Armored Cavalry, survive in a world full of mods

The other two fell silent immediately, but their silence carried a similar sense of realization as his, and he also understood at the same time—they were used to relying on their extraordinary bodies to assassinate the targets assigned to them, and they had succeeded many times in doing so. Because of this, they subconsciously did not consider the methods that ordinary assassins would use—such as using a powerful crossbow.

This dangerous weapon is even powerful enough to pierce through iron armor and easily kill a lion. Moreover, it can achieve their goal from a great distance and give them enough time to retreat after succeeding... The more the group thought about it, the more feasible it seemed, but they also fell into an awkward silence.

In the end, Patrick was unwilling to waste any more time.

“Now that we’ve made the decision, let’s each go and prepare. As for the final location, let’s choose a village or town near this hill… Urtbandora, go and observe the site tomorrow and find a suitable place. We only have one chance; if we fail once, we’ll put ourselves in danger.”

"At the same time, don't forget to be careful with disguise. The Imperials' hounds and crows are hunting us down. Their eyes will be more and more numerous, while our eyes will be fewer and fewer."

In the darkness, the three silently exchanged glances and nodded, then, under the cover of night, quietly left. In the dark jungle, only a round-headed bird perched on a treetop witnessed this scene, turning its head and emitting continuous cooing sounds. Under the table, it was pinching a struggling mouse, about to be disemboweled.

It hesitated for a moment, but ultimately paid no heed, lowering its head to begin processing its prey with its sharp beak. Amidst the mouse's tiny, pitiful cries, the branches and leaves in the jungle rustled against each other, as if something was scurrying about inside…

398. Misguided intentions (4)

The crossbow is an extremely dangerous weapon, for everyone—with just a slight pull of the trigger, the powerful crossbow arm is enough to send the short bolt flying at a terrifying speed, easily taking the lives of most creatures. Even heavily armored warriors can lose their lives to a crossbow bolt if they are not careful...

In a sense, this weapon easily bridges the gap between people, since whether you are a noble emperor or a lowly beggar, this thing treats everyone equally.

This is why, in any country, the crossbow is a strictly controlled weapon. Bows and arrows, which are simple to make and difficult to control, are extremely common. After all, people everywhere need them to hunt rabbits. However, once a crossbow is discovered, the person will be arrested immediately. It is quite difficult to obtain one, let alone on a whim without any preparation.

But if you have enough gold coins, that's a different story. In the dark corners of those cities and the rural outskirts, as long as you know where to find those people, you can naturally buy what you want by paying more money. Just be careful not to get your throat slit.

Ultbandora easily infiltrated the black market. He had already disguised himself, looking like a middle-aged man with a square face, completely different from his previous tall and thin appearance. His face was covered with scars of all sizes, making him look like a ruthless character who had been through a lot of bloodshed. This carefully chosen disguise saved him a lot of trouble.

Following them, they made their way through a maze of twists and turns, passing through passages that most people couldn't even imagine, and even crawling through a dog hole, until they finally found their destination—a dark and damp little house deep in the street.

He pushed open the door almost without warning, and the instant he entered, four or five strong men appeared outside the house, each holding a sharp blade and a short axe. Inside the house, four burly men were already waiting, each holding a weapon and with fierce expressions, surrounding him.

An ordinary person would probably be too scared to move in this situation, but he had expected it. After all, he knew very well that those who dared to do this business were definitely not kind-hearted people, and expecting them to trade fairly and follow the rules was wishful thinking.

"Are people no longer interested in gold coins?"

He calmly drew the short sword from his waist, expertly pointing the gleaming blade forward. He immediately retreated to the door panel to ensure he wouldn't be attacked from behind before speaking to the man who was clearly the leader.

The other man was a fierce-looking fellow with a thick beard, wielding a wood-chopping axe with a broad blade and a short handle, perfectly suited for fighting in such a narrow and dark place. He frowned, staring intently at the uninvited guest.

“I don’t do shady business. You’re some nobody who came from, and you’re asking to buy illegal weapons right off the bat… Who knows who you are? You might just cause us trouble. It’s better to just chop you up now. Nobody knows what we’ll be feeding the pigs tonight.”

"are you sure?"

Ultbandora raised an eyebrow:

"I definitely can't beat all of you, but I'm sure I can take two of you down with me before I die. Are you sure you want to risk two lives for this doubt?... Besides, you dared to attack without even knowing who's behind me. Aren't you afraid of retaliation later?"

The men, who had initially appeared aggressive, immediately hesitated... They weren't some deeply entrenched, old-school gangsters; those old-timers had already been thoroughly discredited and hardened by time. They were just a new gang gathered together by a few bold and wicked individuals, and they hadn't even started developing their criminal businesses yet.

This is precisely why their outward strength and inner weakness were seen by Urtbandora. He also knew very well that just a few words of intimidation were enough to make them waver and thus achieve his goal.

As expected, after hesitating for a moment, the leader decisively changed his mind and nodded to him:

"Alright, we don't want to provoke you either. I do have what you want here. Let's both keep our hands clean, do the business and then pretend we never met."

"Of course, that's why I'm here."

The leader nodded, then looked at someone next to him. The person quickly turned around, crawled into the gifts, rummaged through them slightly, and then took out something wrapped in a black cloth.

"This is an old thing used for hunting lions. It's a bit old, but it's still quite powerful. Ordinary armor is like paper in front of it. Its arm, which is wrapped with tendons and horns, is harder than my second brother. You have to step on it to pull it open. However, there aren't many arrows, only three. If you want them, it'll cost 30 gold coins, as long as the Imperial Dinar has enough large gold coins."

He took it, shook off the black cloth, and carefully examined the powerful crossbow, which was as long as an arm... This crossbow was used to hunt the lions that roamed the southern forests. The paint was peeling and the crossbow arm was bent forward. There were white ram horns attached to the back and thick sinews in the front. The string was as thick as half a finger, and the crossbow mechanism was polished brass.

This is not a particularly exquisite weapon, but it is sturdy and reliable enough, and its power should not be underestimated... But no matter what, it is definitely not worth 30 gold coins, not even three.

He checked the crossbow's condition, stepped into the lower ring, pulled it open forcefully, and after confirming that the force and elasticity were satisfactory, slowly put it back in. Then he wrapped it again with the black cloth before raising his head.

"Okay, deal."

The gang leader's face immediately showed surprise and regret, and at the same time, a chilling greed quickly welled up:

"No, I misspoke, it's 50 gold coins!!"

"make a deal."

"!! 70!"

"make a deal."

The gang leader's face now showed only surprise, followed by greed and malice.

"No, that's not right. I want all the money you have on you!"

Almost everyone present was stunned by the terrifying amount. The previous asking price of 30 gold coins was just an exorbitant demand; who could have imagined that the other party would agree so readily? This made them think of even more...

Realizing that the other party might have enough money to live comfortably for the rest of their lives, no one could remain calm. Heavy breathing and red eyes communicated with each other, and the axe in their hands creaked as they gripped it. They were no longer the worried people they had been before, and they didn't want to think about anything except money.

This time, Ultbandora wore a very hesitant expression, mixed with just the right amount of annoyance, as if the other party's words had crossed his bottom line, making him consider whether to cancel the deal... But in the end, he sighed, his face ashen, and looked up:

"...Fine, I'll give it to you, but I hope you won't push your luck. We're not people to be trifled with."

As he spoke, he pulled a bulging bag from his pocket, which made a crisp sound when he shook it in his hand, and then gestured for one of them to come over and take it.

Without hesitation, the gang leader stepped forward, even tucking his axe into his belt, and reached out to grab the money bag—he wouldn't allow anyone else to touch the money inside.

The bag was as heavy as he had expected. He had no idea how much gold was inside, which made him grin from ear to ear, revealing his yellowed teeth. He couldn't wait to open the bag and take a look.

But when the bag was untied, it didn't emit a bright golden light. In his stunned gaze, he saw only small pieces of broken tiles, piled up in various sizes, looking like tiles from someone's roof had fallen to the ground and been collected into this bag.

"How dare you play me! You bastard!"

Enraged, he reached for the axe at his waist, determined to chop the man into mincemeat. But the moment he looked up, he was drenched in hot blood, and then, as if punched hard, he was thrown backward.

In his vision, which made him wonder if he was dreaming, he only saw two of his men with their necks mostly severed, and the figure wreaking havoc among his own men—he only saw the other's hand move a few simple movements, like swatting away flies, while his men were already cut to pieces. The foul-smelling entrails spilled onto the ground like slaughtered livestock, and blood gushed from their severed necks like a fountain…

To him, the gangsters' counterattacks were as ridiculous as dancing children—these guys weren't even very good at fighting, wielding machetes and axes in a straightforward, reckless, and chaotic manner. A veteran who had fought for two years could easily kill them one by one with just a shield, and a little blood would completely throw them off balance.

In the span of a few breaths, he had already slit the throat of the sixth man. The remaining three turned and fled, including the leader. Unsurprisingly, they collided violently at the narrow opening that could only allow one person to squeeze through, desperately pushing and squeezing each other, using the most vicious curses and beatings to try to drive each other away and escape.

Whoosh! Pfft!

The crossbow bolt flew with a deep, resonant thud, piercing another man's head right before the gang leader's eyes and pinning his head to a wooden board. The crushed skull and splattering blood flew into his eyes, causing him to let out a scream that was not human, and he suddenly curled up to the side.

This gave the remaining person an opportunity, and he suddenly squeezed out of the hole. At that moment, his face was filled with the joy of surviving a disaster, and his steps became much lighter.

incite!!

The crossbow bolt pierced his throat and emerged from the front. The sole survivor stared in fear and surprise at the arrow tip protruding from under his chin. He tried to say something but could only cough up bloody foam. Finally, he collapsed forward, convulsed and crawled for a while before stopping.

Urtbandora put down the crossbow with satisfaction—he was now quite certain that it would help him easily kill a target a hundred paces away, as long as the target was not wearing heavy armor.

The last remaining gang leader was so terrified he couldn't move. His eyes were glazed over, his face was pale, and his hands and feet were trembling. He was too weak to speak. Ultebandora walked up to him, grabbed his hair, and dragged him forward forcefully.

At that moment, the strong man screamed like a frightened child, struggling desperately. Then, when a hard leather boot slammed into his stomach, he stopped moving completely and was dragged to the toilet like a dead pig.

"Shhhhh-"

He held up a finger to signal the other man to be quiet, then kicked him in the knee, forcing him to kneel beside the toilet. The strong man didn't struggle at all, just trembled as he let him grab his hair and pull it back, exposing his taut neck.

After doing all this, he slightly bent his wrist, and then, with the twitching of muscles and the changes in bones, a sharp, sturdy bone blade with serrations and barbs emerged from the gap between the ulna and humerus. He gently pressed it against the other person's skin and pulled it back lightly.

This simple action immediately caused terrible damage. The bone blade easily sliced ​​through flesh and cartilage, tore apart all the soft tissues that stood in its way, and even made a deep cut on the neck bone, almost directly severing the opponent's head. A large amount of blood was also splashed into the toilet dug in the ground in front of them without any obstruction.

While the other person was still struggling and convulsing, he simply let go, letting the guy fall headfirst into the stinking outhouse. After a brief struggle, he was completely submerged inside...

He then did the same thing, throwing all the other corpses in—fortunately, the toilet was dug deep enough and contained enough contents to bury all the bodies…and the stench of the excrement also largely masked the smell of the rotting corpses.

As for the bloodstains on the ground, simply find some loose ash from the wall and sprinkle it evenly on top, then sweep it a few times with a broom to perfectly cover them up... at least for a short time, there won't be any flaws.

"Thank goodness you picked a good spot, otherwise I'd still be having a headache for a while..."

He chuckled, then kicked the bag full of tiles into the toilet. He then hid the black cloth covering the crossbow in his clothes, turned, and walked out. As he left, his appearance rapidly changed because he had put on a fake beard and removed the paper padding from his face. He also changed the side of his cloak, exposing the patterns underneath.

399. Misguided intentions (5)

Tosalis... It's the name of a fortress, a nail deeply embedded in the western mountains of the empire, firmly strangling any possibility of the western nations trying to fortify the region, making it a weak point in some sense.

This place was a thorn in the side for every Western king. Throughout history, they had assembled allied forces to try to destroy the fortress more than once, but without exception, they all failed. The best outcome was that they would suffer heavy losses and then retreat, while the worst outcome was that they would be completely defeated by the Empire's reinforcements right under the fortress, suffering countless losses... There were even instances where two kings died in the chaos of battle, and their heads were cut off by the Empire as spoils of war.

After several consecutive failures, the King and the Dukes' confidence was severely shaken, and they dared not make any rash moves. Even when they made a few more attempts, they were always on edge, like cats offering their paws, ready to retreat at any moment. But this place was just too crucial and an eyesore, a real thorn in their side. So even though they knew the Empire's intentions, they could only obediently allow a large amount of their military force to be tied up here.

Salanod is the front line against the Empire, but other kingdoms can't stand idly by either, and they send reinforcements every time they fight the Empire.

According to ancient tradition, the king of Salanod often becomes the de facto commander of the allied forces due to his long-term dedication and perseverance. This is also because the country has fought the most battles with the empire and is the most experienced. It is the choice made by the countries after suffering losses several times.

Today, the allied forces of the various nations have once again gathered on the vast plains of the Kingdom of Salanod, and the commander of the allied forces, Redbeard Yotsero, has finally met the nobles he needs to lead... although this meeting is not particularly pleasant.

Yotserlo the Redbeard was never a mild-mannered man. He was known throughout the region as the Butcher, not only because he was ruthless towards his own people, cutting off fingers for stealing more than 10 copper coins, but also because he was ruthless towards his opponents, resorting to murder, attacks, threats... He never hesitated to use any means necessary, and in most cases, he would clean up their messes. Only those opponents who lost their families truly revealed his cruelty. He ruled the entire kingdom with absolute bloodshed and fear, making him an absolute tyrant.

His appearance seemed to reflect his fiery, cruel, and vicious temper—not only his hair, but even his beard and eyebrows were a dark scarlet color, his nose was thin and sharp like an eagle's beak, his eyes were small and long, his skin was rough and wrinkled, his teeth were crooked due to his bad eating habits, and the crown he wore on his head was put directly on his forehead in a very crude way, binding his curly, shoulder-length red hair.

When he frowned, even the bravest knights in the kingdom dared not breathe too heavily, and the entire nation's nobility were under his oppression and bullying.

With such a brutal king, the nobles would normally have risen up in rebellion long ago... But in Salanod, under the rule of Jotesero the Redbeard, they could only submit to his rule. The reason was very simple—in the years of war with the empire, Jotesero was the only king who could firmly control most of the country's military power. Based on this alone, the nobles' resistance could only remain verbal condemnations.

During the years of war, the king here learned a great deal from the imperials, such as their military structure. This was both a proactive learning and a forced adaptation... except that Redbeard Yotserro reached the pinnacle in this regard—his army had very few nobles, and most of his officers were trained from commoners, mercenaries, or even bandits, who were directly loyal to the king.

To support this army, he ruthlessly plundered his own territory, while frequently extorting money from other countries. He would even allow his soldiers to raid villages and towns on certain occasions, using the spoils as their wages.

The rainy season in Salanod was almost over, but it was still damp and uncomfortable. Tiny water droplets clung to Yotserro's beard, and his brow twitched as if he had been electrocuted, as some kind of anger was brewing in his heart.

"Therefore, Your Majesty, a total of 5 mercenary groups have failed to arrive as agreed... Even considering the terrible road conditions during the rainy season, they are still quite late. The messengers sent to contact them are still on their way, but we do not know what happened. We cannot rule out the possibility that they have absconded with the funds."

"...These damned cowards, these untrustworthy bastards! Once we catch them, skin them alive!! How dare they run away with my money!..."

Redbeard Yotserro's face twitched as he cursed loudly, while the other nobles and mercenary leaders who had brought their armies exchanged glances, unsure whether to speak in this awkward atmosphere.

“Once we’re absolutely certain these guys ran off with my money, then we’ll have Duster lead a group to chase after them… No, we need to be careful they don’t turn on us; we still have to deal with the Imperials…”

After a string of curses, the king abruptly calmed down, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured into a hot pit, leaving only cold, sticky ashes. He began calmly devising a vicious plan, completely leaving the others to wait awkwardly... Only after he had finalized his decision did he turn around, his expression already unconsciously carrying a smile, completely devoid of the previous emotions, the switch was perfectly natural and thorough.

"Haha, I've been delayed quite a bit by some lowly fellows. I hope my cook and servants haven't let me down during this time. If they haven't, I'll hang them from the pillars outside, for they dared to neglect my distinguished guests."

The nobles and mercenary leaders all expressed their satisfaction... even though no servants had brought out the food and wine during that time.

The other party's unpredictable temper surprised and frightened some mercenary leaders who were visiting for the first time, while the nobles generally expected it to some extent. Thus, the awkward atmosphere just now turned into a pleasant one between the host and guests.

Then the fine wines from the cellar were finally brought out, still carrying the aromas of water droplets and the unique scent of damp oak, along with large chunks of honey-glazed roasted meat fresh from the grill, and crispy chicken marinated with onions and cilantro...

Traditionally, there should be no unpalatable vegetables or fruits on the table; the more delicious meat, the better, to show the host's wealth and generosity. Ideally, plates should be stacked on top of each other, so crowded that the entire table is almost collapsing under the weight of the food, until everyone is thoroughly satisfied and their mouths are greasy and they reek of alcohol.

And Redbeard Yotsero quickly proved himself to be generous, at least as a host, providing an lavish supply of all kinds of meat. The grand finale was a huge, fat wild boar that could almost crush a person, carried to the table by four strong servants, its mouth stuffed with a large apple, its tusks still intact.

Such a large piece of meat is difficult to roast, which means that a huge oven, almost half the size of a house, is needed to fill it with a lot of charcoal and slowly roast it to allow the heat to penetrate into the meat while preserving its rich juices.

What's even more wonderful is the precious spices sprinkled on top, which, propelled by the heat, release wave after wave of enticing aromas that whet the appetite. Cutting open the golden-brown, crispy skin reveals the juicy meat underneath. If you get too greasy, a sip of chilled wine will instantly refresh your palate and give you a new appetite.

They indulged in lavish feasting, and even the troops they brought were treated to food. Meat and ale were delivered to the tents in the drizzling rain, though the quantity was not ideal; they mostly relied on pickled beans and similar items.

After the banquet, everyone was in high spirits. Whether it was the king, the lord, or the mercenary captain, they were all optimistic about what they were going to do next... Only people at their level knew what they relied on for this and had enough confidence in it.

Their future is bright; they are destined to acquire countless riches, power, and land, and be recorded in history... Compared to all this, what are a few mercenaries who deserted their posts? They are nothing but a festering sore.

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

The carriage rumbled along the road. The wheels were deformed from years of use but had not been repaired in time. The heavy load was obviously exacerbating the distortion. It was foreseeable that if no one repaired them, the wheels would not last much longer.

Ludos pursed his dry lips, trying to ignore the tempting sounds coming from the water tank behind him, and urged his legs onward. To lighten the load on the two mules pulling the cart, he didn't even want to ride on it, just so he could pull a little more.

The young man who always hung out with him was also absent from the carriage today—the water shortage was becoming increasingly severe, and the town's residents had to find several dilapidated carriages again to organize the men to take turns going out to fetch water. In order to increase efficiency, they almost all acted alone.

In the past, doing things this way would definitely not have worked. The bandits and robbers on the road were no kind men or women. Going alone was just courting death and gambling with one's life... But now, after the Imperial army has swept through the entire south, it is difficult to find those mountain kings who do business without any capital.

This once promising profession is now extremely risky. The Imperial cavalry patrolling the roads are all eagerly anticipating these guys to emerge and claim military merit, harvesting the rampant bandits in the south like weeds, wave after wave, leaving them terrified.

Even their town has recently seen a few outsiders, all looking terrified, doing any dirty or strenuous work just to find a way to survive in the village. Lydos could tell what these guys were like in the past, but now they've been killed so many times they can't take it anymore, so they just want to hide in the town to survive...

Once the heat died down, these guys who had gotten used to making money without any investment would definitely not behave themselves, so he arrested them all without hesitation. After a brief interrogation, not one of them made a mistake, and they were all sent to the city prison. Those who deserved to be killed were killed, and those who deserved to be locked up were locked up.

In short, the road was indeed quite safe now. Moreover, he had not forgotten the swordsmanship he had honed on the battlefield, so he was even less worried. He calmly and slowly pulled on the mule's reins, leading the cart along the road.

The sun was as scorching as ever today, making him parched. He had almost finished the light beer he brought with him that morning, and the craving for alcohol and thirst surged up together, making him irritable and causing him to breathe heavily and restlessly. The yellow dust from the road choked him, making it hard for him to breathe. Only the liquid constantly bubbling in the water tank could cheer him up.

The empire has sent professionals to deal with the water problem—this was the news he heard in the city a couple of days ago. The residents there have begun to return one after another, and the water has returned to its former clarity and safety. After the most densely populated cities are dealt with, it will be the turn of villages and towns like theirs. Then there will be no need to work so hard to haul water, and he will be able to rest for a couple of days.

He just didn't know when the scholars who would handle the water source would arrive... His old bones really couldn't handle such hard work anymore.

Ludos would occasionally drift into a daze, but his movements never slowed down. He continued forward at a slow but determined pace, mostly ignoring the vehicles and pedestrians passing by on the roadside. He could tell from the corner of his eye whether someone was a bad guy or not, but it was unlikely that he would run into anyone he knew here... After all, his acquaintances, apart from the residents of the town, were only the dead from the battlefield.

He continued onward, and when he was still more than a quarter of the way from his final destination, Lydos suddenly stopped, turned his head as if he had been electrocuted, and frowned as he stared at a few footprints on the ground.

It wasn't unusual to find footprints in this place, after all, with the end of the war in the South, various commercial activities were resuming, and there were more and more pedestrians on the road. But he felt for some reason that those few footprints were a bit unusual, but he couldn't figure it out for the time being, so he could only stand there and frown and observe carefully.

Just as his eyes were starting to hurt from looking at the water, a sudden gust of wind blew in, and the footprints remaining on the loose soil faded considerably in an instant. He was stunned for a moment, but ultimately shook his head... Why bother with all that? Getting the water back was what he should be doing.