Charging with a Knight's Lance in Terra, but Without a Mount

Looking at the pattern above, Claude nodded in satisfaction. It was also one of his few hobbies related to art.

"What does this pattern mean? I didn't expect you to know how to draw." Centaurea, drying her hair with her own towel, walked over to his side.

"This pattern symbolizes victory in competition. It's the only thing I can draw. If you asked me to draw anything else, I wouldn't know how." Claude spoke lightly, a gentle smile on his lips.

"Then I'll go wash up." As he spoke, Claude fetched several more buckets of water and entered the room they had just cleaned. He quickly removed his armor and clothes, then took a quick bath.

Early the next morning, the off-road vehicle had already left the town. Nothing remained there except that well. Before leaving, they covered it with stone slabs again and added some safeguards to prevent Originium bugs from falling in. This time, they had stored enough water to last until the next settlement, which stood on Ursus's border.

Two weeks later, Leba Town welcomed two uninvited guests. They looked travel-worn: one was a knight, while the other looked like a hunter. They found the town mayor, Hanks, to buy supplies and ask for information.

This sort of thing was routine for the mayor. Travelers hoping to go to Ursus, Kazimierz, or Lungmen often came to him for information or supplies. It was an important source of income for their small town. Without so many travelers, they might not have survived in this barren place.

Hanks sniffed through his bright red bulbous nose, sucking back a clear drop of snot. Across from him, Centaurea frowned.

"As for the supplies you two asked for, we have water and rations, but there really aren't many warm clothes left. This year's winter beast tide hasn't arrived yet, so the hunters haven't caught more prey. Fur production is very limited. And you're asking for quite a lot, so we can't gather it all in such a short time. Besides, it looks like you two can't wait too long, can you?"

"Just sell us what you have. We'll figure out the rest ourselves."

"Alright, alright. Let me calculate it... 7,200 Lungmen dollars in total."

Claude's brow creased slightly. The price was far too high. Even at twice the average price, it should not have cost this much.

"Is that so? But according to my investigation, based on the prices at the town market, all these supplies together would cost less than half that. I think you should check more carefully, sir, and see whether you made a mistake."

Claude still wore a gentle smile, but Hanks suddenly felt the hair on his neck stand on end. Cold sweat immediately broke out on his forehead. With lightning-fast reflexes, he said, "O-of course, sir, I made a mistake! Look at this memory of mine! That's what happens when you get old. I accidentally overcharged you. It'll only be 3,000 Lungmen dollars."

"It seems I was right. You did make a mistake. Mayor, you should be more careful in the future. Don't make that kind of mistake again."

"Of course! Of course." Hanks was practically bowing and scraping by then.

Claude handed him 3,500 and said, "The extra is to thank you for your hospitality."

After leaving the mayor's home, where he had enthusiastically seen them off, the two carried their supplies and got into the off-road vehicle.

As they sped across the snowfield, Centaurea suddenly asked Claude, "Will that guy do this again in the future?"

Claude's expression remained calm. "There's a very good chance."

"Why? You looked like you scared him half to death just now."

Claude looked toward the endless snowfield. "For people like them, struggling to survive here without any power, they have to seize every chance to stay alive. I may have frightened him this time, but if he gets another chance next time, he won't let it go."

Only silence answered him.

The Ursus snowfields gave people only one impression: silence. Even the beasts upon them would not make unnecessary sounds and waste their strength. Only the ceaseless cold wind wailed. Beneath the black sky, the people of the snowfields bowed their backs as though under immense pressure, living humbly and painfully.

For these people, life was still bearable, at least compared to the Infected. Though supplies were so scarce and life so difficult, compared to the Infected, they could still survive. That was what the old man thought.

He was an Ursus old man, but unlike other Ursus people, he was neither tall nor strong. His body had withered, and he was extremely short. Even standing there, he trembled as if a gust of wind could blow him over.

He wore an old coat, though the patches sewn onto it were remarkably neat. He also wore a similarly patched hat. It was clear that someone in his household was very skilled at mending clothes. His trembling hands gripped the handle of an axe as he tried to split the log before him.

It was no easy task. Trees that grew in this freezing land were exceptionally tough and dense, and splitting them required a burst of great strength. There was not a single part of this old man's body that had anything to do with that word.

He had eaten only a little food that morning before coming out to work. The meager warmth from that small amount of hot soup and potatoes was barely enough to fend off the cold, much less provide him with the strength to split firewood.

As expected, the axe became stuck in the wood. He raised the axe along with the log impaled upon it, then smashed them down hard, hoping to split it apart. Instead, he only drove the blade deeper, making it even harder to pull out. Regretful, he planted his right foot on the log and rocked the axe back and forth, trying to wrench it free.

After expending great effort, he finally succeeded, only to nearly fall over. He had not even split a single log, yet he was already panting heavily. His weak body caused sweat to pour from his forehead. He hurriedly wiped it away with his sleeve. He knew that if he did not, it would freeze soon enough, lowering his body temperature faster and leaving him even hungrier and more exhausted.

The old man raised his head. Then, as though he had seen something terrifying, he muttered with despair, "Your Majesty! Your Majesty above, have mercy on us! Don't let those black poisonous insects come again!"

A New Beginning: Alina

A black off-road vehicle drove across the snowfield, its wheels sinking into knee-deep snow as it struggled onward. Before long, black smoke suddenly rose from the hood. The vehicle let out two labored sighs and came to a complete stop. Claude climbed out, opened the hood, and a cloud of black smoke rushed straight at his face. He turned his head aside and waited for it to disperse.

Thick white smoke poured from the vehicle's Originium engine. When it finally cleared, the entire engine had been scorched black and was so hot that it could not be touched. Claude tried to take it apart with the tools in his hand to see what had gone wrong, but that was clearly no simple task. The complicated mechanical structure inside was completely beyond someone who had never studied such things.

"Subordinate, do you know how to repair a car?" Claude turned his head toward Centaurea, who was wrapped in blankets inside the vehicle.

"Of course not. Why should working for you mean I have to know how to do everything?" Centaurea, bundled in two blankets, was clearly unaccustomed to the bitter climate here. She looked thoroughly miserable.

"Then I have bad news for you. The car can't move. We'll have to get out and walk."

Centaurea's face instantly fell. Claude found her expression rather amusing.

"Alright, stop complaining. The map says there's a village twenty kilometers ahead. We can't just leave the vehicle here. Get out and carry the luggage. I'll pull the car."

"You'll pull the car?" Centaurea looked surprised.

"That's right. We can't exactly leave it here. If we abandon it and come back later, the Originium creatures will have stripped it clean."

Wearing an expression as if this were perfectly ordinary, Claude took out a bundle of sturdy rope as he spoke. He tied it to the towing hook at the front of the vehicle, then draped the rope over his shoulders.

Seeing that he truly intended to pull the vehicle, Centaurea was too embarrassed to remain inside. She took down the luggage and slung it over her shoulder. Claude smiled at her, then bent forward, planted his feet, and began walking. As his body in black battle robes pushed through the snow and ice, the off-road vehicle behind him slowly began to move, following him forward.

The two traveled beneath birch trees along a road buried by snow. A stream flowed slowly beneath a three-foot-thick layer of ice beside them. Ahead, a barren village was also receiving a large group of uninvited guests.

Centaurea suddenly stopped, and Claude looked at her in confusion.

"A big one's coming." Without another word, she nocked an arrow. Claude also set down the rope from his shoulder and took out the two sections of his lance from his back, fastening them together.

Before long, they heard branches scraping in the nearby thicket, snow falling, and the harsh snorting breaths of a beast.

The next moment, the bushes by the road burst apart, and a huge black beast charged out. Without pausing for even a moment, the creature immediately pounced at them.

The black beast looked extremely hungry, its eyes glowing red. It did not charge very quickly, seeming somewhat hesitant. Its animal instincts told it that the two people before it might not be prey.

Before it could make another decision, an arrow struck its chest heavily. The blow sent it tumbling into the snow, dark crimson blood splashing across the white ground. Before the two could make their next move, the beast suddenly rolled over and sprang up, fleeing into the distance with the arrow still lodged in its chest.

"Damn, I didn't hit its heart." As Centaurea spoke, she drew another arrow and set it to her bow.

But the beast fled with incredible speed, covering several hundred meters in the blink of an eye. The arrow flew from the bow and struck its haunch. However, the flesh and fat there were extremely thick. The arrow did not penetrate deeply and had little effect on the beast.

"That village is up ahead. We have to stop it."

Claude lowered his body and kicked off the ground, chasing after it. Centaurea followed without hesitation.

The old man looked at the Patrolmen in black uniforms before him. His lips trembled, and he could not speak, because he knew something terrible would happen today.

"We're searching for Infected. Bring everyone out. We'll inspect each household one by one." The Patrol Squad captain shook the snow from his black fur hat. His voice sounded low and hoarse through his breathing mask.

"Yes, sir. Of course, sir." The old man nodded and bowed, then slowly backed away. He turned and hurried into the village.

Sweat beaded on the old man's forehead from anxiety. Were there Infected in the village? There were. But he could not hand over that girl. She had helped him too much. The other villagers could not be trusted; they would sell her out without hesitation. He had to warn her to run.

"Alina, quickly! Run for your life! The Patrol Squad is here!" The old man shoved open the wooden door and spoke in a rush.

Inside stood an Elafia girl wearing a coarse cloth dress. On her head grew the characteristic branching horns of the Elafia. She had pale skin, light-colored hair, and a tranquil face.

Hearing the old man's words, she hurriedly stood up, about to say something. But a cold voice froze both of them in place.

"You really should run for your lives."

The tall Patrol Squad captain in a black uniform had somehow appeared behind them.

He stared at the two with cold eyes, then examined Alina more closely. "Judging by the way you old fool are acting, this person must be the Infected."

The sentence was phrased as a question, but his tone was certain. The old man knew they would not escape today.

"Arrest them both and bring them back for interrogation," the captain ordered his squad members behind him.

"Please wait. I'm the Infected. Just arrest me. This old man is innocent!" Alina stepped forward two paces.

"Heh. Sheltering an Infected is also a serious crime. This old fool, along with everyone in his household, will not escape punishment."

A trace of despair appeared in Alina's eyes. Was she going to be taken away today, and drag this whole family down with her?

"ROAR!!!!!!!!!"

"Ah!!"

"Shoot it! Where did the crossbows go?"

"Kill this beast!!!"

"Ah!!! My leg!!!"

Suddenly, chaotic noises erupted outside: the screams of Patrol Squad members, the firing of crossbows, and the savage roars of a beast. The captain paused slightly, then told the two men beside him, "Watch those two. We'll go outside and take a look."

The snow outside was stained red with blood. Driven into a corner, the massive beast used every means at its disposal to attack those who dared block its path.

One squad member was caught in its jaws and violently shaken from side to side. He soon fell silent. Its broad, sharp claws swung fiercely, flinging another person away. In the blink of an eye, this squad of more than ten people had been completely wiped out.

Seeing this, the Patrol Squad captain no longer cared about any Infected. He turned and fled. The others followed, but turning one's back to a savage beast and running often brought even greater danger. To a beast, it was a sign of weakness.

Its black fur soaked in blood, the beast leaped forward and knocked the captain to the ground in a single bound. Screams and the sounds of breaking bones followed. In moments, the beast had slaughtered the entire Patrol Squad. Bloodlust had made it forget its original goal, and it turned to charge at the remaining two people.

The massive figure loomed over Alina and the old man. The old man gripped his woodcutting axe tightly. He knew it was useless, but right then, he only wanted something to hold.

The heavy body crashed down. Alina turned her head away, unable to watch any longer.

Bang!

Roar! Awooo!!

A heavy impact sent snow flying, blowing across Alina's face. Yet the pain she expected did not come.

After hesitating slightly, she opened her eyes and turned her head back.

She saw a knight. A black knight held his lance crosswise, bracing the beast's claws and shielding them behind him.

Though the situation was temporarily deadlocked, it was obvious that the beast's strength far exceeded the knight's. He was pushed back brutally. His iron boots scraped across the ground until he was driven to the base of the wall, his back slamming against it. The knight tilted the shaft of his lance, redirecting the immense force and letting the beast rush past the house.

Only then did the beast remember what it had originally wanted to do and tried to flee again, but it was too late. The black knight raised his lance, leaned his entire body back, and then hurled it with all his strength.

A black shadow pierced straight through the beast's throat. Not even its powerful life force could heal such a fatal wound. It struggled in the snow, but its strength grew weaker and weaker until it finally stopped moving.

Alina placed a cup of hot water before Centaurea. "Please have some water, miss." "Thank you."

Centaurea picked up the cup, blew on the steam above it, and took a small sip. She was resting in the old man's house now, while Claude skinned the beast outside.

"Won't that knight come in and rest?" Alina could not help asking.

"That guy wants to skin the beast because he says the hide will be useful. And the bodies outside still need to be dealt with."

"Oh, I see." Alina nodded, then brought over a small stool and sat opposite Centaurea.

"Miss, where are you two from?"

"We came from Kazimierz. That guy is my boss. He hasn't explained exactly what we're doing, and I don't care. As long as he pays me."

"Now that you mention it, your clothes are very thin. They won't keep you warm in a place like this. If you don't mind, I have some old winter clothes here."

"Of course I don't mind. Thank you for helping me."

Holding a dagger, Claude studied the enormous corpse with interest. This beast was very similar to bears from his first life, but far larger and stronger than any of them.

He drove the dagger into its chest and abdomen, then drew it downward. He cut open the thick fur, exposing the thin layer of fat beneath, all the way to between its hind legs. Then he peeled up the hide and used the dagger to cut along the skin. Once he had stripped one side, he used a wooden lever to turn the beast's body over and began skinning the other side.

When the final cut fell, he removed the hide, still carrying small traces of flesh.

He held the thick pelt in his arms. It was like a massive quilt, still warm with the beast's body heat. Looking at its glossy, dense black fur, Claude decided to make it into a cloak. It should keep him warm in this place.

But there were other matters to handle first. Claude set the pelt down and looked at the remains in the village.

Those bodies should have belonged to Ursus's Patrol Squad. He had long heard of their infamous reputation. Though those people deserved death, dying here would cause no small amount of trouble for the village.

After thinking for a moment, Claude came up with a solution. He gathered the bodies and dragged them to a location thirty kilometers away from the village. He cleared away the bloodstains and traces in the village and along the route. Blood was spilled in this place every day, and by tomorrow, the snow would cover everything.

Then he created signs of a battle at the site, making it appear that the Patrol Squad had been attacked by a beast there. He had searched them carefully. For some reason, this squad had not been carrying communication equipment, so they likely had not had time to report anything about this village. The earliest rescue party would not arrive until tomorrow morning. By then, even the cleaverbeasts raised by their army would be unable to smell their scent and could at most trace them here.

By the time he finished, a long time had passed. He turned back toward the village, not forgetting to drag the vehicle along with him on the way.

When he returned to the village, the beast's huge corpse was still lying there. The villagers all hid inside their homes, utterly unwilling to come out. Only pairs of numb eyes peered outside through window lattices and gaps in the doors.

He walked to the small house and knocked. The one who opened the door was Alina, the Elafia girl. She gave him a gentle smile, and Claude said, "Miss, please take that creature's meat back. Though the meat is tough, you don't look like you have much food to spare."