"Leader, I... I can’t write." As an ordinary tribesman of Pannonia, Glicus couldn’t read, which was normal, but he still felt a bit ashamed.
This was already within Maximus’s expectations, and he said gently, "If you can’t write, then just dictate to Quintus. However, you, as the chief officer of intelligence, not being able to read and write is unfavorable for the development of your work in the Military Intelligence Bureau! You should take more time to sit in at the tribal school and strive to learn how to read and write."
"Please rest assured, Leader, I will double my efforts to learn to write as soon as possible!" Glicus reiterated his commitment, now feeling full of energy.
"The Military Intelligence Bureau has temporarily five subordinates, and the tribe will provide you with a subordinate who can write and calculate. For other candidates, you can choose capable ones from those currently working for you. I heard that during the capture of the East Village, two of your subordinates were killed. Do they have parents, wives, or children?"
"One has a wife and child, the other only has a younger brother."
"You should report all this to Quintus. The tribe will give them some consolation and care, and won’t let those who work for the tribe die in vain!"
"Thank you, Leader!" Glicus expressed his gratitude, suddenly recalling something and asked, "Leader, previously I followed Casius’ orders, should I continue to do so in the future—"
Maximus waved his hand and said, "No need. Now the tribe has the Military Intelligence Bureau, and you are the chief officer. You decide on the intelligence collection matters, but the Military Intelligence Bureau is under the Staff Department. You must report any intelligence to Quintus promptly and heed his advice."
"Yes, Leader!" Glicus responded loudly, full of ambition.
In fact, under Casius’ leadership over the past few months, Glicus did quite well. After the Nix Army entered the Segestica Territory, most of the cooperation Glicus provided came from Casius’ instructions, which Maximus understood. However, he decided to make Glicus independent.
This way, the Staff Department’s Military Intelligence Bureau will mainly be responsible for the Nix Tribe, while the Intelligence Division within the Secretariat will focus on the tribe, meeting both Maximus’s and the tribe’s needs, allowing for mutual competition and supervision, and preventing such a covert department from being controlled by a single person for too long, which could lead to issues in the future.
Maximus snapped back to reality and emphasized, "You need to establish the Military Intelligence Bureau as soon as possible and begin gathering intelligence on surrounding forces. The northern Segestica Territory, eastern Desitia Territory, southern Gonami Lake Region, Brochi Territory, and Mazi’s territory, these areas all require special attention. Early detection of anomalies will allow the tribe to prepare accordingly, just as you have done before."
Glicus immediately felt the pressure and hesitated, saying, "Leader, the Military Intelligence Bureau is only given five subordinates, but we have so many places to gather intelligence from, manpower... manpower is insufficient!"
"You don’t understand, the five subordinates of the Military Intelligence Bureau are official tribal officials, assisting you in managing this department. The tribe pays them a salary every month. Updates are released by novel_fіre.net
You can secretly recruit tribesmen to be dispatched for intelligence gathering, similar to those who have been working with you before. Although they are not formal subordinates of the Military Intelligence Bureau, they can still receive the tribe’s merit rewards for the intelligence they gather. I believe that just this incentive will make some tribesmen willing to work for the Military Intelligence Bureau."
Glicus suddenly realized and solemnly stated, "Leader, I understand. Please rest assured, I will establish the Military Intelligence Bureau as soon as possible, send people to the mentioned areas, gather more intelligence, and ensure the tribe’s safety!"
"Good! Good!..." Maximus nodded repeatedly in satisfaction, having been observing Glicus’s expression. He felt that Glicus had completely devoted himself to Nix, and compared to Casinous, Glicus was undoubtedly a better example for the Pannonians!
Thinking of this, Maximus encouraged warmly, "Glicus, I believe you will exceed being just a First-class Tribesman, work well for the tribe, and when Mazi is defeated and your wife is rescued, let her enjoy the prosperous life and glory you achieve in the tribe!"
Glicus did not expect the young tribal leader to remember what he said initially, feeling a lump in his throat, and said tremblingly, "Thank... thank you, Leader, I... I will."
Maximus patted him, then looked at the people around, apologetically saying, "Thank you for waiting, let’s cross the bridge now."
So, Camillus and the team officers of the Third Legion led the way, and Maximus, along with Capito, Volenus, and other department officials, followed closely under the escort of the Guard.
The group successfully crossed the newly built wooden bridge to the other side and entered the East Village.
The East Village of the Segestica Main Camp was the tribal center during the Skodisqi rule. Afterward, Andres began to transfer some of the tribe’s administrative functions to the West Village due to war needs, but within just a few years, it did not change the East Village’s significant position on this land.
From the outside, the East Village is larger, almost entirely composed of courtyards, arranged neatly with roads laying flat and straight, particularly the main house. Within its high wooden courtyard walls are more than a dozen buildings, resembling a small military camp. The Holy Stone Institute, Holy Forest Institute, square, river port... all kinds of tribal buildings are fully equipped, even the roads outside the doors are built smoother and wider than those of the West Village.
After inspecting around the East Village, Maximus and his group all felt that it was more suitable for being the Nix Tribe’s center than Snowdonia, and with slight modifications, each department could move in and start working.
The receiving and management of the entire East Village did not require Maximus and the department chief officers to worry, as Ophelia’s administrative chief had already been appointed, who was none other than the former Westeni administrative chief, Sicropus.
Ophelia, as the new main camp of the Nix Tribe, governs a vast land with many villages, numerous tribesmen, and a complex population, requiring a capable, administratively experienced official to hold down the fort, and since Maximus did not wish to reassign his well-utilized department chief officers, the most suitable candidate was Sicropus.
Sicropus, once a small merchant in Pompeii, was forced to sell his whole family into slavery due to debts owed to the Areus family, eventually working as an accountant at the Areus family’s private dock. After Maximus captured Pompeii, Sicropus and his family were freed, thus joining the rebel army, and due to his skill in writing and calculations, was tasked by Volenus, becoming a valued assistant. When the Agricultural Department was first established, Volenus appointed him as Deputy Officer and later recommended him to Maximus, allowing him to become Westeni’s administrative chief.
Back then, Westeni bordered the Segestica Territory. Although both sides signed a ceasefire agreement, some conflicts were unavoidable. Moreover, within Westeni Village, there were deep-rooted conflicts between the Skodisqi and the Segestica Reserve Tribe Members, erupting into clashes from time to time...
The position of Westeni administrative chief was indeed challenging, but under Sicropus’s management, the town remained relatively stable. Over more than a year, the tribal members in his governed area achieved good harvests, no tax evasion, military training went well, leading to good performance by the subsequent two legions...
Overall, during his one-year plus term as Westeni administrative chief, Sicropus performed excellently. The decision for him to serve as Ophelia’s administrative chief was unanimously approved during the Political Affairs Hall meeting.
Maximus was most impressed by Sicropus’s extremely diligent and earnest work ethic.
Upon receiving the appointment order from the Political Affairs Hall, he quickly completed the handover and then rushed alone to Ophelia, working day and night with new subordinates to familiarize and handle West Village’s affairs. Today he followed Maximus to the East Village, busy inventorying the houses, resources, and population within the village...
After roughly inspecting the East Village, Maximus did not disturb Sicropus with his tasks and followed Camillus to the temporary military headquarters of the Third Legion.
Camillus, being cautious, did not use the main house as the military headquarters but chose a large mansion nearby instead.
Upon entering the living room, Maximus went to the main seat and sat down, looking at Camillus, and asked in a deep voice, "Yesterday there was a conflict in No. 81 Village, two Segestica civilians were killed. The messenger you sent yesterday did not explain clearly. Now tell me in detail, what exactly happened?"
Camillus’s heart tightened. Previously, when he met Maximus, Maximus praised him about the matter, and he thought Maximus was satisfied with how he handled it, not paying much attention. Unexpectedly, Maximus brought up the matter solemnly now when there were fewer people present.
"Leader, the situation is ..." Camillus began to speak nervously.
No. 81 Village is a settlement near the East Village, where a centurion of the Third Legion stationed. Through efforts, nearly half of the villagers joined the Nix Tribe, aside from a few who escaped, the remaining villagers were escorted back to the East Village as Foreign Auxiliaries, and subsequently some newly joined Skodisqi slaves were distributed to the village... The entire process was similar to what had happened in the villages across the West Bank during this period.
However, later, a newly arrived Skodisqi slave and a Segestica Reserve Tribe Member encountered each other in the village, and due to the other’s disdainful look, initiated a fistfight which led to a conflict involving over a dozen people on both sides. By the time the stationed Third Legion soldiers arrived to quell the disturbance, two Segestica people had already been beaten to death...