Rifle charge in Ark, but without a mount

The postscript of the eagle's successor written by the world-weary Xinzhong is completed

"No, Miss Alina, please leave the rest of the materials. You also need them. I only need this one thing." Claude smiled gently, and he was obviously in a good mood.

"Besides, Miss Alina, you sew so well, I should pay you."

As Claude spoke, he flipped the cloak in his hand. The outside was thick black fur, and the inside was smooth red silk that was firmly sewn together with silk thread. The stitches were delicate and the style was grand. The more Claude looked at it, the more he liked it, and he couldn't help but throw it behind him.

The black cloak was like a piece of night sky that was cut off, spreading out in the air and covering Claude's back. Then the two straps in front of him were tied. Claude was completely covered by the cloak.

The wide cloak wrapped around his whole body, reaching down to his knees. It made him look heavy and imposing. The collar of the cloak was a lapel design, revealing the red silk lining inside. It looked luxurious and heroic.

"Mr. Claude's outfit suits him very well." Alina covered her mouth and chuckled.

"It's indeed a good fit." Tallulah also looked at Claude carefully and nodded.

"Thank you also Miss Alina for your exquisite craftsmanship."

Claude continued, "Ms. Alina, take the remaining fur back and make something you need. This guy's fur is quite warm."

Then he turned his head and said to Tallulah, "Tallulah, the things I told you today were not my own ideas. They were obtained by some great predecessors with their brilliant ideas and unremitting sacrifices. I don't know to what extent you can do it, but I think you deserve my help."

Tallulah looked at the young man in front of him. He was wearing a thick cloak. He looked like a senior general of Ursus. Only his handsome face and his heroic eyes were exposed. But she knew that the young man in front of her was fundamentally different from those generals of Ursus.

The thoughts in his mind were so great and dazzling that they were enough to destroy all the ways she had seen the world before. His thoughts were enough to subvert this empire, and even this land. But she knew that what she had learned was just the tip of the iceberg. She could not help but feel an impulse in her heart. She wanted to invite Mr. Claude to stay!

Tallulah was never one to hesitate at a critical moment, but just as she was about to speak, she suddenly hesitated: Should she really invite Mr. Claude? Mr. Claude was not infected, and with his ability, he should have a promising future, but she was going to invite him to participate in her life-threatening career and make enemies with the entire Ursus Empire.

Tallulah thought about it for a long time. Although she had many doubts, she knew that if she didn't say it today, she would regret it for the rest of her life. She wanted to be friends with Claude and let him continue to teach her. So she didn't hesitate and gritted her teeth.

"Mr. Claude, I would like to invite you to join us, to join my organization. I would like to invite you to witness the path you mentioned together." Tallulah's expression was extremely firm. Once she made up her mind, she would no longer regret or hesitate.

Claude's expression was slightly surprised. He really didn't expect that Tallulah would invite him to join her. Family members know their own business. His knowledge was just at the level of surfing the Internet. If he was really asked to guide the ideology, it would be difficult. He was better at leading the army to defeat the enemy.

So after a little thought, Claude was ready to reject Tallulah. But looking at the girl's determined expression, there was a fire burning in her eyes. That was the fire that only people with firm beliefs would have, and they would give everything for their ideals. Such people should be very rare, but in this world, Claude has met several of them in succession. Their firm will shone like the sun, and Claude hesitated to reject her. In the end, he only said one sentence.

"Please let me think about this."

Hearing this, Tallulah, who was a little nervous, breathed a sigh of relief.

"Of course! You can answer me any time you want. You're always welcome to join us."

"If you don't mind, could you let me see your other companions?"

"Of course, I'll take you to see them tomorrow."

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"Are you sure you want to go with me? It's okay for you to rest here today." Claude said to Xintlia, who was shivering next to him and her clothes were still a little thin.

"It's no problem. After all, I'm a regular knight who once participated in the Knights' Tournament. My physical fitness isn't that bad." Cintria looked at Claude's warm cloak with envy while still being stubborn.

"Please wait a moment." Alina came out with a small cloak. She came to Xinteleya and said to her.

"Xintelaiya, this is for you." As he said this, he put the cloak on Xintelaiya without saying a word.

This cloak is very similar to Claude's. It's just one size smaller. When Xintela put it on, she immediately felt warm. Claude looked at her with an awkward expression. He didn't expect this. Miss Alina was really thoughtful.

"Thank you, Alina." Alina happily accepted Hitler's thanks. She then said to Claude.

"Don't worry, Mr. Claude. There are still a lot of materials left, enough for us to use."

The two of them didn't delay any further and left with Tallulah.

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On the way out, Claude finally couldn't help but ask Tallulah, "Miss Tallulah, aren't you cold wearing this?"

Tallulah was stunned for a moment, but soon understood what Claude meant. She replied, "It's okay, you don't have to worry. Because of my Originium skills, my body temperature is much higher than Superman's, and I am not afraid of the cold."

Claude nodded to show that he understood, and then he continued to ask.

"Ms. Tallulah, could you introduce your two companions to me?"

"Of course, no problem. Speaking of my two companions, they have been fighting for the interests of the infected on this snowy plain long before I did."

"They are the Snowfield Guerrillas that are circulated among the infected. They are composed of the Snow Monster Squad and the Shield Guards. The Snow Monster Squad is led by Miss Yelena, who is a very powerful warlock. The Shield Guards are led by Mr. Patriot, who was once a legendary warrior of the Ursus Empire. Their personalities may not be easy to get along with, but they are all very good people. You will know when you meet them."3

This time, the infected warriors around Tallulah did not follow, they stayed in the village to protect Alina's safety. After all, although the patrol team had not come for a long time since the last time, they still couldn't guarantee anything.

Although the guerrillas were hiding not far from the village, the road was not easy to walk on. They had to pass through many dangerous mountain passes. They had to walk through snow fields that were knee-deep and could even drown a person. It took a lot of effort for the three of them to reach the guerrillas' hiding place.

As they were about to reach the intersection, Claude suddenly stopped and turned to look at a bush nearby. Suddenly, a group of elite warriors in white uniforms appeared from nowhere. They held long swords, crossbows, and magic wands in their hands. They surrounded the three of them.

These warriors seemed well-equipped and well-trained. Several crossbowmen quickly occupied the commanding heights and aimed their crossbows at them from above. In the front were several tall and strong sword and shield warriors. Not far behind them was a warlock holding a staff.

Just as Tallulah was about to explain something, a cold female voice suddenly interrupted her.

"Tallulah, you'd better give us a reasonable explanation. Why did you bring a stranger here?"

Claude looked at the white-haired girl in thin clothes with a pair of long rabbit ears. She exuded a bone-chilling coldness, causing the temperature around her to continue to drop, forming a thin layer of frost on the outside of his cloak.

A New Beginning: Chapter 19 The Infected

The coldness of Ursus was the kind that could silence all life. But now Claude felt an even colder one. The cold air around him entered his nose and lungs, bringing an uncomfortable stinging pain like a needle, making him feel as if his lungs were being frozen into ice.

Maybe this isn't an illusion, Claude thought, and lightning began to flow from the sword in his hand.

Even if Tallulah said that they were trustworthy comrades, Claude would not easily let down his guard. People who were careless on the battlefield often died early.

The positions of these people were very clever. Not only did they block the retreat of Claude and the other two, but they also left a good view for the warlock and the crossbowman. If they made any movement, they would be drowned by arrows and spells. It was not that Claude had no chance. The girl was a warlock, but she was too close to him. With his speed, he could easily break through the encirclement of these people. He could rush to her before the crossbowman and the warlock killed him.

Of course, Claude was not alone, and he also felt that it was very stupid to attack the other party on the first meeting. So although Claude was prepared, he still watched Tallulah and the white-haired girl negotiate quietly.

"Yelena, don't worry. They are trustworthy people. Just a few days ago, they defeated the picket team and rescued Alina."

"Even if they are trustworthy, why didn't you give us a tip and bring them directly to our hiding place? Don't you know that this behavior is very dangerous?"

"Please forgive me, Yelena, but I am absolutely sure this time."

………………

The two talked for a while, then Yelena raised her hand and made a gesture, and the warriors put away their weapons.

Then she came to Claude and the other man. "Since Tallulah has given you a guarantee, I will trust you first, but if you do anything suspicious here, don't blame us for taking special measures."

"Of course, I understand." Claude certainly understood how dangerous the guerrillas' situation was in a place where the enemy was strong, and no matter how careful they were, it would not be too much.

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When entering the camp, the first thing you see is a row of tents. Although they look rough, they are set up in a very orderly manner. Not only is the front of the camp easy to defend but also there is an evacuation route in the back. Moreover, there is a forest not far from the camp. There is also plenty of wood for making fire. It can be seen that the commander is a very experienced veteran.

This is a typical semi-permanent camp, with simple but effective roadblocks and walls. This type of camp is usually inhabited for about one or two months and is very easy to dismantle.

Soldiers wrapped tightly in their clothes could be seen everywhere in the camp, and they didn't even show their faces. When Claude was looking at them, they were also looking at Claude. This young man always gave them a very dangerous feeling, which made them secretly alert.

The gazes of these battle-hardened warriors were enough to scare ordinary people. But Claude remained calm. He looked around and then walked directly to their center and sat down by the campfire.

"What are you eating?" Claude looked at the iron pot on the campfire. There was white thick soup in it, but he couldn't tell what was inside.

A tall member of the Yeti team nearby looked at the outspoken Claude and was somewhat speechless, but still answered him.

"Just some dry bread and taro soup."

"Bring me a bowl."

The members of the Yeti Squad looked surprised. "We are infected."

"Will I get an infection if I eat this?" "Uh... no."

"That's right. Come, give me a bowl." Claude said as he took a clean bowl and chopstick next to him and handed it over.

A female member of the Yeti team who was sitting by the fire took his bowl and filled it up with interest. She also handed him a piece of dry bread next to it.

Claude stirred the bowl with a spoon. Most of the bowl was soup with only a little taro. The dry bread had been stored for a long time and felt hard.

After taking a big sip of soup, Claude frowned.

"No salt?" "No salt for the time being, so we can only make do with it for now."

Claude reached into his waist bag and smiled at the soldiers around him who suddenly became alert.

"I have some here, put it in." Claude threw the small bag in his hand to the female member of the Yeti team who had just served him food.

The other party looked at the paper bag in his hand and hesitated. This was given by a stranger of unknown origin, but they were in urgent need of salt. If the strong soldiers could not eat salt, they would become sore and weak.

Claude looked at her in a daze, shook his head, stood up, walked to the pot, poured the dried meat and some dry food in the bag into the pot, then took the paper bag in her hand, opened it, and poured the snow-white salt into the pot.

The members of the Yeti Squad looked at him in a daze. He should have stopped this stranger just now, but for some reason he didn't dare to scold him.

"How can a soldier go to the battlefield to fight the enemy on an empty stomach?"

As Claude spoke, he poured the soup in his hand into the bowl and filled a new bowl for himself. He sat on the stone and started eating first.

Seeing him eating so happily, the other soldiers couldn't help but swallow their saliva, but they still didn't dare to act on their own and all focused their eyes on the girl named Yelena.

Yelena was also a little surprised. It was really that Claude's actions were too natural, and she didn't even think of stopping him. But he had already proved that there was no poison. There was no reason for her to stop her brothers and sisters from eating. So she nodded, and the members of the Yeti team started eating. The originally vigilant and stiff atmosphere suddenly became harmonious.

Claude sat by the fire, eating, and chatting with the surrounding snow monsters. The indifferent snow monsters were aroused by his words, and soon they talked to him enthusiastically. He talked and laughed freely among the soldiers, and there were bursts of laughter.

Tallulah and Yelena were watching his performance in amazement from behind. If an uninformed person saw this scene, it would seem as if he was the commander of this team.

But Xinteleya looked like she was not surprised. She already knew what kind of person this guy was. It was like this in the Great Knight Territory. He seemed to be able to easily gain the trust of others. She walked forward and sat down. While Claude was talking to others, he also poured her a bowl.

The more Yelena looked at the situation, the more she felt something was wrong. Just when she was about to say something, Tallulah suddenly grabbed her.

"Yelena, come here, I have something to show you."

Yelena, full of doubts, was taken to a tent by Talula, who took out a booklet from her arms and handed it to her.

"Take a close look at this."

After hearing her words, Yelena was a little confused, but she still opened the booklet in her hand and started reading.

She was watching it casually at first, but she suddenly sat up straight, and her expression became more and more shocked. The things in it were earth-shaking for her. Some things that she couldn't figure out before suddenly had answers. She tried to find loopholes in these statements, but she found that she couldn't do it at all after combining her own personal experience with the old man's personal experience.

Tallulah looked at Yelena, whose expression was as shocked as hers, and suddenly a smile appeared in her heart.

"Tallulah, where did you find this?" Yelena finally couldn't control her surging emotions, and she asked Tallulah anxiously.

"Mr. Claude outside told me all these things, so I believe he is the one who can change all this."

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

"Um, so Mr. Patriot isn't here?"

"Yes, Big Dad is going to attack the Originium Mine today to rescue the infected inside. Mr. Claude, do you have anything to do with Big Dad?"

"Indeed, I would like to see the old gentleman."

"Mr. Claude, don't blame me for speaking harshly, but I think Daddy will probably be disgusted with you."

"What's the reason?"

"There is no other reason. The main reason is that you are a knight of Casimir, Mr. Claude. Big Dad has fought with Casimir all his life. Big Dad has a stubborn temper and may be hostile to you, Mr. Claude."

"Oh, is that so? It doesn't matter. I still hope to meet him."

"Well, I'll tell you when Daddy comes back."

"No, just tell me where the mine is and I'll go find him." Claude stood up and began to pack up his equipment.

"Mr. Claude, you don't need to make another trip. Big Daddy will be able to take care of the mine quickly. There are only a few dozen guards."

"It doesn't matter. I also wanted to go to the Originium Mine to take a look. It's related to my own business."

After getting the location from the warrior named Big Bear, Claude and Hinterea set out immediately. With the strength of two people, they quickly arrived near the mine.

The mines in the snowfields of Ursus are all the same, with dozens or hundreds of guards. A steady stream of infected or non-infected people are sent here to mine for Originium, which becomes the driving force for the empire's progress and the fuel for its burning.

What? You ask why non-infected people were also sent here? Non-infected people will become infected after digging for two days. This is a common phenomenon in the snowfield of Ursus. The entire Ursus Empire is a war machine disguised as a country. Ursus was built into a machine born for war by the previous emperor. The entire empire is like a tuna in the sea. Once the tuna stops swimming, it will suffocate and die. Once the empire stops fighting, it will fall apart.

Now that the empire cannot start wars at will, it has begun to decay unstoppably. Without wars to divert domestic conflicts, they use the infected as sacrifices. The infected are labeled as guilty, and ordinary people are encouraged to hate them, but they never think that they may be infected one day. Dividing the infected and ordinary people into two classes, they can oppress and abuse the infected unscrupulously and without bottom line, so as to squeeze out all their value and gain the motivation to maintain the empire.

The corruption in Ursus is even more shocking, especially when it comes to the infected. Any patrol member can extort money from villagers on the pretext of being infected. They can also capture a healthy person and send him to the Originium Mine without any evidence, turning him into a real infected person. With this method, an ordinary patrol member can also become rich. When the bodies of the infected pile up in the mine, the money in their pockets is getting higher and higher.

This was the scene that was now before Claude. The patrolmen of the Originium Mine were lying on the snow. To be more precise, their bodies were in pieces. The bodies were scattered on the snow. The smelly internal organs and half-dried blood were piled on the ground. When the iron boots stepped on them, they would pull out sticky red threads when they were lifted up.

The scene looked horrible, but what really attracted Claude's attention was not their bodies, but the piles of infected people next to them. These infected bodies included men, women, children, and the elderly. The elderly were often piled at the bottom because they died first, and the children. The strong men were at the top because they could often hold out longer in the mineral disease and long-term abuse.

Each of them was in the ice and snow, wearing only tattered clothes, or even just strips of cloth, skinny, with dense Originium crystals growing all over their bodies. There were also traces of whipping and beatings.

These bodies were not all frozen, some were fresh. Claude knew what had happened after a brief observation. Before the Patriots attacked, the guards of this mine executed all the remaining infected people for some unknown reason. Looking at the bodies tangled together in the pit. Some of the infected people were not even dead when they were thrown in. They struggled painfully in the pit they dug at the last moment of their lives. Their desire for life was so strong that they silently endured all the suffering and torture. But they could only shed their last drop of blood in this icy and snowy place where no one cared.

A gloomy atmosphere surrounded Claude. Although he had long known how the Ursus Empire treated the infected, he had never seen it with his own eyes. But now seeing this unscrupulous evil before his eyes, he still had a strong, lava-like anger in his heart that he had not felt for a long time. This anger had never been so strong, as if it was burning through his heart, burning himself from the inside out into a piece of charcoal.

Claude had seen many such scenes. Elves and orcs would never show mercy to humans. Claude had seen scenes that were 10 times more tragic than this. But Claude had never been so angry at that time, because he knew that this was meaningless to the enemies of humans. The only thing he had to do was to cut off their heads, slaughter them all, and let their blood irrigate the land to repay them for their deeds. Claude was a knight of justice, but his justice only belonged to humans. He had no mercy on those alien races.