Armored Cavalry, survive in a world full of mods

"We are well aware of this, which is why we are increasing our investment. Please take a look at this... you will definitely be satisfied with our new product, which we call—the Violent Bear."

They finally reached the end, and the curtain in front of them was slowly lifted, revealing a tall iron cage stained with blood. A huge figure used its shadow to block out the surrounding light source. The armor plates it was wearing rustled, and sharp teeth as thick as fingers gnashed and bit. The heavy limbs slammed into the ground, causing it to vibrate slightly. A huge spiked chain hammer that was being dragged rubbed and collided on the floor.

"It finally looks good."

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

The raging fire ignited the wood, sweeping away the rotting flesh and blood, leaving only a strong, acrid smell. But for the workers, even this stench was much better than the putrid stench of the previous two days, and many breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that their unbearable days had finally returned to normal.

That terrible place was finally burned to the ground today. Barrels of kerosene were poured in from the top, and then a torch was thrown in. In no time, the raging flames destroyed everything inside, leaving only a strong stench of burning and billowing smoke rising into the sky.

Today was also the day they could start working. In just a few days, many people felt as if they had been in another world—even the things they were working on had a strange sense of familiarity. Under the foreman's orders, they continued digging in the same direction they had been working on, using wheelbarrows to transport the soil to both banks. After breaking up the rocks, several big men worked together to slowly carry them out. There was no other way; their cattle and horses had all died or been injured, and it would be difficult to replenish them at least in the short term. They would have to rely on themselves for the next few days.

Although the small hut where Tarina had been working wasn't demolished, it had been renovated by several workers, and its contents had long since been moved out. Now it was just a hut; two windows had been cut out with an axe and saw, and the door had been enlarged to make it habitable. It was also very waterproof and quite warm when the door was closed.

Of course, no matter how busy the workers were, the silent spot next to them still made them a little reserved, and they didn't dare to look up at it—on that high slope stood a black double eagle banner, and countless other magnificent and imposing banners surrounded it. Densely arranged armored soldiers filled the entire slope, and at a glance, it was all silver and gleaming with swords, spears, and halberds.

Tersolius stood beneath the banner, within the circle formed by his guards, listening to Talina report her findings.

"So this fungus isn't contagious? The reason the livestock and deer looked like that is because it sheds a part of itself into fresh grass?"

“That’s right, sir. I’m certain that as long as you don’t ingest any of it, there’s no risk of infection from this fungus. Their only mode of transmission is this—spreading by taking advantage of herbivores’ craving for fresh food. However, because the host is killed in a very short time, their range of transmission is destined to be limited. Yet, we haven’t been able to detect any more colonies in this area, so if I’m not mistaken—”

Tarina intently manipulated her parchment book, using the data within to solidify her conviction:

"This fungus is not native to this area; it was accidentally left here, which is why it has such an extreme distribution—growing only in a small area here, and it has just begun to reproduce."

"I think the reason why the livestock used by the workers were infected in such a concentrated period of time is because the canal was dug into this forest. When the workers were clearing the forest, they put up livestock enclosures next to the construction site, which allowed the livestock to ingest the disguised strain of bacteria... Fortunately, although this fungus is extremely dangerous to our warhorses and livestock, the threat is not particularly great. This is because it is very easy to control, its transmission route is too simple, its range is very narrow, and its speed is pitifully slow. It can be confirmed that it has not spread from here, and it is easy to control it."

"Of course, what's even more valuable is the liquid produced by this strain..."

Thesolius's eyes lit up, clearly he was already thinking about something, and he gestured for Talina to continue. Talina also turned a page, examined it carefully again, and only after confirming that her train of thought was correct did she continue:

"The blood-red liquid produced within the goblet-shaped fungus, which I will temporarily call 'wine,' will undoubtedly stimulate the drinker's nerves, and it is a very strong stimulation that will make any creature frantic and aggressive, enough to make some docile animals more ferocious than wolves... And the most peculiar thing is that it seems to increase the user's physical tolerance, physiological strength, and tolerance to toxins and drugs will be greatly enhanced."

"After a mouse drinks this liquid, it can even resist snake venom for a short time. Although it is killed by the remaining toxins after the venom wears off, its performance is still unparalleled. Normally, a creature of this size would die instantly from just a drop of venom the size of a pinhead."

At this point, a hint of excitement appeared on Tarina's face:

"To date, I have not discovered any more serious side effects. Apart from death due to excessive nerve excitation caused by drinking a dose that is disproportionate to body weight, all the test subjects have recovered to normal after a period of time, without physical exhaustion or lethargy, and have survived to this day without any abnormalities."

"It's certain that this liquid has many more amazing uses, and its catalytic effect on the potion's efficacy is also very obvious. As long as we study and utilize it properly, it will definitely be of great use. Just by thinking about it, I can already think of many uses."

Thesolius nodded repeatedly, a smile involuntarily appearing on his lips, surprised by this unexpected delight:

"It seems that fate is truly on our side. We will need your wisdom and knowledge once again, Talina."

"I am honored, sir."

The blush on Tarina's face had not yet faded as she slowly closed her parchment book and nodded firmly.

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

Karila has been the talk of the town in the army these past two days. Almost everyone in the tens of thousands of soldiers has heard of her name. Even the grooms and the supply soldiers know the illustrious reputation of this imperial champion, especially after she captured a Holstein duke...

This was the highest-ranking imperial noble captured by the imperial army since the start of the war, second only to the king of Hols, wielding significant influence over the entire nation. Now, however, he was a prisoner. As she dragged the richly dressed, bruised, and broken-limbed duke from the castle palace with iron chains, the cheers and screams of the imperial soldiers nearly lifted the roof off… The poor duke had even lost five front teeth—when he arrogantly uttered some condescending and foul language, a battle axe was ruthlessly smashed into his mouth, bringing out broken teeth and splattering blood, and he was mercilessly beaten until he could no longer walk before being dragged out with iron chains.

Having made such a great contribution, it's easy to imagine that she's destined for a meteoric rise in her career. This has made many officers and generals who are eager to make a name for themselves envious and furious. In the past few days, their conquest of the remaining castles and lands of the Hols has become increasingly fierce, and the entire plains in the heartland are almost completely wiped out.

After escorting the duke back, they suddenly learned that something had happened at construction site number 27. Tersolius and Tarina had both arrived there, so she impulsively rushed over as well. As she approached the forest, she suddenly noticed thick smoke rising into the air…

286 Afterglow (1)

"Isn't this the Blood of the Beast? How come it's growing here?"

Tarina could barely contain her expression; surprise filled her features, even her delicate eyebrows arched high.

"What are you saying, Kana?"

Karila reached out in surprise to pick up the slightly swaying, goblet-shaped fungus in the glass case on the table, but was stopped by Talina's hand. She then scratched her head.

“It’s something from my hometown! You often see it in those dark caves. Long-haired sheep go into the caves and eat the grass that grows there, and they die right there. Shepherds sometimes find these things.”

"Then why is it called the Cup of Beast Blood? What's the reason?"

"It's very simple."

Carila then tried to poke at the blades of grass growing beside her.

"Because this thing looks a lot like a cup! And the liquid inside will drive people mad, making them indiscriminately hack and slash indiscriminately, like a starving bear. Some of our warriors would drink this liquid when they were fighting desperately to forget their pain. They believed it was a blessing from the beast god Khazar."

"Of course, people only drink this when they're desperate. Nobody wants to go crazy normally, and if you drink too much of this stuff, you really will go crazy and never recover. You might even die from bleeding in your eyes. So there aren't many people who actually dare to use this."

"Of course, another point is that although this stuff gives you endless energy, it makes you indiscriminate in your dealings with friend or foe. Nobody knows whether you'll cut off your own people or the enemy's head first. We'll kick the guy who drinks this stuff onto the enemy's ship first, and then let him do whatever he wants."

Talina was dumbfounded. She never expected that the fungus she had spent several days researching and putting in so much effort was actually produced in Karila's hometown. Moreover, the other party had already conducted human experiments on it and clearly knew the specific effects of this liquid... For a moment, she was speechless, deeply realizing the absurdity of fate and the surprises of life.

The two had become quite close, and she had even been referring to her as "Kana" lately. So, without any reservations, she pressed for details:

"What are the growth conditions for this fungus? Does it thrive in cold environments? Are there really no side effects after drinking it?"

"Don't rush, don't rush, I'll tell you one by one..." Karila was taken aback by Talina's enthusiasm and quickly began to recall the contents of her memory:

“Growing conditions? You mean where it can grow, right? I’m not quite sure about that, but it’s most commonly found in caves, especially caves near the sea. Some silly goats always go there because moss and a little grass sprouts can grow there.”

"It's not cold there. The cave is much warmer than the outside. Sometimes when we encounter a blizzard, we would hide in the cave, kill the bears inside, and then we would have both food and a place to stay. Sometimes there were no bears inside, so we would just light a fire, and it would warm up quickly."

"As for the aftereffects? I've never heard of any. Most people who drank this stuff died, but not because the water in the mushrooms was poisonous. It's because they drank it when they were fighting desperately. Generally, when you're fighting desperately, you're already out of ammunition and supplies. You just want to replace a few more of the enemy's men, and you basically don't survive... As for those who survived, I haven't heard of any problems with them. They still eat and drink well, and they are even respected as warriors because of their heroic deeds."

Tarina nodded repeatedly, took out her parchment booklet from her bosom, and listened while taking notes. Her hands moved incredibly fast, and her eyes shone like stars.

They pressed her for a long time, until Karila's mind started to lapse. Just when she wasn't sure if she'd finished, Talina finally cheered and gave her friend a warm hug:

“Dear Kana! You’ve been a great help.”

"Huh? Ah? Ha..."

Karila, who had originally come to check on the situation, uttered a bewildered, unsure of the purpose of her words… Could something that caused people to lose control possibly be of any use? Especially within the Imperial military camp? Normally, even wandering around was forbidden here. Were they really going to allow her to break out of formation and go berserk in the enemy's midst?

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

The empire, operating at full speed, can always overcome any obstacle in its path with the power of the nation. Before the combined might of countless people, any enemy will tremble in fear. A fully functional canal is visibly being improved and extended, like a newly grown blood vessel, spreading outward from the central river of the Hols people, all the way to the waters that the empire's fleet can reach, bringing the fierce war and the empire's order to this new land.

The time it took to build this canal would leave any king or nobleman speechless. They could not imagine how such a project, which required a large number of people, could be completed in such a short time. It was a man-made miracle, born from the hands of tens of thousands of people, from wheelbarrows, from axes and picks, and from the concerted efforts of everyone.

And today is the moment when this miracle roars and resounds...

To prevent the surging waters from breaching the canal, seven dams were installed along the entire canal to mitigate the impact of the water flow. By dismantling these seven dams in sequence, the canal could be made passable, allowing the Imperial fleet waiting in the north to enter the heart of the Holstein territory under the general's command.

This matter was crucial to the subsequent campaign in the south, so Tersolius dared not neglect it and came to personally oversee the operation. Naturally, he was the one who issued the order to dismantle the first dam.

"let's start."

Perched atop a high slope, surrounded by armored soldiers and with generals following closely behind, Tersolius had no intention of uttering any unnecessary words or delaying the matter. He simply turned to Arka and issued the most basic order.

Arka turned his head and waved to the side. Immediately, a guard waved a long green banner in his hand, and in a moment, thick smoke rose from the distant hillside, shooting into the sky like a black-scaled python.

A sudden, muffled boom came from the upper reaches of the north, like thunder striking the earth. Ten thousand horses galloped across the plains, making hearts tremble and chests tighten. The ground trembled immediately afterward, but their well-trained warhorses instinctively panicked—a fear born of signs of impending natural disaster.

The cavalrymen calmly tamed their horses and waited on the hillside. Soon, they saw white waves surging in from the distant river, as fast as galloping horses. In the blink of an eye, they rushed in front of them, sweeping across with an unparalleled force, filling the deep riverbed and instantly washing away the once dry and hard riverbed. Dead leaves and silt were mixed in with the water and washed downstream.

The riverbed trembled violently from the impact, and they could clearly feel the unsettling tremors beneath their feet, as if the riverbed would collapse at any moment… But as it turned out, the Imperial Engineering Legion lived up to its promise, constructing a canal that was durable enough. No matter how the floodwaters eroded it, after the initial tremors, it remained as stable as a mountain.

As the waves surged past, black plumes of smoke rose steadily from north to south, and dam after dam was dismantled by workers after receiving the signal—a process that required courage; the slightest mistake could mean being swept away by the raging torrents. Only the most clever, agile, and capable young men were assigned to this task, their only safety being the thick ropes tied around their waists. If they lost their grip, someone would immediately pull them back up with all their might… Of course, only a few actually survived such an ordeal.

The empire is never stingy with its rewards for brave men. Completing this dangerous task is enough to earn them a considerable fortune, even if they die in the process. Therefore, there is always a constant stream of people willing to take on this opportunity.

The 4th... the 6th, and then the last one!

As the water roared into the central river of the Hols people, the workers gathered on the banks erupted in deafening cheers. They threw up their hats, raised their hoes and sledgehammers, and were proud of their achievements. They cheered loudly for the southward-flowing river, and everyone was drowned in cheers. Their voices shook the surrounding branches and startled the birds and beasts hiding in the jungle.

"Ha ha ha ha!!!"

Tersolius looked at the surging river and laughed loudly. His voice was like the clash of iron, powerful and resonant, instantly silencing all the noise in the area. Only the workers in the distance continued to cheer, and the armored generals and officers turned to look at their commander.

"Let the fleet set sail; we've waited long enough."

"Yes, sir!!"

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

Standing firm on a rocking boat is never easy, especially for those accustomed to standing on stable, wide ground. It requires adaptation and practice. Generally speaking, the smaller the boat, the more violently it rocks, while a sufficiently sturdy and wide boat is more stable. Therefore, life on a large boat is easier and more comfortable than on a small boat.

The Empire's ships, like the nation's style, prioritize sturdiness, durability, reliability, and strength. Simply selecting suitable timber for shipbuilding and then air-drying it takes nearly 10 years. Subsequently, building large ships in the docks requires the simultaneous collaboration of countless craftsmen, who meticulously replicate the ingenuity and construction of scholars and engineers. Finally, after painting and oiling, they can sail on rivers, lakes, and seas, bringing death and destruction to the Empire's enemies.

The Pinparos fleet was a medium-sized fleet, capable of cruising on the seas as well as navigating rivers on land. Every Imperial ship was equipped with formidable firepower, featuring catapults, ballistae, and giant crossbows of all sizes, as well as copper pipes that sprayed oil, capable of inflicting devastating damage on enemy ships... but what they truly excelled at was the Imperials' traditional skill—fierce and swift boarding maneuvers.

Soldiers serving on ships in any country don't really like heavy armor—each ship is a separate domain with little room to maneuver, and below the ship lies a deep river. Encasing oneself in an iron can increases the risk immensely... Once you fall into the river, it's like a stone thrown into water—it only makes a splash and disappears without a trace, with little chance of even struggling. Not to mention the problem of preserving armor in such a humid environment; it will basically rust within a day or two of neglect.

However, the advantages of heavy armor on ships cannot be ignored – it means that most attacks can be ignored and the enemy can be crushed in boarding operations. It is especially effective in places with limited numbers and narrow spaces. A dozen armored soldiers can easily clear out a medium-sized ship by cooperating with each other. Of course, the premise is that these heavily armored guys can jump onto the other ship. Generally speaking, if they jump over, they are invincible; if they can't jump over, they can only be fish food.

The Imperials proved the effectiveness of this method time and again. Before boarding operations, the soldiers on board wore only light leather armor and fought with javelins, shields, and short swords. Once the intense boarding battle began, strong warriors would immediately don armor with the help of others and, under cover, leap onto the enemy warships via "attack bridges" secured to them with steel claws. Using their conserved strength and powerful weapons, they would quickly overwhelm the enemy's resistance and gain the upper hand.

Today is an important day. On every ship, the soldiers are meticulously maintaining their weapons, polishing their heavy armor—which will prove crucial in times of crisis—and preparing for battle. The soldiers, eager to achieve glory, are filled with fervent anticipation. The cries for war are barely suppressed. Even General Tatyanno, leading the fleet, is itching with anticipation, eagerly awaiting the order to arrive from the south. Then he can announce the exciting news to his soldiers, and they can head south to join a war filled with glory, wealth, and victory.

He even neglected his favorite strong liquor, spending his days standing on the watchtower of his flagship, braving the sea breeze and scorching sun, anxiously awaiting news.

“Didn’t they say the canal would be completed today? Why haven’t we received any news yet? It’ll be dark soon… You! You little brat, stop standing there, go and relay the orders again. Tell them to prepare the order and formation for our departure later. Don’t mess things up at this crucial moment, or I’ll chop off their heads…”

"coming!"

In the afterglow of the setting sun, the urgent words came to an abrupt halt.

287 Afterglow (2)

"Men! Hold out your oars and row hard! Tell the slaves to hurry! We're heading south!"

As the officers on the warships shouted and relayed orders, one after another, the warships extended their dense oars, which plunged into the water with a whoosh. Then, with the command, the oars slid backward simultaneously, giving the huge warships a powerful propulsion. Each ship was orderly, using five-colored flags and firelight as signals for dispatch, and sailed south one after another.

The water was rumbled with a constant roar. Flames lined up on every warship from bow to stern, shooting southward like a fiery dragon into the darkening night.

Tatayano laughed heartily, tilting his head back and pouring down more than half a bottle of liquor, swallowing it like water. Before the alcohol even took effect, his face was already flushed red. Standing at the bow of the ship, he shouted orders, keeping his officers busy non-stop, communicating with surrounding ships through various flags and torches to ensure that the suddenly launched fleet would not collide or become chaotic, and would quickly leave the river bend according to the pre-arranged plan.

"Damn it! I thought we were out of the picture this time, but this golden opportunity has fallen into my lap. Hurry up and get those lazybones to get their act together! Hahahaha!!"

The general's boisterous laughter carried far in the darkness, eliciting a deafening response from the soldiers that made the ship's deck tremble.

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

The nights at To Caper Pass are damp and cold, especially during the snowy season. Defending the city walls is an absolute ordeal, especially for those who have to patrol up there and can't hide in the warm guardhouse. It's common for their hands and feet to become stiff and numb from the cold. The lords up there only give them a limited amount of firewood and charcoal each day, and to prevent the imperialists outside the city from taking advantage of the situation, they don't even dare to light a brazier. They can only take turns sneaking into the guardhouse to warm their limbs up a little.

Korodo was such an unlucky fellow. His eccentric personality made him particularly ostracized in his own squad. Tonight, he was driven out by the others. The patrol mission, which was supposed to be carried out by five people, was now done by him alone. He was walking back and forth on the city wall with his spear, looking bored. Every now and then, he would shrink his neck because of the cold and damp night air and rub his hands and feet hard.

As an ordinary city defense soldier, Korodo was somewhat bewildered by recent events. He knew, of course, that the Imperials were advancing aggressively, that the northern lands had already fallen, and that outside the city, there were armies he had never seen before. They were all well-armored and well-equipped, and large cavalry units patrolled the city's perimeter daily, like wolves hunting cattle on the plains. They couldn't even send out messengers, let alone scout outside the city; all they knew was what was happening inside.

All of this felt unreal to him, since he was watching from afar from the city wall. The biggest trouble he ever encountered was catching a few smugglers. Others said that the Empire was unstoppable and its army was powerful, but that only left him with a vague impression and he couldn't really realize it. In addition, his strange and aloof personality meant that others were unwilling to deal with him, so many things seemed even more insignificant to him.

Another gust of cold wind blew, causing a thin layer of condensation to form on his chainmail. The grease applied to the rings didn't stay on for long and quickly dripped down. However, it seeped into his clothes through the gaps, making him instinctively hug his arm tighter and press the crooked spear against his side, even though the hard, cold wood offered him no warmth.

He had already patrolled this section of the city wall three times. Three more times and he could return to his warm and comfortable house, no longer having to endure the biting cold wind here.

This thought made him quicken his pace, and he practically darted over the city wall without even looking. Of course, this approach wouldn't allow him to detect anything. To be precise, even if a living person were squatting right next to him, he might not even notice and would just walk right past... Of course, no matter how careless he was, some things that were too conspicuous would still be hard to ignore.

The mist covering the river initially obscured his vision, until the tall mast appeared silently and indistinctly before him. Cruz was completely stunned, his mind reeling from the strange sight before him—how could a ship be coming from outside the city so late at night? And this ship looked very odd, wide and large, covered with catapults and ballistae… catapults and ballistae!

He finally realized what those things were! He opened his mouth to scream, about to turn and run to where the soldiers were gathered to sound the alarm and wake the entire city… Of course, his actions seemed somewhat hindsight and useless, because alarm calls were already coming from other towers. Just as he was about to breathe a sigh of relief, the sounds suddenly stopped abruptly, as if their throats had been snapped. A strange instinct made him realize something was wrong, and in extreme terror, he opened his mouth to shout something…

"Cough!!"

With the sound of a blade cutting through bone, the razor blade that pierced his neck was as thin and curved as a snake's fang, its smooth surface tinged with a dull brown, from which blood gently flowed away, leaving not a single drop.

The sound of the blade being drawn was extremely smooth, like the gentle rubbing of a venomous snake's smooth, hard belly as it crawled across the stone bricks. The black-clad hound silently placed the corpse in his hands on the ground, as gently as if placing his lover on a bed. Then, he slowly straightened his body and looked towards the end of the city wall with his bright, deep eyes.

Dozens of dark figures moved swiftly across the city wall, each as light as a real shadow and as silent as smoke, silencing the towers that had been lit up one after another. The only sounds were low screams in the darkness, splashes of hot blood, and sharp blades piercing bodies from all sorts of bizarre angles. In a very short time, death became the norm here.

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

"I don't know when this damned life will end. My bones are practically rusting here."

"Is it better to be rusty than to be gnawed by wild dogs? Or is our brave Lord Bernard willing to be a warrior and attack the Imperial army to cut off the head of that Tersolius?"

"What the hell are you talking nonsense? If I had that kind of ability, would I be drinking with you guys here? You should call me 'sir,' kneel down and lick my boots, and then I'll reward you with a pretty girl and a bag of money."

The officer named Bernard rolled his eyes in annoyance and then retorted sarcastically without hesitation... Of course, no one would take such nonsense seriously from soldiers like them, and they often spoke without thinking. As long as no one could catch them in the act, they would probably continue to do so, especially under the influence of alcohol, their not-so-flexible tongues would dare to say anything.

"If you can really give me a bag of money and a beautiful woman, then what's a little licking your boots? If it happens every time, I can lick your boots cleaner than a mirror, until you're broke."

"You're a fucking scoundrel."

“Likewise, I dare say you would do the same if you had the chance. Speaking of which…why don’t you go to the city wall and take a look? The water gate area is under your jurisdiction. If something goes wrong, it’ll be all over.”

Bernard nonchalantly took another glass of wine, while simultaneously picking up a salted chickpea from the plate and popping it into his mouth, using the saltiness to accompany his drink.

"Nowhere else could something happen, but not at the water gate... You all know that, not to mention our high city walls and that sturdy sluice gate—it must have been built with thousands of pounds of iron. Who could possibly crawl through there? Besides, this is our river. Only our boats are in this river. This river is our territory. Why would the Empire attack from here? They're not stupid. Do you really think they'd attack by having their infantry wade into the river? They'd drown at least half of them."