Armored Cavalry, survive in a world full of mods

"You are about to face a long and difficult period, but God has never been stingy with the wisdom He gives you. This wisdom will gradually accumulate as you grow older. Seeking wisdom from others will surely help you overcome the difficulties..."

The atmosphere inside the tent was terribly oppressive. Their emperor clenched his teeth, closing his eyes with a fierce intensity as if he were about to crush them. After a long while, however, he inexplicably relaxed and let out a long sigh.

"I understand, old man. Go then and have a good talk with the Imperials. I believe you will do your best. As for me... I need to make some preparations, a lot of preparations. Once you've finished your business, come find me as soon as possible. I will send a guard to protect you on your way. There are still many things we need to discuss."

The old man paused slightly, then nodded slowly, his smile making his mustache bristle.

"If you just calm down, you'll definitely know what to do. My Majesty has always been a smart child..."

374 Another storm breaks out (1)

The spacious, bright, and sturdy house was swept by servants every day, so there was hardly any dust. The floor was paved with solid and flat bluestone slabs, and there were three windows for lighting. The window frames were made of thin wooden strips. Apart from being too simple and plain, it could be described as comfortable.

This is Samir's current residence. To be honest, it is much more comfortable than the place he lived in before. He doesn't have to worry about those troublesome and complicated things. Every day, prepared meals are delivered to him. He can eat and sleep, and he doesn't have to do anything but wait.

Such a life is what many people dream of. They work hard all their lives, largely to be able to live such a carefree life. But for someone like him, such a life makes him feel lost and is more agonizing than being hacked to pieces.

How could he possibly accept all of this with a clear conscience? The shame of defeat and the painful responsibility tormented him constantly. He could hardly imagine how he would tell the king who trusted him all this after he met the Shah... He had let down too many people, and the most important of them all was his king.

He had been separated from his own army, and the remaining 10,000 troops of the Asel had been scattered and disorganized to prevent them from linking up. Now, they had truly lost their last chance to resist, like a wild boar whose tusks had been sawed off and whose hooves had been bound, leaving them at the mercy of others.

Although he had anticipated this moment, many generals who had surrendered suddenly became anxious and uncertain, as if they had only regained their fighting spirit and dignity after moving into the barracks arranged by the Empire... He saw this but could only sigh and didn't even bother to lift his eyelids.

Having already made his choice, and unwilling to see everything destroyed in one fell swoop, there was no room for regret. He should start thinking about what to do next... At the very least, he couldn't let Asler lose any more.

Bringing back these 10,000 fighting soldiers would definitely be useful. He could almost imagine the undercurrents swirling in his country right now. The impact of this defeat was like a stone thrown into water; the ripples would gradually spread further and further away...

The servant sent to watch over and look after him brought him lunch—chopped onions and mutton rolled in flatbread, spread with a layer of bean paste, savory and delicious, and easy to eat, so that he could do other things while eating.

If he's not mistaken, it won't be long before he sees the person he wants to see...

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

An eagle was circling above the tower. This strong, feathered raptor had a rabbit with a broken neck gripped tightly in its talons. After flapping its wings and adjusting itself slightly, it landed steadily in a nest made of dry branches and grass. Then, it couldn't wait to use its sharp beak to tear open the rabbit's flesh and begin to swallow and rip it apart. Warm blood splattered everywhere with its movements.

Normally, it would eat its meal far from its den, but now its usual dining spot has been taken over by other things, so it has to make do for now.

A figure dressed in a gray coat sat calmly and composed next to the eagle's nest. The raptor next to it didn't seem surprised at all, as if the figure was just a stone statue and assumed that the other party would not pose any threat to it.

And that was indeed the case. The man had climbed up the tower countless times to receive and deliver messages, to spy and observe. The shift from initial wariness and retreat to current indifference was precisely the result of the trust built between the two. Thus, the bird and the man each did their own thing, without disturbing each other.

In the Empire, few people would intentionally harm eagles. These agile and fierce birds of prey have always been regarded as symbols of bravery and valor, and are also the banner of the Imperial Legion. Their nests are often seen in the capital. Even if these incongruous mud and branches appear on the golden tiles of the Imperial Palace, they will not be specially cleaned up. Instead, they will be regarded as a good omen of victory in war.

For this reason, a certain emperor in the past even went so far as to have his servants collect eagle nests and place them on the roof of the palace to create momentum, just to make the people of the capital more supportive of the war... Of course, the birds of prey were so disturbed that they stopped coming near, but that's another story.

And so, under the sunlight, the rabbit beside him was torn to shreds, its skin and flesh mangled, and then swallowed bit by bit by the eagle, its body clad in gray. The eagle and its hounds waited silently, appearing extremely patient... until a faint whistle suddenly came from the distant sky, and he slowly stood up and raised his arm.

Soon, a black dot in the clear blue sky grew larger and larger, and after circling once, it found its target, quickly approached him, then folded its wings and swooped down, landing firmly on his arm, its sharp claws tearing and sizzling against his leather arm guards.

He calmly reached out and removed a copper tube from the falcon's leg, gently twisted it to release the buckle, and then with a slight wave of his hand, he made the large bird in his hand flap its wings and continue flying into the distance—there was fresh blood food prepared for it, as well as a crossbeam nest for rest.

This copper pipe is specially designed so that the angle can be slightly adjusted when sending messages, allowing the falcon to make an extremely subtle noise when flying. This noise can be heard from about 100 meters away on a high tower, allowing the hounds to detect the message in time and prevent it from being intercepted by others.

After only a brief glance at the markings on the copper pipe, he immediately perked up and dared not be negligent in the slightest. Amidst the swallowing sounds of the eagle beside him, he quickly leaped down from the tower and disappeared into the shadows with a few jumps and climbs, heading towards the magnificent golden palace in the distance.

………………“…………

For parents, the most interesting and adorable time for their child is probably when they've just learned to crawl, chubby and with short arms and legs. Before they can run and play, they're always babbling and learning to speak, they like to stir things up, but they don't cause any real trouble. They don't like quiet, but they can be easily held in your arms and calmed down.

It's a pity that the father of these two little ones will never be able to understand this. The only one who has accompanied the two children from their innocent childhood to adulthood is their mother.

A hint of melancholy had barely crossed her face before it was quickly dispelled by a burst of laughter and tears. Christina had to lean forward slightly to rescue the fox fur blanket from Fersitala's little mouth—the fur was even soaked with saliva. Luckily, the little thing didn't have teeth, otherwise she would have definitely plucked out a few strands.

The little one wasn't angry when her food, which she was happily chewing, was snatched away. Instead, she reached out and touched her mother's hair. But just as she was about to pull it into her mouth, her mother picked her up and gently scratched her tummy, making her giggle and forget what she had been planning to do.

Meanwhile, Ikosoya, who was a bit bolder, was already trying to climb onto the bed frame to reach the light with her exceptional grip strength as a baby, clearly intending to bite into it and taste its saltiness.

This is how children their age explore the world. They can gain a fairly intuitive and profound understanding by chewing and biting on anything. However, they need their parents to supervise them at all times to prevent them from putting things that could hurt them into their mouths.

The little guy, who was about to rebel, was grabbed by the shoulders and lifted up by a pair of slender and strong hands. In mid-air, he began to struggle and kick his legs in defiance, babbling incoherently, like a big fish that had been pulled ashore. However, the owner of these hands was not going to indulge him.

And so, Ikosoyabe was placed on the soft bed and given a light tap on the bottom. She instinctively let out a couple of dry cries, but was immediately drawn to something else and wobbled over there, unwilling to stay still for a moment.

"Taking care of both of them must be very hard work, I heard you're not too keen on having the wet nurses and ladies-in-waiting take over?"

"I just can't bear to part with these two little ones. I'm a bit tired, but time flies by. Before I knew it, they'd grown so strong..."

Christina teased the little creature in her arms, her face beaming with smiles. Her heart was completely captivated by these two little lives, making her appear even more kind and affectionate.

The emperor looked at his friend, whose appearance had changed in just a few months, and was both amused and exasperated. He couldn't help but reach out and pull Ikosoya back from the side of the bed, who was about to climb out. At the same time, he rubbed Ikosoya's little face in a fit of pique. Then, because the feeling was so wonderful, he couldn't help but pinch it again until he made the child cry, and only then did he stop, satisfied.

This little guy is quite interesting. His crying seems to be just an instinctive reaction, a coping mechanism that he finds useful. He usually stops immediately after getting out of trouble and then moves on to a new place without even shedding a few tears.

It's fun to tease them like this every now and then, and it's good for your mind and body. But if you have to take care of these two naughty little guys all the time, day and night, then it's not fun at all. I don't know how much they would wear you down.

And so, the emperor inexplicably felt the same sentiment and understanding as Teresolus, and at the same time, she playfully patted Ikosoya, who was climbing forward, and received two more dry sobs... which made a smile involuntarily appear on her face.

Happiness came so easily at this moment, something that was not common for the emperor. It was as if the wishing well granted all requests. Just a little teasing of this little creature would immediately elicit a faithful response, and naturally, it would evoke feelings of affection and joy in people's hearts.

Of course, it's important to strike the right balance; you can't actually make the child cry, otherwise it will completely ruin the fun and turn into a real hassle.

With a touch of inexplicable wickedness, little Ikosoya could never climb out of that small space, being tossed around by the emperor's hand... until his mother glared at the emperor and snatched him away, finally freeing him from his predicament.

"I'm playing with him right now..."

The emperor didn't finish his sentence. He turned away somewhat guiltily—after all, it was hard to say whether she was playing with the child or the child was playing with her.

Watching the apple tree branches swaying outside the window, the emperor smiled slightly, feeling much more relaxed... Visiting the two little ones here to relax was her usual way of unwinding, but recently, with affairs of state becoming increasingly busy, she rarely had the opportunity to come over. Today, having finally managed to squeeze in a break, she naturally wanted to have a good time.

However, such moments are rare and can be interrupted by unexpected events at any time, just like now.

There was a gentle knock on the door. The emperor's expression changed slightly before she understood. Then, a thin figure dressed in black pushed open the door and entered, presenting her with a small section of copper pipe.

"Your Majesty, a letter has arrived from the south; it is from Lord Natamus."

The emperor reached out and took it, twisted and pulled to open the copper tube, took out the rolled-up parchment inside, quietly read the contents, and then suddenly squinted and tapped lightly on the table beside him with his finger.

Christina, looking slightly worried, approached, while the emperor slowly stood up.

"I have to go now, Christina. I'll come see you another day. I have something urgent to take care of right now..."

Christina nodded calmly and composedly. She then pulled the mischievous boy beside her into her arms.

"I understand. Be careful. I can't help you with these things, but I know you definitely have a way. You two have always been the most resourceful."

The emperor smiled and nodded, then turned and pushed open the door to leave. The man in black behind him turned and bowed to Christina before following him out, carefully closing the door behind him.

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

A carriage had already been prepared in the courtyard. The emperor walked forward with leisurely steps, but at the last moment before boarding, he turned his head and looked at the attendant beside him:

"Go and inform the elders that I need to convene an emergency meeting."

The attendant immediately bowed and hurried off to carry out the task, while the carriage, whipped in action, began to move slowly forward, soon crossing the courtyard and arriving at the street. Claudius, lost in thought, sighed softly after a long while.

"Anyone dares to do this..."

This question was destined to go unanswered, and no one dared to answer it. Only those black-clad figures flitting about on the towers and streets around them advanced in the shadows, protecting their lord.

375 Another Storm Rises (2)

Power was slipping from his hands, so clearly as if his wrists were being slashed and bleeding. Every second he was losing his power, feeling the most precious thing to him slip away like blood, drop by drop, until finally he was nothing but a pale, withered corpse.

This feeling was unpleasant... In fact, it was like torture for him. For an ambitious person, nothing is more cruel than watching power slip through his fingers without any means to stop it; it is no less than taking the last jug of water from a thirsty person and then pouring it into the sand, bit by bit, right in front of him.

He was naturally unwilling to accept it, but what could he do? Could he defy the emperor? With the emperor's authority growing ever stronger, even turning the entire Senate into a one-man show! That old bastard Scripps was long gone; not only was he not advocating for their interests before the emperor, but he was even showing signs of aiding and abetting the emperor…

Although he had expected it, the current situation still pained him, because his loss of power was not due to any underhanded means used by the other party, but a natural, upright and correct change... General Tersolius brought victory after victory, and for the people of the Empire, nothing demonstrated the greatness of an emperor more than victory, and the newly conquered lands fed most of the Empire's legions.

With the support of the people and the army, why wouldn't this emperor seize even more power? And what right did they have to stop the other side? Like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, they were naturally powerless to stop this terrifying trend.

The empire's four border troubles and foreign enemies have now been quelled in two places. Any general who can accomplish even one of these feats would be considered to have achieved unparalleled merit, enough to make his name be praised for decades or even centuries to come, enough to have his achievements recorded on the most majestic marble pillars for hundreds or thousands of years, enough to make any general feel ashamed and any soldier fervently support him.

But that Tersolius accomplished two things: decisively destroying the enemies in the east and south, completely changing the situation of the empire for thousands of years. His achievements were so great that they made the military nobles of the empire despair and doubt whether the other party was really the same species as themselves. At this point, many of them could not even feel jealousy, only a deep-seated awe.

It can be said that at this point, Tersolius was naturally able to rally the soldiers of the entire empire, and only he could command the entire empire's army without any resistance. The emperor's power had swelled into a behemoth, and he was preparing to grasp the entire country in his hands.

Logically speaking, now that he's reached this point, he should have reined in those inappropriate thoughts—after all, he's also gained a lot in the successive battles. He lost a lot of power, but his wealth has been flowing in continuously, and he's certainly had his share of the spoils. He should be content with his current position.

But that kind of thought, like embers in ashes, though gradually dimming, never truly died out. Instead, it would occasionally reignite with the slightest breeze of resentment, burning with scalding malice within his heart.

However, this ambition is like a river whose source has been cut off. The river is still flowing now only because of its unwillingness to give up. Sooner or later, it will dry up unless a new source of water is injected into it, giving it a chance to see hope.

And now, this vicious hope has appeared before him... and he is hesitating whether to seize it, whether to take another gamble.

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

The man in black before them was tall with broad shoulders and muscles so developed that they strained against his loose black robe. Judging by his size alone, he was quite imposing. However, his hands were unusually long—far beyond what one would expect from a normal person, almost reaching his knees. His knuckles were also unusually long, reminiscent of stick insects clinging to withered branches. His joints were thick and large, containing powerful tendons and bones.

Moreover, this black robe is by no means understated or dull. Not only are the cuffs and edges embroidered with gorgeous patterns in gold thread, but the shoulders are also decorated with shoulder armor made of gold plates, inlaid with various gemstones and carved with flowers, plants, figures and beasts. As the shoulders move, they collide with each other, and when the sunlight shines on them, they are even more dazzling and precious.

Overall, this is a guy who looks extraordinary. Not only is his identity unusual, but you can also inexplicably feel that his skills are extraordinary. He's the kind of guy that would make any beggar or pickpocket with a bit of sense avoid him if he walked down the street.

And now this man stands in a place that perfectly complements his attire, stepping on the hard, waxed wooden floor, passing through intricately carved marble pillars and murals and sculptures of gods and beasts in the bright candlelight, surrounded by silk curtains, as he walks forward through the corridor, with guards on both sides watching him intently—clearly, he is not the master of this place.

It's impossible for a host to be so guarded against, yet he's dressed so elegantly and is allowed to be here. He must be a dangerous and strange guest.

And so, under everyone's gaze, he walked proudly through the corridor and came to the carved wooden door. Looking at the carvings of a god slaying a beast with lightning, he paused for a moment before raising his hand and tapping the hard wooden door with his knuckles.

In the bright candlelight, the sound of a heavy door being opened echoed through the corridor, followed by a sharp slamming sound as it closed, startling a black bird that was cooing in the treetops outside the window, making even the bright moonlight seem a little flustered.

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

"I said no, and that's final! Are you trying to get me killed?!"

The veteran rubbed his nose and refused the young man in front of him without hesitation, causing the blond-haired boy to turn away dejectedly. Then, the veteran himself scratched his head helplessly.

He did want to help the kid, but the kid was useless. He was bad at archery, spear throwing, foot combat, and even arithmetic. So he didn't bother with the relationship and just kicked him out.

He'd been the town's sheriff for several months now, and overall he was doing a pretty good job. He got paid every month, and aside from catching petty thieves in the neighborhood, his job was to promote the empire's laws and patrol the town three times a day—morning, noon, and evening…

Most importantly, he became a prominent figure in the town, earning respect wherever he went... Although he had originally fled back from the north and didn't care much about this, it was still better than being looked down upon.

As the sheriff, he had the right to form a 10-man militia to help him maintain the town's security. Moreover, he did not need to provide his own weapons and equipment; he could use the ones issued by his superiors. Although they were all secondhand items exchanged from the armory, they were still better than things like hunting bows and machetes. In addition, he would receive some money every month.

The money wasn't a huge amount, but it was enough to make people drool, especially the young people who often drank and joked with him. They were all eager to get in... Not to mention that it was a legitimate job with potential profits, the prospect of being able to wear armor and lead troops was enough to attract them.

He was originally looking for people, and these guys came to him and it was a perfect match, but he didn't dare to be too lenient. He kicked out the weak and clumsy ones and carefully selected 10 who were somewhat skilled, strong, and obedient to him. Finally, he got the business up and running.

From then on, he trained these young men just like he had trained new recruits in the old army camp. They would then wander around the town's streets and markets with him every day, catching petty thieves. Life was quite comfortable; at least now he didn't have to go to nearby cities to memorize those things that made his brain almost explode.

After driving away the persistent young man, he led three or four men to patrol the streets. Looking at the market, which was even more bustling than before, he sighed with admiration.

"Where did all this stuff come from before? Now even our little place is bustling with activity..."

In addition to the original new and old stalls, several more carriages have appeared on the other side of the street, piled with cotton cloth and pottery transported from the north. All of them are produced in the southern provinces of the empire and are of much better quality than those here. Moreover, these merchants rarely stay for long. One group leaves and another group comes. The carriages are their stalls. When they need to move, they simply drive the carriages and goods away together.

They walked along the stalls, occasionally glancing at the unfamiliar faces that had come from nearby villages and towns, but overall they were quite relaxed. After all, their job rarely required risking their lives, and most of the petty thieves who were caught only received a beating.

Just when the veteran thought today would be another peaceful and easy day, what he saw next quickly shattered his thoughts, making him sigh helplessly and reach behind his waist to pull out a white wax stick.

This thing is unlikely to kill anyone unless you deliberately hit them in vital areas like the head or chest. Even if you break the stick, it's still the same. If necessary, you can throw it to hit someone—just like right now!

He swung the stick with force, its thick top and thin bottom, combined with his special technique, making it fly straight like an arrow, accurately striking a wrist that was just about to be pulled back into its robe. The person let out a scream and looked up in alarm.

"Stand still! You thief!"

As the veteran roared, the young men following him immediately reacted, shouting and brandishing sticks, ready to grab the man. However, the man clearly wasn't going to sit idly by and ignored their cries, turning and disappearing into the densest part of the crowd.

"Get out of the way! We won't pay for anything you break!"

He shouted again and led the charge in chasing after the fleeing enemy. At the same time, he pulled a whistle from around his neck, put it in his mouth, and blew it forcefully.

A hissing sound!!!

As the sharp whistle blew, several people patrolling on the other side of the street with their squad immediately moved towards the scene. Amidst the somewhat chaotic shouts and commotion, they quickly surrounded the dark alley, preparing to capture the stubborn thief on the spot.

Their teamwork was a mess, they often talked at cross purposes, and they even went the wrong way several times along the way. But fortunately, the guy they were trying to catch was not a daring or meticulous ruthless character either. They panicked and ran around aimlessly, disappearing into a dead end right in front of them.

What followed was simple: the veteran led a strong young man into the fray, one wielding a stick while the other had a rope ready... but they missed.

This place was a narrow alley behind two houses, right next to the town's wall. There were two or three dead rats that had been half-eaten by cats on the ground, as well as some rotten apples and vegetable leaves. There was also mud and pig manure in the corner... But there was no living person they were looking for. It was as if that guy had suddenly vanished into thin air after he came here.

"Did he climb up the wall next to him?"

The young man next to him immediately thought of this, but when he looked up at the wall next to him, he immediately frowned. The reason was simple: the wall was too high, almost blocking out the sun. How could an ordinary person climb up it in such a short time?

The veteran was initially puzzled, but after taking two steps forward, he suddenly stopped. His eyes lit up and he had an idea. He continued walking forward without making a sound until he reached the young man and slowly reached out to take the rope from his hand.

The others were rushing over, shouting, while the old soldier was loosening his shoulders, as if preparing for some strenuous activity, afraid of straining his old bones… until the moment when the footsteps were at their most violent, he suddenly twisted his waist and turned around, once again using the same technique to throw the stick heavily behind him and slightly above him—

Ahhh! —

This time, the scream was particularly loud. A man in a black robe curled up and fell to the ground, trembling and clutching his groin. The stick fell to the ground at that moment.