Chapter 118: Marching to Rome

"Not much was collected. The Ostians don't have much grain reserves, and no grains were found in the port warehouse, but the rations the soldiers carried are enough for two days. By then, the fleets carrying the grains should also be has arrived."

"It seems that the food should be concentrated in Rome, after all, they have to supply the Roman army that attacked Herniki." Davos said in a deep voice.

"However, we have collected nearly 200 pack carts, quite a few pack beasts, and some fodder in the city, and we have also found a lot of wood stored in the warehouse, which the engineers are using to make siege equipment... ..." Tolmead continued.

"This is good news." Said it was good news, but Davos didn't have a hint of joy on his face. Talking about tomorrow's war made his face extraordinarily solemn: "We should urge them to hurry up to make siege weapons. By building a siege vehicle, we will have an extra chance of victory!"

"Your Majesty, you brought more than 500 highly skilled engineers and carpenters from Turii, plus the engineering battalions of various legions, there are thousands of people in total, and there are soldiers to assist, they can completely make Provide enough siege equipment to meet the needs of tomorrow and the day after tomorrow." Tormide said with relief immediately.

"I hope so." Davos nodded slightly, stepped up, and walked into Ostia's city hall.

"Your Majesty!" Olivers, Geogris, Tenois, the three legion commanders, Midorades, and Izam were already waiting in the conference room.

"Have your legions been placed?" Davos asked casually.

"Your Majesty, everything is arranged, they are already eagerly waiting for the battle tomorrow and the day after tomorrow!" Olivers said first.

"I think you can't help but want to fight." Entering the conference hall, the expression on Davos' face turned into a relaxed one, and his teasing made everyone laugh.

In the laughter, Davos went to the top, Krotokatax stood quietly behind him, his eyes from Olivers, Geogris, Trotiras, Izam Several generals who had followed him from birth to death and made countless exploits from the Persian period swept over them, and their moods settled down inexplicably.

He glanced at the rudimentary map of Rome placed on the wooden table in the center of the room, drawn by the Ministry of Military Affairs based on intelligence, and said aloud: "Before we discuss tomorrow's battle plan, let a former Roman citizen introduce it in detail. Let's take a look at the current situation in Rome, and if you have any questions, you can ask him directly."

"That's great!" Olivers said happily.

Valks was called into the conference room with an ignorant face, and looked around at the Dionian generals wearing bright armor and gorgeous crowns, and King Davos in front of him,

He was very nervous.

But as he answered more and more detailed questions about the city of Rome, the tension in his heart gradually turned to shock: Are the Dionians going to attack Rome directly? ! !

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In the middle of the night, Krotokatax was woken up by urine. After he was drowsy, he was about to go to bed again, but the candlelight in the next room made him move.

He gently pushed open the hidden door, and saw Davos sitting at the wooden table, looking at the map of Rome attentively, thinking about something, the corner of the map drooped down, and he could see To the above, there are some dense annotations that have been added due to Valks' narrative.

As long as he can remember, Clotokatax has often seen his father in the study diligently handling government affairs in the middle of the night, and this time he followed the expedition, and his father used this habit in the military. Everyone said that his father was a A wise king and a great commander, they all think this is the gift of Hades, but they don't know the hard work and hard work that my father has put in for this over the years! ... Clotokatax looked at his father's unusually tall back with admiration, and closed the door quietly.

Davos had no idea that his son had peeped outside the door. His mind was immersed in this map. In his eyes, the series of numbers on the map had turned into countless vivid soldiers. It will only start tomorrow, but at this moment thousands of troops have already started fighting in his mind...

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Corius, Potitus' confidant slave, immediately took two slaves and rode out of the city after he received the order.

Their luck was good. Apuleus had just conveyed the order of the Senate to the chief of the city guard, Meliusius, and before he had time to convey the order to the guards of the city gates, Corius and his party was able to get out of town.

Then the three of them accelerated and galloped towards the southeast. By the time they passed Prenister, it was already night. The continuous galloping not only made the horses gasp from exhaustion, but the buttocks of the three of them were also aching, and the inner thighs were also worn out. blood.

"Corius, we can't go forward, it's already dark, and there's no moon tonight, but we're heading into the valley, the terrain will become more and more uneven, and we can't even see the road, if we don't Be careful and you might fall off your horse, it's too dangerous!" A slave discouraged Corius from going any further.

Another young slave exclaimed: "We can light the torches—"

"Idiot!" Before he could finish speaking, the slave who started to speak interrupted him: "It's not just the beasts that wander here at night, there are also indigenous people, we who light the torches will be easily killed in the dark night. They found out and became their target!"

Hearing his words, Corius hesitated. After all, this slave was a Vestnian who was located east of the Equus and was familiar with the terrain here. That was why Corius brought him with him. Facing the pitch-black front, he pondered for a moment, and said reluctantly, "Not far ahead, there should be a Roman military camp. We will rest there when we get there."

The three of them grabbed the reins, controlled the horses, and continued to walk slowly forward for a while, when they heard a shrill wolf howl, and then a pair of green eyes appeared around them.

"Quick! Run back!..." The slave immediately shouted nervously.

Corius responded quickly and turned the horse's head quickly. Only the young slave wanted to say something, but the horse under his crotch neighed in panic, raised his front hooves, and threw him off the horse...

While the wolf was eating the slave and the horse, the two of them rode their horses and ran all the way to hide in Prinister City.

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Waking up in the morning, the first thing Midorades did was ask the guards, "What's the weather like today?"

"General, the weather is fine, it's not raining, and there's a small wind, it's the southeast wind!"

Midorades was so happy that he almost jumped up: "The old sailors in the port judged right, there is indeed an east wind today! Tell the adjutant, let him send the order, and limit the crew to prepare within half an hour, and then at the port Assemble, take the warship to Rome!"

"Yes, General!" The guard turned to inform the adjutant.

"Wait a minute! Hmm... and those laborers and slaves in the port, don't forget to inform them that they are also ready to move!"

The Dionysian Fleet has never had the experience of pulling people's fibers since its establishment. After all, Turii is closer to the sea mouth, and the river downstream of Krati is straight and wide, the current is slow, and it is not too difficult to go upstream. Neto The same goes for the lower reaches of the river. However, according to the information, Rome is more than 50 miles away from the mouth of the Tiber River. The river is tortuous and the current is fast and slow. To go upstream from the port of Ostia to Rome, the boat needs to be pulled. Therefore, under normal circumstances, Merchant ships were unloaded at the port of Ostia and transported by road to Rome.

For this reason, a flat and wide road was built between Rome and Ostia, and now walking on this road is the army of Dionia, who set off much earlier than the fleet.

Davos left three brigades of Turii Legion Reserve soldiers stationed in Ostia (this force was originally used to replenish soldiers when the First and Second Legions suffered losses), leading the Fourth Legion , The Fifth Army Corps, the Sixth Army Corps, the Mountain Reconnaissance Brigade, the Engineering Battalion, the Medical Care Battalion, and the pack team carrying the siege equipment... Relying on this is the plain area, the entire army is arranged in columns of more than ten columns. Along the south bank of the Tiber River, the mighty march eastward.

King Davos rode in the middle of the procession on horseback, surrounded by two hundred and fifty cavalry court guards, more than twenty military staff officers, as well as messengers, trumpeters, and even bands.

At this moment, the staff officer Thormid is reporting to him: "Your Majesty, Amintas sent reconnaissance cavalry to report, they have led the army to set off, and will first wait for us in Rome."

"Amintas is very motivated and wants to get to Rome before us!" Davos smiled and looked around: "Are we going to lose to him?"

"We will definitely go to Rome first!" Clotokatax and the young people in the staff shouted in unison. Although the palace guards did not speak, their eyes were bright.

"That's good!" Davos said loudly: "Let the band play "Battlefield March" and let the soldiers speed up their march!"

The high-pitched and passionate melody sounded in the team, which cheered the soldiers up and dispelled their drowsiness. I don't know who was the first to sing the Hades ode, and soon the song rang throughout the entire team. The soldiers stepped on the soft ground against the morning sun, dipped in dewdrops, and strode forward.

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The big movement made by the Dionysian army was impossible to hide from the scouts and spies in Rome, so before dawn, the spies sent back the news that the city of Ostia was occupied by Dionia. Rome.