In the Middle Ages, people drew cards to be promoted to nobility.

early morning.

Under the calm surface of the Black Sea, undercurrents surge.

The merchant ships departing from the Kherson Military District sailed slowly on the Black Sea, flying the double-headed eagle flag belonging to the empire.

Although the empire's inland sea shrunk from the Mediterranean to the Black Sea, it was not in as bad a situation as it was when it shrank into the Sea of ​​Marmara after the fourteenth century.

The empire has a large number of strongholds and fortresses along the Black Sea coast, and firmly controls the Black Sea routes. Here, the imperial flag is still very valuable, and generally no blind pirates would dare to attack them.

The Kherson Military District is the gateway of the empire on the Crimean Peninsula. From the north, an endless stream of slaves, grain, livestock, and fur goods will flow into the empire through this gateway. It is also the most valuable point on the Black Sea trade route. .

Many members of the Varangian Guards in Constantinople also went south along the Dnieper River, entered the Black Sea, and then came to Constantinople along this route.

At the same time, the Dnieper River is also an important shortcut for the Nordic people who are good at traveling on waterways to go south.

Boss, three ships have been lost in the foggy waters during this period, right?

The sailor cleaning the deck reminded: People say it was those terrible sea monsters.

Send the order and ask the lookouts to open their eyes wide and show me every rock on the sea.

The captain felt a little uneasy.

If it is not the buyer of this cargo, they must take advantage of the fact that Constantinople has just suffered a rat plague and the prices of grain, leather goods, meat and other goods are very high, and ask him to transport the goods to Constantinople as soon as possible. Dinburg.

He would rather take a long way around than take the foggy sea.

“Father in Heaven, I hope those unlucky ones who disappeared just accidentally hit the reef instead of being dragged to the bottom of the sea by sea monsters. They took them out of the cabin and ate them like shells.”

He crossed himself.

Next to him, a rough young man who heard what he said couldn't help laughing and said: Where did that sea monster come from? If it really dares to appear in front of me, just chop it with an axe.

This is a son of a Russian prince. This trip was under the order of the prince of Kievan Rus to take a boat to Constantinople to join the Varangian Guard.

The Varangian Guard has gradually become an adult experience for the Russians. Young Russians, including Viking nobles like Rurik, regard joining the Varangian Guard as a way to get rich, experience, and grow. A great place for experience and insights.

The captain heard this and sneered: Young guys are always so ignorant. When you really meet sea monsters, you will know that they are the kings of the Mediterranean. Even the dragon-slaying warriors can't stand on the rickety deck. There is no way to pose any threat to those giant beasts.

The young man dismissed it: Oh, cowardly Greeks.

At this time, the deck seemed to encounter a wave, and suddenly there was a violent shaking.

The young man stumbled and almost fell to the ground, eliciting a burst of unbridled ridicule.

Okay, great hero of the Russian people, I hope you can still be so strong-willed when you really see the sea monster.

The captain raised his chin and smiled proudly.

These self-righteous princes of Rus, if it weren’t for the fact that the empire needed your lives, which empire member would look at barbarians like you?

In the empire, no one except the emperor likes these vulgar, barbaric, drunken barbarians.

The young man's face turned red: I just didn't stand firm. My ancestors once stood on a long boat and fought with sea monsters. How could they fall down because of this little wind and waves?

For a time, the air was filled with a happy atmosphere.

The captain thought to himself: What does the matter of your ancestors have to do with you? These Viking barbarians from the north have long been integrated with the group of prairie savages.

At the bottom of the sea, the ghost ship, which had been soaked in sea water for an unknown amount of time and had become rotten and blackened, covered with a layer of green algae and a large area of ​​barnacles, was shining with a faint green light.

On the deck, a strong and majestic one-horned nightmare horse, wearing a full set of equipment, was like a steel behemoth, stepping on the deck that had decayed but was still strong under the influence of the curse.

It is very satisfied with its outfit, but it is too complicated to put on. It has five parts: face armor, neck armor, chest armor, body armor, and hip armor. To put these on neatly, you have to cover them with a silk horse jacket. Plus saddlery.

Except for extraordinary mounts like the One-Horned Nightmare Horse, there is no warhorse in this era that can maintain such heavy equipment under normal conditions.

The equipment of most mounted mounts is nothing more than a half-suit consisting of face armor, neck armor and breastplate.

The zombie sailors watched the monster in amazement, and Eclipse also cooperated in various poses, showing his majestic and heroic side to these rough sailors who had never seen the world.

Some good people figured out its temper, and while praising it, they asked Eclipse to perform a fire-breathing trick for them. When Captain Hogg heard it, he kicked it and cursed loudly.

Aren't you bastards afraid of burning our precious ship?

The zombie sailor whose leg was kicked had an indifferent expression on his face: It won't burn out. The boss's boss wants us to take care of his precious mount. This is official business and we are not looking for fun.

You bastard, you know how to use adults to suppress me. Drag me down and make this idiot clean the barnacles from the bottom of the boat!

Hogg was not angry and decided to have a good talk with Lothar.

Ever since he ran from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean and received Lothar, the one-horned nightmare horse had caused him a lot of trouble. This energetic horse couldn't stay in the narrow cabin. It was too noisy. .

Lothar came out of the cabin at the right time, and the system notification sounded in her ears.

You have completed the milestone: Military District General [You have the loyalty of at least fifty uniformed cavalry under your command].

A long time had passed since Lothar left the Holy Land, went to Cyprus, and then to Jerusalem.

The number of fifty uniformed cavalry has been gathered, and the milestone has naturally been completed.

The new reward obtained is a construction drawing of the Iron Buddha Cavalry Training Camp.

This reward is naturally extremely gratifying. Lothar has experienced the power of the Iron Buddha. In the era of cold weapon cavalry, he was definitely the top armored cavalry, but his functions were similar to those of the Byzantine armored cavalry.

Both are quite versatile units. When advancing, they can be fully armed and charge with guns; when retreating, they can march lightly and move around and shoot; when attacking a city, they can dismount and fight on foot, carrying hammers first. Lothar plans to form a team of them. , it will definitely have miraculous effects in the upcoming holy war.

The next Great Holy War, known as Jihad among the Saracens, was both a risk and an opportunity for Lothar.

Once Saladin is defeated, with his current strength, he can seize the maximum benefits in the war against Egypt and become the Duke of Cairo, the Duke of the Nile, or even the King of Egypt.

But the premise is that he must be able to win.

Saladin recruited many powerful men at the extraordinary level, but the Kingdom of Jerusalem, which was short of funds and in disarray, was unable to effectively respond to this.

This pressure will eventually fall on Lothar.

Again, if you can count on the princes and nobles of Europe, it will only happen after the fall of Jerusalem.

After listening to Captain Hogg's complaint, Lothar could only comfort him: I will discipline Eclipse. It is true that I didn't think carefully about letting him get on the ship. But now, we can't just find a shore. Throw it away?

Captain Hogg sneered and said, My subordinates don't mean that either.

Where are we now?

Nikephorus's commission was to salvage the ruby ​​​​from a sunken ship in the misty waters of the Black Sea. The difficulty of this task is naturally not low for others, but for those who happen to have Captain Hogg's help, Lothar, it’s nothing.

After all, that was a reward of 20,000 gold coins. Lothar still had so many followers waiting to be upgraded, and continued investment in territory construction and merchant fleet construction was required. In terms of money, there was never a shortage.

It should be the misty sea area mentioned on the chart. Let's go up and have a look?

On your ship, everything is at your disposal.

Captain Hogg was about to say something when he suddenly frowned: There is a smell of a big man ahead. It must have sensed our breath and is swimming quickly towards this side.

No, it's too fast.

Prepare for impact!

he shouted at the top of his voice.