Chapter 50

Chapter 24: Riding

Although trained by John for nearly four years, covering firearms, cold weapons, driving, and medical skills, the Demon Hunter had never touched horseback riding. After all, compared to modern vehicles, horses were more expensive, troublesome, and labor-intensive. Therefore, even in this world that maintained various traditional etiquettes and cultures, horses, once the mainstream mode of transportation, had to retreat from the historical stage and became a means for the upper class to show off.

"Never learned horseback riding?" The female cavalry captain noticed the Demon Hunter's embarrassment. Clearly, among the apostles who had come here in the past, the Demon Hunter was not the first one who couldn't ride a horse. She immediately made arrangements for him: "Then from now on, you will follow me to learn horseback riding! I'm going to arrange today's patrol and will be back before lunch. So, before I return, you can choose a suitable warhorse! Don't worry, they are all carefully selected purebreds, with very gentle temperaments!"

After leaving what seemed like a comforting word, the female cavalry captain turned and left the stable, leaving Ye Qi standing there, staring at a row of warhorses, frowning.

Riding a horse? Or a way to bully the newcomer? They really bully new people everywhere!

Ye Qi pondered the meaning behind her actions, then shook his head and walked towards the row of warhorses—whether she was sincere or deliberate didn't matter now! What mattered was mastering some riding skills before she returned. Ye Qi didn't want to face the likely ridicule on her face. Of course, galloping wildly wasn't possible, but at least he needed to be able to sit on the horse...

Getting a horse to obey was much harder than Ye Qi had imagined! Ten minutes later, when he was thrown off the supposedly gentle warhorse for the fourth time, he couldn't help but glare at the black warhorse he had chosen. Although he hadn't been injured thanks to his agile movements, his pride was hurt. Even if no one saw, Ye Qi still felt a burning sensation on his face...

Why ride a horse? Playing the knight and princess game again? Can't I ride a motorcycle? And if you dare to throw me off again, I don't mind having horse meat for lunch...

Looking at the black horse shaking its head and body, Ye Qi's hand involuntarily rested on the hilt of Enma.

"Really clumsy!" Whenever Ye Qi made a fool of himself, the strange wolf would appear on schedule. This time was no exception, and as usual, he started to pour oil on the fire: "I've never seen a more clumsy knight! In the past, apprentices like you would have been driven to the stables to clean horse manure! Horses are very intelligent animals; they can sense the state of each rider on their back—they know you can't ride and will bully you, deliberately opposing you... If you still treat it like a pet, boy, you'll be thrown off for the fifth time! In the animal world, the weak are preyed upon by the strong; this is a basic rule. Show your strength to tame it... of course, you also need some skills and tools..."

The strange wolf's nagging was undoubtedly long and tedious, but it also contained the experience he had shared with his juniors. Although Ye Qi didn't want to admit it, every time he encountered trouble and confusion, he always got help from the strange wolf! Of course, this help, narrated by the strange wolf's foul mouth, was a bit hard to accept—each time, Ye Qi's gratitude would easily dissipate...

After some preparation, Ye Qi mounted the horse for the fifth time. This time, with the guidance, he held the reins tightly with his left hand, clamped the horse's belly firmly with his legs, and held Enma in his right hand, placing it directly in front of the black horse's eyes.

"Humming..."

Under Ye Qi's control, the slightly unsheathed Enma hummed softly, the cold blade gradually approaching the black horse's eyes.

"Neigh!"

The black horse panicked and jumped more frequently, even becoming somewhat violent. But no matter how it jumped, Ye Qi's hand holding Enma remained steady. When the blade was about to touch the black horse, it finally submitted.

Ye Qi slowly retracted Enma, all the while watching the black horse's movements. Ye Qi had already decided that if the horse didn't behave, he would give it a harsher blow, not just a scare. Fortunately, the black horse remained still and very gentle throughout the process.

"I hope we can get along well for the next six months!" Unlike the previous intimidation, Ye Qi gently stroked the horse's mane. He didn't forget the strange wolf's words and lightly tapped the horse's belly with Enma: "Remember, I don't rule out using force when necessary!"

"Neigh!"

The black horse nodded intelligently.

...

After several more "friendly exchanges," the Demon Hunter could sit steadily on the black horse's back and control it to move slowly in all directions—galloping wildly was not a wise choice for a beginner, even though he had never ridden a horse before, he knew many beginners were thrown off and vomited because they couldn't keep up with the rhythm.

As the black horse moved slowly, the Demon Hunter gradually found a sense of being a knight, feeling the summer breeze on his face.

No wonder knights loved to ride fast in the wild; galloping was like the thrill of speeding on a motorcycle. But compared to motorcyclists, knights were more appealing. After all, in many legends, princesses favored knights, not motorcyclists...

The Demon Hunter closed his eyes, imagining himself in knight's armor, favored by a princess...

"Groening?!"

A surprised exclamation made the Demon Hunter, who was lost in his fantasy, turn his head—the female cavalry captain, now in hunting gear, stood outside the stable, eyes wide open. Her wheat-colored skin, neat short hair, and the solid abdomen that the hunting gear couldn't hide made her look exceptionally spirited. The small bell hanging from a red ribbon at her temple added a touch of youthful vitality to her spirited appearance, which particularly captivated the Demon Hunter!

Seeing the female cavalry captain without her knight's armor, the Demon Hunter, as if possessed, rode up to her and slowly performed an ancient knight's salute, flashing a bright smile: "Beautiful lady, may I have the honor of giving you a ride?"

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