Armored Cavalry, survive in a world full of mods

But the smoke still had a lingering effect on her. A strong, astringent feeling suddenly assaulted Tarina's nose and eyes, causing tears and snot to flow uncontrollably. She also sneezed several times in a row and hurriedly tidied herself up.

This reaction is a typical sign of potion failure, indicating that the active ingredients have reacted violently and been completely consumed, turning the entire bottle of potion into a dangerous waste liquid that requires careful handling.

But just as she was about to pour the potion into her treatment tank, she stopped in confusion when she noticed the color—judging from the color, the potion didn't seem to have failed, since waste liquids usually change color... Then what was that thick smoke from earlier? Had she overlooked some variables?

After only a brief hesitation, Tarina decided to give it a try. She took the potion and turned to a water tank next to her. The water in the tank looked clear and transparent, and had a slightly cool feel to it. It was quite refreshing. If it were hot, few people would refuse to drink a few sips.

But hidden in this water is a deadly destroyer, so small that it is difficult to see with the naked eye. However, once it enters the human body, it will rapidly multiply and grow, turning the host into a walking corpse completely controlled by it in a short period of time.

I used a glass dropper to extract a small amount of the medicine, then gently dripped it along the edge of the water tank. I watched as the brown drop spread rapidly in the water, just like a drop of muddy water, and quickly disappeared completely without a trace.

The water remained calm, but this calm did not last long. After patiently waiting for about 10 minutes, the clear water suddenly began to tinge with a faint purple hue, which spread rapidly and then, after reaching its maximum extent, suddenly split into tiny specks.

Each of these dots is only the size of a sesame seed, but because of their dense density, they are easily visible and quite conspicuous. They are moving slowly in the water at a speed visible to the naked eye, sometimes colliding and sometimes separating, and in no time they make the whole tank of water look strange, like duckweed floating in a stinking stagnant pond.

With a whoosh, the curtains beside the room were pulled shut, plunging the entire room into darkness. The tub of water, however, flickered with tiny drops of purple light in the darkness, flashing on and off…

394 Danger (4)

The surrounding air seemed to have turned into a heavy solid, resolutely refusing to enter his lungs, causing a suffocating feeling that seemed to be drying out his throat to surge up continuously. The dry wind from the desert further amplified this feeling, making it increasingly difficult for him to breathe. He subconsciously reached out to tug at his collar.

The stone slabs beneath my feet were quarried from the Periyos Mountains in the north. When the Hols people still existed, they would pay tribute to Asel every year with this special stone to build the floors of the residences reserved for the most distinguished people.

The most skilled craftsmen meticulously divide and polish the material, and finally, the finest sand is wrapped in cotton cloth and rubbed to create a mirror-like surface, allowing the naturally formed beautiful patterns to be displayed, enough to satisfy even the most discerning nobles.

Among the many lords, only the Shah, as the King of Kings, was qualified to order craftsmen to inlay gold threads into the gaps between such floor tiles, making them appear even more noble and majestic... Of course, there would also be some additional benefits, such as giving a thoughtful visitor the opportunity to use the smooth floor tiles to reflect their face.

The reflection in the smooth surface revealed an aged face, devoid of its former vigor. Faint marks from arrow and blade wounds reminded him of his recent escape from a bloody war, and the mental trauma left him utterly exhausted.

On the steps on both sides stood guards clad in golden scale armor. Their faces were covered by intricately woven chainmail, with only their eye sockets visible. They held crescent-bladed axes nearly as tall as a person in their hands. This majestic and imposing ceremonial guard was also a weapon capable of easily cutting people in half. Gold and silver threads were wrapped around the mahogany handles.

They guarded the most sublime and greatest temple in the entire country, where priests served the Lord to light the flames that burned day and night to demonstrate the glory of the supreme God. The guards who protected the sacred fire naturally enjoyed widespread respect in the country. They did not have to bow to nobles, and no lord would blame them for it.

Their eyes held no emotion, yet he felt a strange prickling sensation... as if countless needles were flying from all directions, piercing his skin deeply, leaving him feeling disoriented and his heart being squeezed.

This silence did not last long. In fact, he had no time to back down any longer. He had to go forward and face the most honored person in the entire country... to enter the temple and meet the most esteemed person in the country.

Under the watchful eyes of the guards, Samir strode through the towering stone pillars and wide gates into the vast hall.

As he stepped into the building, tiny, shimmering starlight enveloped everything around him, shining like the bright moon, yet without hurting his eyes. It would simply fill his entire field of vision in an instant, banishing all other distractions from his mind.

The desert of Assale has been rich in gems since ancient times. In the depths of this desolate place, where even camels wouldn't venture, explorers often discovered precious and dazzling minerals. The clearest and most sparkling of these were collected and inlaid into the spires of temples, where they refracted bright sunlight through carefully crafted openings. This often left first-time visitors speechless with astonishment, captivated by their pure and mesmerizing beauty.

The person he was to see stood silently before the blazing golden basin—a magnificent vessel made of gold two fingers thick, burning with the finest charcoal and lamb fat, along with other ingredients that the priests never told anyone else. This made the flames always bright and lively, and emitted a strange fragrance as they burned, causing devout believers to bow down in worship, believing it to be a miracle.

The silent Shah stood before the brazier, quietly watching the sacred fire leap and entwine, as if it were a living spirit moving before him... Samir did not conceal his footsteps, and walked until he was about five steps away before bowing in respect.

"Ah, my general is back. I am so glad to see you safe and sound."

Shah slowly turned his head, his face expressionless. There seemed to be no anger brewing, but it was precisely because of this that he felt even more ashamed and worried... He had failed his king's expectations, a sin that was unforgivable, one that could not be repaid even with his life... Yet his king still forgave his failure.

“I have failed you, Your Majesty Shah. I have not brought victory to our country, but rather a shameful defeat… My sins are immeasurable. Please give me the punishment I deserve.”

Shah closed his eyes and took a deep breath, his fingers trembling. After a long while, he slowly opened them.

"If I said I wasn't angry about this, I probably wouldn't believe myself... To tell you the truth, Samir, I'm furious! You have indeed betrayed my trust, you have destroyed tens of thousands of my troops! You let them wail and die tragically under the iron hooves of the Empire! And to ransom you, I completely emptied the national treasury, even spending most of the gold in the royal palace!"

"I gave you tens of thousands of troops, I gave you at least half of the nation's elite forces! Is this how you repay my trust? You didn't even achieve our most conservative objective. Even the most easily defensible southeast valley has fallen into the hands of the Empire. Now our eastern plains are completely indefensible! Next, I will invest countless amounts of money there to build fortresses and station more soldiers there, so that we can protect our lifeline!"

"Even the Imperial fleet is about to appear in the Uss Sea, and our oasis cities are under threat. The Imperials have their swords pointed at our throats. Even if we had done nothing back then, the situation wouldn't be this bad!"

"Now every lord is harboring resentment towards me because they are facing a threat from the north, completely ignoring the messes they made in this defeat and naturally blaming me for it!"

"This defeat has plunged us into a terrible situation... It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the entire Asler region has been set back by decades because of it. Your defeat not only caught me off guard, but also dealt me ​​a heavy blow, leaving me completely disoriented."

"I can tell you without hesitation that in the first few days after receiving the news, I was so angry that I wanted to chop your head off!"

…………

Shah gritted his teeth and breathed heavily, completely losing his previous calm. His anger exploded like flames doused with kerosene, and he berated him harshly. Samir remained silent, only lowering his head further and becoming even more humble.

After a barrage of reprimands, Shah quickly calmed down. He closed his eyes, took a few breaths, and surprisingly seemed somewhat relaxed. Finally, he took two steps forward, found a stone platform, and sat down, his expression showing signs of fatigue again.

"You sit down too. We need to sort things out properly. We need to figure out how to clean up this mess and think about how to treat this new neighbor."

Samir sat silently on the opposite stone platform... This was originally an extremely disrespectful act, but there was no one else here except the two of them, not even the high priest had gone to the top floor of the hall.

“Alright, tell me. I’ve asked the Abatheris family and several other lords about the cause and effect of this matter, but I don’t trust their words… I need you to tell me the whole story clearly from beginning to end so that I can understand what really happened in this crushing defeat.”

“My father once told us that you were his most trusted general, and you have always firmly supported us without wavering... so I am willing to believe your explanation.”

Samir was prepared... In fact, he had pondered this matter thousands of times in recent days, reflecting on the reasons for his defeat, why his tens of thousands of troops had been so easily routed by the Empire, and why they had been at a disadvantage from the very beginning.

So when Shah asked, he calmly began to recount the events, from their departure to their defeat and ransom, without omitting any detail, and without any emotional involvement, simply stating the facts objectively.

His Majesty's expression grew increasingly grim as he listened, but he remained silent, waiting for him to finish speaking. Only when Samir could no longer recall any further details did he finally let out a long sigh.

"General Samir, do you know why we failed this time?"

Samir nodded:

"The reason is simple, Your Majesty—because we are not united, not from the very beginning. As the commander, I cannot command every unit under my command and have to go to great lengths to gain the support of the lords, while our enemy has firmly grasped his army from the very beginning. His orders can be transmitted to any place without hindrance, to the ears of every soldier... We have been shrouded in the shadow of defeat from the very beginning."

"In addition to my conservative strategy, some unexpected situations, and the weakness and failure of the Hols... all these factors combined ultimately led to the bitter outcome, and I and the other lords were already at odds before the war even began..."

"That's not all!"

His Shah suddenly stood up, paced around him several times in a fit of rage, and waved his hands violently as if he were about to beat someone up.

"Because the empire is stronger than us, their national structure is more efficient and more advanced! Their emperor has great power and status, plus excellent generals! Their army is not composed of one lord after another, but officers and generals who have risen through the ranks based on military merit! No one will disobey the commander's orders."

"This country has become accustomed to plundering wealth from war to sustain itself and strengthen itself. Even their nobles have fought their way up through generations of blood and fire. The entire country is prepared for war, while our army is divided into factions, with each lord scheming against the others!"

“In our glorious army, there are even those who, while others are still fighting bloodily, will lead their troops to retreat from the battlefield first in order to save their families! If things go wrong, they want to escape on their own! But in the Imperials, such a thing would result in the execution of all the commanders of the entire army!”

“We are far inferior to them, far inferior from the very beginning. I didn’t realize this before the war started, but now I understand it all too clearly. However, the price we paid to realize this was far too high…”

His Majesty sat back down wearily. This Shah, who was once in the prime of his life, now looked at least ten years older than his actual age. Although he hadn't yet developed excessive gray hair, he had certainly aged considerably.

“Our country needs to change, Samir… Although it’s a little late, we must begin… Otherwise, destruction awaits us, and we must harden our hearts.”

“My power is not enough, far from enough… Even when my power is like that of the emperor of an empire, it is not enough… We need an army like that of an empire…”

Samir finally felt uneasy. He noticed something was wrong with his king... as if he had made some terrible decision, which sent chills down Samir's spine.

But the next moment, the Shah suddenly raised his head, then reached out and grabbed his wrist, gripping it tightly.

"Help me, Samir! Help me!"

He fell silent for a moment, but the silence was extremely brief. After only a slight hesitation, he made up his mind:

"Yes, Your Majesty, I will obey your will."

He had always been clear about the reason why his family was so powerful and wealthy—they served the Shah of Asshal, whoever the Shah was, and no one else. It was precisely because of this reliability and loyalty that his family had been able to continue to this day.

This long-standing trust and loyalty was enough for the Shah to pardon his sins under these circumstances, and he had no other choice... This was the way their family survived.

"Whatever you want to do."

He nodded firmly, his face showing no fear, expressing his unwavering support as always, and the Shah also nodded slowly:

"That's exactly what I wanted to hear, but we can't rush things now. We need to proceed gradually..."

As he spoke, he stood up and walked out of the hall without looking back. The flames burning in the golden basin beside him dimmed, only the gleaming gem above his head continued to emit a brilliant yet gentle light.

"This is important, it is also dangerous, and it is very difficult... so we absolutely cannot fail, and we cannot afford the consequences of failure."

395. Misguided intentions (1)

The army advanced along the southern road. For the first half month, they had to endure the intermittent, poorly constructed roads in the south of the Kingdom of Hols. It wasn't until the latter half of the month that the situation finally improved, as subsequent engineering units had extended the leveled roadbed to this area. After a few more days of travel, they would be able to truly embark on a smooth and wide road.

The southern lands of the new government were divided into three provinces due to their vast size, and a general official structure had been established. Although the administrative efficiency of the central provinces of the empire was impossible, it was still a significant improvement compared to the previous state of the land. The camping of the army and the replenishment of supplies and provisions were relatively stable.

So far, no governor has been sent here, and the entire conquered south is still under Tersolius's control. A new order is beginning to be established on this land under his will, and the people of this land are undoubtedly witnessing a new era, an era that is far brighter and more unpredictable than the past.

And so the legion marched north, but stopped near the border of the First Province to rest and regroup. Meanwhile, Tersolius, along with Tarina and his personal guards, continued onward, where they met their host at the edge of a forest and grassland in the First Province.

Brazil's Césars was in high spirits during this period... Just as he had predicted, after becoming the head of the entire southern branch, he quickly seized power that was previously completely unattainable, and also became a loyal henchman of the Consul of Tesorus, beginning to lay out plans throughout the south.

But now, he was not as energetic as usual, and was quite uneasy... After all, although he was indeed short-handed and had not been planning for long, and even a skilled cook cannot make a meal without rice, such a thing happened under his command, and no matter what, it seemed difficult to shake off the suspicion of incompetence... Moreover, it happened at a crucial moment when he was preparing to make a big move, so he couldn't help but be nervous.

That is why he appeared rather reserved when he and his men came to greet the Consul of Tersolius, lacking the eager spirit he once had.

"Ha ha ha! -- Why do you look like that? Brazil Saiyaros, did you mess something up?"

As Tersolius spoke, Brazil's Seyalros could no longer maintain even a semblance of composure, and knelt down on one knee in considerable fear.

“I have failed your trust, my lord. I have allowed those cunning and vicious thieves to pollute the province’s water sources, and even caused the army to halt its advance. This is all due to my incompetence and negligence. Please punish me.”

Thesolius dismounted and, amidst the scraping of his armor, slowly walked towards the higher ground to one side, the others following suit.

“You did make a mistake… but it wasn’t an irreparable or unforgivable one. The army didn’t stop because of the water shortage. I had planned to have the legion rest here one last time before continuing our journey… and I called you here to resolve this issue and make amends for your mistake.”

Brazilian Saiyarros unconsciously breathed a sigh of relief, then immediately perked up again:

"I await your command at any time, my lord. I have mobilized all available resources."

Tersolius nodded slightly, then suddenly turned his gaze to a flock of geese flying across the horizon, observing them silently. The others also turned their attention there with some curiosity, wondering why such a migrating flock of birds would attract his attention.

After a dozen or so breaths, their doubts were resolved—a black dot in the high clouds was rapidly plunging down, tearing through the clouds and instantly scattering the flock of geese. The attacked birds scattered in panic, causing the real prey to break away from the group and have its neck snapped in the swift impact.

That was a brilliant move, like the most skilled assassin calmly plunging a dagger into the heart of their target, the objective clear from beginning to end. No hesitation, no fuss. A sight to behold, like elite cavalry tearing through enemy lines… and now, the raptor was already returning laden with its prey.

This agile and fierce hunter had caught enough fresh meat to fill its belly for several days, but it was unaware that several archers below could easily shoot it down from the sky, its life hanging by a thread.

Thesolius touched the quiver at his waist, then shook his head and chuckled softly.

"...The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind...and what's more, it's not even a mantis."

………………

Even without class distinctions, city dwellers are still divided into different classes. Generally speaking, the wealthy, respectable, and those who can earn a lot of money are the most respected and live in the convenient, clean, and beautiful city center, while the dirty, poor, fearsome, and disgusting live in the corners of the city... But they are just as important to the city, like a leather tanner.

Once an animal's hide is peeled off, if it is not processed, it will either rot and smell bad, or dry and fall off with hair... In general, its uses will become very limited, and its value will be greatly reduced. At this point, a leather craftsman is needed to turn it into usable leather and fur by removing grease, softening and stretching, scraping off hair, drying and rubbing it.

Even the most prestigious king in the entire country had to have his boots made by leather craftsmen, and the most ostentatious nobleman also needed leather craftsmen to make his saddle...

This job is usually quite lucrative, but because it involves frequent contact with rotten and damp leather and fat, and the use of foul-smelling tanning agents such as urine, brain matter, and lime, both the workplace and the person themselves are extremely smelly, naturally causing people to keep their distance.

For Patrick, he didn't care much about other people's disdain and alienation. The reason was simple: he was used to it—just like he was used to the stench of tanning fur. Over time, he naturally stopped caring.

After all, he believed he was doing quite well with this job. He had not only built a courtyard with four rooms, but also raised a cow and a mule specifically for hauling goods and delivering goods. He could often eat meat and had the opportunity to take a trip to the most bustling city center from time to time. Apart from not having married or had any children yet, he basically had nothing to worry about.

These past two days he's received a big job—Mr. Catodo from the city is going to entrust him with processing a whole swampy cowhide. He clearly trusts his skills and believes that he is the only leatherworker in the area who won't leave any flaws in the hide.

The swamp cattle are creatures that live in a swamp in the southeastern part of the Kingdom of Hols. The swamp there has always been difficult to manage due to the flooding of a river. In addition, it is damp and rainy all year round, with a hot and humid climate. Under normal circumstances, no one would step into it, so it should not generate any value. However, the magical creatures known as swamp cattle live there.

He had never seen it in person, but he had already processed a lot of the hides of these big creatures. With the help of various rumors, he could roughly imagine what the creature looked like—sparse hair on its body, a pair of black curved horns growing forward, wide legs, and a dull, oily gray fur. Moreover, it was quite irritable and usually spent its days soaking in the mud of swamps. Once attacked, it would charge forward recklessly, and would even deliberately smother people in the mud and water to drown them.

Perhaps it's because of the environment in which it lives, but after processing, its leather is not only soft, thick, smooth, shiny, tough, and durable, but it also doesn't make your feet feel stuffy like other leathers. It's waterproof and breathable, and especially after being worn for a while, the leather takes shape according to the user's habits, making it feel as comfortable as a second skin. Even if you wear it for a long day, your feet won't feel tired... Of course, this also requires an excellent shoemaker.

In order to hunt these big creatures without damaging their most valuable hides, hunters often lure them into traps and then strangle them with thick ropes. This way, not a drop of blood is shed, let alone damage to the hide. The only problem is that it is quite dangerous, and a slight mistake can result in injury or disability.

After breakfast, he couldn't wait to get started. He called over two or three helpers to help him scoop the whole piece of leather out of the wooden bucket next to him. The medicine that had been added yesterday had turned completely cloudy brown, which meant that the initial softening was complete.

This hide was frighteningly heavy. Both its thickness and weight were comparable to three or four ordinary cowhides. Not to mention that after being soaked in water, it was so heavy that one might suspect it was filled with lead. He and his two apprentices struggled to hang the hide on a thick log, and then he personally picked up a scraper and began to scrape off the remaining muscles and fat.

These parts had been soaked to the point of rotting and stinking, making them easier to peel off. However, the smell was just as strong. He remained unfazed, simply peeling off the thin layer of fat and fascia that remained with a rhythmic scraping sound, revealing smooth, white skin.

The water dripped down the swamp cowhide, completely wetting the bluestone pavement he had specially laid. As he got into the swing of things, his movements became faster and faster. Clumps of fat mixed with fascia and flesh were peeled off, but without damaging the skin behind them in the slightest.

At the same time, he constantly changed his position and technique in a way that dazzled the apprentices next to him. With just a few gentle pulls and folds, he could easily take care of the most remote corners, just like separating a dirty piece of paper from a clean one. In just a quarter of an hour, he had made the entire cowhide snow-white and smooth.

Once he had caught his last breath, he steadily brought down the last knife in his hand to finish the job. Only then did he nod in satisfaction and instruct his apprentices to collect the leather and put it in a new bucket. He had finished what needed to be done for the day and was determined to take his time and do a good job, so he was not in a hurry.

Next, a second round of softening will be carried out using a medicine prepared with his unique formula. This time, the rough parts on the surface of the leather will be removed, while making the fibers of the entire leather more supple.

"Is Mr. Patrick here? I have a business deal to discuss with you."

Just as he was about to find a place to sit down and rest for a while, to escape the increasingly lively sun, a sound suddenly came from outside. Then, a series of hurried footsteps rolled into the courtyard without any attempt to avoid or conceal them, causing the three apprentices besides him to frown and be surprised by the intruders' recklessness.

This place was usually deserted due to its foul smell, but the fact that someone rushed in without waiting for a response seemed rather ill-intentioned, making the group of them secretly on high alert... The area wasn't particularly safe. Although the wars hadn't reached their area, the deserters who had fled in battle were scattered everywhere, often appearing to rob travelers and kill merchants. In the past two days, Imperial cavalry had gone to clear them out, but they didn't know how well the clearing was going.

What's worse, they don't even have a decent tool here. The only thing that can be considered iron is a razor used for shaving fur, which is too much trouble to use to shave someone else's beard.

With a bang, the courtyard gate was pushed open, and a middle-aged man with a small mustache strode in, wearing a yellow silk robe and a leather belt embroidered with silver thread. His entire face was covered in pearl powder, making him appear pale and shiny. His boots were glossy black, yet soft and comfortable against his feet, clearly made of the same material as the leather he was working on.

"Of course I welcome business, but I'm wondering just how big your business is?"

Patrick stood up to meet him, but the other person took two more steps and then calmly stopped.

"Of course it's big enough, big enough to satisfy any appetite."

“That would be perfect. You all keep working. If anyone slacks off, I'll deduct their wages! ... Come, sir, let's go inside and talk in detail. It's not a very clean place, please forgive me.”