Armored Cavalry, survive in a world full of mods

"Ahem... I believe I do have a solution, sir—please look at this."

The girl took a small porcelain dish from the table next to her. Inside was an extremely thin slice of meat covered with a thin layer of green liquid, like some kind of broth with an unidentifiable flavor... the kind that could sell for an astonishingly high price.

Of course, this is not something to drink, but a slice of a key part of a parasite extracted from a corpse. You can see the unique grayish-white texture on the cross-section, which looks like countless tiny fibers intertwined and arranged as neatly as fine silk fabric.

"and this."

Another small porcelain plate was pushed over, but the meat slices inside were almost identical in texture, except for their slightly different shapes.

"This is the sample I preserved when we first encountered a parasite capable of invading the mind, and it is indistinguishable from the tissue dissected from this recently discovered corpse... This means that although the Holy Order of Knowledge has cultivated parasites capable of performing various functions, they are actually a kind of organism, the same thing."

"They can make their parasites stronger, more agile, and even able to ignore many fatal injuries, but they still have the same characteristics and are attracted to the same things... Therefore, I believe that the parasites that pollute the water source this time will be no exception."

"That's why we can deal with them in the same way... just like this one."

A worm with thick segments, still slowly wriggling in the purple potion, was being pulled out of another bottle by a pair of small silver tweezers.

"It can obtain energy from flesh and blood, but if it does not receive this insect to replenish itself, it will become weak and frenzied... so this thing has a terrible attraction for them."

As the still-wriggling white nematodes drew closer, the parasites, which had been moving relatively slowly inside the bottle, suddenly began to writhe violently, struggling desperately with their sturdy bodies inside the glass bottle, even causing the entire bottle to shake slightly.

As the tweezers moved further away, it became sluggish again inside the bottle.

"The biggest problem now is that these parasites have spread into the groundwater, making them difficult to eradicate completely. But if we use these nematodes to attract them together..."

A look of excitement appeared on Tarina's face, and her slender fingers slowly clenched together:

"I have a way to completely remove them! This way, the water source can be restored to cleanliness and safety. Of course, to be on the safe side, we still need to observe for a period of time and do some experiments."

"At the same time, I am also preparing something that can test water quality. It's already making progress and should have results soon, so we can take preventative measures in advance!"

"However, due to the special nature of the treatment method, I need to go to the site to clean up the water source in person this time. During this period, you will need to handle those matters yourself."

Tesorus was silent for a moment, then sighed helplessly:

"It looks like I'll be busy for a while. I've almost forgotten when was the last time I handled these documents myself... You've really made me feel a bit pampered."

“This is my duty, sir, and I will not accept any complaints from you in this regard… It’s also time for you to refresh your skills from the past.”

Tarina was stern and impartial, but a slight smile always played at the corners of her lips. She clapped her hands lightly at the end and prepared to turn and tidy up.

"I'm also getting ready to leave, sir. It should be resolved soon. Lord Brazil Saiyaros will probably intensify the search during this time, and he'll need our cooperation as well."

"Don't worry yet."

Thesolius suddenly spoke, stopping the other person. His fingers tapped lightly on the solid tabletop, his eyes narrowed slightly, flashing with a cold, sword-like light.

"Things aren't that simple... We need to make some preparations beforehand to welcome our despicable guests."

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

"What bad luck! I wonder when this will ever end... The eldest son of the Solo family went to fetch water from the Pota River yesterday and ran into a wolf. If the kid hadn't been so clever as to put the bucket over the beast's head, he probably wouldn't have made it back."

"This damned countryside is full of chicken and dog poop! My fine leather boots are almost unusable!"

"Uh... why do you say they can't be used? These boots are very sturdy, they're just a little dirty."

"Because I don't want to wear a pair of shoes that were once covered in shit, it's that simple! Damn it, I'm a respectable person in the city, but now I have to live in this godforsaken place! The tent I sleep in gets soaked with fog every morning, and strange things always come out of the woods to cause trouble."

A pale-faced man was complaining loudly. It was clearly not his natural whiteness, but the paleness that came from applying pearl powder. Even in the muddy countryside after the rain, he insisted on wearing an embroidered silk coat and tight-fitting trousers. He looked completely out of place here, not like someone who lived here, but more like someone who was taking a short rest after hunting.

The villagers in the neighboring villages were already used to it. At first, these guys from the city were a novelty to them, but after a while, they stopped caring. Some of the smarter ones even started doing business with these city people and made a fortune for themselves.

The man who was loudly complaining was a young man with a plain face. He was not handsome, but he was not ugly either. He had short, light-yellow curly hair and two large front teeth under his upper lip, which looked like rabbit teeth.

A villager passing by overheard their complaints and immediately perked up, squatting down beside them, causing the man to turn around and look at him, somewhat puzzled.

"What are you doing here? Don't you have anything to do?"

The villagers stared intently at his feet, completely oblivious to his surroundings.

"Weren't you going to throw these nice shoes away? I'll wait here, otherwise someone else will pick them up."

The man's expression froze, then he became even more annoyed:

"Get out of here, you audacious country bumpkin! I'm not going to give you such a nice pair of shoes like that!"

"Tch! If you don't want to give it to me, then don't. Why are you getting so angry? ... Do you want some chicken? I happen to have a few old chickens at home, which would make great soup. I'll sell them to you for 60 copper coins."

"No, no, let's go! Do you think I'm a fool? Sixty copper coins are enough to buy three chickens even in the city."

"Hey, don't you even know what time it is? If you don't want it, there are plenty of other people who will."

………………

He finally drove away the persistent villagers, but the man seemed even more annoyed.

"I don't know when this awful life will end! I've had enough. If things don't change in a week, I'm going back to the city. I'd rather spend money to buy water from afar than stay here!"

"Don't worry, sir, things will definitely get better..."

The simple-minded young man offered a few words of comfort, finally calming the grumbling man down. He then breathed a sigh of relief and left.

The villages, nestled deep in the jungle, are damp and cramped, and the roads often become muddy from the rain. Even the moss on the tree trunks absorbs moisture at this time, and when you press it with your hand, it oozes out large amounts of dirty water.

The mud on the ground would often cling to his shoes, stubbornly embedding itself in the gaps, unwilling to leave, adding extra weight. When it became unbearable, he would have to find a suitable stone to scrape the mud off the soles of his shoes, which greatly slowed him down.

He continued along the path around the village, rounding a thicket and two beech trees, until he finally saw his destination—a small cabin beside a stream where lumberjacks and hunters rested for the night.

Such houses often lack a foundation; instead, the ground is dug down to a higher elevation, wooden stakes are erected around the perimeter, and a roof is added for shelter from the wind and rain. While not comfortable, they are perfectly adequate, providing protection from wild animals and rain on stormy nights.

Even the wooden door of the house was made of a few rough pieces of firewood, with a bolt made of oak that had been split by an axe. At this moment, a person was sitting on a tree stump outside the house, eating his lunch. Several sheep were leisurely grazing on tender grass around him.

He witnessed this, hurried over, and quite naturally accepted the bowl and spoon offered to him, taking a bite with his head down.

"Oatmeal again? Can't you eat something better?"

The shepherd, with a weathered face and a goat-like beard, his hair and beard completely white, and wearing a tattered sheepskin coat, calmly continued eating his meal.

“A shepherd shouldn’t eat anything good. You should also be careful. Should a servant hired by a merchant be like this? If you mess things up, you’ll be in big trouble.”

"I'm even less likely to be in that situation. As long as I can appease that idiot, I won't have to worry about many things... So, how's it going?"

The shepherd picked up a clod of dirt from the ground, then swung his arm in a swift, precise motion, smashing it against a goat trying to stray from the flock, shattering it against its curved horns.

"We've received word... the target will appear this week, we can start preparing."

The servant nodded solemnly, but did not rush to do anything. He continued to slowly drink the porridge in his bowl until he finished. Then, he suddenly looked up and surveyed his surroundings. The hut was located in an extremely secluded spot, hidden in the shadow of a thicket of bushes and beech trees, where it was almost completely dark. Unless a campfire was lit, few people could find it without a guide.

But this place isn't exactly safe either. Sooner or later, those guys with bronze masks will come looking for him. Quite a few people have already fallen victim to them. In a sense, he's already not safe now.

But neither he nor the shepherd showed the slightest sign of panic, continuing to live there like true shepherds and servants... All of this was for that goal.

They are not intimidated by the formidable swords of the army, nor are they afraid of those seemingly high-ranking nobles... but they cannot ignore the crucial wisdom that hinders them and always destroys their plans at critical moments.

Having suffered heavy losses at the hands of the other side several times in a row, the leaders in the south could no longer tolerate it and were determined to eliminate this hidden danger for the religious association.

This was originally considered a fantasy—after all, the target was located in the Empire's military camp, which was heavily guarded by the Empire's elite troops. Normally, not even a dog could get in, let alone the bronze-masked vultures that were secretly following them... Even the most renowned warriors were powerless against it.

But now, they can indeed begin preparations—the target, just as planned, has broken free of the army's protection and headed to the cities with the contaminated water source, and this result was achieved through some clever little tricks... even the price paid was negligible.

Before the entire South falls completely under the control of the Empire, they must take action to completely reverse the current situation, even if it costs them both their lives.

The shepherd stood up, placed the empty bowl on a nearby wooden post, and then walked over to herd his sheep into the sheepfold, which was fenced with wood. The goats' hooves were scraggly in the damp mud, and several flies were buzzing around them.

As the sky grew darker, a large bird with dull gray feathers flapped its wings and flew away through the dense forest…

393 Danger (3)

"Sergeant Sylbastin Nicol of the Sixth Platoon, 300th Regiment, 1000th Company, 5th Army Corps! Led his men in robbing a farm near Quintas in the Third Province of Hols, and subsequently murdered them to cover it up. This has been confirmed, and he is now being dealt with according to military law!"

The trembling Rigut man had been stripped of his armor and uniform. Two strong soldiers dragged him onto a wooden platform like a dead dog, while the military judge in charge of the execution was already waiting there with a large axe.

Then the official in charge of announcing the execution order read out several names in succession. Several soldiers, stripped of their armor and honor, were dragged up with trembling legs. The executioner forced them to kneel on the wooden platform, whose once smooth wooden planks had been soaked in blood and turned a terrible blackish-red.

The other soldiers of their thousand-man unit were lined up around the high platform, and their centurion was standing at the front, having just been whipped as punishment for his negligence and mismanagement of his men.

The atmosphere here was terribly oppressive, like a heavy iron block pressing on everyone's heart. When the sinners looked up, they saw no sympathetic eyes, only contempt filled with hatred and resentment.

The execution order was quite detailed, explaining the cause and effect of the matter clearly. It even made the officials' throats dry, but to their ears it sounded frighteningly short, as if it had been read in the blink of an eye, and the heavy axe was pulled from the wooden board by the tall executioner.

Sylbastin Nicole was the first to be grabbed by the shoulder and dragged forward. The fear of death made his legs tremble, and his face was as pale as if he had been drained of blood. He was sturdy and tall, with muscles tightly wrapped around his limbs, and he looked quite strong, but he dared not struggle at this moment. This was obviously not only because the executioner holding him down was as strong as him, but also because of the figures of his personal guards, wearing lion skins and magnificent heavy armor, standing in a row on the high platform in the distance.

The mere presence of that person, or even just a distant glance, was enough to make him bow his head and accept his fate, daring not to utter the slightest disobedience.

And so, his head was pressed against the tree stump, deliberately tilted to the left with his neck flat, while the executioner held the axe in his hand, aimed carefully, raised it above his head, and then brought it down heavily—

Boom!

The axe cleaved through the bone and then sank deep into the wooden stake. As for the flesh and skin, they were insignificant. Everything was cut cleanly and decisively. His head rolled down the platform and landed in the frame below.

The splattered blood stained the executioner's arms and waist crimson.

What followed was swift and efficient, like chopping vegetables. One criminal after another was brought in, the axe rising and falling repeatedly, blood splattering everywhere. Everything around was as silent as the axe blade. After a few breaths, everything was settled, and soldiers began to clean up the mess.

The severed heads were displayed on long poles for a period of time before being buried. Of course, this time would not be long enough for them to rot, otherwise the stench and filth would bring disease to the military camp.

This was not only a physical punishment for the criminals, but also a spiritual punishment for the thousand-man squad. Under the gazes of the other soldiers around them, almost all of them were too ashamed to raise their heads. Only after the squad was dismissed did they leave quickly as if they had been granted a pardon.

“My soldiers have won countless victories with me. They bravely defy all enemies, and I am proud of them for that… But sometimes that pride turns into arrogance and brutality, making them forget what they are supposed to do, forget the order they are supposed to follow, and become audacious.”

Tersolius sighed softly, slowly sat up from his chair, and looked at the silent old man beside him.

"At this point, it is necessary to make them understand that some things have consequences, otherwise they will become truly lawless and have fewer and fewer scruples, which would be a real disaster for this land."

"Like the soldier executed today, he didn't see this land as our country's land, nor did he see the people living on it as people protected by the law. He only wanted to plunder and enjoy..."

"He made great contributions in the previous war and fought very bravely, but now I have to cut off his head because he raped a citizen of the empire. When the girl refused to submit, he not only became enraged and tortured her to death, but also robbed the family. He left no survivors and hoped that the fire would destroy the evidence of his crimes."

"He must die, but I hope he dies with some meaning, to let others know the consequences of such lawless, self-righteous foolishness, and to nip any similar thoughts in the bud, like uprooting a poisonous weed before it even has a seed. I will not allow any such signs to appear in my army."

Soldiers have begun hanging heads on long poles. The process is quite brutal. To ensure they stay secure and don't fall, iron hooks are passed through the mouths and hooked onto the upper palates to secure them to the ropes.

"...Your approach truly amazes me. I have never seen such a thing under even the harshest lords. Such strict treatment of soldiers often breeds rebellious sentiment."

The old man from Assele let out a heartfelt sigh, unable to even maintain his usually calm gaze.

"That's because they didn't give the soldiers what they deserved."

Thesolius shook his cloak, letting the dew fall off, then gestured and led the old man down from the platform:

“Lead them into battle, respect them, judge and punish them fairly, reward them promptly when they make contributions, and be clear about rewards and punishments… As long as you do these things, it is impossible not to gain their support and respect. Those so-called resistance sentiments are just the lamentations of incompetent people who have messed things up and then tried to absolve themselves.”

The old man was silent for a moment, then nodded seriously:

“I can’t deny that you are indeed very wise.”

"Liao Zan, these are just some words of experience. I suppose you haven't had lunch yet since you've come all this way. We can talk while we eat."

"Being respectful is worse than obeying orders."

Surrounded by their guards, the two gradually walked away, while the blood on the ground was still steaming, echoing the smoke rising from the military camp.

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

The meal didn't go well; after all, people tend to lose focus on food when they're arguing, even if it's a delicious meal.

The beef slices, carefully selected from the marbled cuts and seared on the iron plate, exude an irresistible aroma of fat, like snowflakes. They are wrapped in thin pancakes with strips of onion, cilantro, and celery. There is also sizzling, oily grilled fish, a rich soup with mushrooms and cilantro, a whole chicken stuffed with truffles and porcini mushrooms, and a whole roasted leg of lamb with a crispy crust... This is undeniably a lavish meal in the military camp, though the diners are hardly interested in it.

“Your demands are far too unreasonable. If we were to pay 40 gold coins for the ransom of each soldier, our national treasury would be completely emptied, and we would have to plunder the country indiscriminately. Neither I, nor the Shah, nor any of the lords of the country would agree to such a terrible and unreasonable price.”

“Your Excellency, I believe I have already made many concessions, even waiving half of the general’s ransom, and have been providing these prisoners of war with very generous treatment during this time. The expenses for supplies during this period have not been small, not to mention the compensation I, as the victor, should demand for the losses incurred during the war. This is already a price that cannot be negotiated any further.”

"You jest. I believe that even if the entire southern land were so barren that not a single grain of food could be grown, the price for feeding our captured soldiers during this period would not be this high, let alone in what is considered fertile land in the entire south."

And so, the two men completely forgot about the sumptuous lunch and haggled like two merchants selling goods in a market, arguing over every single gold coin. Although their words were polite, they were full of hidden sarcasm as they decided the fate of the more than ten thousand prisoners of war beside the gradually cooling broth.

Tersolius was indeed making exorbitant demands, and he knew the old man on the other side understood this. After all, negotiations are about reaching a result that is barely acceptable to both sides, so naturally, one cannot reveal their bottom line from the very beginning.

Finally, when the broth had completely cooled down and lost its flavor, they reached a final consensus: each ordinary soldier would have to pay a ransom of 12 gold coins, while the noble lords and generals would have their families pay for their ransoms. Those who could not pay the ransom would remain in the empire and repay it by working and serving.

Both sides have reached an acceptable agreement, which at least appears satisfactory on the surface.

Having finished with these old men, he did not linger and hurriedly returned to his lord. The prisoners would also return in succession. This war, which had been a losing proposition for Asel and resulted in heavy losses, was finally coming to an end and could be considered completely over.

With this, the threat to the south of the empire was completely destroyed, and he was finally able to lead his army back... Of course, he would have to leave two legions to garrison the south.

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

The pale green liquid bubbled inside the glass tube. Tarina carefully adjusted the pressure in her hand, slowly letting the bubbles out until she was sure the liquid was clear and free of impurities. Only then did she carefully drip it into a palm-sized bottle.

The bottle was already filled with a pale purple liquid. The two colors reacted immediately upon mixing, quickly turning the entire bottle of medicine a beautiful pale brown, like diluted soy sauce.

It was shaken slightly, then heated over a small lamp, and finally the egg white powder was weighed on a balance. The finest weights were used to carefully weigh it and add a sufficient amount.

With a "poof," thick smoke suddenly billowed from the bottle. Caught off guard, Tarina was directly hit in the face by the smoke and quickly took two steps back. She gently touched her face with her silver short staff, and a green light flashed. She immediately breathed a sigh of relief.