Armored Cavalry, survive in a world full of mods

"Haha, it's nothing, just a friendly spar. My bones are sore from not moving all day..."

"Haha, me too. I need to exercise after eating, otherwise my stomach will feel bloated..."

Thesolius couldn't help but laugh out loud, then his expression returned to calm:

"If you're so free, come with me. There's a place I want to see for myself."

"okay."

"As ordered."

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

The horse's hooves crushed the fallen leaves on the ground, leaving a deep pit filled with moisture, where tiny buds began to grow.

The surrounding trees are not very dense, and only a small portion of the yellowed leaves remain on the branches. The leaves piled up on the ground are several inches thick, and stepping on them feels like walking on a soft, dense carpet.

Colin stood beside a tree, running his fingers along several rough marks on it, comparing their height from the ground, and then flipping over the leaves next to it to examine the marks on the soil.

"What are you looking for? This place is completely bare, there's nothing here, right?"

Karila casually chopped down a small tree with an axe, then hung the axe back on her waist and began peeling the bark off the trunk with a knife, gradually creating a smooth and sturdy stick in her hand.

“I’m looking for traces of the bear… but it seems hopeless. The claw marks have almost healed, and the bear has probably disappeared somewhere long ago.”

"That's a real shame. I'd love to try bear paws again. When I have the chance in the future, I'll take you to the north of my hometown to catch one of those big bears."

"Although there are no bears, there are still traces of deer... Let me see, they went west, and not long ago. If we follow this road, we will definitely catch up."

Karila was immediately intrigued and looked at the animal trail in front of her with a sense of eagerness. The trail was made by animals over a long period of time, and of course, people could also walk on it.

"Don't forget why we came out here. Go back on your horses."

One sentence quelled their restless impulses. Tersolius slightly pulled on the reins, made a quick assessment of the direction, and then continued to urge the horses forward.

The guards followed on horseback, moving as if they were one with their warhorses, their bodies barely swaying. They only needed to exert a little force with their feet to adjust the direction of their horses. Compared to them, Colin and Carila seemed a bit more inexperienced.

246 Preparation (2)

As the reins of the warhorses were pulled taut, the bit in their mouths exerted a strong controlling force, causing these enormous creatures to slowly stop shaking their heads and snorting incessantly.

Tersolius observed the scene before him. It was a deep canyon, hidden dozens of miles around the city, nestled in dense forest. It looked as if a giant spear had pierced the earth and then pulled upwards, creating a huge gap. The canyon was filled with cracks and caves of all sizes, and it was barren, a dark place of mixed yellow and black.

This is highly unusual. Weeds are incredibly resilient and can grow almost anywhere, even in barren, arid deserts. But here, it's literally barren; you can't see a single blade of green. It's as if a large group of extremely diligent farmers come here every day to meticulously pull out every single weed.

The long-legged hounds growled menacingly, surrounding Tersolius's horses as a warning to their master; they had smelled danger.

He bent down and gently stroked the head of the lead dog, calming the fierce and agile creatures. Tersolius surveyed the strange surroundings before him, and a strange sense of familiarity suddenly welled up within him.

A strange atmosphere gave him a creepy feeling, but after a moment's thought, he remembered why this strange place felt familiar—he had also seen a similar cold and eerie place on the high mountain near Alpert.

“The cavalry scouted this place yesterday, but after a thorough search they found nothing and deemed it safe. However, they still sent a report to my shore. They probably can’t see anything wrong, so we’ve come to take a look.”

Carila peered tentatively into the deep canyon:

“There’s definitely something wrong here! The grass around here is withered but still growing lushly, but this place doesn’t even have any fallen leaves. Someone must have been cleaning it up.”

“But there are no signs of roads or activity here…” Colin surveyed the canyon's surroundings, then frowned as he looked at the jagged rocks and crooked slopes:

"The only trace here was left yesterday, probably by scout cavalry. If someone really cleaned up here, how could they not leave traces? To clean up the entire canyon, it would take at least one or two hundred people."

Tersolius turned to look at Talina:

"Doctor, what do you think?"

Tarina was digging in the soil with a silver knife, frowning as she dug. She brushed aside the top layer of dirt mixed with twigs and fallen leaves, revealing the dark soil underneath.

"Please wait a moment, sir, I need to do some simple tests..."

As she spoke, she pulled a small silver box from her bosom. Colin immediately recognized it as something she'd bought in the East, after haggling over the price for quite some time. A quick thought raced through her mind, and she promptly asked:

"Have you figured it out yet? Didn't you say it would take at least two or three years?"

"This one is much simpler. Its previous owner didn't interfere much, probably using it as a regular box. We're just lucky; it can easily detect the content of elements in the soil..."

As she spoke, Tarina carefully used a knife to pick up the finest black soil, meticulously removed all the impurities, and smeared it on the inside of the box before gently closing it.

"Just wait a little while. If the box turns black, that's normal. If it turns yellow, it means that a lot of the 'nutrients' here have been consumed."

After wiping the dirt off the knife, Talina rinsed the blade with a small ceramic bottle of refined liquor, her eyes never leaving the box in her left hand. Everyone began to wait patiently, and all eyes in the vicinity focused on this spot.

Tersolius was also somewhat curious. Based on his limited knowledge, silver turning black usually meant it had come into contact with sulfides, and turning yellow might be due to oxidation or something similar... The box in front of him should be unrelated to those things; it was something beyond his knowledge.

Moreover, it remains to be determined whether the box is made of silver; now we just have to wait for the final result.

Just as the dogs were getting bored and scratching their heads with their hind legs, Tarina suddenly clasped her hands together:

"All right!"

Tersolius turned his gaze—and then he saw that the silver box had visibly turned a warm yellow, as if it had been frequently touched and soaked in sweat, aging decades in the blink of an eye.

"As expected, the elemental energy here has been largely consumed, almost to the point of having almost nothing left... Generally speaking, without interference, the elemental energy is distributed quite evenly and can be seen almost everywhere. There must be something affecting this place."

Can you pinpoint the exact location?

"Yes, as long as we explore further using this method, we can roughly pinpoint the area by finding the region with the most dramatic changes."

"Then let's get started... Perfect timing, this place is ideal for setting up camp. Go and relay my orders..."

………………

The dry tree was pierced by a heavy axe, and the wood became even harder after drying, making it more difficult to cut than when it was wet. However, it made excellent firewood, which would burn fiercely as soon as it was thrown into a fire.

The soldiers worked together and quickly felled the withered old tree, then chopped it into firewood. They loaded it onto a raft and dragged it away to use as fuel for cooking and for lighting fire pits at night.

The army's camp for the upcoming siege will be set up here. The vanguard has arrived and begun preparations. The area around the canyon is now filled with armored soldiers and auxiliary troops, and the scene has suddenly become bustling with activity, no longer as cold and gloomy as before.

The sounds of numerous cattle, horses, donkeys, and mules could be heard everywhere, and there were hoofprints everywhere. Trees were being felled one after another to make stakes to repair the damage caused by the camp. Everything was proceeding in an orderly and efficient manner, without delaying anything else.

While most of the tasks of dividing up the camp could be delegated to the staff, he still needed to make the final decisions, arrange the order, and divide the areas. By the time he finished his work, Talina had also finished her own tasks.

"Let's eat first, and then we'll watch it."

Before the girl could speak, Tersolius handed her a bowl of steaming meat porridge. A gust of cold wind swept through the woods, causing Talina to shrink her neck. She quickly took the bowl and used the heat emanating from it to warm her stiff fingers.

Tesorus also held a bowl, stirring the warm porridge inside with a wooden spoon. The smoked meat in it was cured with plenty of salt, so it was salty enough without needing any extra salt, serving as both meat and seasoning.

This kind of jerky is very tough and difficult to chew if eaten directly. Even young people with healthy teeth will have to work hard to eat it. It usually needs to be cooked in hot soup before it can be eaten. It also contains chopped cabbage and onions. It is most palatable when it is slightly cooled down but still steaming hot.

The felt tent was warm and windproof, made of wool from Kurist. Winter tents had to be set up this way, otherwise they wouldn't be able to keep out the cold wind. Outside, the cold autumn wind was howling, but inside, illuminated by an oil lamp, was a warm and cozy atmosphere.

After swallowing the last mouthful of hot porridge, Talina's soft cheeks flushed slightly. She took a breath, rubbed her hands together, and quickly took out the box from the white lion-skin pouch at her waist. She then took out a piece of parchment from her pocket, took the brass pen handed to her by Tersolius, and began to write and draw on it.

After sketching out the general shape with just a few simple strokes, Tarina began to recount her discovery:

"The entire canyon is shaped like a date pit, wider on the east side and narrower on the west side, with most of the forest located on the east side."

"The distribution of the element also gradually decreases from east to west, disappearing completely in the far west, which basically defines its range here. The depth increases from the gentle slope here, but unfortunately I haven't had time to go down and explore it yet..."

“That’s not a place you can go alone.” Tersolius stood up. “It’s already dark. Let’s go back and rest. We’ll go down and see what that thing is tomorrow.”

----------

Before them lay a smooth, earthen hollow, gleaming with a dark sheen as if it had been repeatedly crushed and polished by something—this was the scene at the end of the canyon. After removing several large boulders blocking their path, this hidden place finally came into view.

Most of the crevices and caves in the canyon are shallow, like cracks that burst open when something is broken, except for this small, crushed pit at the end, which shows something unusual.

After searching three times to make sure there were no tunnels or hidden doors in the vicinity, they began to dig. The soil here was very hard, but once they could dig out a part, the rest could be pried out like peeling an eggshell. They quickly dug out all the compressed, hard soil, revealing the soft, yellow soil layer underneath.

This made the digging even faster. Hundreds of guards worked together to pour the excavated soil into baskets and dump it into a depression in the distance, digging deeper and deeper, just like digging a well.

Ding!

The swinging axe struck a hard object, instantly causing his hand to ache. The sharp, tempered part of the axe was visibly chipped, and the hard metal was compressed together, causing cracks and breakage.

"Found it, found it!"

The guards erupted in cheers, quickly clearing away the mud to reveal a long, black, strip-shaped object, about six-tenths the length of a human leg, with a dent in it, left from a collision with the axe and pickaxe in the soldier's hand.

Before they could even examine what this thing was, another cheer came from the side as a slightly shorter, thicker object with twisted ridges was dug out.

What followed was a continuous stream, one after another, piece after piece, while the cheers grew fainter and fainter... Everyone could see what it was—even though it was enormous, the soldiers could easily recognize it as human bone...

A few minutes later, facing the massive skeleton laid out on the ground in a certain order, the guards whispered among themselves:

"This is definitely a giant! Even just looking at the skeleton, you can tell this guy is twice the height of an average woman. How could a normal person grow to be like this?"

“I think something might be wrong… Look at this thing’s head. How could a human head be so long? How could its face be so prominent and its mouth so long? This must be some kind of strange beast, just hidden deep in the forest and hard to find.”

“I think so too! Look how long this thing’s teeth are, such long and sharp teeth, only a creature that eats raw meat would have them. I’ve seen them a lot back in my hometown.”

"Now that you mention it... I feel like this thing's waist is a bit too short, and its ribs seem a lot wider... And its arms are a bit too long, they seem to go past its knees..."

Talina placed the last bone with absolute certainty, then wiped the sweat from her forehead. These bones were incredibly heavy, almost like they were carved from stone, yet they undeniably possessed the structure and texture of bone.

Tersolius was at a loss for words, his heart filled with strange emotions—unlike others who had never seen such a creature before, he recognized it at a glance as a skeleton of a gorilla or something similar, having watched many documentaries in the past.

This skeleton has a wider upper body, thicker bones, and most importantly, a sagittal crest with attached muscles on the skull. It has a prominent face, long and thick canines, arm bones that extend beyond the knees, and a wide pelvis... It has quite distinctive features compared to human skeletons.

Even by gorilla standards, the skeleton is still too big, looking no smaller than Moss's size, and together they look more like a troll or something.

Of course, the most unique thing is that these bones all have a layer of oily black sheen, as if someone had specially coated them with black paint. Moreover, they have an astonishing density, indicating that they have been buried underground for an unknown period of time. They also have a high strength, enough to deform and damage steel.

"This is truly beyond my expectations..."

Thalina's voice made Teresolius look up in confusion, and then he heard her continue:

"I never expected to find the skeleton of something like 'sinsin' here. I've only ever seen it once in my teacher's book..."

Talina, looking quite moved, held a piece of parchment and was scribbling and drawing, recording the shapes of the massive bones before her. Meanwhile, the town of Tersolius was astonished by the two syllables it had just heard.

"Talina, what did you call this thing?"

"The teacher said this thing is called a 'sinsin,' which sounds like a kind of giant ape."

247 Siege (1)

First to appear was a fiery red banner, followed by a troop of about 2000 light cavalrymen draped in red cloaks, sweeping towards the city like a red river. The sound of clashing armor was clearly audible amidst the billowing dust, gleaming spears stood like a forest, and the neighing of warhorses and the thunderous hooves, their armor gleaming, swept past the city's defenders in a state of near-breathless panic. Then, just an arrow's throw from the city gate, they suddenly turned right, scattering in groups of a hundred, and rushed into the villages, fields, and forests surrounding the city, beginning a thorough search and clearing.

The scouts who remained outside the city were immediately met with devastating blows. Like frightened deer driven by a flock of sheep, they fled in panic, only to be riddled with arrows or dragged away by nooses around their necks amidst a dense rain of arrows.

When they encounter slightly more troublesome prey, the various hundred-man teams will immediately coordinate closely and skillfully, constantly moving, tearing, harassing, and dividing the enemy until they are completely defeated and scattered. Only then will they fiercely pounce on the enemy, tear them to shreds, and relentlessly pursue and kill them.

Before long, the surrounding villages and roads were littered with the corpses of Hols, their blood seeping into the fields and falling among the trees. The remaining survivors also fled into the woods in a panic, desperately escaping along the surrounding paths, like water seeping into the soil after a stream has dried up, disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye.

Following closely behind were countless packhorses, mules, and carts pulled by strong oxen. In this way, they brazenly began to plan camps in the vast fields outside the city, carrying countless building materials. A massive iron torrent also rolled toward the city from the horizon. The soldiers entered their camps in an orderly manner, buried the wooden stakes in the ground, and built one camp wall and tower after another.

As time passed, the imperial army, visible to the naked eye, stretched as far as the eye could see. A vast expanse of silver light stretched into the distance, and red banners fluttered in the wind like a continuous rosy dawn. The sound of their footsteps made the earth tremble, and the sound of their voices made the bricks of the city walls shake. The shouts of men and the neighing of horses were like the rolling thunder of a storm.

Many soldiers were so frightened that they lost their composure. Even some veteran soldiers who had been around for many years were also frightened by this terrifying power and turned pale. Some of them could not even hold their spears or crossbows steady. Their legs became weak and unsteady, and they had to hold onto the battlements to keep their balance.

At first, some tried to count their numbers, but later, except for those specifically tasked with it, everyone else gave up. There was no other reason; the more they counted, the more desperate they became… especially since the entire army consisted of armored soldiers, even the most shabby wore helmets. Even small squads moved with discipline, their ranks orderly, disciplined, and commands clear. It was unimaginable what price would be paid to fight such an army and achieve any possible victory… Of course, the more likely outcome was being crushed and trampled, becoming the legion's glory and wealth.

Before even launching an attack, the mere appearance of this army had already caused the city's morale to plummet. In a daze, it seemed as if a surge of blood energy rose up and condensed into a ferocious beast above the army's heads, its claws and teeth menacing, eyeing the upcoming sacrifices with predatory intent, grinding its teeth and sucking blood.

An old soldier with a white beard trembled, unable to speak. His usually steady and strong arms were now like limp noodles, unable to grip his spear. Instinctively, he wanted to hide his head behind the heavy battlements. This was a survival maneuver during a siege; even before engaging in battle, he had already begun to feel fear.

Before he could even squat down, a sharp whooshing sound accompanied the sharp end of a thin leather whip that lashed across the back of his head, tearing off pieces of skin and leaving a bloody gash. The excruciating pain caused him to scream and clutch his head.

"What are you hiding for? The Imperials haven't even attacked the city yet, and you're already hiding! When they really come, are you going to find a crack in the ground to crawl into?! Cowardice before the battle even begins?! I'll chop off your head!"

The Holstein officer cursed as he brandished his whip. He lashed the man mercilessly, like a disobedient animal, tearing the padded military uniform to shreds, exposing the cotton underneath. Bloodstains covered the man's face and hands, which were exposed. He only stopped whipping the man when he straightened up as if his backside was on fire and returned to his position.

"Listen up, all of you! If you don't want to die, stay alert! As long as we get through winter, the Empire definitely won't be able to hold on. So many troops cost so much money and food every day; they simply can't survive! Until then, every one of us has to risk our lives..."

The officer next to him was still giving instructions, but the veteran couldn't hear a thing. His face and hands were burning with pain, but thankfully the other party had been careful not to injure any bones or tendons, only to break the skin. He could treat it with some ointment tonight... What he was really afraid of now was seeing a flag, a black double-headed eagle flag!

He was a veteran, a soldier who had been in the army for over a decade. Because he was the only child left in his family and had nowhere else to go, he had stayed. He'd spent all his pay on drinking and partying, barely making any money. Logically, a seasoned veteran like him, not a fresh recruit, shouldn't have been so terrified. It was as if he'd been given a pitchfork and sent to face the Imperial armored cavalry's charge…

He had thought he wouldn't be afraid anymore; after all, he had no ties and lived one day at a time, so he wouldn't be easily frightened. But he could never forget the walls of Alpert...

At first, he was full of confidence. Having collected enough money, drunk his fill, and indulged in a few days of prostitution, he joined the main force in attacking the city walls. Although initial casualties were heavy, he still stood on the walls, wielding his sword and killing two slaves. Just when he thought he could take the walls in one fell swoop and collect the hefty bounty, the real nightmare began…

He didn't even know how he survived. He only remembered the rolling armored vehicles surging down the city walls, his companions having their heads smashed, limbs severed, and bellies ripped open in the blink of an eye, being slaughtered piece by piece like sheep, and being cleared from the city walls in the blink of an eye. When it was his turn, he was so terrified that he didn't even know how he moved his hands and feet, and in the blink of an eye, he tumbled and scrambled down the ladder.

Thanks to a stroke of luck he somehow managed to escape amidst a hail of arrows, along with a few remaining soldiers. He only suffered a minor scrape on his thigh; the thick flesh prevented any damage to blood vessels or bones. However, the wound now frequently itches and aches when it rains, and it doesn't heal very well.

This was definitely not a good thing for him at the time. Because his injuries were too minor and he could still walk, he was quickly sent back to the battlefield. Under the swords of the supervising officers, he had no choice but to continue grinding his own blood and flesh onto that millstone...

He was also present when the armored cavalry burst out of the city gate with a devastating attack... He watched as a hundred-man squad was reduced to mangled limbs in the blink of an eye! No exaggeration, just the blink of an eye! They were reduced to a field of severed limbs, to flesh and blood clinging to the stone pavement, to blood-red paint on the hoofprints of galloping horses...

That incredibly cruel scene was deeply etched into his mind, making him tremble and unable to stand when he thought about it, his breathing becoming rapid and labored... It was as if, in a daze, he had become one of those trampled under the hooves of horses, turning into rotten flesh and broken bone fragments under the iron hooves... He would even panic at the sound of horses' hooves, like a neurasthenic madman.

And ironically, the more he worries about something, the more likely it is to happen—