Armored Cavalry, survive in a world full of mods

The girl brushed a strand of hair from her forehead, revealing a flushed face. She wiped the sweat from her face and began to think carefully:

"...Our situation is probably very dangerous, and perhaps we shouldn't stay in this city any longer..."

“A very good idea. You can definitely see that... Our situation is very dangerous. Alpert is an important defensive zone for Hols. You have stationed a large number of troops there, but they haven’t reacted yet. I estimate that it won’t be long before the city is surrounded.”

"Then why don't we leave quickly? Wouldn't it be dangerous if we were surrounded?"

Thesolius bent down and picked up a gold coin:

"It's dangerous, but it's an opportunity for me, and a worthwhile one... What do you think of the city's terrain?"

"It is extremely strategic, and can be considered the most important place besides the Malca Fortress."

“That’s absolutely right. So, being able to acquire this city is incredibly fortunate for us… If we give it up now, we’ll have to pay ten or a hundred times the price to take it back in the future…”

With a flick of the finger, the gold coin made a crisp sound as it was tossed into the air and then caught steadily.

"So I've decided to take this city for myself. In the Empire, nothing spreads faster than the feat of recapturing a city and defeating a major enemy... I want my news to spread throughout the entire Empire, so they all know what I, Thesolius Gaius Jarneus, have done..."

"Such news would provide tremendous support to my family and comrades, and instill great fear in my enemies, and that's exactly what I need..."

His palm slowly closed, and the gold coin was clutched in his hand:

"The people of the Empire love heroes, so I will let them know that I am a hero, a hero who was framed but still expanded the Empire's territory... Before I return to the capital, I will make all the people of the Empire understand this."

He slowly opened his hand, the gold coin was clenched into a ball, and then he threw it into the furnace.

"Marcus!"

"Yes, General."

"Summon all the slave owners in this city and tell them I will see them all in the square before lunch. If anyone dares to be absent, I will consider him to have relinquished all his rights in this city!"

"As ordered!"

"Send our men to gather all the slaves outside the city and have them wait at the city gate."

"As ordered!"

………………

The city's wealthy, dressed in their finest attire, stood in the center of the square, their faces filled with panic. They had no idea how the city's new rulers would treat them...

But none of these people were absent, except for those who, when the cavalry entered the city, were not thinking clearly and dared to block them head-on.

No one dared to take this matter lightly. Anyone with a modicum of intelligence could understand that it concerned their lives. They gathered in the square, asking everyone they knew for information, but no matter how many questions they asked, they couldn't get anything out of them, because they all knew pretty much the same thing...

Everyone feared that terrifying imperial general like a tiger. They were well-informed and quickly found out his identity... which made them even more afraid.

No one could have imagined that such a high-ranking figure would actually appear in this city! His terrifying and formidable reputation was practically a myth to them; they usually only heard about him as legendary tales. Who would have thought they would actually meet him? ...

The heavy breathing of warhorses suddenly came from both sides of the road. One after another, tall and strong steeds carried fully armored cavalrymen, circling around the square and surrounding them all.

The gleaming iron scales rubbed against each other, producing a faint yet chilling sound. These cavalrymen, who covered their entire bodies except for their eyes, could not convey any expression, but instead gave off a terrifying sense of coldness and mechanicalness.

Everyone had a bad feeling. To show goodwill to the occupiers, no one dared to carry weapons, and they even wore luxurious silk robes... If the other side really had any ill intentions, they would all become corpses when the water flowed out of the moat.

Just as they were terrified, another horse charged in... A huge black steed, much larger than the other warhorses, rampaged recklessly, causing everyone to panic and scramble to make way.

The knight on horseback was handsome and imposing, his whole body covered in gleaming steel armor. He exuded a terrifying aura as he slowly rode in. Wherever his gaze fell, everyone hurriedly retreated, like snow melting in the summer.

The city's elites already knew who this person was, so they were all even more cautious... Some people saw the person walk through them without any regard for anything and even considered kidnapping him, but an inexplicable instinct stopped them from doing so... Only now did they realize that they were covered in sweat and their legs were weak.

The knight spurred his warhorse onto the high platform ahead, the place where runaway slaves were executed. The stone slabs on the platform were stained with layers of blood, turning a dark reddish-black color...

Thesolius had no intention of wasting words with them. He dismounted, took two steps forward, and spoke directly:

"Wealthy citizens of Alpert, I am about to announce a decree... In order to maintain the Empire's power and rule in Alpert, all your slaves will be confiscated!"

Even under such terrible circumstances, the slave owners still let out angry gasps. They stared in disbelief at the armored imperial general on the platform, and a massive wave of protests was about to erupt...

"Of course, I know you won't agree to just levying taxes directly, but what if... I buy them all with money?"

Tersolius kicked aside a large chest placed beside him, and a dazzling golden light instantly blinded the slave owners...

"And it's three times the price."

………………

49 Gold and Slaves (2)

Gold, enchanting gold, gold that can do almost anything... As long as you have this gleaming little thing in your hand, no problem can stand in your way. So, if you get this, you can have everything you want...

Just how big was that box? It looked to be at least half a person's height and half an arm's width... Just how much gold was going to be inside?! That much gold was enough to bury the fattest man completely, enough to pay the ransom for all the captured nobles in a complete and utter defeat.

Anyone who acquires this much gold could claim to be richer than a nation. But now, this gold is to be used to exchange for slaves, and at three times the market price?!

Almost everyone thought they had misheard; otherwise, they simply couldn't imagine why this renowned imperial general would suddenly act so foolishly, exchanging precious gold for slaves...

You see, gold is hard to come by, but slaves are everywhere... and there are basically no other costs besides hiring guards and consuming supplies. If you buy in bulk, the price will be driven down to an extremely low level...

Some of the more astute slave owners quickly realized where the gold had come from, and felt a slight fear about it, but only a slight one...

The city has changed hands; it's quite normal for the enemy to take the lord's gold as spoils of war, isn't it?

Moreover, they were legitimate businessmen who exchanged their own assets for this gold; no one had the right to criticize them, not even the lord…

The crowd began to stir again, but this time it was out of excitement. No one would refuse an opportunity to make a fortune, especially for these slave owners who were obsessed with money. For them, seeing gold was like flies seeing a pool of rotten blood; there was no reason not to go and take a sip.

"So, who is willing to cooperate? Remember, it's all your slaves, and you'll be paid three times the market price."

The commotion among the crowd grew even stronger, but no one was willing to be the first to step forward. They all looked around at the others, hoping someone would step forward to scout the way for them.

Tersolius waited quietly, believing that someone would be the first to step forward in the face of such enormous profits.

…………

An old man with white hair and beard and sunken cheeks stepped forward. He wore an exquisitely embroidered robe, a belt inlaid with jewels and gold around his waist, and leather boots embroidered with gold and silver threads...

The old man walked calmly to Thesolius, then looked up at him:

“I would trade all my slaves for this gold, my esteemed sir… I possess 304 strong men and 243 women, with 30 children as a mere fraction… If I can obtain 642 gold coins, they will all be yours…”

The old man was referring to the standard of the imperial dinar gold coin, which had a gold content of at least 95%... and his calculations were very accurate, suggesting he had been preparing for this for some time.

Two staff members, pulled from the slave exchange, began counting gold coins with trembling hands and feet.

They quickly counted out the required number of these freshly minted gold coins, which were spotless and free of any dust, and then put them into a burlap sack.

The thin, pampered old man reached into the bag and quickly ran his hand through it, then a satisfied smile spread across his face. It was unclear what he had figured out...

"All my slaves belong to you, my lord."

………………

After a leader took the lead, everything went smoothly afterward.

This old man was already one of the biggest slave owners in the city; no one else had such an exaggerated number of slaves as him.

The seeds of spring have been sown, and for them, selling their current slaves and replacing them with a younger, stronger batch is a sure-fire way to make money.

The gold in the chest disappeared at a visible rate, and each nobleman received a sack filled with jingling gold coins.

No one felt that the simple container would diminish their dignity; everyone beamed with joy, unable to contain their delight at the sudden windfall.

Everyone was chatting and laughing casually with their companions, and the tense atmosphere from before had completely disappeared.

The crisp sound of gold clashing together was so pleasant that almost every nobleman understood whose wealth they were dividing up, but their intense greed led them to selectively ignore this fact.

Until the last gold coin was put into the bag, the slaves outside the city had already changed masters...

…………

The slave owners returned to their residences in the city with great joy, and their slaves learned that they had a new master.

The news caused little reaction; the slaves, their eyes numb, gathered at the city's front. They produced countless amounts of food, a steady stream supplying the city, yet many had only ever seen its interior when they were bought and sold…

Many of them have been resold multiple times, but each time they have suffered similar fates. Their owners, whether male or female, old or young, treat them with similar attitudes, and no one has any further expectations.

The city gate, which had already been repaired, was suddenly slowly hoisted up. The slaves in the front row involuntarily retreated, as if some terrible monster was about to rush out. Their formation surged like waves, and small cries were mixed in with the silence.

Thick clouds of dust billowed out of the gate, and cavalrymen, their steel blades gleaming, burst through the dust and leaped out, then without hesitation brandishing their whips and driving them back into the city.

Like a flock of goats, they obediently moved their legs, without any questions or doubts, and were thus driven into the city.

The city's residents huddled behind their windows in fear, not daring to go out even when they had run out of food.

Now they watched in terror as large groups of ragged slaves were driven into the city like livestock... not knowing what fate awaited them next...

…………

The slaves gathered in the central square of the city. They were covered in dust and dirt, their bodies wrapped in tattered burlap sacks or they were naked.

The women stared blankly at their bare bodies, while the men, with their messy, unkempt hair, obediently bent over. The skinny, naked children huddled beside their parents, timidly observing everything around them.

And standing on that high platform was their current master…

50 Preparation (1)

The slaves before him were filled with sorrow, but they had long been accustomed to their current lives and did not feel dissatisfied with any behavior, obediently accepting all the arrangements made by their masters.

Their clothes were tattered and barely qualify as clothing, and their bodies were covered in large patches of filth. Flies and mosquitoes swarmed around them, but their mouthparts were blocked by the thick layer of mud.

An indescribable stench lingered among them. The well-dressed nobles frowned and moved away from the square, afraid of having their boots stained by these filthy, lowly slaves.

They simply remained silent, awaiting their fate without harboring any further expectations...

"You should all already know that I am your new master, and you are the slaves I just bought..."

Thesolius's voice was as resonant as steel clashing together, so powerful that even the slaves in the front rows involuntarily shrank back in fear, and screams of panic occasionally rang out from the crowded throng. Thesolius frowned as he watched.

"Everyone, stand still!"

All the slaves instinctively straightened up, as if a whip had just lashed their faces, and those who had been pushed to the ground by the crowd took the opportunity to get up.

"Listen up, you lot! I am now your new master, so you must abide by the new rules. You must not forget a single word I am about to say!"

A man clad in full armor paced on the stage, the sound of his armor plates rubbing together densely and deeply.

"First of all... you will get a set of clothes that are still wearable. The way you look right now is a disgrace to me. You look like you've just rolled around in a pigsty. Go wash yourselves clean in the river outside and then change into the clothes I'm giving you!"

"You must continue to cultivate the land for me, and use this fertile land to produce a continuous supply of food."

"And as a reward for the land you have been given to cultivate, you must contribute sixty percent of your entire output each harvest season! If anyone fails to do so, he will be subject to the most severe punishment."

………………

The slaves' previously numb expressions suddenly softened; they couldn't help but whisper among themselves, asking their fellow slaves if there was something wrong with their hearing…

Did this gentleman say something wrong? This sounds like a privilege reserved for free people. Why would he tell slaves like them?

...What means could we lend them farming tools, requiring only a yearly payment of grain, and guaranteeing they wouldn't break them, so they could use them indefinitely...?

They only have to hand over 60% of their grain each year, but you should know that even their most benevolent masters in the past required them to hand over at least 90%!

They can also build their own sleeping huts, instead of being herded like sheep into wooden fences to sleep on the ground every night...

………………

Hearing about these generous treatments, the slaves showed no joy whatsoever; instead, they were filled with unease and fear. They no longer cared about the terrifying cavalrymen lurking around them and began to whisper among themselves.

The simultaneous voices of more than 2000 people were like a swarm of wasps swirling around a person's head, making it impossible to hear the specific words; all that could be felt was a continuous vibration.

"Snapped!"

Arka drew his leather whip from his waist and lashed it hard in the air. The crisp crack instantly drowned out all other sounds. Several slaves who were wandering around were hit hard twice and then shrank back in fear.

But the unease among the crowd showed no signs of abating. The slaves did not know what their masters meant... what they would have to give in return for these gifts!

Is that really a price a slave could pay?!

The slaves didn't know, but they were instinctively terrified of it, and they wanted to know what they had to give up to get these things!

Anxiety and panic gripped them all, while Thesolius gazed at the slaves with deep emotion...

These people have been thoroughly warped by years of exploitation and suffering; they no longer possess the emotions and will that a normal human being should have.

They will be trembling with fear over everything they have, with no hope for tomorrow, and even their descendants will sooner or later become as numb as they are, turning into natural slaves.

This is one of the cruelest sins of mankind, treating their fellow human beings as mere commodities or objects, even though they had committed no wrongdoing and were captured by slave-catching teams in their own hometown.

After enduring endless abuse and torture, their will completely shattered, they became slaves...

This city always had a way of dealing with unruly slaves; in the slave market, whips covered with steel spikes and other instruments of torture could be seen everywhere.