Armored Cavalry, survive in a world full of mods

With a gentle smile, Christina, a first-time mother, lowered her head and softly kissed the tender, supple cheeks of her two children, like dropping a pebble into a calm lake. A wave of immense joy and happiness rippled outwards, captivating her gaze.

If no one calls Christina, she might even sit there all day with a silly grin on her face... Many new mothers are like this, especially first-time mothers, who think of their babies even while sleeping.

With a touch of reluctance, Christina quietly slipped out of the dry, warm room, leaving the two sleeping children behind. Dolores, the lady-in-waiting who had watched him grow up, stood guard outside the door, looking at the exquisite cradle inside with a warm smile, just like an old grandmother watching her grandchildren.

"Go ahead, miss, I'll keep an eye on them from here."

Nodding slightly to her lady-in-waiting, Christina placed an unimaginable trust in the person who had raised her, and continued to tiptoe down the stairs until she reached the cobblestone path in the courtyard.

Two imposing figures clad in heavy armor had been waiting here for a long time. Magnificent and sharp swords hung at their waists. Just looking at these two figures, one could almost imagine the scene of clashing swords, corpses strewn across the fields, and rivers of blood. Even the mosquitoes flying by would slow down, trembling in fear of the terrifying aura and fierce power.

No one can deny the power of these two beings. The two brothers seem to have been born into this world for war, and every inch of their bodies exudes a cruel and terrifying rhythm, as if the horns of war sound with their footsteps.

When they are silent, they possess a terrifying aura as deep as an abyss and as imposing as a mountain, making people dare not approach them easily. Even battle-hardened warriors would shrink back in fear... But Ristina, dressed in white, simply approached, and that terrifying atmosphere filled with bloodlust shattered into dust.

Natamus first stepped forward to greet his wife—after all the unexpected events and hardships from pregnancy to childbirth, their relationship had become even stronger, like a sword that had been tempered… At least before, Natamus could never have been so attentive, and he had also learned a lot.

Teresus watched the two interact with a smile, and only spoke after Christina had fully regained her footing:

"It's time for us to head to the military base... The preparations have reached a critical point, and we must go to oversee the overall situation. There will be guards here to protect you, and your safety will be well guaranteed. I will leave Talina here to help her with some preparations... That's about it. We should set off now."

There was no lingering sentimentality, and although they both harbored deep and enduring feelings for each other, Christina simply said to her husband:

"Be careful, and listen to your brother's advice when things happen."

Natamus nodded steadily, his whole being as steadfast as a rock that has stood firm for millions of years in the cold wind, unyielding even to the most towering waves.

The neighing of warhorses echoed from outside the gate. One horse was as golden as silk, the other as black as night. The magnificent Passatria warhorses snorted, waiting for their masters to ride them. The silent guards stood ready, their swords, spears, and axes reflecting the morning sunlight, making even the warm light feel cold and piercing.

After waving goodbye one last time, the two brothers turned and walked side by side until they reached the gate, where they finally turned and waved again.

As the thunderous sound of horses' hooves faded into the distance, the march of war began...

--------

The little creature in front of me is actively interacting with me.

Tarina smiled as she looked at the little chubby bird perched on her finger. The fluffy little creature had grown its wings, but they were still too soft and loose to fly for long periods of time.

Following the methods taught by her teacher, Tarina raised her own magical pet. Having successfully established a close bond with the little creature, while her right hand was still writing down her research findings on parchment, her left hand was already teasing the round little thing.

In the small dish next to it, mealworms were crawling around. The edge of the dish was rounded and raised, and the smooth porcelain surface ensured that no small insects could escape. These nutrient-rich insects, raised using special methods, could provide the bird with the necessary nutrition to grow glossy feathers and a strong skeleton.

In two months, powdered medicine will be added to the insect feed, and the specially formulated medicine and unique solvents will bring about a dramatic change in this bird compared to its kind.

This process requires extreme patience and caution, and the specific procedures must be arranged with the utmost care; otherwise, all efforts may be in vain.

Therefore, Tarina dared not be distracted in the slightest. Even though she had very important things to do today, the relevant procedures and plans at hand could not be taken lightly.

Talina carefully wrote tiny characters in a small square on the parchment, barely the thickness of her little finger, to the point that the content was almost indistinguishable without close inspection. Only then did she finally breathe a sigh of relief and place the brass pen into the ceramic inkwell beside her to keep the nib moist.

A small lamp fueled by distilled spirits was continuously radiating heat, heating the green solution inside a delicate glass container. The solution was already boiling, bubbling with tiny bubbles, but its color was so eerie and dangerous that it would subconsciously remind one of a deadly poison that could rip one's intestines apart with just one sip.

After carefully inhaling the bitter yet refreshing aroma of the herbs and confirming that the required solvent had reached the right state, Tarina carefully extinguished the flame, poured the liquid from the glass container into another clean small bottle, then bent down and crossed out the contents of a small square on the parchment with a line before finally relaxing completely.

The girl stood up and opened the door of the spacious house. Outside, the bright red sunset had already spilled onto the ground, foreshadowing the approaching night.

A desolate yet powerful horn sound pierced the sky, crushing all other noises and exuding an unparalleled presence—this was the war horn in the heart of the city…

227 Operation (2)

A new war is about to begin—when the mournful sound of the bugle echoes through every corner of the city, everyone knows this news.

Just as the sun casts its scorching rays from the sky, and the tides rise at regular intervals, submerging all low-lying areas... the march of war is hard to stop because of individual will; wisdom relentlessly crushes everything in its path, bringing destruction, conquest, and bloodshed...

Tonight, countless taverns throughout the city are brightly lit. In the final moments before curfew, everyone gathers here, enthusiastically sharing the latest news and exchanging their opinions, while simultaneously downing glass after glass of watered-down ale.

The entire city began to tighten controls, and merchants and travelers from all countries were not allowed to wander the streets outside of the designated hours. Armored soldiers patrolled the streets all night, making the city's criminals tremble with fear like rats whose dens had been exposed.

In this bustling yet suppressed and controlled city, two babies, destined to have no peaceful future, are giggling and trying to reach the figure in front of them with their tiny, radish-like legs and arms.

Gently bend the baby's soft little arms, loosen the shoulder joints, stretch the ligaments in the legs, then lift the baby's head, letting him sit up and lie down repeatedly, bending and bending, doing simple sit-ups...

These are all actions that would seem extremely dangerous to a normal mother... Not to mention doing them, they can't even bear to watch them, let alone think about them, for fear that the slightest movement of their own might break the child's soft bones and cause the tender infant to cry loudly.

Christina was in this state at the moment. Just two days ago, this resolute and brave mother had personally shot and killed a huge gray wolf and skinned the prey with her husband's help... but now she was full of fear and anxiety, her hands were clenched tightly in front of her chest, her fingers were white from the excessive force, and her lips seemed to want to say something but stopped... but in the end she did not say anything.

Because the two children showed no signs of discomfort, despite their swift and intense movements, Fersitala and Ikosoya laughed incessantly in Tarina's slender hands as if they were playing some kind of fun game, while their little legs kicked powerfully and elastically on the table, making the solid wood table bang loudly.

Despite being padded with soft fur to ensure the two children wouldn't get hurt on the hard tabletop, their activity truly exceeded Tarina's expectations—the girl had never seen such lively and healthy children before. Their small bodies seemed to be bursting with energy, their skeletons were sturdy, and they were fully developed, with no flaws whatsoever.

With the baby's tiny, walnut-sized hand grasping her thumb, Tarina slowly raised her arm, and Felsitara was lifted off the table without any hindrance. Her seemingly delicate little hand did not waver at all, easily securing herself firmly to Tarina's arm, while she giggled happily and kicked her little feet back and forth.

This is a movement that even adults with strong bones and muscles would find difficult to maintain. But this newborn baby can do it with ease and seems to be able to hold it for a long time, demonstrating his excellent grip strength. It's hard to say whether this is some kind of innate instinct passed down from human genes.

Gently bend down, put your ear to your chubby belly, and listen carefully to the sound of air being inhaled from your lungs and the beating of your heart, judging the health of both based on experience.

Use your fingers to make quick and skillful gestures in front of your eyes to attract the child's attention and help them judge the eyesight of their bright eyes.

Stretch the joints, rotate the wrists, and move the ankles to confirm there are no deformities or developmental problems.

…………

The two children were like kittens being manipulated, spinning around in Tarina's hands, making Christina, who was watching nearby, twitch her eyebrows. It wasn't until quite a while later that the girl with the pale blue hair finally nodded in satisfaction.

"It's confirmed, madam. Both children are very healthy. I have never seen such healthy and energetic children. They will surely become extraordinary people in the future."

It took a lot of effort to put the child, who was clinging to her arm, onto the table. She wrapped him in animal skin and watched the two little creatures, wrapped like caterpillars, trying to wriggle on the table. Talina couldn't help but smile.

It was already late autumn outside, and the nights were quite chilly, but inside it felt warm and comfortable—thanks to the ceramic pipes buried under the floor, the burning hot air continuously brought heat, keeping the temperature comfortable, so even young children could expose themselves without worrying about catching a cold.

A dedicated servant will be responsible for lighting a flame at the end of the pipe, and this flame will also be used to boil water and prepare food, making the most of everything. This process will continue until the warm spring.

Christina, equally beaming, was genuinely happy for her two children and offered her heartfelt thanks to the girl before her.

"Thank you for your blessing, Talina. I also believe that they will become great people in the future... It's amazing that in such a short time, I can't live without these two little ones. No matter what I do, they are the only things on my mind."

“That’s normal, madam. You are a responsible mother…”

Tarina smiled and gently pried open her small hands, which were tightly gripping her sleeve, while dodging Ferncitala's next scratch.

"Whether skilled or inexperienced, a qualified mother should first and foremost love her child. Only by doing so can she be called a mother; otherwise, she can only be called a nanny at best."

"Speaking of which, Talina, you have a lot of experience. Have we met before? I dare say that no one in this city can do childbirth and childcare better than you."

She gently took her two children into her arms, and just as the two little ones were about to cry out from hunger, Christina had already begun to feed them with premonition—she and her children were almost in perfect harmony, and the two little ones grew up to be exceptionally healthy, with appetites that ordinary babies did not have…

Tarina, who was packing her things, turned around upon hearing this and said with a slightly forlorn tone:

"...In my hometown, many children in the village were born through my hands, the oldest of whom is just three years old...So when it comes to delivering babies and taking care of children, I have quite a bit of experience and insights."

Ristina paused for a moment, then continued, in the soft voice of her daughter in her arms:

"...Dr. Talina, you must really like your village, right?"

"After all, I spent my entire life there. I know every tree and blade of grass there. I've walked through every forest and every corner. I know the voices and faces of every person... These things will stay with me for the rest of my life, and I will never forget them."

"Similarly, I can never forget the terrible things that happened there... Some things are destined to change, otherwise the tragedies will continue to occur."

She slowly applied pressure with her fingers, not even noticing that the small metal fork in her hand was beginning to deform. This girl, who had always appeared gentle and resilient, finally revealed something bloody and scarred, as well as a gentle yet tenacious will.

…………

The two children, having eaten their fill, were already dozing off and soon drifted into sweet dreams. Christina carefully placed her children back into their cradles and covered them with warm blankets.

Tarina had already started bustling around. The girl used a small brush to continuously dip into a purplish liquid from a transparent jar, drawing marks on the surrounding walls and ground. As the small brush swept across the hard surfaces, a purple light emerged.

Soon the entire room was enveloped in a beautiful, dreamy purple light. If the two children were still awake, they would surely be overjoyed... but now only the two women could see this beautiful sight.

She carefully sealed the small, transparent jar and applied a clear grease to the seal. Tarina continued rummaging through the package and soon pulled out a large packet of pale yellow, fragmented crystals wrapped in oil paper.

These crystals look like unfiltered, unrefined coarse salt, but they are far more eye-catching than coarse salt, simply because the pale yellow specks that constantly emanate from them are so peculiar that it is clear that they are no ordinary substance.

She carefully poured the crystals down along the lines she had just traced, retracing the marks in a uniform and slender manner—this was bound to require a great deal of effort and mental agility, but Talina showed no signs of exhaustion, completing this task, which was so complex that it would dazzle an ordinary person at a glance, with ease.

The final step was to place a small owl statue carved from willow wood in the center of the room. The statue's eyes were two dull white stones, looking as if they had been picked up from the dust outside, and were destined to have no special value.

This statue is also not very exquisite. It does not depict specific feather patterns, and even the wings are just two very crude pieces. The tail is a simple rhombus shape. However, the overall image is captured very accurately, making it easy to recognize what it is at a glance.

This crude little thing, the kind only a child would like, was taken out by Tarina with great seriousness. She carefully placed it on the table in the center of the room, then stretched out her slender fingers, pinched the round head, and gently twisted it—

Click...

With a slight thud, the white stone eyes of the owl statue glowed softly, then quickly faded away.

As if she had accomplished something major, Tarina breathed a sigh of relief, then lightly jumped back and left the area around the table.

"That's fine... As soon as any unfamiliar footprints appear here, an alarm will be triggered immediately, and the henchmen around here will be able to quickly resolve the issue... I don't know if this is the right title."

"This is your freedom, and you are also an important person in the country, someone we are protecting."

A cold voice suddenly appeared in the room. Christina subconsciously reached for the short sword at her waist, and a sharp glint flashed from Talina's sleeve... The two looked up at the same time and saw a gray figure hanging upside down from the ceiling like a gecko.

As the fingers loosened, the hound landed lightly on the ground like a falling leaf... The next instant, a flash of purple light appeared, and the willow owl suddenly trembled. Its sharp, metallic chirping pierced through the stone and wood, instantly transmitting the alarm.

"I am truly sorry to have disturbed you both, but I have an extremely important task ahead of me, so I had to come and make preparations..."

Even though their feet made no sound on the ground, the strange device detected them with ease, causing the gray-clad hawk-hound to glance at the wooden owl in surprise before quickly kneeling and bowing to the two of them.

"It's alright, just do your job."

Ristina shook her head slightly. Even at home, she always carried an exquisite and beautiful short sword at her waist... Ristina was always ready to protect her child, a result of the two previous attacks. Even in heavily guarded places, she remained vigilant.

"Oh, so you're the person in charge of my work, right? Perfect, I have a few things to tell you..."

Tarina reacted quickly, took two steps forward, and gently patted the owl's head three times, stopping the piercing alarm. The two children, who had already played enough during the day, showed no sign of waking up and continued to sleep soundly.

"I deliberately left a margin in the circuits in this room. As long as the damage is less than 40%, there won't be any problems. These circuits on the walls can also monitor the activity of flying objects. As long as you pay close attention, there won't be any issues."

"They don't need much maintenance, just regular replenishment of raw materials... about once every two weeks. Remember to find someone skillful and steady to do this, otherwise it might cause problems."

"As long as no one climbs in by hugging the roof like you, anyone who appears here will be noticed, which should provide you with considerable convenience."

………………

After explaining everything she could think of to the person she was in contact with, Talina returned to her room at the Tersolius mansion and began packing her belongings.

She packed the important documents, tools, and bottles into her backpack, and put the most essential items she couldn't leave her side into a small bag made of white lion skin... Talina was ready to set off.

228 Operation (3)

Numbers have always been an intuitive and rational thing, capable of showing changes in a certain aspect of things in a direct and clear way. People who can master numbers are often less likely to be misled and can pinpoint the crux of the matter hidden beneath layers of fog.

The empire is mobilizing. This powerful nation is operating at full capacity for war, like a surging tide, exuding terrifying power and might. The strength of every farmer, every soldier, every merchant, every craftsman, and even every nobleman and official... these people come together to form the small parts of this war machine, and then, through overall planning, they start working together, rapidly unleashing astonishing order and power.

Every day, a large number of elite legions are mobilized on the empire's wide and smooth roads. Massive amounts of supplies need to be transferred to pre-arranged warehouses. Caravans and fleets of horses and ships carrying all kinds of military supplies, such as grain, leather, hay, barrels of olive oil, seasonings, iron ingots, copper ingots, and cloth, have begun to operate. Along the wide river that spans the entire empire, large teams can transport large quantities of supplies to the south in a very short time.

These massive quantities of supplies are bound to generate countless records and massive amounts of data, far exceeding the processing capacity of one person. Without a well-trained and tested professional team, chaos is inevitable.

A large number of clerks and officials were busy calculating and compiling the information on parchment after parchment, concentrating the most important and accurate information on the next level of tables, and making the complicated things clear and understandable through their own efforts.

Even after their calculations, statistics, and classifications, the parchment they collected was still incredibly thick. It was unimaginable how much content it contained required a brilliant mind to make judgments and analyses. For some people who were not good at writing, just one glance was enough to make them feel despair.

And this was the arduous and heavy task that Tarina was about to face... Although the general's staff were already waiting by her side, and these carefully selected talents were all ready to assist her in her work, the girl still looked serious and as if facing a formidable enemy when she thought about the heavy responsibility on her shoulders.

This is Dalifia, a southern city of the empire, separated from the Hols border by only one city, Alper. Five legions are converging here, preparing to join the ranks of Archon Tersolius and launch a war of annihilation against the southern Kingdom of Hols.

In order to supply these professional soldiers and the huge number of conscripted auxiliary soldiers who are arriving in droves, a massive amount of supplies have been delivered to warehouses near Dalifea in recent times, and the warehouses are constantly running low. The Empire's engineering corps has begun to urgently build temporary warehouses to store the supplies.

This is also a huge amount of wealth... Even the slightest negligence could cause enormous losses, so there can be no room for carelessness.

The entire city and the surrounding dozens of miles were transformed into a continuous military camp. The imperial army built strong, permanent fortifications here, using it as a rear base to provide a constant stream of support to the front-line troops.

While they were still preparing in the camp, the large army gathered here was consuming an astonishing amount of supplies every day... Even without looking at her own image on those parchments, Talina could realize how complex the data inside must be.

Taking a deep breath, a resolute look appeared in Tarina's eyes—numbers don't lie. As long as they are recorded truthfully, they can accurately reflect the current situation. This is the most direct channel, and also a trust as fervent and genuine as the sun... Lord Tersolius will draw his own conclusions.

“Alright, let’s begin immediately! There’s no time to waste! Fariana, you handle the supplies from the three northern provinces; Passadavia, you’re in charge of assessing the supplies from the East…”

The order was given. His five staff members immediately began working in an orderly fashion, dividing the thick parchment into several piles according to different categories, with each person responsible for a portion.

They didn't gather together, but instead went separately to areas where many officials were busy with their work. There would be a large number of people helping them sort out this tangled mess of data and information. Their results would then be compiled and submitted to Talina for final judgment and statistics...

………………

"Of the 3000 barrels of pickled radishes sent from the city of Valiasos in the province of Miles, 227 barrels were damaged or spoiled for various reasons, and the rest were confirmed to be of good quality. The containers were manufactured according to the standard military supply container specifications of the Imperial Calendar 1027..."

"The 4000 boxes of smoked fish have also been delivered, and the spoilage is within the prescribed limits..."

…………

A small stack of parchment was carefully aligned and then gently placed in front of Talina. The slightly yellowed edges of the parchment were tough and sturdy, and could be used for a long time. As long as it was not targeted by those damned termites, there would be no problem.

The promotion of new writing materials has begun. The technology is now quite mature, and the paper is no longer so fragile... However, the quality still cannot compare with traditional parchment, so important documents are still written on these durable parchment papers.