Armored Cavalry, survive in a world full of mods

In such situations, it is necessary to send advance soldiers to deal with the road conditions, spread lime on muddy areas, fill in potholes with soil, repair road breaks, and repair damaged bridges to ensure that the army will not encounter any trouble when passing through.

"Hurry up! How long are you going to take to drive that log into the ground?! If you delay any longer, the army will be here!"

"Captain, there are too many rocks here. We've dug five or six times already, but we still can't get them all out. Every time we drive the wooden stakes in, we have to pull them out and start digging for rocks again!"

"Damn it, this road is a mess! ... You guys come here, let's work together to dig out this hole first, and then fill it in, otherwise we won't be able to build this bridge plank tonight!"

Baria took a deep breath, watching the white breath he exhaled shoot far away like smoke billowing from a chimney. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and continued to dig with his pickaxe, pulling one jumbled rock after another from the soil.

He is now the captain of an entire squad... He has been promoted to a high position after only a few months in the army, especially in the elite legion of the empire. This was something he would never have dared to dream of in the past. After all, he did not think he was any better than others, especially in this elite legion full of hidden talents. His greatest wish was just to live as an ordinary soldier until the end of the war and save enough money to buy a couple of plots of land and take care of his parents.

Now it seems that he may have already achieved his initial wish... If he continues in his current state, saving enough money will not be difficult at all.

Kalido, who had always been inseparable from him, had also become a captain, so they could no longer stay together as before. At this moment, he was repairing a bridge, while Kalido was marching with the army in the rear. In a while, they would cross the bridge that he had repaired.

Even a resilient and honest young man like him couldn't help but feel a little ambitious at this moment—if he could work harder and achieve more merits, he could become a 50th sergeant...

"clang!"

The vibration he felt under his hand almost made him drop his pickaxe. What was exposed was a black rock formation the size of a bull's head. Its rounded shape clearly indicated that a large part of it was still buried deeper. His full-force strike had only left a dent the size of a little finger and a white dot on it...

"Damn it, this is bad..."

The newly appointed captain, Barea, scrunched up his face, instantly pulled from his reverie, and looked at the huge rock with a wry smile.

"It just so happens to be in this location, and it's impossible to put the wooden stakes up somewhere else."

One of his deputy captains also looked distressed, sighing as he stared at the troublesome hard rock in the pit they had dug—to support this slab, they would have to erect a sturdy bridge pillar here, and even moving it to the side by an inch would cause the bridge to become unstable, a risk they dared not take.

The sheer size and hardness of the rock meant that they couldn't dig it out quickly or smash it cleanly.

"If all else fails, should we dig it shallower?"

The other vice-captain was a Kurist with slightly curly, light black hair and high cheekbones, giving him an air of shrewdness. He was also scratching his head, looking somewhat bewildered.

"no!"

Baria shook his head, rejecting his subordinate's suggestion:

"We don't know how many more troops and important people will pass through here. If we don't dig deep enough and cause damage to the bridge, which delays logistics, we'll be in big trouble."

"Then let's not delay any longer, let's get started digging!"

The first vice-captain to speak sighed, then quickly rallied himself and urged the others to bring chisels and sledgehammers to break the hard rock.

Everyone knew it was a stupid method, but at that moment it seemed there was no other way but to use a stupid method. In the end, Baria lowered his head and was the first to reach out and take the hammer.

Perhaps Calido can come up with some other ideas here...

He could barely control his thoughts, and couldn't help but sigh. He beckoned a burly soldier to place his steel chisel against the rock, preparing to chisel out a hole.

The unusual sound of leaves being rustled saved Barea's life.

The instant he heard the tree branch snap, as if by instinct, he dropped the sledgehammer, rolled into the hole he had dug, and shouted as he did so:

"The enemy is attacking the defensive formation!"

Almost the instant he finished speaking, a thick arrow shaft struck the spot where he had been standing, its fletching still trembling slightly and kicking up a few specks of dirt. Another arrow grazed a soldier's head and struck the vice-captain's neck, exiting through his Adam's apple.

The Imperial Legion soldiers' practice of carrying their shields in areas where the enemy might be active also saved most of their lives. As the sound of arrows whistling through the air, like the sharp cry of birds, rang out, everyone instinctively took off their shields and huddled together, using them to cover their heads, chests, and abdomens.

In a very short time, hundreds of arrows were scattered. A soldier who reacted a little slower was hit by seven or eight arrows in succession. Most of them were weakened by his chainmail, but one arrow pierced through the back of his head and out of his mouth, ending his life...

The instant he rolled into the pit, Baria grabbed his battle axe from his waist and his shield from his back, and scrambled out of the pit, standing in the formation of his soldiers.

"Everyone, put your shields up! They don't have that many arrows to waste. The enemy will be charging soon!"

Another arrow slipped through the gap in the shield, grazing Baria's cheek and embedding itself precisely in the gap between his helmet and face, leaving a small but noticeable scar on his cheek. Yet, he didn't utter a sound of pain, maintaining an almost cold composure as he surveyed the dense thicket beside the bridge, letting the blood trickle down his cheek and drip into his clothes.

Just as he said, the enemy was not as wealthy and powerful as the Imperial Legion, and they did not have the luxury of wantonly firing a large number of arrows. After seeing that most of the arrows they fired had no effect, a dozen Holstein soldiers rushed out from the rustling leaves amidst a cheering shout.

"Military merit has come knocking on your door?"

One of the soldiers, whose shoulders were being supported by Balia, suddenly uttered this remark, causing the others to burst into laughter and instantly easing the tense atmosphere.

"That's right, let's wipe out this rabble in one fell swoop!"

Baria chuckled twice, then issued a new instruction without hesitation:

"Move forward, block the area blocked by those two rocks, and push them back!"

“Understood!!”

The soldiers cheered, holding their shields in front of them and concealing their weapons behind them. They pressed forward in tight formation, precisely intercepting the enemy just as they were about to pass through the two rocky obstacles.

In an instant, blades pierced bodies, shields collided, and bodies were shoved to the ground in a chaotic mess. Swords and blades clashed and twisted, short hammers swung up and down, axes slashed and hacked, and the seeping blood soaked the dry riverbed mixed with pebbles.

"incite!"

As the sharp bronze whistle sounded, the soldiers simultaneously raised their shields, using their broad surfaces to protect themselves, enduring the enemy's relentless hacking and slashing. They didn't retreat an inch, forming a wall of oak.

"incite!!"

At the same time, dangerous gaps appeared in various parts of the wall, from which sharp swords pierced fiercely and ruthlessly through the weakest areas, drawing out dripping blood, bringing death screams like venomous snakes poking their heads out, before being withdrawn with lightning speed.

"incite!"

The shields rejoined, and the attackers' counterattacks could only leave large and small scratches on the shields, like desperate beasts futilely tearing at the hunter's spear.

"incite!!"

The swinging axe ripped open a soldier's carotid artery, the gushing blood staining his shield red. As he blew his bronze whistle, everyone simultaneously took two steps forward, trampling the still struggling men underfoot.

"incite!"

The short sword, thrusting down from above, pierced the soft area between the collarbone and shoulder blade, penetrating all the way into the lung. As it was pulled out, it brought with it a gush of hot blood, causing its victim to fall to the ground like a stake.

.........

Whistle—Raise shield, whistle—Attack, whistle—Advance—

With the ease of a worker felling a tree and the skill of a butcher slaughtering livestock, Imperial soldiers, with their terrifying discipline and silence, slaughtered their opponents like machines. These men, who had rushed to the front with only a surge of bloodlust, were torn apart like waves crashing against rocks, pierced, cut, smashed, and chopped to pieces with each sharp whistle.

The severed limbs were still twitching and clenching. The severed heads were still opening and closing their mouths... In the blink of an eye, seven or eight more people had died or been injured. The remaining dozen or so turned and fled without looking back, not even caring about their wounded companions who were still groaning in pain. They quickly disappeared into the mountains and forests.

They fled so resolutely and swiftly that even Baria didn't have time to react... By the time he realized what was happening, he was about to order the others to give chase when he saw them disappear into the woods, disappearing into the distance with the swaying of branches.

After a long pause, he finally spoke, somewhat bewildered:

"What are they here for...?"

………………

"Captain, three of us have died. Besides Bathory and Saldo, Pssanios was also stabbed in the stomach and just died."

"This time we chopped off 12 heads..."

Baria silently stared at the dead Kurist vice-captain, at the arrow lodged in his neck, a somber feeling settling over him. He quietly knelt down and turned the man over...

The vice-captain, who was still reporting, suddenly froze. Both men stared at each other in utter astonishment at the man whose neck had been pierced but whose eyes were still blinking. They exclaimed in unison:

"You're still alive?!"

The Kurist man, Bathory, who was lying on the ground, blinked his eyes, blood foaming from his mouth. He rolled his eyes with great difficulty, but dared not move his neck at all, for fear of touching the arrow shaft.

"Quickly, quickly, get to him! Get him to the medical camp in the back, hurry!"

Baria jumped up as if he had just sat on a red-hot stove. Although he was pacing around anxiously, he couldn't hide the joy on his face.

The others hurriedly gathered around, and the two quick-witted ones immediately picked up axes and chopped down two tree trunks about the thickness of a wrist from the nearby bushes. The group untied the leather ropes from their waists, tied them to the tree trunks to make a simple plan, and prepared to carry their injured vice-captain up there.

"Wait! Break the arrow shaft first, he won't live to see the destination in this state."

Another centurion reached out, drew a sharp dagger from his waist, and directed two strong soldiers to firmly grip the arrow shaft. Then, with swift and light movements, he severed the finger-thick wooden shaft.

"No, his throat is starting to feel blocked. We need to turn him over, or he'll choke to death!"

So everyone hurriedly turned him over again. The two strongest and most enduring men lifted the stretcher and hurried back along the road. With the jolting of their arms and the road, the deputy captain, whose throat was still bleeding, left clear marks on the ground as he gradually disappeared behind the distant woods. Those left behind looked at each other for a while, silently worrying about him.

"The bridge still needs repairing, everyone hurry up! Move those two corpses to the side."

277. Idea (1)

Stopping his horse on the high slope, under the fluttering double-headed eagle banner, Tersolius squinted at the city before him. Numerous armored soldiers and cavalrymen surrounded him, making the hillside gleam like it was covered in iron.

Of course, there was no convenient telescope available for him in this era, but based on his limited knowledge of optics, he managed to get a simple telescope made of crystal by the most skilled gem craftsmen in the imperial capital to be of some use. Although what he saw was upside down, he could at least make out the details.

He opened the telescope, made of three sections of brass tubing, and began to observe patiently from a distance where, in theory, one could only see a blurry outline of the city. It was like a hunter eyeing a rare and robust wild beast in the jungle, considering how to hunt it without damaging its precious fur.

The city's structure can be described as ingenious and magnificent. A river runs through the center of the city without dividing it in two. This is thanks to the relatively narrow river channel, which allowed them to build city walls and water gates like huge arches across the entire river, connecting the two sides of the city. The towering, huge sluice gates can both block enemy attacks and allow their own fleets to pass through at any time.

The Holstein fleet, now the last remaining of its kind, resides within this city. Imperial ships cannot sail into Holstein's inland rivers, nor can they travel thousands of miles on land. Therefore, only Holstein fleets currently operate on this river; however, they dare not obstruct the Imperial army's crossing—after all, the Empire's formidable military engineering is no joke.

This is a wide and abundant river, connecting the south and north of the Kingdom of Hols, through which countless goods are transported every day. It is also an extremely convenient and vital supply line, and he naturally cannot tolerate handing over such a strategic advantage to his enemy. Therefore, he must seize control of the city that controls the river before heading south.

However, the current headache is that as long as the Hols' fleet exists, their siege forces cannot be deployed at will. They are constantly threatened by those large ships, ballistae, and catapults, while the enemy ships can use the city walls for cover, making it difficult for them to attack.

"Are we really going to have to sail across the land and tow a few warships over from the Gulf of Boris in the east?..."

He touched his chin with some distress and began to seriously consider his next move. He quickly abandoned the idea of ​​using a boat on land, since it would take who knows how long it would take to drag the warship here.

Every day, the army's deployment cost money like water. Although the successive victories had indeed brought great rewards, the rewards for the soldiers were also substantial. As the commander of the legion, he had to plan ahead and be meticulous in his calculations.

The legion's camp had appeared near the city, but unlike the attack on Torakasi, the Imperial soldiers gathered here consisted of only two legions, totaling just over 2 men, which was much weaker than the formidable force they had when besieging the first major city.

But no matter how foolish and arrogant the Hols were, they would not feel even the slightest bit relaxed, because the one leading these 2 elite troops was none other than Tersolius! He could capture a major border town with only a few hundred men, let alone with these 2 elite troops.

Yes, he did not intend to concentrate all his troops here. The offensive in other directions continued. His ambitions had never been small. Although he was still advancing steadily, he was not prepared to give the enemy a chance to breathe.

"Bring me the map."

Alka immediately took down the leather tube on his back and pulled out a large parchment map, the edges of which were wrapped with fine gold thread to prevent excessive wear.

The two cavalrymen carefully unfolded the map on their horses and remained motionless in that position. Tersolius slowly moved his finger across it, deep in thought.

Until his finger moved to an inconspicuous corner, he suddenly felt a pang of excitement. After comparing the distance and shape, he slowly nodded.

………………

"Has someone already given themselves away? And been caught by the city's militia?"

Tersolius raised his eyebrows in surprise, astonished by this somewhat unexpected news, while Talina nodded affirmatively before him.

"That's right. Mr. Saiyaros's men are pursuing him. I heard that he caused one injury or death during his resistance. They expect to arrest him by tomorrow."

"I'm starting to suspect that this is just an ordinary spy... how could he have revealed his true colors so easily, and not even half a month has passed."

"We should know the answer tomorrow. Once we catch him, we'll figure it out."

"That's right... Doctor, could I take a look at that little thing?"

Tersolius's change of topic was so sudden that Talina didn't even realize what he was referring to. After a moment of stunned silence, she realized that he was talking about the round little guy standing on her shoulder.

That curious and inquisitive glint in Thesolius's eyes. For the first time, Tarina felt such hesitation and uncertainty in the face of his request, a kind of worry akin to entrusting a carefully nurtured child to someone who lacked tenderness…

But Thesolius took her hesitation as a tacit agreement and reached out to grab her shoulder quite naturally. Before the plump little bird realized what was happening, his fingers deftly flicked and squeezed, turning his five fingers into a small cage that firmly trapped it inside.

The nimble little creature immediately panicked, trying to bite Tersolius's hand with its tender yellow, hooked beak, while its two claws, each about the thickness of a little finger, struggled desperately. Its wings also flared, displaying a fierce will to survive, much like an insect caught in a spider's web.

"Sir, be gentle! You'll hurt it!"

Tarina hurriedly placed the parchment clip in her hand on the table, and let her approach with a look of panic and worry. She reached out as if she wanted to rescue her little one, but hesitated and withdrew halfway, and then immediately reached out again hesitantly.

"Don't worry, doctor, I won't hurt it... I'm just curious."

Tersolius loosened his grip slightly, maintaining a pressure just enough to keep it from escaping, while gently scratching the pale gray feathers on the round head with the index finger of his other hand:

"The welcoming words I heard outside the lab that day, were they spoken by it itself... or by you? I don't think a little guy like that could imitate tone so vividly and naturally. For a moment, I almost thought it was you talking to me from the door frame."

Talina watched as the unruly little creature suddenly quieted down, its previous desperate struggles vanished, as if someone had injected it with anesthetic gas. It adopted a rather complacent attitude, quickly ceasing its struggles… Remembering all the effort she had put into taming this little thing, even the gentle Talina couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness.

"It seems to like you very much, sir..."

"Thank you for the compliment, Doctor. I'm honored too. It seems this little thing doesn't see me as a threat... You haven't answered my question yet."

Talina adjusted her emotions slightly:

"It is indeed one of its functions, but the current distance is still very short. It can't transmit beyond three rooms... It's more suitable for short-distance errands and communication. As its body develops, the distance will become longer, but how far it can go depends on each individual's talent."

“I once heard my teacher say that he had seen a friend’s pet that could cover a large forest and was even smart enough to collect some medicines for him… My little thing will take a long time to grow to that level.”

"How exactly did they do that? It's really unbelievable."

Taking a small box from Tarina, and opening it as she instructed, Tersolius pulled out a still-wriggling mealworm. Watching the bird stretch out its head and snatch it away, then tuck it into its mouth like it was eating noodles, Tersolius found it increasingly amusing, even feeling an urge to keep one as a pet himself.

This also reminded him of the peregrine falcon still in Alpert—he wondered how that raptor, capable of flying so high and far, was doing now, whether it was still on its mission of delivering messages…