Armored Cavalry, survive in a world full of mods

Tersolius waited silently until the other person had bowed before asking:

"You should have come to me yesterday. What caused you to rush here only after the army had already set off? You didn't even send anyone to deliver a message to me."

This statement sounds like an accusation, but Tersolius's tone is not harsh; it is more of an inquiry.

Caglianos bent deeply, then let out a long sigh, his shoulders slumping as if a heavy burden had been lifted from them.

"I have successfully completed my mission, my lord. I have thoroughly investigated the embezzlement and loss reporting situation of the transportation team in the southern provinces. A total of 337 people were found to be involved, and after repeated verification, it has been confirmed that no one has escaped the net."

Tersolius sat up abruptly, his brow furrowing in a serious expression.

"337 people... How can there be so many? Does this transportation team still have management personnel?"

"Without exception, sir..."

Carianados, his face stiff, pulled a parchment envelope from his clothes and handed it to Thesorius:

“Apart from the lowly coachmen, slaves, and workers, anyone with even a little power got involved. They colluded to embezzle large amounts of supplies by reporting losses, and they formed their own independent organization by colluding with each other. They even bribed the clerks who compiled the records to cover for them, which is why they were never exposed.”

"Most of the supplies they embezzled would appear on the city's black market a few days later and be sold quickly at a slightly lower price. But because it was a business with no capital and the supplies were important, they never had to worry about finding a market and made a considerable profit."

"Whenever someone joins the team, they coerce and entice them to cooperate. If they refuse, they will find a way to persecute them to death during transport and then disguise it as a natural disaster or man-made calamity. This method has never failed them."

"They even colluded with a group of bandits in the area, and would occasionally stage a robbery to steal a large amount of supplies. Because they had a reason for doing so, they would not be blamed. After the robbery, they would split the loot 60/40. They would also deliberately tip off the army when they were searching for them, so that the bandits could always escape."

"Of course, because this method is too conspicuous, they dare not use it often. They will only plan it when they are sure that there is huge profit to be made."

"After accumulating enough money, they began to bribe those key officials so that they could turn a blind eye and do things more flawlessly, without revealing any loopholes... This time, it was because of the need to prepare additional documents for the supply of military provisions that Miss Talina noticed the clues... But in fact, what they did was far more sophisticated than what was initially discovered."

Tersolius was silent for a moment, then shook his head slightly and sighed:

"So you've been dragging this out until now because you're dealing with the beginning and end of this matter."

“Exactly.” The bearded man stroked his beard, on which night dew had condensed, soaking a patch of his collar.

"Although we thoroughly cleaned it up with the help of His Majesty's henchmen, this supply train cannot afford to be lost during a major battle... So I have been selecting capable personnel and replacing all the problematic ones to ensure that this important team can continue to operate normally... This is their roster, all of them are loyal and reliable."

"In this way, the reserves of supplies will not be affected, and the criminals will receive the punishment they deserve."

"Well done."

A smile appeared on Tersolius's face. He reached out and picked up a bottle of wine from the side and threw it at the man. Caglianodos quickly caught it and then saw the mark on the bottom of the bottle.

"It was a gift from His Majesty. You've always enjoyed drinking wine, so try some this time. There are only a few bottles of this every year, and even His Majesty doesn't get to drink much of it."

As he spoke, he stood up, his armor plates clanging loudly. The sky outside was already beginning to lighten; it was time to set off.

"As for those three hundred-odd people... they should be executed quickly. In wartime, severe punishments should be used. This is a good example to make an example of them."

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

The massive army set off in order of seniority, advancing swiftly along the wide roads that had been constructed. Banners stretched endlessly like a surging river, and the sound of their footsteps shook the earth, raising clouds of yellow dust.

At dawn, just as the sun was rising, the legions marched across the land of the empire. Their departure signified a grand war. Every soldier's sword gleamed, their armor gleamed, and each soldier awaited an opportunity to make a name for themselves.

At that very moment, a commotion arose in the city of Dalifia—a large number of prisoners were being led to the square by soldiers, and when the sun began to shine its bright light on the earth, the jailers began to execute them.

Three beheading stakes operated simultaneously, and six executioners took turns. In no time, corpses piled up on the ground, and blood flowed like a river. According to the sacred laws of the empire, none of those who deserved to be executed escaped and all received their due fate.

The ringleaders among them certainly didn't die so easily. The seven most heinous criminals were either dismembered or cut in half at the waist and had their hearts ripped out. The prisoners' heart-wrenching screams of pleas for mercy were sharp and piercing... It was terrifying to watch.

Those whose crimes did not warrant death were not spared physical punishment either; they were whipped or flogged, all carried out in an orderly manner, and by the time the sun was at its zenith, the entire process was completed, and even the blood on the ground was cleaned up.

Those who escaped were bound with iron chains and sent to prison, where they faced a long prison life and hard labor.

Thus, this malignant tumor that had been hidden in the southern provinces was finally completely unearthed, leaving no further worries.

-----------------------

People who have never ridden a horse may find it hard to imagine how to handle such a huge animal. Without actual experience, relying solely on guesswork can easily lead to thinking it's too simple or too difficult.

For Karila, riding a horse was nothing special, and she could handle it skillfully. However, her brothers were slaves trained to fight from childhood and had never been in contact with horses before. They knew nothing about horses and could not ride like her. They could only advance with the army.

It would take a long time for an army of 6 to march from one end to the other. As far as the eye could see, it was a sea of ​​people, stretching endlessly, with about 12,000 cavalrymen kicking up clouds of dust as they advanced. The earth-shattering noise startled countless birds in the surrounding forests, and even the fiercest and most ferocious wild beasts trembled and hid in their dens.

Mos, the horse beneath Thesolius, was shaking its glossy mane. This magnificent Passatian warhorse had not a single stray hair on its body; even its hooves and eyes were pure black, like an elf born from the night. This made Thesolius, who sat on it, appear extremely heroic and majestic.

Karila was looking around curiously. Growing up in the frigid north, the Rigut girl had never seen such a vibrant land in the south before. Everywhere she looked, there were trees and lush forests. Although the leaves were beginning to turn golden in late autumn, there was still a vibrant scene of life among the fallen leaves.

As the army advanced, countless birds and beasts were startled out. Some rabbits, in their panic, even ran around aimlessly. She watched helplessly as two plump wild rabbits darted past her. Their glossy, dark brown fur clearly indicated they were well-nourished.

Karila was immediately excited at the sight of a prey. But without a suitable throwing weapon at hand, in a moment of impulsiveness, she grabbed her battle axe and was about to throw it—a very common tactic in her hometown, where skilled warriors could use throwing axes to cut ropes in the air, so catching a rabbit was naturally a piece of cake.

But before he could throw the axe, two fat rabbits were about to run past him. Tersolius reached for one of the bows on his horse, took out a few light arrows, and with a few twangs of the bowstring, the arrows flew like lightning, easily pinning the two rabbits to the ground. They twitched slightly and then stopped moving.

Colin, who had just untied his bow, clicked his tongue in regret, then whistled. Two long-legged hounds darted out, retrieved the rabbit, removed the pierced arrow, made a ring cut around the rabbit's hind leg with a knife, then cut a slit in the skin and ripped it off with a sharp pull—with a hiss, the furry rabbit skin separated from the rabbit, revealing its red flesh.

No matter how fat a rabbit looks, it is actually difficult for it to accumulate fat. Even after skinning it, it is all lean meat with more bones and less flesh. Eating this for a long time will actually make you thinner and hungrier, and it can only be used to satisfy your cravings.

The two rabbit skins were hung on the saddle. With a little more processing, they could easily make two gloves.

The rabbit's entrails were left for the two dogs, while Thesolius still held his bow, his sharp, hawk-like eyes scanning the jungle. The other two immediately realized there was more...

Thesolius put the light arrows back into his quiver, reached out and drew out a whistling arrow with a tip carved from deer antlers, nocked it and drew it back steadily. After a quick glance, he shot the arrow directly into a thicket of bushes.

The arrow flew through the air with a tearing whistle, extremely loud and piercing. Almost at the same time, the bushes shook, and a huge figure, panting heavily, suddenly burst out and fled into the ravine without looking back.

"There's a bear here!"

Colin’s surprised voice reached Tersolius’s ears—the broad and sturdy figure was undoubtedly a strong brown bear, which was now moving with incredible speed, having already darted a hundred meters away in the blink of an eye.

"It's going to run away if we don't act now!"

Karila couldn't wait any longer. She snatched a spear from a guard and spurred her horse forward, while Tersolius had already drawn his bow and was estimating the distance.

This beast appeared extremely cunning, deliberately venturing into densely wooded areas during its escape. It had most likely witnessed hunters using bows, arrows, and spears to hunt, and thus knew that something deadly was about to fly in from the sky, attempting to use the trees to block its prey.

boom!

As the bowstring twitched, the arrow flew like a shooting star, and the fleeing brown bear suddenly collapsed to the ground—the arrow had accurately emerged from a gap in the forest, piercing its muscular shoulder and causing the wild beast, which was running at breakneck speed, to fall to the ground.

"Why!…………"

That's the sound Karila made, its cries blocked by the bushes...

237 Meat flavor

Autumn is the time for animals to store up energy for the coming cold season, especially bears, which often hibernate to survive the long winter. To avoid freezing or starving to death during their sleep, they need to store large amounts of fat, making autumn a busy season for them.

This ferocious and cunning beast is not only extremely strong, but also incredibly fast. It hunts everywhere in the forest, catching anything it can get its hands on. Of course, if possible, it will try to eat the fattest parts to accumulate enough fat.

The brown bear before them, already well-fed and bloated, was usually a formidable foe in the forest thanks to its thick hide and tough flesh. However, the passing army, gleaming with armor, frightened it into hiding in the bushes. It hurried past these clearly dangerous creatures, but unexpectedly, it revealed a weakness and was startled out by a whistle arrow.

Of course, this approach wasn't necessarily wrong. After all, if it had continued to lie in the bushes, it would likely have been shot dead by a hail of arrows. If it were an ordinary hunter, it would most likely have already escaped by now. But it was facing Tersolius and Colin.

A broad-bladed long arrow pierced through a gap in the trees, striking the brown bear's thick, muscular shoulder blade. It embedded itself deeply into the bone, tearing through the fascia and becoming firmly embedded in the bone, rendering it powerless to move even with immense strength. Before the bear could even roar or struggle, another heavy arrow pierced through the trees, striking precisely below the rounded ears—the most vulnerable and tender spot. The arrow passed through both ears without resistance, emerging from the other side, still warm and streaked with blood.

The incredibly strong bear twitched a few times before collapsing, not in its death throes, but as a final, instinctive reaction. Then it fell silent, its tongue oozing like water from between its teeth as it lay in its gaping mouth, and its foul-smelling blood began to soak the fallen leaves and the soil.

Carila finally arrived late. She rode her horse around the messy bushes in the woods and came to the side of the fallen brown bear.

The girl clicked her tongue in utter disappointment, then turned to look at Colin, who had fired the arrow, now proudly raising his longbow at her. Even though he wasn't physically present, she could guess what he was saying…

He kicked the enormous creature, which resembled a mountain of flesh, and although its skin and flesh were still warm, it was no longer moving, and the blood flowing out was increasing. So he casually threw the spear aside, reached behind him, and pulled out a skinning dagger.

This knife is something she brought from her hometown and has been using ever since. It looks extremely rough – not only is the blade somewhat pitted, but even the handle is roughly carved from a small piece of wood, with rough edges still visible. Moreover, due to years of use, it has accumulated a layer of grease, making it warm and shiny.

The handle was slightly longer than the blade, a common design for hunting knives used by northern hunters to process their prey. Although the blade was rough, its sharpness was quite good; after only a couple of light scratches through the thick bear hide, a very distinct white seam appeared on the bear's belly, revealing glistening white fat underneath.

With the crunch of fallen leaves underfoot, Thesolius dismounted and arrived with his entourage. The main army beside him continued its advance in an orderly fashion, and for the time being, there was nothing for him to worry about.

The brown bear before them, now dead, resembled a trembling mountain of flesh, crushing the surrounding branches and leaves to dust. Each paw was as large as a human face, clearly indicating its immense weight, which could not be handled by one person alone. Thus, the guards took out leather ropes from their bags, bound the bear's limbs and paws, and dragged the heavy body flat, exposing its belly so that the skin could be peeled off from there.

For a moment, the stench of blood mingled with the pungent smell of oil and meat. Large chunks of grease were exposed, glistening and steaming in the sunlight. Even Tersolius joined in, helping to pull the peeled bear skin away forcefully, allowing the blade to continue cutting along the gaps between the fur and fat, carefully removing the thick, velvety hide.

In no time, the entire bear skin was peeled off, except for the paws that were cut around its limbs. Apart from a small hole in its back from an arrow wound, it was slightly flawed, but still had thick, dense fur. Holding it in your arms felt like holding a sturdy, soft blanket.

Karila wiped the sweat from her forehead, leaving a trail of oily blood that marred her blonde hair, making her look quite disheveled, but she didn't seem to care. Just as she was about to open the bear's abdomen to rip out its heart and lungs, a stench and heat that most people would find unbearable hit her, but she remained calm, even seeming to want to stick her head inside the bear's belly.

But she couldn't squeeze in. The stern-faced Thesolius reached out and grabbed the back of the girl's shoulder armor, pulling her back.

"Why are you crawling in here with clothes that have just been washed? Just lay them down and pull them out."

Next, they sped up, cleaning and controlling the internal organs, picking out the parts that were edible, and leaving the rest uneaten. They broke down large chunks of fat and meat, piled them on rafts made from small tree trunks, tied them to the saddles of their warhorses, and dragged them away. They then folded and wrapped the bear skins, placing them on the horses' backs.

This bear was indeed very fat; the fat on its body alone was as thick as a palm, shimmering and glistening. When it was slightly squeezed against the other meat, oil would ooze out, making Carila and Colin beam with delight. Opportunities to harvest such a large amount of fat in one go were rare, whether in the harsh, barren north or in the dense, damp forest; sometimes, it even cost several lives.

Sometimes when people get married in the village, the most valuable thing a newlywed couple has in their house is often a large jar of rendered fat, which can be a lifesaver in a critical moment.

Even though they are now in high positions and their lives are completely different from before, and they can easily get oil whenever they want, they are still genuinely happy.

At this moment, Tesorus was not looking at the mountain of bear meat, but was concentrating on examining the thick bear paw in his hand—it was covered with brownish-black fur and had several-inch-long sharp claws. It was quite heavy in his hand and also very thick.

To be honest, he was a little tempted... Bear paws have been a delicacy since ancient times, thick and succulent. He hadn't had the means to prepare them before, but now they were conveniently delivered to his doorstep. With a little effort, he could finally taste what bear paws were really like.

As he thought about this, a smile began to appear on his lips, even while he was riding a horse. He looked at the rough, unruly paws in his hand as if they were something precious, which aroused the curiosity of the people around him.

"Sir, why are you looking at these claws? They're awful. They're fishy, ​​smelly, and have a weird taste. No matter how you cook them, they're hard to eat. When we used to divide the meat, nobody wanted to take them."

Colin looked at Tersolius with some curiosity, wondering why he was laughing at the paw. Although it looked chubby and meaty, if given a choice, after killing a bear, everyone would still prefer the fat and meat. Too many bones would make them unhappy. These four paws would be fine as an extra, but if they took up the share of the fat and meat, then everyone would make a fuss.

"How did you deal with this claw?"

"Just burn the outside with a torch, wash it, and put it in a pot with salt to boil. Bears always like to lick their paws, so no matter how you cook it, it always has a strange taste."

Tersolius paused for a moment—to be honest, he didn't know how to cook bear paws either. Although his instincts told him the method was too crude, he wasn't sure what the correct way was, but at least he had some basic knowledge:

“This method is too simple and won’t remove the fishy smell… I happen to know something about it, so let’s try it tonight.”

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

In the afternoon, after the army began to set up camp, Tersolius ordered the entire pile of bear meat to be distributed. Of course, no matter how much meat a bear had, it was impossible for every soldier to get even a taste, not even lower-ranking officers. Most of it ended up in the hands of commanders and high-ranking officers. Although the Imperial soldiers usually had ample supplies and often ate meat, bear meat was still a rare treat. Naturally, everyone was overjoyed and ordered the cooks to prepare it.

Soon, the distinctive, savory aroma of bear meat filled the air, and Thesolius was waiting...

A small pot was boiling on the stove, emitting a foul odor. The two bear paws were so large that the lid couldn't cover them, leaving the tip of one paw sticking out.

He was only wearing a cotton undershirt with a black lining embroidered with gold thread. However, because the patterns were so dense, at first glance they only appeared to have a golden sheen, and one had to look closely to discover the exquisite patterns.

Generally speaking, such fine clothing is not suitable for sitting by a fire to cook meat, but Tersolius was confident that, apart from the fighting on the battlefield, his clothes would not be damaged. At this moment, he was holding a meat hook in his right hand and waiting quietly.

He wasn't alone in this tent; rather, everyone around him was bustling with activity. All sorts of trivial matters were being handled collaboratively by his staff, so he didn't have to worry about anything. That's why he had time to sit here and wait for the bear paw to be groomed.

Such a stove didn't quite match anything else here, so it attracted people around to turn around and look at it frequently, but no one dared to look for too long.

"It's almost done."

Muttering something, Tersolius lifted the lid, used the meat hook in his hand to scoop out the two wet bear paws, and then put them into the earthenware basin next to him, which contained prepared cold water. With this hot and cold shock, he gently peeled off the outer layer of fur and old skin as easily as an eggshell, revealing the trembling soft flesh and bones underneath.

He told the old hides and fur to be thrown aside, and Colin, who had been waiting anxiously, quickly grabbed a shovel, scooped them up, and threw them outside. Then he rushed back, eager to see how Terthorius would deal with this unpalatable thing.

By now, the fishy smell of the white bear paws had diminished by more than half. Tersolius nodded in satisfaction, then reached out and grasped the sharp claws. Like breaking a sugarcane, he removed the sharp claws from the joints, leaving only the soft and delicious parts. The elastic fat and tendons on them reflected a crystal-clear texture under the firelight.

Talina, who rarely had a moment to spare, curiously came over. Following Tersolius's instructions, she chopped onions and various seasonings, laying them out on a deep, flat-bottomed earthenware pot. Everything was ready; all that was left was for the two bear paws.

Bear paws are thick and don't easily absorb flavor or cook thoroughly, so you have to make a few cuts to loosen the firmest parts. You can't cut too many pieces, or they'll become small pieces.

After doing all this, place the two bear paws neatly side by side in the earthenware pot, pour in some water, and then you can start cooking.

Although this method was something he came up with on his own, Tersolius was quite confident. After all, it was still a piece of meat, and if he stewed it the way meat is cooked, it probably wouldn't be too outrageous, and it would at least be edible.

"Let's stew two of them first and see. If they're edible, then we'll treat the remaining two in the same way."

Some firewood and charcoal were added to the stove, and the flames grew stronger, quickly bringing the water in the pot to a boil. A unique and rich aroma began to spread, and everyone gathered around became eager to see what this pot of bear paw stew would look like in the end.

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

At dawn, everything was very quiet. The military camps, stretching for dozens of miles, were brightly lit and gradually became lively. After a night of rest, the soldiers were refreshed and ready to break camp and set off after breakfast.

Thesolius had just woken up and, quite excitedly, put on his clothes and got up. He went to the small stove next to his tent, which was still burning, and reached out to lift the lid of the earthenware pot... Instantly, an extremely strong aroma wafted out. The bear paw, which had been stewed until tender, had expanded completely in the pot, and the milky white broth was boiling. The onions and other seasonings had been cooked until they were mushy and could not be found for a while.

Suddenly, the sound of swallowing came from outside. Karila, who arrived the fastest, reached out and pulled back the curtain. He kept sniffing, as if he had been drawn here by the aroma, and locked his attention on the small pot next to the stove.

"You've come at the perfect time, let's try it and see how it tastes."

Of course, she wouldn't refuse such a good thing. She took the bowl from Tersolius with great interest, used her fork to pick up the pieces of meat inside and stuffed them directly into her mouth. She chewed them fiercely, putting large chunks of soft meat into her mouth and occasionally taking a sip of soup.

"How about it?"

"...A little sticky to the teeth?..."

238 Actions by all parties (1)

It really sticks to my teeth...