Armored Cavalry, survive in a world full of mods

Even the trees they felled were dangerous, things that could kill at any moment—the direction in which those tall, giant trees fell was often unpredictable. If they bumped into something or made a mistake during the breaking process, they would suddenly fall in a different place. If you couldn't dodge in time, you would be crushed into a meat patty on the spot and die a very tragic death.

Logging is never an easy job; it's arduous and exhausting, and people often die tragically in the forest due to unforeseen accidents. Most people who do this job are young, strong, and energetic adults and teenagers. Of course, there are also experienced elders who lead them, because some difficulties cannot be solved by brute force and often require the help of experience and wisdom.

Bo Audis was an ordinary lumberjack in the Kingdom of Salanod. In the prime of his life, he took over the job from his father, old Audis, and the reason was quite simple...

Three years ago, while cutting down a large tree, old Audis was crushed and both his legs were broken. Although he survived, he was left disabled. To support his family, he had to send his son, young Audis, to work as a lumberjack at a young age. Fortunately, the young man was hardworking, diligent, and quite clever, and he managed to keep up with the job.

A month ago, this group of men received a big job—to cut down a valuable mahogany tree for Count Pelisto and transport it to his territory. It was expected to be a long and arduous task, but the pay was quite generous. Even if the profits were divided among them, it would be a large sum of money, enough to equal most of their income in previous years.

Only the Earl's forest managers knew exactly where that precious redwood grew. They were simply going to cut down the trees that belonged to the Earl. Because of this, everyone was very happy, thinking they had gotten a great deal. They packed their bags early and followed the Earl into the mountains to search for it.

They trekked through mountains and rivers, even venturing into deep forests they had never been before, until they finally found a precious redwood tree that, while thick, was not perfectly straight. The group divided into teams, assigned tasks, and prepared to begin felling it.

Of course, a long series of preparations are needed before actually taking action... After all, people like them who make a living in various dangerous places are always more willing to believe in some kind of supernatural thing. According to their oral traditions, tall and ancient trees like these have their own souls. Cutting them down rashly will inevitably bring a curse, and they will die a violent death for various reasons in the future. Therefore, before taking action, they must invite a wizard to kill the tree's soul first, so that they can cut down the remaining dead body with peace of mind.

Little Audis didn't know if it was true, but he didn't dare to disobey rashly. So during this time, they only cleared the messy bushes around the target, cut down vines, and cleaned the ground to prevent being caught off guard when they actually took action.

And today, the wizard they had invited was finally about to arrive. A day in advance, Otis had already sharpened his axe, eager to try it out. After all, he had had enough of the damp and cold climate in the deep mountains and forests. His toes had become stiff, white, and numb in the past two days. If he stayed like this any longer, who knew what would happen to him? He should finish his work as soon as possible and go home to rest.

The new wizard closely resembled his imagined image—he wore a wide-brimmed, pointed hat with tattered ends, and a similarly ragged black robe. His shoes were made of wrinkled leather, bound with strange ropes, and he held a long staff that resembled a twisted tree branch, its end inlaid with a bizarre-looking gem… The outermost ring was red, the inner two-thirds were white, and in the very center was a black vertical stripe, like the eye of something.

What's most fascinating is that this wizard is an old man with white hair, deep-set eyes, and a high nose, who looks very wise.

Based solely on this appearance, Audis felt that the money they had scraped together was well spent. This wizard clearly possessed great magical power, ensuring that they could work with peace of mind without worrying about being cursed or anything like that.

Of course, to prevent powerful wizards from leaving halfway, it's impossible to pay them in advance. They have to perform a spell here, settle the payment, and then arrange for someone to escort them out before they start working.

The wizard was already busy at work, finding a whole bunch of strange materials to boil in a pot. Scales, grass leaves, soil, tree roots, eyeballs, and blood were all added in a certain order, causing the color in the pot to change again and again, from red to purple, from purple to green, from green to blue, and finally stabilizing into a heavy purplish-black. Although he couldn't understand it, he inexplicably felt it was very effective.

The wizard, in particular, looked old yet nimble, clearly someone who did this often, which reassured them even more.

Audis stood there for a while and his legs started to go numb. He looked around and found a tree stump that had just been chopped down yesterday. Ignoring the dampness, he sat down on it and then put down his axe. He continued to look down with great interest.

At this moment, the wizard had already prepared the potion. Under everyone's watchful eyes, he muttered something as he lifted the small pot to the tall mahogany tree and, to everyone's anticipation, steadily poured it into the tree roots.

*Sizzle!*

As a plume of white smoke rose, green bubbles appeared in the soil beneath the tree roots, and a strange, indistinct sound echoed from underground, instantly eliciting cheers from everyone:

"Great! It's done!"

Everyone believed that the tree's soul had been killed. Their leader was quite satisfied and took out some money from his pocket and handed it to the wizard. Then he called on the strongest and most agile among them to prepare to start. One of the most nimble men was already preparing to pick up a thick rope, climb up the tree, and tie it to the top. With a rope to pull it, they could control the direction of the tree's fall to some extent and try not to kill anyone.

Audis also stood up, spat into his palm, and was among the first to act, so he had to go down and prepare.

The swaying of the bushes next to him made him glance to the right, and that one glance terrified him to death... Just as the others were still noisily preparing to cut down the tree, he watched as a guy covered in mud and wearing iron armor jumped out from inside, holding a sharp blade, his face full of ferocity.

In an instant, one word popped into Audis's mind—robber!

For people like them, encountering robbers is an absolute disaster. After all, these ruthless guys often kill to silence witnesses to prevent being exposed. Even if they manage to survive, they'll be stripped of everything they own. Unless they band together and fight them off, they're sure to end up in a bad situation.

At that moment, a burly man clad in armor, wielding a blade, and looking fierce emerged from the forest. Even a fool could guess who he was! So, after a moment's hesitation, he immediately opened his throat and roared:

"There are robbers here! Everyone be careful!"

In fact, his shout came too late, because everyone else already knew—at the same time, menacing-looking people jumped out of the surrounding bushes one after another, wielding short swords, shields, spears, and longbows, surrounding them and clearly with ill intentions.

"Come here quickly, everyone, grab your axes!"

Their leader was quite experienced in dealing with such situations. He knew that running around at this point would be suicide. Only by gathering together and probing the enemy slightly, and showing that they were tough, could they have a chance to negotiate. Otherwise, if these guys caught up with them and killed them one by one in this deep mountain forest, they would be truly finished.

Audis instinctively clutched his axe, watching the burly man in front of him with extreme vigilance, and kept backing away.

But at that moment, he suddenly saw a dark shadow flash past him. Even in the midst of extreme tension, he couldn't help but be drawn to it, and then he was truly dumbfounded...

The wizard, who had just been old and decrepit, was now running with incredible speed. As he ran, he threw off his cumbersome hat, wig, and fake beard, tearing off his black robe to reveal a close-fitting leather jacket underneath. He was running so fast that he seemed about to dart out of the woods and onto the road outside...

Routine rest

As always, I'll take a break, organize my thoughts, and plan the next plot development. I'm preparing to make a good plan, as the next part is a crucial high-stakes climax for this book, and I really can't afford to be careless.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………

384 Guide (2)

Time and again, facts have proven that people are always slow to react to things that are unexpected, because their minds need time to analyze and confirm the matter and generate new coping strategies. It's just that some people are faster and some are slower.

These armored and armed bandits had been lying in ambush in the surrounding forest for a long time, clearly having anticipated their movements. They chose this day, when they were all gathered together, to launch a surprise encirclement, which should have been a sure thing.

But who knew that a frail old man they had previously disregarded was now running faster than a strong young man, so fast that the two men in that direction didn't even have time to stop him. They stared in disbelief as he broke through their encirclement and was about to reach the smooth, easy road outside.

Running in the forest is never an easy task. Not only do you need to be quick-witted and strong, but you also need to have enough experience to avoid being hindered by branches and vines. Otherwise, falling down is the least of your worries. This guy disguised as an old man must have been active in the forest a lot, otherwise he couldn't be so agile.

"We can't let him get away! Catch him now!!"

Seeing this, the captain, who was leading a dozen or so men, was terrified. His voice became hoarse as he roared, looking as if he wanted to pounce on the other man and bite him. The surrounding bandits also reacted and hurriedly sent two of them, who looked capable and experienced, to chase after the enemy. They even threw off their helmets and plunged into the dense bushes without flinching, just to catch up with the enemy.

But it was all too late. The man in the leather jacket had nothing on him, and he could move through the dense vines without stopping. He was now running wildly on the road outside the forest, covering a distance of over a hundred steps in the blink of an eye. He was running faster and faster, and his movements became more coordinated and rhythmic, as agile as a strong male deer.

The two who had given chase only ran a short distance before realizing they couldn't catch up. One of them was still watching the other's retreating figure with a look of amazement and embarrassment, while the other gritted his teeth, took out his bow and arrows from his back, and prepared to shoot him directly.

Unfortunately, after running recklessly through the forest for a while, his strength was severely depleted. He was panting heavily, his face flushed, and his hands were trembling. As a result, he missed with his first two arrows, and the third arrow, which he fired with wide eyes, grazed past his opponent's knee. It did startle the man, but ultimately had no effect.

A commotion had already broken out behind them. The lumberjacks seized the opportunity when their encirclement loosened, and led by their foreman, they charged forward noisily, axes and saws in hand, clearly driven by a surge of bloodlust, trying to drive them back.

If they had been well-prepared, they certainly wouldn't have been afraid, but now they were a bit flustered. After all, they were all human, made of flesh and blood, and it wouldn't have been pleasant to be hit by the other side's axe, especially when these guys started charging recklessly without regard for the consequences. Even veterans had to be careful not to overturn their vehicles.

The only way now is to take drastic measures and kill two of them first, so that the others will be frightened by the bloodshed...

Just as they were preparing to strike hard to intimidate the group of loggers, a low, penetrating horn suddenly echoed from the surrounding forest, piercing the hearts of everyone like the panting of a ferocious beast. The loggers, who had been fiercely prepared to fight to the death, were stunned.

Immediately afterwards, a cloud of dust rose from the road in the distance, and the sound of warhorses' hooves pounding the ground grew closer. A knight in red armor and chainmail appeared in their sight, dragging a staggering figure with his pisotto. The surrounding forest shook violently, and countless archers in cloth emerged from it, drawing their bows and aiming at them.

Audis felt his blood run cold. Before anyone else could react, he hurriedly threw away the axe in his hand and raised his hands high:

"I surrender! I surrender! Please don't shoot arrows! I surrender!!"

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

"Ouch! You lot who don't know how to respect elders and wise men are going to be in trouble. Ouch, my legs. Ouch, my back. Ouch, my waist..."

Stripped of his leather clothes, the middle-aged man, left only in thin linen clothing, was pushed into the tent while groaning in pain. His expression was contorted, and his movements were spasmodic, as if his limbs had been broken. It seemed as if he would soon die from the torment, but in reality, he was only dragged along by a horse with his hands bound. He didn't even suffer any abrasions because his legs could keep up with the trotting horse.

His unexaggerated yet genuine behavior at this moment was a subconscious act to relieve tension and protect himself. After all, he knew very well that the other party must have a purpose in bringing him here. Even the most brutal person would subconsciously hold back when they saw him like this, otherwise killing him outright would be pointless.

He didn't even look up to look at the rest of the tent, because from the outside, he had only glanced at it and was certain that someone important was staying there—the decorations weren't luxurious, and there were no imposing banners, but the tent was exceptionally spacious and clean, and servants were even cleaning it.

He almost immediately decided to portray himself as cowardly, cunning, and timid... and such people are the easiest to cooperate with and the easiest to demonstrate their value in certain aspects.

Of course, it's not advisable to perform for too long, otherwise it will easily annoy people and mess things up... So after wailing a few times, he carefully curled up on the ground and glanced around very cleverly and quickly beforehand. In just one glance, he saw everything he needed to see.

Although the layout here is simple, it is orderly and purposeful, without any superfluous decorations. In the very center is an extremely wide stage, on which the terrain of mountains, rivers, roads and plains is carefully sculpted using soil, fine sand and leaves as materials, but a large part of it is a loose blank space, obviously not yet explored.

A tall, upright general covered in iron scales stood before the table, surrounded by several guards holding halberds, each as silent as a statue, making the place both solemn and quiet.

Such a scene would terrify anyone, leaving them speechless without permission, but it was nothing new to him... But at this moment, he needed to appear normal, to act like a normal person.

So he remained calm and trembling, looking so frightened that he dared not utter a word.

"Don't be afraid, you can raise your head... I have some questions to ask you, and I can assure you that you will not be harmed here, as long as you cooperate."

“…I…I…I…——”

His hands and feet began to tremble, his entire face was tense, and his lips quivered incessantly. He looked so frightened he was about to wet himself and couldn't utter a single complete sentence. The general opposite him, quite understandingly, waved his hand, and a soldier brought him a stool.

"Sit down first. I told you, as long as you cooperate, nothing will happen... But if you utter a single lie, I'll have your skin peeled off and hung on a flagpole. Do you understand?"

He was about to sit down when he was suddenly startled and fell back down, trembling all over. He just mechanically nodded his head, making Natamus wonder if he had used too much force… So he waited a moment, seeing that the other person had calmed down a bit, before continuing:

"I've asked those lumberjacks. As a renowned wizard throughout the kingdom, you were frequently invited to perform rituals and spells in various places. Is there any area in Salanod that you haven't been to...?"

"A lowly person like me dares not boast... but I have indeed been to many places. Because of my exquisite skills and knowledge of some unorthodox methods, I am trusted by many, and my business has become increasingly prosperous."

"However, very few high-ranking officials or nobles come to me. If they have such needs, they will go directly to the Grand Wizard in the royal city. Most of them are merchants or villages that pool their money..."

His voice was extremely weak and intermittent, sounding cowardly, as if he were being forced to speak. The fearful and tense expression on his face never faded. But unexpectedly, the other party never became impatient and listened to him clearly, only occasionally lowering his head to think or asking him to pause and repeat.

And so, he loosened his disguise a little, speaking more fluently, while secretly observing the scene outside the tent... When he was first captured, he didn't dare to look closely at all.

There were no flags here, and even the camp was hidden in a secluded valley. He immediately understood—the Imperial army had arrived, and it seemed that Salanod was in danger.

………………

Saratag was convinced he must have offended something... otherwise, how could he be so unlucky, getting involved in troublesome matters time and time again, exhausting himself, and even ending up in this state?

Of course, saying he's fallen from grace would be too smug and ungrateful, and saying he's unlucky would be like him getting a good deal and then complaining... After all, his current position is enough to make many people grit their teeth in envy.

In fact, he could have gotten a higher position, starting as a leader.

He was a centurion or something, but due to some inexplicable feelings... perhaps he was too lazy to fight and kill, or perhaps he was too ashamed to bow to his daughter, so he refused the other party's offer to let him join the army as a general... So, at his own will, he eventually returned to his old place, only this time with a different identity, directly becoming the captain who commanded everyone.

This completely shattered his original plan to save enough money to return to his hometown... Being promoted to his current position so suddenly, even a fool would know that he must be extraordinary, making it impossible for him to keep a low profile, and he could no longer associate with his old buddies.

However, the money he was paid was indeed much more... The treatment of generals and officers in the Empire was far superior to that of ordinary soldiers, even for the construction legions. As long as one could become an officer, the treatment would immediately improve, and it goes without saying that becoming a general would be even better.

This immediately calmed his restless and somewhat annoyed heart... After all, even the priests of the gods could be bribed by those glittering and jingling little things, let alone a wild man like him from the mountains.

"Uh... I don't understand this, but you are a knowledgeable and wise person, so you are sure to be able to handle this problem perfectly. You don't need to ask me about this."

Quite frankly admitting that he couldn't understand the neat and exquisite lines on the parchment at all, Saratag finally breathed a sigh of relief after sending the scholar away, and then began his daily entertainment—counting all the money he had earned.

He had wanted to do this for a long time, but he was a poor man in the past and could not save enough money to count for a long time. Only now did he have the capital, so he naturally could not let it go... Now he doesn't even need to look at it, he can just put his hand into the money bag and count it one by one.

For him now, the feeling of each coin flowing through his fingers brings a strong sense of accomplishment. Touching the money, he can almost imagine what he can buy for his home in the future, and he can also confidently acquire those coveted items.

Of course, while counting money, he didn't neglect his other duties. Although he was illiterate and couldn't read pictures, he would find people who knew how to do these things and would always make sure he understood the details before he felt at ease. As a result, they did a very good job. So, he felt that all the money was earned honestly and he was quite at ease with it.

During this period, he was so busy that he barely had time to breathe, leading his men to repair bridges and pave roads everywhere. In the last two days, he took on a big project—building a stone bridge over a medium-sized river. The soil was solid, the terrain was flat, and the relevant technology was very advanced. Construction could begin after only a few measurements, and the materials had already been delivered.

As he pondered this, he reached into his bag to count the money… Just when he thought his rest time would pass peacefully, he suddenly heard hurried footsteps outside the tent. A moment later, a blond-haired boy burst in, his face filled with panic.

"Boss, come quick! There's been an accident at the construction site!"

385. Perilla's Investigation (1)

Damn it! Oh no...

Saratag groaned inwardly, his face instantly stiffening. He didn't even bother counting his money anymore. With a bang, he kicked over a chair, stood up from the table, grabbed a stick from the side, and hurriedly walked out.

There was no need for the kid to explain anything further; Saratag had already guessed pretty much everything... It was definitely those new kids causing trouble for him again!

His construction corps was newly formed in the south. Some of its members were veterans transferred from other places, but most were young and strong laborers conscripted locally. These people were naturally not obedient and hardworking... On the contrary, compared to the reliable and steady imperial people, they were the epitome of trouble and chaos.

Whenever something happens at his construction site, these guys are almost always involved. They do this every few days, leaving him with a huge headache every time.

Moreover, they are not often deliberately causing trouble. It is easy for the Imperials to have conflicts and friction with the people of these newly conquered territories. Most of the time, they can only be gradually bridged by time. Before that, there are always some disturbances of all sizes.

That's when he's needed to solve these kinds of problems... although generally speaking, his methods for solving problems are quite simple.

Soon he led a group of strong young men carrying sticks to the construction site where the trouble had started. He had already made plans along the way, dividing into two groups to surround the site from the left and right sides.

When he arrived at the scene, he found that things were even worse and more chaotic than he had imagined—people were running around aimlessly all over the construction site, and in the very center, dust was flying everywhere, with two groups of people fighting each other fiercely, swinging their fists and kicking each other relentlessly.

Of course, the fight looked intense and exciting, but no one dared to use the tools they used for work as weapons. After all, fighting with bare hands is one thing, but fighting with weapons is another... The former would at most get a beating with a stick or a whip and be locked up for two or three days, while the latter, in the most serious cases, could be hanged!

Saratag first found a slightly higher spot, squinted and carefully observed the chaotic crowd. In just a few breaths, he had identified his target, picked up his stick and pointed at the crowd a few times, while shouting orders.

The men he had arranged to be positioned on both sides immediately rushed into the crowd as instructed, beating down those who were leading the trouble and those who were fanning the flames. This quickly had a remarkable effect. Amidst the relentless blows of the sticks, those who were unarmed and still resisting were quickly overwhelmed and finally came to their senses, stopping the fight one by one.

Saratag did not lift a finger himself, so the long stick in his hand was of little use. After standing on the high ground and roaring a few times in a loud voice like a lion, he dispersed all the onlookers and called over all the leaders.

Unlike the Imperial Legion, which is composed of soldiers who march and fight, his so-called construction legion was essentially an organization of laborers and workers, specifically for building roads and constructing engineering projects. Therefore, it was far less strict than the legion. Moreover, his legion was newly formed and consisted almost entirely of newcomers. However, he was quite dissatisfied that the leader could not even stop his subordinates from fighting each other, so he summoned them all and gave them a scolding.

He only asked for the reason after he had vented his anger and made sure everyone had calmed down.

As expected, things escalated from a trivial matter—a quarrel arose over the order in which people ate, and then the imperialists started by insulting their leader as a pardoned slave, and things quickly spiraled out of control.

The matter was finally clarified, and the subsequent handling was quite simple. After all, there were procedures and laws to follow, so he didn't have to scratch his head and overthink things... With a command, those who started the fight were dragged out and beaten with sticks. The imperial man who had been the first to speak out was given an extra ten blows, and the beating was quite thorough under his orders. In an instant, howls and screams rang out like raindrops.

"I understand that you have grievances and conflicts among yourselves, but has any of you been mistreated?! If you still want to cause trouble under these circumstances, then don't blame me for being ruthless! If you really think I'm some kind of benevolent person, then you're dreaming! I'm your leader now, so I'm in charge of you. If you don't obey me, then get out of here!"

“Every month you get paid and fed, you're given enough to eat and drink, and all you get is this?! Look at the work you've done, look at how much you've actually accomplished! Nobody hires people like you to just sit around doing nothing!…”

He stood on the high place, cursing incessantly, while the crisp sound of sticks striking flesh below continued. The tortured victims, who were being held down, still tried to struggle subconsciously, but could only twist their bodies desperately like caterpillars, trying to avoid those merciless and solid sticks. Each swing of the ash wood sticks left a bloody mark, which soon turned bruised.

After being beaten with sticks, these people were basically unable to get up and could only wail and scream on the ground. It was clear that they would not be able to do heavy work for the next few days. The others were also terrified and no longer had the leisure to watch the show. Saratag's words became more and more cunning and vicious, making everyone feel embarrassed and humiliated.

The reason they obediently endured the insults was partly because their leader had been subdued, and partly because, as the other party claimed, this man had never withheld their due pay and rations, and had always treated them fairly and impartially, without showing favoritism to any side. So even when subjected to such harsh rebukes, they only felt guilty and embarrassed, and no one dared to stand up and cause trouble... Of course, this was also because none of them could defeat the other party in a fight.

After witnessing firsthand how those two self-proclaimed strong challengers were knocked to the ground in just a few breaths, these people developed a certain fear of Saratag. At least, no one with a muddled mind would try to do anything foolish.

And so, having swiftly and decisively resolved the chaos, Saratag finally breathed a sigh of relief, tucked the stick diagonally into his belt, and sauntered off again... He had used a bit more force this time, which should hopefully bring these guys to their senses.