Armored Cavalry, survive in a world full of mods

When a person stands atop the city walls and sees the army flowing in and out like a torrent, they must be awestruck by its terrifying discipline and overwhelming power, and ask themselves from the bottom of their heart—what could possibly defeat such an army? They seem capable of leveling mountains and cutting off rivers!

This is the power of a strong nation, the elite army of a nation, a product of those who have gathered together to wield swords and spears for others. They are guided by honor, armed with discipline, and given steel claws and armor, making them invincible.

He genuinely believes this and will act on it without hesitation.

"Squid!!"

A strange, crisp, metallic sound came from above his head, but he didn't even raise his head, only slightly extending his right hand forward... The next instant, a lithe and shimmering figure stood on his hand, its sharp claws digging into the steel on his arm, its sharp beak turning its head to preen its brilliant feathers.

This was a hawk that had flown all the way from the northern city to bring him new intelligence obtained by the Empire's hounds.

He scratched the bird of prey's head with his finger, making it flinch uncomfortably, before reaching down to remove the copper tube tied to its foot. He then turned and went into his tent, where he shook out the small parchment scrolls from the table.

"Doctor, bring me that book on building data principles."

Talina, who was organizing documents nearby, didn't even turn her head. She casually reached out and accurately grabbed a thick book from the wooden shelf behind her, then placed it directly on his desk.

This attitude was somewhat too absent-minded even for him, but Tersolius merely chuckled, then picked up the book and began to turn the pages according to the dots on the parchment, selecting the letters and words—Talina was so busy because of his orders.

The mobilization of the legion also required astronomical sums of money and supplies. Even though most of it was handled by their staff and civilian officials in the army, the final amount was still a heavy workload... Talina had been busy since this morning, only taking a short break during meals to allow her time to think about more important matters.

Each number corresponds to a specific page number, and the dots above form a special symbol that indicates a letter or word on that page. When combined, these symbols can reveal the information hidden in the seemingly incomprehensible picture to others. This is a fairly common and effective encryption method that has been used by the Empire's Eagle Division for many years, and the decryption books are changed every once in a while.

The emperor's henchmen are divided into the Eagle Division and the Dog Division. The Eagle Division is responsible for tasks such as spying, intelligence gathering, and monitoring targets, while the Dog Division is responsible for tasks such as hunting, assassination, and capturing prey. Together, they form the Eagle and Dog Division, which is the entity that makes the empire's enemies and ambitious individuals tremble with fear.

The decryption was not difficult, but it was very time-consuming and could not be delegated to others. So, Tersolius spent a long time flipping through the book before he finished the task and began to put the translated words together, reading and pondering them word by word.

Tarina, who had been engrossed in her work, was suddenly drawn by a cheerful chuckle. Slightly bewildered, she looked up and tossed her brass pen into the ink bottle beside her. Then, rubbing her eyes, she asked, somewhat confused:

"What's wrong, sir? Is there some good news?"

"No, it shouldn't be considered good news... but it's definitely something to look forward to for me..."

Thasorius stood up, beckoned the peregrine falcon perched on the wooden frame, and then tore a small piece of parchment from the side and began to write on it:

"It seems that my initial thinking was a bit too conservative, although that's understandable."

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

The wool I just bought from the shepherd was black and smelly, covered in sheep dung, mud, and all sorts of indescribable grime. It felt oily and tough to the touch, lacking any softness or fluffiness whatsoever. It made me wonder if this stuff could be made into warm and soft fabrics.

Large bales of wool were tightly bundled into packages—this was to allow for the transport of more at once while minimizing space usage. Once at the factory, workers would soak and clean the wool in huge water tanks. Then, heavy wooden mallets were used to pound and crush it, removing the foul-smelling grease and dirt. The wool was washed repeatedly with water until it became soft and white before being sent to dry and air-dry. This raw material could then be used to make other products such as felt, instantly increasing its value significantly—making it a vital industry in the city.

The long-staple wool from Assale is of excellent quality, with strong, soft, and lightweight fibers. It would be considered top-grade and fetch a high price anywhere else. Merchants would often go to great lengths to travel south by sea and land to purchase it. Thanks to the developed maritime trade, this once commonplace good cargo was now readily available in this coastal city. However, due to the recent war, sea routes have become difficult and dangerous, making this fine wool increasingly rare. Prices have soared, yet there is still little to no market for it. Every day, many workshop owners and merchants loiter at the docks, hoping that a large ship laden with Assale wool will one day dock there…

298. In imminent danger (2)

A Salu, a ship specifically designed for cargo transport, slowly pulled into the dock. These vessels have a stable and wide hull. Although slower, they reduce the risk of capsizing and are suitable for carrying large quantities of cargo at once, making them popular with ocean-going merchants.

Beforehand, the crew of the small boat had negotiated a price with the dockworkers. Once the large ship docked, the workers immediately gathered around to prepare to unload the cargo.

Soon a long plank was lowered from the ship's bow. Sailors carried bales of tightly packed wool down the plank, where a worker would catch them precisely. The captain was already negotiating prices with the merchants who had come up from the hull. Once a deal was struck, the wool would be loaded onto a horse-drawn cart and transported away without the slightest delay, with payment settled on the spot.

It had been far too long since any long-staple wool from Assale had arrived here, so the goods sold extremely quickly. Before noon, the entire ship's wool was sold out, turning into jingling gold coins in money bags. Even the ship's waterline had noticeably dropped a few notches.

Logically, he should board the ship and set off immediately, since an empty ship is much faster than when they arrived, and the city has a huge demand for wool. As long as they are fast enough, they can easily make a fortune... But people are not machines, and their mental endurance is limited. The sailors who have been sailing on the ocean for so long need to rest.

The unpredictable ocean is fraught with danger, and every time one ventures into its embrace, it is a test of life and death. No one knows whether the sailors who leave the port will ever return alive, so those who live on ships always experience greater mental stress.

Their tense minds needed to be relaxed with alcohol and women, and most of the money they had just received would inevitably be spent in the city. They would need several days to rest before they could set off again. Otherwise, forcing them to board the ship and leave immediately might even cause a riot... This was never an uncommon occurrence on a ship.

Because the business went so smoothly, the sailors received a significantly larger bonus, which made them cheer and, after saying goodbye to the captain and first mate, they all left the port, ready to indulge themselves in taverns and brothels.

On the salty, fishy-smelling harbor, the captain seemed to be infected by the delightful haul, a bright smile spreading across his face. After giving instructions to his most trusted lieutenant, he left the harbor with two attendants amidst the knowing laughter of the others, heading towards the city center.

After all, everyone has the right to have fun, right? As long as he has a few coins in his pocket...

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

In the dim candlelight, in a room filled with the sweet scent of perfume, the captain had completely transformed. He looked like an owl perched on a treetop in a cemetery in the darkness, his eyes bright and his spirits high.

Opposite him was a middle-aged woman who still retained her charm. Her face was not particularly beautiful, but it was very pleasing to the eye... She was the kind of woman who could be easily categorized as a virtuous wife and loving mother at first glance. Her face was full and fair, and her hair was lustrous and shiny.

The room was dimly lit, thanks to the drawn curtains and the unnecessary use of candles during the day to create a cozy, intimate atmosphere—quite extravagant, as candles aren't cheap even in the city.

"Have you prepared what I need?"

The captain asked the question in silence, completely unaffected by the alluring atmosphere. The woman opposite him also remained calm, nodding before reaching into her tied-up hair and pulling out a small wooden board.

"It's all here. The money you promised me?"

The captain reached to his waist, picked up a small bag, and placed it on the table.

"I hope you haven't given yourself away. Believe me, this is for your own good."

"Of course I know, after all, I'm not some naive little girl anymore... Alright, money and goods settled, are you leaving now or... want to stay and have some fun?"

The woman's expression suddenly became alluring, and her long, slender, white fingers slithered forward like snakes along the smooth table, slowly touching the captain's hand and gently scraping upwards along his fingers.

In the dim candlelight, the woman's eyes were alluring.

"After all, it's been a year since you last visited me... Do you think I'm old and unattractive?"

This word doesn't apply to her... Everything about this woman seems designed to arouse men's desires, and she does it with ease and fluency, easily manipulating ordinary young men.

The captain remained silent for a long while, then finally sighed and placed his hand, which had been on the back of his hand, on the table.

"Next time, I'll come earlier next time... You should also be careful and not forget who you really are."

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

Outside the city, the last reserve force of the Assele Legion was leaving, leaving behind only a mess and mountains of human and animal excrement, kicking up huge clouds of yellow dust as they rolled away.

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

A delicate brass teapot sat atop the blazing fire, its heat, like the iron stove itself, was scorching hot from the burning firewood inside, and was now emitting plumes of steam that continuously warmed the tent.

The thick felt tents provide enough warmth even in heavy snow. These materials, made of wool hammered and bonded together, are essential for people in many cold regions to survive the winter. They are also lightweight and durable, and can be rolled up and carried directly on a wagon when needed.

The wooden cup is filled with dried fruit, leaves, and root slices. A fresh, sweet and sour aroma wafts into the nose, instantly calming the mind. At this moment, the vibrant colors have absorbed the moisture and unfurled.

Tersolius was heating his hornbow on the stove, letting the intense heat from the stove dispel the cold and dampness from the bow.

When the bow is unstrung, it bends in the opposite direction into a C-shape. The bow body, made of a composite of sinew, horn, and wood, contains terrifying elasticity. While possessing outstanding performance and power, it also requires careful maintenance to ensure that this delicate weapon will not malfunction at critical moments. Moreover, it is durable and remains powerful even decades later.

Every bow owner has to do this. Light cavalrymen who use horn bows on horseback will dry their weapons by the fire after eating. This is especially important in the humid south, where they have to do it almost every day. Otherwise, if the animal glue on the bow gets damp and softens at a critical moment, it may even burst open the moment it is drawn. Although waterproof measures are taken, there is a limit to the effectiveness.

This white ox horn bow, covered in white snakeskin, is probably the finest craftsmanship in the entire empire, and he cherishes it dearly. Therefore, he often does routine maintenance himself, without having his servants do it for him.

This process requires a lot of attention and patience, otherwise if you accidentally overcook it... he might smell the aroma of the protein being heated.

The cup next to him contained a medicinal tea that Tarina had selected from her own herbs, which was beneficial for maintaining the health of his heart and lungs in this cold and damp weather... He had already gotten used to this targeted and precise therapeutic effect.

And this stuff really does taste good, like drinking tea, it's addictive.

Today, a light snow is falling from the sky. Although it won't accumulate on the ground, it will turn the land into a muddy mess, bringing with it a biting dampness and cold. Walking on it is as uncomfortable as soaking in mud, making it hard to call it a good day.

His army was still assembling—such a large army naturally required more time to operate, which was also within his plan, so the legion needed to wait again. The enemy he was about to face would not allow him to divert his strength or make such a rash move.

Even while waiting here, a steady stream of news and intelligence still reached him. Although there was a time delay, it was enough for him to grasp the enemy's movements more accurately... This was difficult to hide, especially for such a large legion, which would leave countless traces along their route.

The tent flap was lifted, and Talina, her shoulders and hair covered with a thin layer of snow, peeked in. Then she shrank her neck, put her hands in her pockets, and started stomping her feet on the ground, trying to leave the mud on her leather boots near the door. Her smooth, long blue hair bounced playfully around her ears with her movements.

The warmth inside the room instantly melted the snow off Tarina's body, making the girl feel as if her joints were becoming looser in the heat. After adjusting the soft scarf around her neck, she walked back to her seat.

"Yes, you're back just in time, doctor."

Tersolius finally finished his maintenance, put the hornbow into the silk bow case, and placed it on the shelf next to him.

The girl nimbly darted to her chair, then lowered her head, hunched her shoulders, took a couple of sips from her cup, and only then relaxed.

"Is something wrong, sir? Everything should be going according to plan."

"There's nothing wrong with it, it's just that our tea is brewed properly, and the astringent taste will seep out in a little while."

"Hmm... indeed, perhaps too much snake tail root was added, which will have a more stimulating effect on the respiratory tract. The sage should be crushed before adding, as its flavor penetrates too slowly."

"I won't go into the details of each ingredient... Anyway, I had a great time drinking it... The Assele people move very slowly, even slower than a large army marching, and their commander is more cautious than I expected."

"Why are they slowing down? Don't they know that the slower they move, the smoother our progress will be? Facing an Imperial army that is completely prepared and has no worries about its rear, this shouldn't be a good thing for them..."

Tarina took another sip, somewhat confused. Her soft cheeks were tinged with a golden-red hue in the dim firelight. Her hair was neatly trimmed, just reaching her eyebrows, making the girl appear even more gentle.

"The reason is simple—because they don't care."

"?"

Tersolius smiled as he looked at the map on the table, his gaze fixed on the valley in the southeast... This place was like a bag full of gold, containing fertile and abundant land. Whoever occupied it first could completely seal it off, just like pulling up the rope of the bag, and from then on could move freely and without restraint, and could always turn his attention to other lands.

"The Assele people's real target is this place. Whether the Kingdom of Hols is destroyed or not is not the most important thing to them. They just need to make sure we don't get this land... or rather, if this kingdom is destroyed, they can always support another one. But after all, we are fighting far away from our homeland..."

Tarina looked thoughtful, her eyes bright.

"Therefore, they dared not underestimate the enemy and advance rashly, fearing that they would expose their weaknesses in the process... and the remaining land, cities and fortresses of the Kingdom of Hols were enough to allow them to achieve their goals before their destruction, which is why their commander chose to advance in this more prudent way."

Tesorius nodded slightly:

“That’s right, it’s really a pity. Even if we’re slow, the Asel have already entered the southeast valley and are heading north. We’ve already taken too much land, our attacks have been too fierce, and our supply lines have been stretched too long. We need to make further adjustments and arrangements… Even in the worst-case scenario, the Asel can still achieve their most basic objective.”

"Yes, we still have to fight our way through step by step. The Assele people can just travel as fast as they want, as if they were in their own country. No matter how fast we attack, we can't catch up with them."

"I don't plan to be too reckless either. After all, we have the advantage and time on our side. Recklessness and stupidity often go hand in hand, and I believe that the opponent we haven't met yet should also know this."

Heavy footsteps echoed outside, accompanied by the sounds of armor plates rubbing against each other and sword sheaths clashing, fading into the distance. Since the attack, the army's core camp had become even more heavily fortified, with sentries and patrols increasing several times over. The guards could no longer tolerate the humiliation of the previous attack repeating itself; it was a dereliction of duty more unbearable than death for them, a shameful failure worthy of slitting their own throats.

Thesolius's fingers tapped lightly on the table, his thoughts churning and colliding, sparking intense emotions. His fingers traced a path across rivers, reaching the sea between two nations, then eastward to that legendary land of abundance.

"Let's see how long they can stay here..."

299 The Gathering of War (1)

Is this the place just ahead?

“That’s right, we are only one day away from Passaldoy, and the supply train will be slower.”

The woman with beautiful black hair frowned and wiped her forehead. Her clear, bright eyes, like pools of water, reflected the scenery of the north. This place was indeed more fertile and lush than Asel, but it also had a damp and cold climate that they were not used to. Many soldiers suffered from acclimatization problems, becoming listless and afflicted with diseases, catching the nobles and generals in the army off guard.

Fortunately, the Assele people had the best medical skills and doctors in the land. Under the care and management of the military doctors, no serious diseases occurred, which slowed the army's progress considerably more than expected.

Feeling the sticky texture of her armor lining, Alva frowned, feeling uncomfortable all over. Accustomed to the dry air of her hometown, everything here seemed excessively damp to her, as if even swords were dripping water and rusting.

Her father, Samir, was soothing his smooth-coated Thoroughbred horse—the muddy roads here were tormenting the creatures, and the supply train behind them was slowed down by the terrible road conditions.

"I have a premonition, about my daughter..."

Water droplets condensed on Samir's beard, dripping onto the scales on his chest armor as he spoke.

“I have a feeling that the eagle from the north has its eyes on us. It is waiting for us to move forward until we reach a place where its talons can reach us.”

Alva didn't speak, but silently turned his head left and right, looking at the endless fields in the distance, his fingers quietly gripping the hilt of the knife at his waist.

"Let Anstaman take his men to scout the east. No one may act without orders, plunder, or desert the army. Otherwise, I will execute him according to the rights granted to me by our sacred order."

These words were addressed to the messenger beside him. As the fast horse galloped down the hillside to deliver his order to the rear of the army, the main force would then react... However, this reaction was destined to take a long time to manifest, and it was very likely that the effect would be poor.

"The weather here is making me very uncomfortable; my bow is almost broken."

His daughter sighed, took the bow from her saddlebag, and showed him the limp bow arm, the bowstring loose and weak—it was a useless bow, the arrows it shot would be like a child's urine, unable to even kill a rat.

"...Okay, it's broken, I need to go get a new one."

Alva shook his head and threw the bow aside as if it were a leftover bone.

"Let's be patient for now. We should have some time to prepare before we officially engage the Imperials. You should go too, and don't forget my previous orders."

"And what about you, Father?"

The man reached out and stroked his large beard, squeezing the moisture from it into his hand, rubbing it between his fingers, feeling the damp, sticky texture.

"I'll wait here a little longer to avoid these nasty bugs; they're practically draining my blood..."

"Heh! Hah..."

As if he'd heard a joke, Alva turned his head and chuckled softly. Then, without thinking, he lashed his warhorse's rump with his whip, and in the blink of an eye, it bolted down the hillside.

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

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh... Ah cough cough! Waaah! Waaah..."

The sleeping baby suddenly pouted and cried in its sleep. Crystal clear tears flowed down its smooth face and onto the soft wool, as if it had suffered some great injustice. Its whole little face was scrunched up, but its eyes remained closed.

Christina hurriedly reached out to comfort her child, but Dolores suddenly grabbed her wrist.

"Don't worry, miss, look—"