Maximus’s face finally showed a trace of solemnity. He instructed Akegu to bring the map, examined the position of Ascoli Port carefully, and then said solemnly, "Quintus, you are right! Akegu, you must immediately head to the front and inform Fesaros and Torrelugo to halt their march and find a place to camp on site."
"Hagux, you must immediately dispatch cavalry to inform Spartacus and the other leaders, telling them, ’There are Roman troops ahead blocking the way. We will remain here, at this—’"
"Mateninum," Quintus reminded him.
"Right, we will stay at Mateninum to await their decision. Furthermore, you must also send cavalry to inform Attutmus; he should have also detected the Roman troops ahead. Tell him I suggest he lead his troops to me as soon as possible."
"Understood." Hagux turned his horse around and galloped away.
Before long, he rushed back, and riding alongside him was none other than Okmar, the Great Captain of the rebel cavalry.
"Okmar, why are you here?!" Maximus was a bit surprised.
"Leader Maximus, I have important military news to report!" Okmar’s expression was stern, and his gaze swept over Maximus and those around him.
Maximus took the hint and willingly stepped forward, walking with him to a nearby secluded spot.
"Cross is dead." Okmar spoke heavily, his tone grave.
Maximus paused for a moment and asked, "How did he die?"
Seeing that Maximus neither showed shock nor sorrow, Okmar thought of how he and Cross had always been at odds and sighed inwardly. He lowered his voice and said, "He led his troops into the mountain bends of Galgano in secret, intending to evade the Roman army and return south. However, he never expected the Romans to find him first and force a battle...
He led his troops in a fierce fight, but in the end, the Romans relied on their numerical superiority to defeat them. He died on the battlefield, and his entire force suffered heavy casualties. Only a small number escaped the Roman pursuit, heading north and eventually regrouping with us."
"Cross stubbornly ignored our advice and insisted on leading his troops to remain in the south. Dying alone is one thing, but dragging so many brothers down with him? What a fool!" Maximus’s expression turned dark as he cursed harshly. Although Cross’s downfall was not unexpected, thinking about the soldiers who died alongside him left him feeling a twinge of discomfort.
Despite being Cross’s compatriot and having had a good relationship with him in the past, Okmar found himself somewhat agreeing with Maximus’s words. After a moment of silence, he said, "After Cross’s soldiers joined our ranks, this news spread quickly, causing unrest within our troops. Several leaders are busy placating the soldiers. Therefore, Leader Spartacus has instructed me to inform you that this news should be temporarily kept confidential to maintain stability within the ranks."
Maximus nodded. "Understood."
"Furthermore—" Okmar hesitated before continuing, "We have noticed over the past couple of days that the Roman army following us is accelerating their march. Based on calculations by several leaders, if we continue at our current pace, the Roman army will likely catch up with us in three or four days. Therefore, Leader Spartacus suggests all units speed up their march...
But just now, Hagux informed me that several tens of thousands of Roman troops are blocking the way ahead, and you have already decided to halt the march and camp on site, waiting to regroup with us... I will hurry back immediately to report your decision to Spartacus and see what the leaders decide after their discussions."
"Roman forces are blocking us in the front, Roman troops are pursuing us from the rear, and now we’ve suffered consecutive defeats. The situation is extremely dire!" Maximus spoke with a tone that was both a lament and a reminder.
"I understand. I will urge Spartacus and the other leaders to make their decision quickly, and then I’ll return to inform you." Okmar responded solemnly.
He climbed onto his horse, preparing to leave, but suddenly turned his head back and said gravely, "Maximus, over the past year, Enomai, Cross, and many of the brothers who came out of the Gladiator School with us have fallen in battle. You must stay vigilant!"
"You take care too." Maximus froze for a moment before responding casually.
To be honest, having been reborn into this era, perhaps due to his previous life as a homebody, Maximus felt emotionally detached. Apart from having some respect for the historical hero Spartacus and some feelings for Hamilcar, who cared for him, Maximus only regarded the gladiators he’d spent years with as mere acquaintances. But now, Okmar’s words stirred some emotions within him as he watched Okmar riding away and felt a melancholic longing...
.............................................
When Maximus issued the order to set up camp, it was still midday, the sun high in the sky, and the weather scorching.
Fortunately, the terrain around Atennum was flat, with a nearby river, so there was no need to exert extra effort searching for a more suitable campsite.
The Womans River carried silt, flowing year-round from west to east through the Apennine Mountains, carving out a narrow riverside plain along the southern edge of Pisenum. Maximus’s army settled at the easternmost and widest stretch of this plain, capable of accommodating more than twenty thousand troops.
The previously long and winding marching formation began to orderly leave the main road and move into the pre-selected campsite.
Casaridaoa was among the troops. When he initially led his companions in an attempt to join the rebel army, the Great Captain patrolling Sarabia City, Bubius, hesitated to make a decision and sought permission from Legion Commander Fesaros.
Fesaros, seeing that they were robust and looked fit for soldiers, immediately wanted to agree. However, this led to a dispute with Military Judge Sidonius. Ultimately, they compromised, assigning them as reserve soldiers to six separate units under close observation by team officers. Only with consistent good performance would they become official rebel soldiers (in truth, the Military Judge suspected them of being spies and wanted to ensure they were closely monitored within the army).
Long marches under the scorching sun, coupled with the weight of bags exceeding tens of kilograms, left Casaridaoa drenched in sweat. When he glimpsed the sparkling waters of the river not far away, he felt the urge to jump in and swim. Yet he restrained himself, having learned a lesson on his first day marching, when similar actions led to punishment from the team officer and almost got him expelled from the unit. Since then, he became much more obedient.
Casaridaoa belonged to the Centurion that once patrolled Sarabia City. Following everyone to the assembly point, the Great Captain Bubius issued the task of building the camp, and Centurion Stags led their unit to their designated area.
Without waiting for orders, everyone set down their bags, retrieved their digging tools, and began working. After all, aside from marching, building camps had become second nature to them.
"Usually, we don’t start camping until dusk. Why are we doing it so early today?"
"I don’t know. How would I? You should ask the team captain."
"I doubt the team captain knows either. He’s with us here. During the assembly earlier, I saw him try several times to ask the Great Captain questions, but due to discipline, he ultimately held back."
"The reason for early camping is simple enough. Surely the leader got news of Roman troops blocking the way ahead and ordered the halt. Otherwise, we’ve been constantly pushed to march faster since the start, never given early rest like today."