CHAPTER 403: CHAPTER 281: ATTACK ON EAST VILLAGE

"Including me, there are seven people in total, with six following Glicus to the East Village."

"How did Glicus persuade you to work for my Nix Tribe?" Maximus asked with interest.

Sirisis calmly replied, "Leader, Glicus and I were originally tribesmen of the Mazi Tribe. Because we committed a grave mistake, we were exiled and wandered to Segestica together.

Although Glicus is younger than me, he is very clever. He helped me make decisions in my affairs. Not long after he escaped back last year, he found me quietly and persuaded me to join the Nix Tribe, and I agreed... By the way, the other six companions who followed Glicus in joining the Nix are also from Mazi."

"Oh, I see." After listening, Maximus said solemnly, "Glicus has done a great job! You all have done a great job! Once we capture the East Village and you all return, I will fulfill my previous promise to make you all official members of the Nix and also record your great merit so you can advance your tribal citizen level and gain more land."

Of course, Sirisis had heard from Glicus about the matter of meritorious promotion, and he appeared very excited.

Maximus talked with him a bit more to make sure that Glicus hadn’t mentioned any method to assist the army in capturing the East Village, and then he had the guards escort him out and arranged for him to stay in the residence.

He then summoned Camillus to have a brief discussion on the issue of having an insider in Segestica East Camp.

........................

The next day, at the crack of dawn, Maximus arrived at the riverbank. Camillus had already assembled three battalions of the Third Legion, lined up and ready. There were 83 ships densely placed on the riverbank, with four soldiers without armor or weapons standing beside each ship. They were all sailors responsible for rowing the boats.

"Leader, we are ready to cross the river." Camillus saluted.

Maximus turned his gaze: The light was dim, the river was shrouded in white mist, and visibility was limited; even the flowing river couldn’t be seen, let alone the scene across the river...

Can we sail under such circumstances? Maximus felt worried but did not reveal it. He returned a solemn salute, "Camillus, it’s up to your Fourth Legion now!"

"Leader, rest assured!" Camillus spoke confidently, then turned to the troops and gave orders.

Soon, two Centurion soldiers helped the sailors push the ships into the river. Then, each boarded a ship, with about four sailors and two to three fully-armed soldiers on each vessel. The sailors began to row vigorously, and the ships quickly drifted away, swallowed by the thick fog, disappearing from sight, with only the faint sound of rowing...

Maximus stood quietly by the river, waiting anxiously with Camillus and other soldiers.

Not long after, a series of clear bird calls pierced through the fog and reached everyone’s ears.

The soldiers all looked excited but didn’t dare make noise.

"Leader, they have successfully landed!" Camillus exclaimed with excitement as he waved his fist, showing that he wasn’t as confident as he appeared.

"Well done, Camillus!" Maximus encouraged.

The return of the ships wasn’t as fast as their departure because they didn’t head straight across but angled downwards. This allowed them to leverage the water’s speed, making it faster to reach the shore while also being safer during navigation. Once ashore, being further from the East Village significantly reduced the chance of being spotted by the enemy.

However, on the return trip, the ships had to go upstream; thus, it was more time-consuming and laborious. Nonetheless, they eventually all succeeded in crossing, and then another two Centurion soldiers boarded the ships and sailed away...

As the number of soldiers waiting on the West Bank of the Sava River gradually decreased, Valerius arrived with over a hundred Crossbow Soldiers, who were also carrying six wooden ladders.

"Leader, last night I had my men gather some wood from various residences and asked the carpenters among the Segestica citizens to make us some wooden ladders..." Valerius said calmly, without any boast in his tone.

"Well done, Valerius!" Maximus praised sincerely. He was too exhausted last night, with many matters to attend to, and forgot about making such preparations. Thankfully, the experienced Valerius thought of it.

Camillus was even more delighted, expressing his gratitude repeatedly, "Valerius, thank you! Thank you! This makes us more confident in capturing the East Village!"

The soldiers at the riverbank had already been mostly transported away, and Camillus was preparing to board the ship. Before departing, he bid farewell to Maximus.

"After taking the East Village, you and the soldiers may have to stay there for a while. It’s best not to launch any attacks, focus on holding and managing the village, listen to Glicus’s suggestions, and try to have him and his men, along with the Segestica Recruits in your team, promote to the Segestica citizens over there to persuade them to join our tribe, just like last night..." Maximus instructed.

"Yes, Leader, I remember it all!"

"May the Danu Goddess protect you!" Maximus solemnly raised his right hand and uttered the words.

Camillus hesitated for a moment, then his eyebrows relaxed, and he saluted with excitement, "Thank you, Leader!"

As more and more battle-ready soldiers were transported to the opposite bank and were almost entirely ferried over, the sun had risen high in the sky, the light becoming bright, and the fog thinning. The outline of the Segestica East Camp on the opposite bank came into view. Similarly, a large group of Nix Soldiers, forming up about a hundred meters away from the South Gate of the East Village, became visible. Therefore, it wasn’t long before the alarmed cries of the Segestica Warriors from inside the East Village were clearly audible to Maximus.

Maximus grew nervous, although he discussed with Camillus the previous night and felt confident about capturing the East Village by surprise. But the risks were equally significant. If they couldn’t seize it quickly and allowed the leader of Segestica East Camp to rally the citizens and stabilize morale for a staunch defense, Camillus’s troops would be in trouble. They lacked strong siege weapons and only carried a day’s worth of provisions. If the enemy organized a fleet to blockade and intercept the Sava River, Camillus and his soldiers would be in a dire situation.

Thus, Maximus clenched his fists, his eyes unblinking, fixed on the progress of the battle across the river...

He didn’t know that the person who destroyed the pontoon bridge, preventing the Nix Army from capturing the East Village last night, was currently in trouble.

Pulikas had imprisoned the steward of the East Village yesterday afternoon and then led his men to cut the pontoon bridge, temporarily securing the village.

However, the fleeing citizens who entered the East Village did not gratefully thank him. Instead, they watched helplessly as their relatives and friends across the river were unable to escape because the bridge was down, surrounded by the Nix Army, and many wept loudly.

With the instigation of those with ulterior motives, they grew resentful of Pulikas, gathered together, and demanded an explanation from him.

Pulikas hid embarrassedly in his residence, relying on his guards to avoid being beaten, but as a result, he was trapped in his house, unable to leave, and his previous prestige among the tribesmen dissipated in this conflict.

Moreover, he faced another major problem.

Although Cabdes personally led an expedition against the Nix, he did not relax his vigilance against Pulikas and those opposing him. Consequently, most of Pulikas’s tribe warriors were drafted to fight, and Pulikas himself was placed in the East Village under the claim of "needing him to stabilize the Main Camp and maintain order," keeping him close for surveillance. Therefore, he didn’t have many men with him.

The main armed force in the East Village came from the warriors of the tribe led by Chief Kaxikes, who were temporarily responsible for the entire tribe’s affairs. When the Nix Army attacked, they panicked, allowing Pulikas to seize the opportunity to imprison Kaxikes quietly.

Originally, Pulikas intended to persuade these warriors to join his forces and gain control over the entire village in the temporarily secure state after dismantling the pontoon bridge, enhancing the defense against the enemy. However, the uprising of the refugees interrupted his plans, and in the process of searching for their chief, the warriors of the East Village discovered clues and angrily sought an explanation from Pulikas.

Pulikas had no choice but to find Kaxikes inside the house for negotiations.

He told Kaxikes: With the Nix Army pressing on the border, regardless of whether Cabdes drowned or was captured, the position of Great Chief was already vacant. He hoped Kaxikes would support making Andres’ son Ankasus the Great Chief immediately to stabilize morale, boost spirits, and rally the village’s citizens as well as remaining warriors from various tribes on both banks to fight the enemy together and ultimately drive them out of the territory.

Kaxikes was a cousin of Andres and a blood relative of the Segestica Great Leader. His tribe was not far from the East Village and was not weak in strength. However, due to a lack of prowess in combat, Andres didn’t value him during his reign, which led to his resentment and extended hatred towards Andres’ family. Cabdes had treated him well in the past, which is why Kaxikes contributed significantly to Cabdes becoming the Great Chief.

Pulikas imprisoned him, harmed his prestige among the tribe, and being vengeful, he naturally hated Pulikas. He knew that Pulikas was in trouble because he was urgently seeking negotiations. Thus, no matter how Pulikas persuaded him, he remained silent.

It wasn’t until Pulikas half-kneeled and apologized that Kaxikes slightly wavered, pretentiously hesitating for a while before proposing his demand: Ankasus could become the Great Chief, but Kaxikes must oversee all affairs of the entire tribe.