Maximus described the global landscape and Illyria’s predicament in such vivid terms that it was like a heavy blow to his head, cracking open his hardened skull. He wanted to argue, but no words came out, as his subconscious told him: This young man speaks reasonably!
Others, including Karsipengpas, stood there utterly dumbfounded.
Maximus continued to bombard their minds: "The reason why the Romans haven’t taken action against Illyria is that they have internal issues to resolve, such as the ongoing war with the Bendu people in Little Asia and the unresolved rebellion on the Iberian Peninsula... But Rome is too strong, and eventually, it will overcome these hurdles, freeing up its hands to deal with the little annoyance that is Illyria.
I heard Karsipengpas say that the Alde Tribe is quite impoverished now, with some tribesmen facing long-term hunger. I reckon that even if other tribes are slightly better off, they are not much improved. Once the mighty Roman legions invade, how long can the tribes of Illyria resist?!"
The envoys’ faces changed.
"The barren mountains cannot accumulate wealth nor support a larger population. Only the plains centered around great rivers can accomplish this, and the Pannonians occupy fertile lands formed by two rivers, which I intend to seize!"
Maximus clenched his fist with a fierce swing: "If I succeed, I will use these lands to support more tribesmen and arm them with the wealth the land produces, so when the Romans arrive, we have the confidence to fight them with all our might! If I fail in the battle against the Pannonians, so be it; at least I tried..."
Maximus’s words filled all present with a solemn and valorous feeling.
Cleobrotas looked at the rebel leader before him, this seasoned man could see the sincerity in his words. In his eyes, Maximus began to overlap with another person he had long admired, leading him to a myriad of emotions: they were both young, both having grand ambitions at this age!...
Originally, Cleobrotas wanted to question, "why are there many foreigners in Maximus’s army," and assess from his answer whether he bore malice toward the Alde tribe. But now, he felt ashamed of his trivial calculations. Under Maximus’s guidance, his perspective expanded beyond the small Alde Tribe to the entire Illyria, even the entire Mediterranean...
This made him realize: settling this young man in the Alde Tribe might be the opportunity for the revitalization of the Alde Tribe or even the whole of Illyria! Even if he misjudged, it didn’t matter; as the Great Chief said, "it’s only a matter of dying a day earlier." If this young man has such courage, then why doesn’t he!
Cleobrotas pondered over and over and finally made up his mind. He gave a deep cough and said solemnly: "Leader Maximus, after our tribe’s discussion, we’ve decided to sell a piece of land to you. Here are three plots, you may choose one."
Saying this, he produced a small wooden board from his person and handed it over.
Karsipengpas looked at him in surprise. He thought the old man would dawdle there for a long time, but unexpectedly he made a decision so swiftly. He didn’t think much of it, squeezed beside Maximus, and pointed at the roughly sketched map on the board, introducing in detail the situation of the three pieces of land.
Maximus did not expect his persuasion to take effect so quickly, but he suppressed the joy bubbling inside and listened carefully to Karsipengpas’s introduction, while quietly discussing with Quintus and Flanitnus Ru.
It didn’t take long for Maximus to make a decision.
"We choose to purchase the land of Validosi!" Maximus said loudly.
"Wonderful!" A man called Budocaribas shouted excitedly: "Leader Maximus, you have a good eye, Validosi is a good place!"
"Elder Budocaribas, could you tell me why it’s so good?" Maximus asked with feigned interest.
"The place at Validosi is nestled against the mountains, with a large, fertile plain in front, and importantly, two rivers converge there... It has mountains, water, and land, meeting your needs!" Budocaribas said excitedly, as if boasting about his own treasure.
Maximus knew why he was acting so; Karsipengpas had discreetly told him that this abandoned land originally belonged to his village, so Maximus asked directly: "If this land is so good, why did Elder Budocaribas abandon it?"
Budocaribas blushed slightly and sighed: "I didn’t want to abandon it, but there are several Pannonian villages to the northeast of that plain, and they occasionally invade Validosi. For the safety of the tribesmen, I had no choice but to give it up. However, since you, Leader Maximus, are willing to wage war with the Pannonians, I assume you won’t fear them."
"Since you’ve all given up on Validosi, then I reckon it’s now become Pannonian territory, isn’t it?" Maximus asked further.
"The Pannonians haven’t occupied Validosi, I can assure you of that!" Cleobrotas interjected: "The situation at Validosi is quite unique. Due to the two converging rivers, some years during the rainy season the rivers would flood, creating large marshlands, but during the hot summers, the tribesmen would revert the marshlands back into farmlands, and even the wheat yield would increase the following year... However, in recent years the floodwaters have persisted, turning all of Validosi into a swamp, rendering it impossible for the Pannonians to occupy it—"
"The Pannonians can’t occupy it, but neither can we live in the swamp!" Fesaros exclaimed.
"Leader Maximus need not worry." Budocaribas explained earnestly: "At Validosi, apart from the marshlands, there are also sizable low hills on both sides, and their soil is just as fertile. The Pannonians prefer living on flatlands and don’t like staying in elevated places, so they haven’t occupied them. I think those hills can well accommodate you, Leader Maximus, and your army."
Cleobrotas concealed part of the truth: while it’s true the Pannonians don’t like living on mountains and are not adept at fighting in the hills, so when Illyrians retreated to the mountains, they ceased their attacks. However, the Pannonian tribes to the northeast of Validosi are different. Although they haven’t occupied the hills of Validosi, they occasionally cross over and continue westward to harass the Alde tribe, which is why Budocaribas was so delighted when Maximus chose to purchase Validosi. If Maximus’s army could block the Pannonians at Validosi, then his village could continue to exist without having to migrate south.
Karsipengpas hesitated for a moment; he didn’t remind Maximus, as he was an elder of the Alde Tribe, and both publicly and privately, he hoped Maximus would choose Validosi to halt the Pannonian harassment of the Alde Tribe.
Maximus glanced at Karsipengpas and then at the other members of the envoy, smiled, and said: "Validosi looks good; we’ll choose it! Once we finish this drink, our Pigeris and Alakosia will negotiate with you regarding the purchase of Validosi. I trust we can quickly reach an agreement that satisfies both parties."