Armored Cavalry, survive in a world full of mods

Then came a young man with a rather youthful face, carrying a long spear, who followed closely behind the middle-aged man in front of him.

They didn't see anything unexpected, except for the figure that had collapsed on the road in pain, so they didn't care about anything else and rushed over to help the woman up.

The village wasn't large, so everyone knew each other well, and they recognized the woman at a glance:

"Aunt Mosali, what happened to you?! Who hit you?"

Both men were incredibly surprised, because the woman's injuries were clearly not caused by wild animals. Not only was there a bulge on her head, but her scalp was also lacerated with a large gash, and blood had soaked through her headscarf, wet her hair, and flowed down to her chest.

The woman, still shaken, immediately said in a panic:

"It's Casaa! He's gone mad, Casaa's gone mad! He suddenly smashed a rock over my head!"

"What! How could that guy have the guts to commit such a crime?!"

"I don't know what happened to him. If I hadn't had a headscarf over my head, he probably would have killed me with that blow!" The woman cried, wiping the blood from her face, her whole body trembling with fear.

"His face was frighteningly pale, as if he had been drained of half his blood, and he was frantically licking the blood off the ground like a wild dog..."

"He's licking blood?!"

"That's right, if he hadn't been busy licking the blood off my head, I would definitely be dead today!..."

…………

The two men exchanged a glance, quickly bandaged the woman's head wound with a headscarf, then picked up their weapons and cautiously approached the alley.

The young man, wielding a spear, walked behind the middle-aged man, ready to support his elder at any moment. The middle-aged man, on the other hand, skillfully shouldered the heavy, copper-nailed club, poised to unleash a powerful blow at any time, and even if he missed, his companions would come to his aid.

This is a narrow path between two rammed earth walls, only wide enough for two people to walk side by side. The path in the middle has become hard and shiny from being trampled on over time. In dry weather, it is hard enough to crush a person's head, and you can see the end of it at a glance.

They didn't see Casaa, only a distinct dark red patch on the dirt road. They cautiously approached and discovered it had turned into a dark red mud puddle, with clear footprints on it—small and light ones belonging to a woman, large and heavy ones to a man…

Having confirmed that what the woman had said was indeed accurate, the two were about to turn and leave to call more people to arrest the madman. Suddenly, a drop of foul-smelling liquid landed on the middle-aged man's forehead, startling him.

He reached out and touched the strange thing. A unique, foul odor, like a mixture of some molluscs and insects, hit him, making his stomach churn involuntarily. His face turned pale, and at the same moment, he looked up...

Casaa, with his exceptionally long limbs, was currently supporting himself on his hands and feet in the gap between two houses. His fingers dug into the rammed earth walls on both sides, while some slender tendrils emerged from his chin, like some kind of strange beard, hanging down to his chest, and constantly wriggling...

Before he could scream, as his limbs loosened, a dark shadow descended upon his head...

Screams, wails, and curses exploded like firecrackers in the narrow space, followed by a dull thud, the crisp sound of bones breaking, and the sticky sound of flesh being torn apart, all mingling with the screams. Soon after, the pale-faced young man dragged his companion out in a panic, his spear broken in two.

The once healthy and strong middle-aged man was now on the verge of death. A hideous wound stretched from his forehead to his left shoulder blade, the flesh torn open and the bone exposed. Large gushes of blood gushed out, staining the young man dragging him red.

A sharp, trembling, eerie roar pierced the alleyway. A long-limbed, stick insect-like figure leaped onto the rooftops. A broken spearhead was stuck in his shoulder, clearly affecting his movement, but he still moved with considerable speed, leaping over rooftops and ridges, rushing towards the dense forest to the east of the village, disappearing into the lush greenery before his eyes.

The young man cried out loudly. What he had just seen was beyond his comprehension; it wasn't a human at all! How could a human look like that? Kasaya had become a monster, he was a monster now!

Despite being gripped by panic and fear, the young man did not turn to flee. He gripped the broken spear shaft tightly, vigilantly shielding the men and women behind him...

Before long, the men of the village had gathered here. A strong and durable oxcart was driven out to transport the two wounded men to a nearby town with doctors. The others, based on the intelligence they had received, carried torches and entered the woods to search in the gradually darkening sky.

Like hunting a dangerous beast, the men shouted and shoved their weapons through the dense bushes and pounded into the deep grass as they searched eastward.

"Little Cass, you mean you saw with your own eyes that Casaa had things that looked like worm horns growing on his face? And that his arms and legs were as thin as bamboo sticks, right?"

The young man nodded repeatedly when asked. He had already thrown away the broken cedar pole in his hand and was now holding his spare weapons—a small round shield covered with hard cowhide and a polished iron knife.

The man who questioned him was muscular, with a thick mustache, but the rest of his face was clean-shaven. He held a long, reverse-bladed broadsword and was also peering into the dark corners of the forest with a burning torch.

"That's right, village chief! I saw it with my own eyes! Just like the horns of a longhorn beetle, those things grow out from under its neck, and they can even move!"

"And his wrists grew scythe-like spikes! My uncle was injured by these things. They climb and leap between houses like spiders. I dare say even the best hunter in our village couldn't do that!"

The village chief silently swung his longsword with a reverse blade, splitting a large patch of dense bushes and vines in two, clearing a path—the villagers used to get their firewood from the woods to the west, but this area had been left untouched this year because too much had been cut down before, and the bushes and weeds there had grown very lush.

"No matter what he's become, he has already committed murder, and we must bring him back... The government officials will be arriving soon, so everyone stay alert tonight and don't let us down!"

The young man's face was full of bitterness... His uncle could not be saved in the end. The oxcart that had just taken the patient had already returned. The aunt was not seriously injured, but the uncle had lost too much blood and died halfway there.

In the dead of night, a streak of fire swept from the edge of the woods all the way to the other side of the village, while other villages also erupted in commotion. Torches were being lit everywhere, converging on this place, and shouts and cries rose and fell, continuing until dawn.

The men returned to the village dejectedly. They had spent the whole night searching, but they had come up empty-handed... Well, not exactly empty-handed, though. They had managed to catch a few small animals, such as rabbits, which had been disturbed.

"It's alright, don't worry. As long as that guy Casaa dares to leave the forest, given his ghostly appearance, he won't last more than a few steps before he's spotted by the people around him. He's definitely still in that forest..."

The village chief's words abruptly stopped halfway through, for the sound of thunderous hooves had already carried far into the village…

208 Preheating (3)

In the clear stream, a plump fish is nibbling on aquatic plants, plankton, and some small insects. Its full, fleshy back can be clearly seen above the water.

A slender figure appeared silently by the stream. Tentacles, like a snake's tail, slowly reached into the water, and translucent mucus spread in the current. Before anyone could notice, the fish that had been swimming suddenly floated to the surface, its white belly turned up, and it weakly thrashed its tail.

Snake-like tentacles coiled around the immobilized prey, stuffing it into a seemingly unchanged mouth. The pale tongue had grown long and thin, devoid of blood, and with the mechanical snapping of the teeth, foul-smelling fish blood and entrails flowed out. Elastic subcutaneous fat released a greasy residue within the mouth.

The old linen clothes he was wearing had been torn to shreds by the thorns and bushes in the jungle, and even his hair was covered with dust and fallen leaves. In just one day, this creature, who was once called Casaa, had become full of wildness.

Normal people generally cannot eat a whole, unprocessed live fish like that. Human taste and digestive systems are very different from those of our ancestors, making it difficult to return to the dietary habits of eating raw meat and drinking blood.

But this creature ate very quickly. More and more fish were floating on the surface of the water around it, and blood and residue kept falling into the stream. It was like it was gnawing on a fresh radish. It could finish a fish in just a few bites. Before long, it had eaten all the fish in this section of the stream.

The black tentacles spread out once more, this time to replenish their moisture.

The clear water reflected the creature's current appearance—as if it had consumed most of its nutrients in a very short time, Casaa's cheeks were deeply sunken, its eye sockets were hollow, its cheekbones were high and prominent, and the hair on its forehead had become dry, gray, and extremely sparse.

The most striking feature was the tentacles emerging from his chin. Each one was as thick as an index finger, emerging from the pores of his chin, stretching and swelling the skin. They were covered with tiny segments, and translucent mucus flowed through them. The tips were sharp and thin, with a bony, pale white hue.

His limbs seemed to have been artificially lengthened, becoming thin and slender, with large and swollen joints. You could clearly see the tendons pushing against the skin when he moved, and the wrinkles at the joints were also noticeably more numerous and deeper.

The bones above his wrists had clearly mutated, growing a pair of sharp spikes six or seven inches long, still covered in dried blood. With each movement, they clenched forward like the claws of a feline.

He took a long time to drink this water, only stopping when his stomach was noticeably swollen.

He deftly shook off the water from his eight tentacles, raised his head, and shook it slightly in confusion. A look of pain suddenly appeared on his face, which was so grotesque and ugly that it was unrecognizable. It was quickly replaced by bewilderment. After hesitating for a moment, he chose a direction and hurriedly left.

His hands had grown to be two or three-tenths of an inch longer than his legs, so he ran like a wild beast without any discomfort and disappeared into the dense jungle in the blink of an eye.

………………

A dozen minutes later, a pair of thick black leather boots stepped onto the pebbly ground beside the stream, and a black robe that reached mid-calf swayed slightly in the forest breeze.

The man wearing a brass mask with a bird's beak on his face silently watched the ravaged stream—leftover fish scales and blood were scattered everywhere. Their prey made no attempt to conceal its tracks.

His opponent's skills were so clumsy that catching him would be easy, but the jailer did not feel fortunate... His years of accumulated experience made him keenly aware of the abnormality of the situation, but he could not quite put his finger on what was wrong.

A slender figure appeared beside him, wearing a mask shaped like a feline skull, covered in scratches and with black spots along the edges, clearly showing signs of years of use.

“I’ve located the prey’s movement. He headed west and hasn’t been gone long. If we move quickly, we can easily catch up.”

The man nodded silently. Behind him, beside the saddle of his strong and silent horse, hung a long, gleaming weapon—a polished three-pronged fork. This was unusual for them; the jailers were used to hunting criminals in all sorts of complicated situations, and portable short weapons such as scimitars and rapiers were their most common weapons.

While long weapons like these are incredibly powerful and can easily give an advantage in hand-to-hand combat, they are ultimately not portable or flexible enough.

But this time their prey was clearly not something that could be dealt with using the same mindset as humans, so after much consideration, they brought along the three-pronged fork that was more commonly used for hunting wild beasts.

The two mounted their horses and quickly followed the tracks on the ground, disappearing into the dark jungle in the night.

------

A sharp scream rang out from the woods, sounding like a wildcat being stepped on in the abdomen—both shrill and chilling. A slender, dark figure darted out of the woods as if fleeing for its life.

Before it could escape very far, the crisp sound of the crossbow bolt being fired was accompanied by a small black shadow shooting out like lightning, causing it to stumble and fall to the ground.

The gleaming silver trident was held in a strong, powerful arm. The burly jailer coldly raised the weapon and, under the cover of his comrades, thrust it forward with a heavy stab into the chest of the strange creature.

The sharpened trident delivered such a powerful blow that it was enough to pierce through the thick bear hide and the several-finger-thick layer of fat beneath, severely injuring even a strong brown bear. This slender figure would be no exception; the man could almost foresee his prey being impaled on it like a tattered sack.

At this critical moment of life and death, the monstrous creature that Casaa had mutated let out a scream. Its long, thin hind legs slammed into the ground, sending fallen leaves, sand, and dust flying backward in a cone-shaped spray that instantly blocked the creature's view, allowing it to scramble and wriggle its way out.

Even with a copper mask covering his face, the man immediately dodged when he saw a large amount of dust being thrown at him—he couldn't lose his sight in a life-or-death situation.

After delivering the kick, Casaa showed no intention of retaliating. Instead, he fled in a panic toward the east, where a stream flowed. At the same time, he flicked his mutated right hand, throwing a metal crossbow bolt aside. The bolt was still covered with bits of flesh and blood scraped off by the barbs.

Knowing he couldn't catch up with his opponent on two legs, the man decisively threw away the trident in his hand, reached into his robes and took out the crossbow hanging at his waist. In the blink of an eye, he smoothly completed the action of nocking the arrow, and without even aiming, he raised his hand and shot an arrow.

The crossbow bolt struck the thick, fleshy thigh accurately, its barbed shaft piercing deep into the flesh, scraping against the blood vessels and nerves, causing horrific bleeding and excruciating pain.

This unsurprisingly caused Casaa to stop his escape again, and because he had been running too fast, he even tumbled over on the spot.

In that extremely short time, the man had already rushed up and, before his prey could escape again, he had slammed the gap of the three-pronged fork into the other's neck, tearing through a layer of skin and flesh, just like an iron bar growing out of the ground, firmly locking Casaa's neck to the ground.

His companion rushed over and put sturdy iron chains and shackles on the struggling creature. Still feeling uneasy, he also took the thick hemp rope from the saddlebag. The two of them worked together to tie up their prey like a dumpling, making it unable to move. Only then did they breathe a sigh of relief and wipe the sweat from under their masks.

"This guy can really run... Our previous judgment was too crude. It doesn't just have the instincts of a wild beast, but also some instinctive judgment ability... We just don't know if this ability belongs to these insects or this person."

"It should be this person—according to the intelligence we've gathered, this host is a notorious scoundrel in the village. He's lazy and good-for-nothing, and after squandering his family fortune, he lives off the villagers by eating and drinking, stealing chickens and dogs. People like him are quite cunning, otherwise they wouldn't have survived this long."

"And I always feel like he still retains some kind of memory... Do you remember what happened in that grove with the three dead trees?"

"Of course I remember. They actually dug out a basement under that dead tree. I guess it was a place for herb gatherers or hunters in the mountains to rest."

"Yes, the only explanation he could think of for hiding there is that he has related memories. Otherwise, even the best-nosed beast would not be able to find the entrance hidden under the dead branches and leaves."

"Alright, let's not delay any longer. Let's send this guy back quickly... Call two more people over for backup. We finally caught one alive, so we can't afford any mistakes."

"Put it on my horse. Your horse isn't as good as mine, and it's probably exhausted by now."

"it is good."

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

Tomorrow's sun will illuminate everything in the city, leaving the shadows to hide in the corners and crevices, bright but not scorching, instead carrying a gentle and refreshing warmth.

Of course, this mildness, if taken too far, can make people sweat profusely, but it won't be like the previous month or two when all the streets were brightly lit by white light.

At this very moment, exclamations were emanating from the most sacred place in the empire—the magnificent Imperial Senate—so loud that even the crowds gathered in the square outside could hear them. Although the sounds were unclear and the content indistinguishable, more and more people spontaneously gathered there, almost everyone realizing that something big was about to happen.

The Imperials' penchant for politics and excitement meant they were unwilling to miss out on anything. Some shrewd small vendors even set up their stalls in the central square—something normally forbidden, as soldiers would drive them away. But now, with so many people gathered there, even the soldiers couldn't easily take action, giving them an opportunity to take advantage of the chaos.

The shouts and commotion of surprise were almost continuous, lasting for quite some time before suddenly falling silent... At the same time, the people in the square also shut their mouths and quietly began to await the earth-shattering result.

Meanwhile, inside the magnificent marble building, on a platform located below the center of all the seats, a solemn-faced elder was loudly proclaiming something while holding a piece of parchment. The surrounding elders, who were completely focused, would occasionally let out a gasp of surprise and whisper to their allies, friends, and rivals.

"My esteemed lords, after careful consideration, I am now able to announce to you in this solemn occasion that an enemy lurking in the shadows, an enemy with dirty methods, has surfaced and is now before us!"

"'The Holy Order of Knowledge'! This is the grand name these scoundrels have usurped for themselves! No matter how you look at it, even if we exhaust every bit of information we find and make the most cautious and conservative judgment, they are still a group of evil, dangerous, and ignorant people! A group of sinners who secretly worship evil gods!"

"Please do not underestimate them, my dear colleagues! These venomous snakes lurking in the shadows are terrifyingly dangerous. They have even reached into the highest levels of our great nation, plotting to harm our motherland! Their shadows have been found in numerous wars and numerous despicable assassinations!"

"The rebellion in Cerisonnas in the East has destroyed our efforts of the past few years, burning dozens of horse ranches to the ground! This is a disgrace our nation has not suffered for decades. Although this disgrace has been washed away by the blood and land of the Iris and the Cristians, and avenged by Lord Tersolius, we must not forget those cowards who secretly instigated the rebellion! They will surely pay the price for their ridiculous and foolish actions."

"Our esteemed Lady Christina has been attacked twice in a short period of time, thanks to those vile serpents who seek to harm the nation's most honored members, showing no reverence for the sacred and the law, and sparing no effort in using any despicable means!"

"No mercy should be wasted on them! They were born with evil intentions, they are a depraved bunch, and they will surely receive their due punishment!!"

………………

After a brief silence, the entire hall erupted in indignation...

209 Competition (1)

A new order, an order never before seen, is being conveyed throughout the empire, reaching every village and even settlement under imperial control through the country's tried-and-tested, efficient and swift administrative system.

Each parchment bearing the command is decorated with blood-red and gold patterns. Fine gold threads are hammered into the paper's fibers, imbuing this thin sheet of paper with a sacred meaning.

This is an order jointly issued by the center of the empire, the supreme ruler of the empire, and the elders of the empire. It has unquestionable authority in this country, and every citizen of the empire must carry it out without fail, without the slightest negligence.

In this populous, prosperous, and vast country, a name began to circulate, a name that had never appeared before but was now familiar and widely known—the Holy Order of Knowledge.

Nobles and scholars in many places were quite surprised—how could such an obscure organization attract the attention of the entire country? And what kind of entity was worth the empire's special attention?

This announcement immediately caused a huge uproar. As time passed, not only the empire, but all the surrounding countries and the entire continent began to stir. Everyone started talking about these people hiding in the shadows. The kings of every country became interested in it, and their intelligence agents searched the world for information.

For at least a considerable period of time to come, this organization, which originally intended to pursue its interests in the shadows, will be forcibly brought into the sunlight, scorched by the blazing sun.

New laws have now been issued on the land of the Empire, listing the Holy Order of Knowledge as an enemy of the state and an unacceptable faith. Any citizen of the Empire has the right and obligation to eliminate them if they appear on the land of the Empire. Any act of colluding with them is a heinous crime and shall be subject to the most severe punishment.

Countless jailers and henchmen, countless sheriffs and city guards, have begun a massive manhunt throughout the empire, searching for anything related to these despicable scoundrels. Anyone who dares to collude with them or provide them with assistance will be arrested.

At the same time, relevant officials were responsible for disseminating information about this organization to the public throughout the country, letting them know that it was a group of lawless and evil people who were good at using all sorts of dark and bloody means to achieve their goals.

In just one month, this organization, which had previously been so inconspicuous that few people knew about it, had fallen to the point where everyone hated it. The Black Crows' operation was also very fruitful. Although it was certain that there were still many who had escaped, it was foreseeable that most of the organization's presence in the Empire had been eliminated.

A venomous snake that intends to inject its venom into its prey in the shadows will be completely helpless if it is caught and brought into the scorching sun. It will lose all its advantages... This is what Tersolius and his men plan to do.

To deal with these elusive creatures that lurk in the shadows, we must deprive them of their foundation for infiltration, making their operations increasingly difficult and costly... Only in this way can we force them into their lair, and then strike them dead and eradicate them completely.

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

The axe can be considered one of the earliest weapons and tools used by humankind. As early as the Stone Age, people had already learned to embed rough, sharp, heavy stone flakes into sturdy wooden sticks to increase the killing power of their blows.

This type of tool, with its forward-leaning center of gravity, is also the best choice for cutting down trees and branches, achieving twice the result with half the effort compared to a stone knife. Sorry, it is also quite lethal to enemies and wild animals.