgar, some of the unruly mountain people, despite having just been beaten, still shouted defiantly:

"There's so much stuff, and we put in the effort too, what's wrong with sharing a little? We're all from the same village, how can you be so heartless?!"

"Yes, yes, we also contributed! We're all from the same village. As long as you don't tell anyone, who will know? Wouldn't the whole village benefit too? How come you look down on people just because you joined the army!"

"Yes, yes, it's deep in the mountains, who knows how much we've found? Just turn a blind eye, and everyone'll be better off, won't they?"

"Everyone who sees it gets a share! Everyone who sees it gets a share!"

"I'm your uncle!"

…………

Once one person spoke, the others followed suit, and in the blink of an eye, they exuded a menacing aura. Each of them relied on the fact that they were from the same village and related by blood, displaying a rather arrogant and fearless attitude.

The mountain girl, whose anger had subsided somewhat, suddenly felt a surge of heat spreading from the back of her head, making her dizzy and lightheaded. Even her breathing became difficult, and she gripped the scabbard in her hand so tightly that it creaked and groaned.

Kochkin and his men were equally furious. Looking at their stupid and muddle-headed fellow countrymen, they felt like they were looking at a bunch of squealing idiots, and for a moment they were speechless.

After regaining his composure, Walliff could no longer contain himself. This hot-tempered man stepped forward and began to hurl insults at the crowd:

"You're only allowed to vent your anger now because you're from the same hometown! Otherwise, you'd all be beheaded for what you just did! You fools, don't you know you're no longer the hunters you used to hunt in the mountains?!"

"Your names have already been registered in the military records; you've long been enlisted! If this is discovered, not only will you lose your lives, but your families will also be implicated. Do you even understand this?!"

"If we hadn't arrived in time, and you had really hidden the things from us and put them in your own pockets, our entire tribe would have been implicated when the truth came out. We wouldn't be living such a good life then! Your brains are as stupid as if they've been crawled on by insects!"

"Of course we get a share of what we found, but we have to hand it all over before it's distributed to us. How can we be at a disadvantage? The laws of the army are so strict! You're all acting like idiots, trying to pull the tiger's whiskers!"

………………

At first, the mountain people didn't take it seriously, but as the insults became more and more vicious, they all turned pale and realized what the consequences would be. Some even started to tremble with fear.

The other archers joined in, criticizing their fellow countrymen with a barrage of words, each one more exasperated than the last. They couldn't believe these people, with whom they had once been on good terms, could be so ignorant… This wasn't the era of remote, isolated cities; under the control of a large army, how dare they do such a thing? This went beyond mere suicide…

"I know some of you are carrying something. Take it out now! If I find anything else later, I won't let you off the hook. Hurry up!"

Colin, barely containing his anger, shouted loudly, his eyes even revealing a murderous intent that sent chills down the spines of the listless mountain people. After looking left and right, they hesitantly took out the valuables they had just packed in their arms.

Before long, those precious treasures such as gold and jewels were piled up... I don't know how they hid them in their clothes.

Kochkin and his men swarmed forward again and began to thoroughly search everyone—unsurprisingly, several guys who were hoping to get away with it had hidden some items.

Colin showed no mercy to these people, immediately ordering them to be stripped of their clothes, hung from trees, and severely beaten with leather whips until their skin was torn and bleeding.

Kochkin hesitated, unsure whether he should treat them this way, but the girl remained resolute:

"It's better to get a beating now than to lose your head later, otherwise they'll dare to do it again..."

188 Hunting (1)

A golden light illuminated the entire tent, making Tersolius's eyes glaze over. He had to squint and rub his eyes, which may have been partly due to his two nights of working through the night, making his eyes a little too sensitive.

It has to be said that Colin really gave him a big surprise... The wealth piled up in front of him, filling the tents, was most likely the wealth accumulated by bandits in the mountains, and now it had fallen into his hands.

The guys in front of me were all covered in dirt and dust, as if they had crawled out of the deep mountains and forests. Even experienced hunters would be covered in mud and fallen leaves, not to mention that they had been in there for a whole week in search of this treasure. They must have fed the mosquitoes their fill these past two days.

"Well done, you deserve credit."

Tersolius waved his hand slightly, and immediately a military clerk went to handle it. The mountain people cheered, feeling that their hard work over the past few days had not been in vain. In particular, some of the unlucky ones had been bitten by mosquitoes particularly badly, and their bodies were covered with large and small bumps that had not yet disappeared. They had scratched themselves until they were bloody, and they would probably suffer for several more days.

"Since you found these things, you're entitled to a share. Go and collect them yourselves after the inventory is complete."

…………

The matter was resolved quickly, and news of the mountain people finding the treasure spread like wildfire. Especially after they received their share of the spoils, they instantly became the wealthiest group in the army, even richer than the well-paid officers. Buying houses and land in the city was no longer a difficult task.

This legendary event caused a huge uproar in the army. Many people who had previously participated in the bandit suppression were kicking themselves in regret, wondering why such good fortune hadn't befallen them, when they had also traversed mountains and valleys with the local people...

For a time, the mountain people attracted envious and jealous glances wherever they went. They truly stole the show, just as Kochkin had predicted. For a while, no one remembered the jokes they had made before. They were now completely associated with the concept of making a fortune, and anyone who mentioned them would immediately think of them.

In particular, besides sharing the spoils of war, everyone also had their merits recorded. It should be noted that in this country with a large and elite army, earning military merits is never an easy task. One after another, capable and strong soldiers fight bloody battles here, and the difficulty of standing out from among them, gaining merits, and rising through the ranks is unimaginable.

The massive victory that had previously decimated the Kurist forces had brought the entire legion a fortune. Besides the spoils of war, everyone had been promoted, many breaking through the bottlenecks that had bound them for years, rising to the rank of centurion or chiliarch. The Myris legion, which had joined forces with them, also reaped considerable rewards, but such opportunities for merit were extremely rare…

An elite legion soldier can be allocated a piece of land after retirement and live a life where he doesn't have to worry about food and clothing. However, if he has a military rank, his treatment will be very different. A squad leader can usually get a position like a village protector after retirement, and his treatment is incomparable to that of an ordinary soldier.

As for the centurion, it goes without saying that reaching this position already allows them to accumulate considerable wealth. Unless they are fools, it is easy for them to become rich and powerful after leaving the army.

It is precisely because the differences are so vast and the treatment so disparate that no one wants to be left behind, and it is even more difficult to gain enough merit... In fact, many people envy the honors they receive more than the wealth they acquire, and their eyes are red with jealousy.

Suddenly, the mountain people were all beaming with pride. They felt triumphant, as if their previous misfortunes had been blown away by the wind to the Palias Mountains, leaving no trace. Now, they even walked with their noses in the air, risking being sacked.

Of course, they toned it down a bit later. After all, they weren't really fools. Although they were straightforward, they realized that it was easy to offend people...

Tomorrow is the day of departure. The mountain people in the village who have joined the army have also arrived at the military camp for training. However, for some reason, many of them have bruises on their faces and marks from being whipped, but they all avoid talking about it and look guilty, as if they are afraid that others will find out something.

If pressed too hard, they would just make up some excuses to brush it off. Although some people were still curious, they were just a group of new recruits after all, and soon no one was interested in it anymore. After all, they were leaving tomorrow, and supplies were already fully stocked. Everyone had packed their luggage and were all eager to go home, so they couldn't be bothered with unimportant things.

The thousands of new recruits recruited earlier have already received some training; at least they know basic drills and marching. This time, they will return with the legion and be stationed near the capital. They will not be able to go home until they receive permission and leave.

Everyone is waiting for tomorrow's sunrise to begin their journey home... but some are waiting for something else...

………………

The soldiers guarding the cells wore short-sleeved chainmail, with a short sword at their waist and a simple helmet on their heads. They were using white waxwood sticks to knock on the cell doors, creating a series of crisp, clanging sounds that silenced the still noisy rooms.

This white waxwood stick is tough and sturdy. It's perfect for beating people. As long as you're careful, it's not easy to break. It's also very cheap, and if it breaks, you can easily replace it with another one. But the suffering of the prisoners is real. Some prisoners have been locked up for a long time and have been beaten a lot. Now, when they see this stick, they shrink back in fear.

The empire's prisons also have a strict management system. The daily schedule for prisoners is clearly defined, and any violation will result in severe punishment.

Every now and then, some clueless fool would be tied to the bloodstained pillar in the courtyard, the sound of whips splattering blood and screams clearly audible to every cell nearby.

Time passed slowly, and as night deepened, apart from the footsteps of the guards walking in the corridor, there were no other noises; a chilling silence accompanied everyone.

The quiet atmosphere seemed destined to continue until the moon was high in the sky, when a muffled thunderclap startled the entire prison, as if lightning had struck the courtyard, causing everyone, whether asleep or awake, to gather in panic at the door and windows.

A thick cloud of smoke billowed from a prison window under the moonlight. The air was so thick that it was impossible to see what was happening. A brass whistle blew, and the guards quickly assembled, grabbed their weapons, and prepared to suppress any potential escapees…

Then they discovered that there was only one missing prisoner—an important, well-hidden cell surrounded by all the other cells, which was now empty. A huge crater had appeared in the ground, with jagged gaps formed by broken bricks around it, and the bed that had once been there had fallen into it.

Without waiting for the dust to clear, the panicked captain of the guard rushed in with his men. The escape of this important prisoner terrified him, and he broke out in a cold sweat, fearing that he would be held responsible.

They huddled around the cave entrance, exchanging glances and discussing for a moment. Soon, someone threw in a torch, igniting the rough bed directly below. In the firelight, a tunnel just wide enough for two people to pass through appeared before them; only darkness remained in the distance, and the fresh earth around them exuded a damp scent.

…………

Before long, the entire prison was bustling with activity. Only a few guards remained, while the rest split into two groups: one went into the tunnel, and the other followed the tunnel's direction from above. At the same time, messengers were sent out to spread the word, preparing to immediately search the city for this audacious criminal.

The other prisoners were also gathered at the door, each with a strange expression. However, they were blocked by the sturdy cells, and no matter how much they wanted to do something, they could only watch helplessly, but they were also constantly looking for a possible opportunity.

But they are destined to be disappointed, because the real goal is no longer here.

…………

I have indeed become the target!

Alec limped forward, blood still dripping from the sharp dagger in his hand.

Only now did he realize how ridiculous he had been. He thought he knew a lot about his organization, but he had never seen such methods before...

In his original plan, even if the organization wanted to kill him, they would definitely have to send someone in to infiltrate the cell so that they could cut his throat and pierce his heart... The black-clad men of the Empire had also made the necessary preparations, and even a mosquito trying to get into the cell would be crushed by them.

But who could have imagined that they had somehow managed to dig a tunnel leading to his cell without him even noticing? He slept in bed every day without even hearing any noise from under the floorboards, as if the tunnel had always been there, even before the prison was built.

Fortunately, he had a weapon with him and fought desperately at the moment when he was closest to death, which temporarily saved his life. However, he was also hit hard on the shoulder. In order to survive, he had no choice but to escape into this tunnel.

He finally breathed a sigh of relief when he heard a commotion behind him—assassins wouldn't shout like that; it could only be prison guards.

The shackles on his feet were just a smokescreen; he could remove them at any time if he wanted. They were also a precaution for escaping in a critical moment, because he, as bait, couldn't afford to get hurt before catching a big fish...

He only breathed a sigh of relief when the guards found him. He threw down his weapon almost without resistance, raised his hands, and squatted down.

He was kicked to the ground without resistance, punched and kicked, then chained again, lifted up, and driven back.

Surrounded, he actually felt relieved, thinking that he had escaped the danger tonight, and even his steps became lighter... until a sharp pain suddenly came from his chest, and he looked down in alarm.

A blood-stained sword tip emerged from his chest, and a stream of blood trickled down his chest, staining a large area of ​​his tattered linen clothes red. A feeling of weakness and exhaustion spread throughout his body, making him unable to stand steadily.

As the sword was drawn, Arich swayed twice and fell to the ground. A guard of medium build wiped the short sword in his hand on his sleeve, while the others stood silently around him watching.

"The perpetrator refused to surrender and even tried to break through the encirclement. In the ensuing desperate resistance, we were caught off guard..."

"Clap clap clap!"

A muffled clapping sound suddenly rang out in the small underground space, interrupting the guard's words. With a sinister laugh, a figure wearing a brass bird-beak mask emerged from one side of the tunnel, his black robe reflecting the smoothness of silk in the firelight.

"That's quite a move. We really underestimated your abilities..."

As soon as he finished speaking, the guard who had drawn his short sword charged at him without hesitation, the sword aimed directly at the black-robed man's heart. The others also rushed forward, their faces ruthless and resolute, a dense barrage of blades about to surround the black-robed man.

"interesting……"

The bird-beak mask gently stepped back, and in the next instant, the ground above its head collapsed, burying several guards who were caught off guard. Bright moonlight pierced through the smoke and dust, and countless crossbow bolts were loaded onto bowstrings, brewing a terrifying force.

"But it's only a little bit, it's still not quite there yet, you know what I mean?"

The brass mask tilted slightly, accompanied by a soft laugh. The densely packed men in black surrounding the area also laughed. A cloud of blue smoke drifted away with the shattered glass bottle. Amidst the noisy, panicked shouts, countless lassos, grappling hooks, and iron shackles fell.

………………

Meanwhile, countless people were arrested—they might be small merchants selling charcoal, chefs making bread, or vendors selling pickled vegetables… but at this very moment, they all met the same fate.

Some of them would draw their weapons to resist when their deeds were exposed, while others would simply attempt suicide. However, most of them were caught and overthrown in a hurry, their mouths were gagged, they were tied up, and they were taken out of the city by fast horses and headed towards the military camp outside the city.

Tonight, the city belongs to another group, to the hunters and waiters in the darkness, while the rats lurking in the shadows are facing annihilation...

189 Hunting (2)

Knights dressed in black moved through the city's streets and alleys, their black robes billowing in the air currents, with only the bronze surfaces beneath the black fabric occasionally gleaming with metallic light.

At the same time, a group of figures of varying heights, builds, and strengths were running and walking quickly on the surrounding alleyways, roof beams, and bricks. Despite their height and weight, they did not break the thin tiles under their feet, each of them as light as a swallow.

They were like a flock of ghosts flitting by, able to climb onto rooftops without disturbing the sleeping citizens, until they finally revealed their sharp fangs after spotting their target...

They accurately located seemingly ordinary places, then easily broke the bolts and rushed in to find their prey, taking down those who were either panicked, resolute, or fierce.

The long clamps used by the jailers were specially optimized for locking prisoners. Once the sturdy iron frame was around a prisoner's neck, the user holding the long handle could easily control the prisoner's life or death. They could break the cervical vertebrae with a little force at any time, or forcibly drag away a strong man with very little strength.

With close coordination and sudden attacks, the vast majority of targets were easily captured, their hands and feet bound, their mouths gagged, and they were thrown directly onto horses and tied up before being hurriedly moved to the next area.

……

In a small village near the city, a commotion startled the villagers from their sleep. Thinking that thieves had come to plunder the village, they immediately alerted their companions. The men of each household grabbed their spears and swords, lit torches, and hurried out of their homes, forming a small team with their neighbors and heading towards the center of the village.

When they arrived at the center of the village, they discovered that it was not a thief, but a woman who was clutching the hem of a man in black robes, crying and screaming loudly. Her tears and snot glistened in the torchlight, and her throat became hoarse from crying.

The notorious miser from their village, the charcoal burner, was already bound and strapped to a horse. He looked like he had suffered a lot before being tied up... Not only were his eye sockets bruised and swollen, but several of his fingers were even broken in the opposite direction. His head and face were covered in blood. If it weren't for the faint breathing sounds coming from him, he would have looked like a corpse.

Everyone recognized the woman; she was a resident of the village just like them. But the villagers were frozen in place, as if a snake had crawled down their necks, barely daring to move, even holding their breath. The only sound was the crackling of the torches…

The man in black, whose clothes were being tugged, turned to look at the persistent woman. His bronze mask, bearing a maniacal laugh, exuded a chilling, terrifying aura.

"You should thank us, woman. If we hadn't made sure you were alright, you wouldn't have had the chance to throw a tantrum here... Believe me, you'd be begging me to let you die..."

The disheveled woman suddenly shuddered, as if she had been plunged into ice water, and her legs involuntarily went weak, turning her into a limp mess. The corner of the robe she was tightly clutching in her hands also loosened naturally.

The man in black let out a sneer, turned and leaped onto his silent warhorse, leading his men away in a gallop. They disappeared into the night in no time, leaving only the silent villagers in the center of the village and a woman sobbing.

………………

The military camp was brightly lit tonight, with weapons on display everywhere and strict orders being given. Every now and then, a small group of knights dressed in black would come to the front of the camp, announce the order, and then enter the military camp, which resembled a bustling town, with their spoils.