Armored Cavalry, survive in a world full of mods

These two items were incredibly simple in construction. One was a slightly bulging copper plate strung together with a hemp rope to form a loop, and the other was a short wooden hammer. Together, they didn't take up much space and were just hidden under the other person's clothes.

Although these two things look very simple, they produce a loud, crisp sound when tapped, enough to wake even the laziest person from their bed and light torches in the surrounding streets.

This era was far from peaceful. Even living in the city, there was no guarantee that thieves and robbers would not break into the house. In order to maintain the city's security, every two households would have such a device that could be struck to make a clear and loud noise, which could quickly call on the neighbors to come and help catch the thieves.

As a resident with good relationships in this city, as long as the shop owner rings this copper plate, the surrounding neighbors will definitely come to check immediately. At that time, the whole street will be surrounded, and the young people will definitely have no way to escape.

After his expression changed, Alistair quickly calmed down, even asking with a hint of curiosity:

"You know what the consequences of ringing this thing are, right? I might not be able to escape, but you two will die immediately... Is it really worth it? If you really push me too far, I won't care about anything else, not even old friends can stand in my way!"

"Isn't agreeing to me the best option? How can you be so dense and not realize it! As long as you agree, we'll be fine, I can go back to sleep, you can all get some rest, and then we can part ways amicably... The money I promised you is a huge fortune, equivalent to 10 years of selling pies. Even the dumbest guy could make the right choice."

"If you still think it's not enough, I can add more. I have some money in this city, enough for you all to live a wealthy life from now on..."

"Shut up, Alistair..."

The bearded shopkeeper interrupted the man's rambling, a slight smile even playing on his lips, his eyes calm and composed. The earlier anxiety had completely vanished from his body.

"You can't fool me... You may not know, but when you lie, you always like to raise your right eyebrow. The bigger the lie, the higher your eyebrow jumps... Just now, your eyebrow almost flew to your forehead."

"You never intended to let us go, did you?"

A terrifying silence descended upon the room. Neither of them spoke for a long time, and after this silent standoff, a bitter smile suddenly appeared on Alicchi's face.

"You idiot, if only you were a little bit dumber... If only you were a little smarter, you would have made a fortune long ago, but you just happen to be at this mediocre level."

Seeing the other party admit it directly, even though he was mentally prepared, the shop owner still swayed for a moment and almost couldn't sit still in his chair. But he held a small wooden hammer firmly above the copper plate, ready to strike it if he let go.

“You’ve changed a lot, Alejandro González, you’ve changed so much. You weren’t like this before…”

“My changes are far greater than you imagine… but what’s the point of doing this? Even if you sound the alarm, you’re still doomed. And even if those adults are merciful and reward you, what good will it do you? Why do it in the first place?”

"You started this unrest, didn't you...?"

"To be precise, it was one of them. I just gave it a push from behind. Those Iris people already had this idea, but they were both stupid and greedy, which is why they ended up like this."

"You are also a citizen of the Empire, don't you know that this will plunge the country into chaos? Don't you know how many people will be displaced, their families torn apart, and their lives lost?"

Arach suddenly became impatient:

"What does that have to do with me? No matter how prosperous and powerful this country becomes, it won't give me a single penny. In today's world, only money is the most important and real thing. You're like a pitiful watchdog protecting the interests of this country, but who will know? Do you think those high and mighty lords will reward you with a couple of bones for this?! You're just being foolish!"

"You're the one who's being foolish!"

Despite sporting a full beard, the still-young shop owner shook his head firmly, his eyes gleaming in the darkness.

“We were born on this land, our roots are here… If you work for those dark and despicable people, in their eyes you are nothing more than a ruthless stray dog, how can you expect a good end?”

"You say that no matter how prosperous this country becomes, it won't give me a single penny... That's even more stupid. Wealth should be earned with one's own hands and brains. Only lazybones and scoundrels would say such unambitious things."

"This country didn't give me a single penny, but I know that it is because of this country's existence that I have the opportunity to stand on the street and earn money peacefully through my own abilities! Those malicious invaders and those treacherous bandits won't harm me. I have long enjoyed the benefits brought by this country's strength. Wasn't this war quelled by the Empire's legions? Without their arrival, what good would have become of us?"

"Even a crude person like me can see this, let alone you? You're just driven by your own ambition, and what you want is definitely more than money. You can't fool me..."

154 The Hunt

"So what are you planning to do now? Ring that thing and lure the Imperial army here?"

The young man finally grew impatient. His expression was extremely complex, a mixture of anger and resentment, along with a hint of indescribable sadness... But at the same time, his actions remained resolute, and the fingers gripping the dagger never wavered.

“You’ve become quite ruthless now, Alicization. You’re nothing like you used to be.”

The shop owner's answer sounded irrelevant, but his expression remained calm and serious.

"From the moment you stepped into this room, you made up your mind, and you won't easily change it. You've long decided to plunge that dagger into both of our hearts, yet you still try to deceive us with earnest words..."

"You're not the person I used to know anymore, nor are you my friend who, though a bit cunning, was honest and upright..."

"What exactly are you trying to say?!"

The young man immediately sensed that the other person was planning something and became wary, but the distance between them was more than three meters, and he couldn't kill him before the other person could react.

“I want to say, Alejandro, your greed and ruthlessness have astonished me… I can no longer trust you. Since we are destined to die, why not let you receive the punishment you deserve?”

Suddenly, Arich sprang into action, his sharp dagger flashing like a blur, aimed straight at his opponent's chest...

This attack was swift and decisive, capable of striking even a seasoned mercenary, let alone an honest man who spends his days kneading dough.

But this man never intended to run away.

But before that, the shop owner's wooden hammer had already struck the copper plate, which was as wide as a shoulder, with a sharp and piercing ringing sound that was extremely penetrating. Almost instantly, it broke through the barrier of the house and began to spread in all directions.

The sharp dagger easily pierced through the cloth, penetrating deep into the blood and fascia, finally cutting through the pulsating blood-dripping organ. The gushing hot blood immediately stained the clothes, turning the white cloth crimson at an astonishing speed.

The man fell silently, without uttering any heroic final words. He died so peacefully, his life snatched away in an instant. The copper coin and wooden hammer in his hand clattered to the ground.

………………

Christia felt uneasy all night. The seemingly honest and unassuming young man from earlier in the day made him uneasy. Today, the patrol duty for this area fell to him, so he brought out his two squads to take precautions.

The torches of the night patrol soldiers were made of hard wood and grease-soaked linen. Once lit, they could provide light for a long time, but they could not withstand strong winds. If the wind was strong enough, the torches might go out or flicker and become difficult to light.

The soldiers' chainmail rustled, the fine rings rubbing against each other and making a soft, crisp sound. In the firelight, the grease on the rings reflected tiny glints of light, rising and falling with their footsteps.

Under his command, all the soldiers were fully armed. They carried their shields on their backs, swords at their waists, and sharp javelins in leather pouches hanging from their waists for easy access at any time.

This state is perfectly suited for a bloody battlefield, let alone the quiet streets at night. At most, only thieves with ill intentions would appear here, which feels like a waste of talent.

Two squads of legionary soldiers marched through the city's streets and alleys. They did not deliberately conceal their movements; rather, they intentionally made their footsteps heavier to deter thieves lurking in the darkness.

Just as a group of cats roaming around a house will cause mice to hide in their burrows, no matter how audacious a thief is, he wouldn't dare to show his face in front of them. He would tremble with fear at the mere sound of armor clashing in the distance.

These patrols continue until late at night, after which they are relieved of their duties. Until then, they remain responsible for the safety of the area.

The night was so quiet, with only the sounds of armor rubbing together and torches crackling. Even Christia and his soldiers had little interest in talking, simply patrolling the streets and alleys in silence.

Just as the tranquil atmosphere of the night was about to completely solidify, a sharp metallic tremor suddenly pierced the night sky! It relentlessly drilled into everyone's ears, instantly tightening their nerves and making their hearts beat faster.

Shouts, both loud and soft, rang out from the surrounding houses. The men realized what was happening and loudly contacted their neighbors to retrieve spears and short swords from under their beds or other places. They hurriedly put on their clothes, lit torches stuck in the walls, opened their doors, and rushed out.

The scattered torches gathered together to form a bright, fiery dragon. Every street had such a dragon, and then, like streams flowing into the sea, they rushed towards the direction from which the sound came.

Even though they gathered late at night, the empire's civilians maintained a certain level of discipline and order. Many took out copper plates and wooden hammers from their houses, striking them forcefully to produce sharp sounds while shouting loudly:

"There's a thief! There's a thief! Get up! Get up!"

It was as if a torch had been thrown into a warehouse full of thatched roofs. Dense flames quickly spread from the block, and people were shouting "Catch the thief!" everywhere, and gatherings of people wielding gleaming swords and knives.

The patrolling troops in the city reacted immediately and began to organize the awakened civilians, leading them to cordon off the affected area. Dozens of strong men carrying torches searched for suspicious persons on each street, led by soldiers, and every lone person was stopped and questioned.

Such situations have occurred at least a hundred times since the city was founded. The Imperials, who train there annually, know exactly what to do. Any audacious, foolish bandit will pay a heavy price for their ridiculous actions—they may think they can do whatever they want as long as they evade the garrison patrols. But they never imagined they would be facing the entire neighborhood's men…

Over time, those in the empire who still dared to engage in this particular industry learned to stay as far away from cities and villages as possible, instead robbing passing travelers and caravans in densely forested, sparsely populated areas—although the presence of local garrisons made this behavior extremely risky.

Residents in other parts of the city need to stay indoors. The neighborhood where the alarm was triggered needs to be immediately placed under lockdown to prevent the chaos from escalating and the thieves from escaping.

Meanwhile, Christia had already drawn her longsword and rushed towards the renowned pie shop in the neighborhood without any hesitation... The unease that had been lingering in her mind finally materialized at this moment; something had indeed happened there!

The sound of rapid footsteps echoed through the surrounding streets, like a vast army marching forward. After a brief exchange, the gathered civilians pinpointed the exact location of the sound and, led by the patrolling soldiers, quickly approached it.

In this process, teams continued to block off streets and intersections, turning the area into a giant spider web, determined to make their prey unable to escape.

The hunt, unique to the Imperials, was underway. After turning several corners, they finally spotted the small shop with a huge earthen stove outside its door…

Without any hesitation, the leading officer kicked the door open, breaking the bolts that were blocking the way in two. Soldiers and civilians filed in, shouting as they went.

No matter how loudly they called the shop owner's name, no one responded until they rushed into the bedroom, whereupon everyone fell silent...

The shop owner, with a long beard, lay on the ground, blood seeping from his chest staining a large area of ​​the ground. The copper alarm plate and wooden hammer he used to sound the alarm were lying on either side of him. His face was calm and peaceful, as if he were just asleep.

His wife, a woman with a simple and lovely face, also lay motionless on the bed—a sharp blade had cut open her throat, and she had bled to death in no time.

…………

The silence lasted only a moment; in the blink of an eye, angry roars and shouts echoed in all directions. The horrific scene they witnessed ignited the fury of both soldiers and civilians. Everyone was shouting for the killer to be caught. They searched every corner of the house, moved every bundle of firewood, and began looking for any place where someone could hide.

The surging emotions drove everyone to search for the possible murderer, almost causing the situation to spiral out of control. At the critical moment, the only imperial officer present restrained people's behavior and prevented the siege from developing into a riot.

Meanwhile, news of the situation in the city had already reached the military camp...

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

Tersolius had just fallen asleep, and the fruitless search over the past few days had made him somewhat worried. So he made extra preparations today, planning a big operation for tomorrow. But unexpectedly, a clue suddenly appeared in the middle of the night, pulling him out from under the wolfskin rug.

After listening to the soldiers' report, he immediately decided to launch the operation ahead of schedule. As the order was given, all the soldiers who had just gone to sleep were woken up, and three thousand-man squads marched out of the camp and quickly entered the city.

He certainly had no intention of sleeping. To guard against any tricks the other party might have up their sleeve, he even brought along the doctor who had just woken up. Then he went to the center of the city to personally direct his soldiers to hunt down this cunning man and bring him to him before dawn.

This is not a difficult task, since prey that exposes its tracks is always destined to be hunted down, because they have nowhere else to go.

………………

A noisy commotion came from outside, each voice filled with anger and undisguised malice. The guard dogs, leashed, were released to join their owners in a vigilant search.

Soldiers passed by, their armor rubbing together with a crisp, delicate sound. The hard steel could easily block the blows of swords and blades, firmly protecting its masters.

The gleaming spears and swords reflected a cold light in the firelight; these were designed to tear flesh apart, capable of turning a living creature into a pile of dead meat cleanly and efficiently.

He had only one feeling right now—the whole city had come alive…

The terrifying pressure was everywhere. In every corner, there were groups of men armed with weapons, leading hunting dogs and holding torches, searching for criminals who had committed atrocities in the city.

There was absolutely no gap. As soon as one group of people walked past, before you could even move your own foot, another group would rush out from the end of the street. Angry imperial citizens were everywhere.

More and more soldiers are appearing around. They are more well-trained, more difficult to deal with, and more experienced than the civilians. Some of them carrying longbows will carefully examine the tracks on the ground, then stand up and curse, saying: "Those idiots have trampled all the tracks. They're just here to cause trouble."

He sensed that this wasn't a group of people chasing him, but a terrifying predator with a body as large as a mountain and thousands of sharp eyes. It exuded an incredibly oppressive aura, as if it were about to tear him, this tiny insect, out of the rock.

The young man was silent for a moment, realizing that it was almost impossible for him to escape... Countless people were preparing to hunt him down, people who had been thinking about capturing him all these days, and now it seemed that they were about to succeed.

His hiding place was extremely well-hidden and cleverly concealed, on the roof beam of an old house. Through an opening on the side, one could see what was happening outside, so virtually no one would guess that he was hiding there, which gave him a rare chance to catch his breath.

All he can do now is wait, wait for things to take a new turn, wait for these angry imperial people to calm down, only then will a chance be left for him...

Another group of soldiers in chainmail came over. Each of them carried a longbow on their back, the bowstring already in the slot, dozens of arrows in the quiver at their waist, and a greatsword as tall as a teenager on their back, the sharp blade looking like it could cut a person in two.

These soldiers were very alert. As they walked, they looked around for any signs of danger. Their eyes didn't miss any spot. But they still couldn't find the prey hiding in the rafters. Just as they were about to pass by, a fierce barking suddenly rang out from among them!

In an instant, the mountain people's gazes all turned to the upper side. The hunting dogs they were holding desperately tried to lunge forward but were restrained by their owners' leashes, and the point their sharp snouts were pointing was at the small window high up...

155 attempts

Well-bred hunting dogs possess an extraordinary sense of smell; their noses can easily detect the faintest scent of blood in the air and track down prey that has been on the run for days after being wounded. This is an innate talent of these creatures, far beyond what humans can match.

Therefore, many things that humans cannot perceive with the naked eye and senses are easily detected by these sensitive creatures... such as a murderer who has just killed someone and is now hiding.

The experienced mountain hunters immediately noticed their prey and realized that the prey had also noticed their intentions. In the blink of an eye, they took action and began their hunt.

The sound of the bowstring vibrating was like a swarm of bees leaving its hive. A layer of white arrow fletching covered the roof beams. In an instant, the mountain archers fired dozens of arrows, forcing the rats hiding there to come out.

The effect was outstanding. No one could hide behind that thin wooden board anymore. Doing so would be like sharpening a razor with your own neck. Under the powerful bow and heavy arrows, the thin wooden board used to shield against wind and rain would be riddled with holes in the blink of an eye.

Anyone who dared to hide behind would surely be riddled with arrows by now. But before that, a nimble black figure leaped out of the side window from the roof, flashed through the darkness, and jumped onto the adjacent earthen wall.

Sharp arrows followed closely behind. A mountain archer drawing his bow with all his might could fire dozens of arrows per minute, while still maintaining a general hit range. Under such dense barrage, even though the dark figure had begun to flee at top speed, moving as nimbly as a cat, an arrow still pierced his knee from the side...

The bloody arrowhead pulled out a bit of flesh, its barbs exuding malice. Pulling it out would inevitably bring out more bloody, rotten flesh, or perhaps the arrowhead would be cruelly left to pierce through.

A pierced knee is an injury no human can withstand. No matter how well-trained and agile he was, he could only fall headfirst off the wall and crash heavily to the ground, covered in yellow dust. His screams were swallowed back by the impact of his chest hitting the ground, and the arrow shaft that had pierced his knee broke off with a snap on the ground, bringing even greater pain.

The mountain people swarmed around quickly, some already drawing their greatswords. They were determined to break one of his arms if he didn't surrender.

As they surrounded the man, and someone had already taken out a leather strap, the man in black, whose head was buried in the ground, reached up and picked up a black earthenware pot, then smashed it heavily on the ground...

A yellowish-green cloud of smoke spread out, carrying a pungent stench, like rotting corpses mixed with fermenting excrement gushing from the ground in a sewer. The mountain people, who had been focused on their work, were caught off guard and inhaled deeply, then uncontrollably bent over, gagging and coughing loudly.

This move was so sudden that no one expected this despicable rat to have such a method. The ones who suffered the most were undoubtedly the hunting dogs with their keen sense of smell. The once docile dogs broke free of their ropes with loud howls and desperately fled into the distance. Their mournful howls could be clearly heard dozens or even hundreds of meters away.

A dense clamor arose from all around, and everyone began to approach. They all realized that their prey had appeared here. The once wide encirclement suddenly shrank to an extreme size, and the sounds of rubbing armor and the cold glint of swords rushed towards them.

The dark figure, who had just gotten up from the ground, took a difficult step forward. His knee had been cut open by the sharp arrow during the impact, and the synovial fluid in his joint cavity was flowing out along with the blood. His entire right leg was now useless.

Even though the ominous sounds around him forced him to unleash his full potential, he still moved slowly. In the end, he could only barely manage to move himself back into the courtyard, then huddled into the pile of firewood next to the courtyard to try to treat his wounds.

It was all in vain—two seconds after he ripped open his pants, he realized the reality: the horrific wound couldn't be treated with emergency measures, and he could no longer escape…

The young man sighed, straightened his body and leaned against the chopped woodpile, stretched out his legs, and stretched his body in the most comfortable way, completely ignoring the blood still trickling from his knees.

The next instant, the wooden gate to the courtyard was kicked open, and fully armed legion soldiers rushed in, quickly surrounded him after a brief search.

"You actually did it... I knew it, Peridot, you stubborn idiot..."

The young man sighed one last time, then let the sharp halberd be placed against his neck, and the sturdy leather ropes bind his wrists and ankles. Amidst the commotion, he was dragged out like a dead dog.