Chapter 125 Clear goals and unified understanding

"Everyone!" Maximus took a panoramic view of everyone's performance, raised his voice, and said loudly: "You are all my capable helpers and my most trustworthy subordinates. I called you here just to ask you, Are you willing to follow me north and create our own home?

If you don't want to, I won't complain. I have already discussed it with Hamilcar. You can transfer to other leaders' teams and continue to stay in Italy... Time is very tight. Do you want to follow me north or stay? Make your choice now! "

As soon as Maximus finished speaking, Arconis stood up and shouted loudly: "What's the choice? Of course I have to follow you, the leader! From the establishment of this team last year to now, we are better than other teams. Eat well, wear well, and fewer people will die...

This is because you, Leader Maximus, are more capable than other leaders! So my old lady firmly believes that since you, leader, choose to go north, then going north is definitely the best way out for us! Anyone who chooses to stay would not only be foolish, but also betrayal! "

No matter how rough the words are, Akonis is still as awesome as ever! ...Maximus was thinking in his heart, but he criticized: "Arconis, I just said, everyone chooses voluntarily. If anyone stays, it is to fight against the Romans. Everyone is still a comrade in Free Italy, What kind of traitor is that?”

"But if anyone does this, they will betray your trust." Aconis muttered.

Maximus didn't refute her anymore.

"Chief, you should have made such a decision a long time ago. We have been marching lazily with the large army these days, but we have wasted a lot of time!" Frontinus reminded loudly.

"Chief, we old people from Rome know very well how powerful Rome is. Staying in Italy will only lead to death! The only way out is to follow you to try places outside Italy!" It is rare to speak loudly. Quintus also firmly stated his attitude at this moment.

"Quintus is right. The only way out is to go north. I am willing to follow you, leader, to a strange place to continue fighting!" Aulus said with pride.

"Chief, I am your compatriot, and I will never let you abandon me!" Fesalus said loudly, not daring to show weakness.

"Going north is the territory of our Gauls. How can we do it without me!" Torrelugo laughed loudly.

"I have won many victories with the leader in the past, and I believe I can win more victories in the future!" Carminus responded loudly, hitting his chest with his right hand.

"Chief, no matter what decision you make, I will follow your footsteps and try to do everything you ask!" After experiencing the initial surprise, Volenus still made his promise. As a domestic slave for decades, he had become accustomed to obedience, and now he regarded Maximus as his master.

"It's time to leave Italy quickly and find a place for our team to settle down. We can do farming, mining, trade...anything. Otherwise, if we continue like this, all the supplies will be used up!" Capito, the temporary director of the supply camp, not only Choices were made and suggestions were made.

"Great, leader, the plan you discussed with me before can finally be implemented!" Pygris cheered.

"What's the plan?" Others wondered.

Maximus ignored him and asked loudly: "Did any of you choose to stay?"

No one responded.

In fact, this situation is normal. The people promoted by Maximus are either slaves or Lucelia veterans who are determined to oppose Rome. They have no attachment to Italy in the first place. In addition, Maximus usually Intentionally or unintentionally, they were told that "there is no way out in Italy", so everyone's thoughts were unified and relatively firm, but some people did not expect that other rebel groups would not follow them to the north.

"Since you all trust me and are willing to follow me north -" Maximus looked around at everyone and said solemnly: "I also make a promise to everyone. From now on, I will share the difficulties and blessings with you. I will never let any of you down!" As he spoke, he raised his hands and closed his eyes in prayer.

Everyone looked solemn, but everyone was excited, staring at Maximus, waiting for him to open his eyes again.

"Okay, let's discuss how to continue going north." Maximus looked at everyone and said seriously: "First of all, when you go back, you must patiently explain to your men why we want to go north alone. Try your best to persuade them to come with us! If anyone insists on staying, there is no need to force it. However, Capito and Spukala, your place is special, and all the craftsmen and engineers are very important to us. Everyone must come with us!

Oh, by the way, and Horace, those doctors under your command! Voronus, those men under your command who can read, write, and count! They are all our talents, no matter whether they are willing or not, none of them are allowed to stay, they all have to follow the team! Understand? ! "

"Don't worry, chief, none of them can escape." Capito responded calmly. This was what he had done since the march.

Maximus saw the dilemma of Horace and Volenus, remembered something, and said: "Capito, I almost forgot, when the team was marching, you were the temporary general manager of the baggage camp, the craftsman of the engineering team, You must control the people under Volenus, as well as the doctors and nurses in the medical camp, and don’t let any of them go!”

"Don't worry, chief, leave it all to me!" Capito responded proudly. He really liked the feeling that there were many matters that needed him to solve.

"Chief, if the soldiers are allowed to choose voluntarily, we may not have many people left in the Third Army!" Aulus reminded loudly.

"That's right, leader!" Carminus also exclaimed: "Most of our third legion is now recruits, and most of them are poor people from Picenum. It has been too short, and they have not fully understood our team yet. If you are not familiar with it, I’m afraid they will choose to stay!”

The Third Army suffered heavy losses in the Battle of the Vomanus River. Originally, Maximus planned to wait for the team to settle down and then slowly replenish it so that the Third Army could finally be fully equipped. However, the rebels' successive victories in Picenum attracted countless poor people to vote enthusiastically. The numbers of other rebel leaders quickly swelled like blowing air, but Maximus remained unmoved. However, unable to withstand the pleadings of Carminus and Aulus, they finally relaxed the restrictions and allowed the Third Army to accept new recruits. So the Third Army was fully staffed within two days, and Carminus finally became a general. Return to the real legion commander.

"The Third Army Corps is different from the engineering battalion and the medical battalion. They are all soldiers and do not want to follow us. We can only allow them to leave. Don't force them to do so. Otherwise, problems will easily arise in the future and it will also affect whether we can arrive smoothly. Destination, do you understand?" Maximus said seriously.

"Understood." Carminus nodded reluctantly.

Maximus coughed slightly: "But don't worry, both of you, Chief Spartacus promised me that he will inform other teams so that soldiers who want to leave Italy can follow us. I think even the vast majority Everyone is willing to stay, but there are probably thousands of people who are willing to leave. When these people come, I will give priority to your third legion, but you two have to promise me that they can be settled quickly and marched. No trouble on the way!"

Carminus and Aulus looked at each other and replied in unison: "No problem!"

"Also... I'm afraid the Guards will also leave a lot of people." Maximus looked at Pecot. The Guards also suffered heavy losses in the battle of the Womanus River. He also allowed them to recruit new soldiers: " At that time, priority will be given to assigning people to the escort team.”

"Thank you, chief." Pecot responded calmly. The other leaders had expressed their opinions before, but he did not speak, just because he felt that there was no need to say more.

As an Illyrian, Pecot certainly did not want to stay in Italy. His previous subordinates were either Illyrians or Gauls, so of course they would choose to go north. As for the new recruits who had only joined for a few days, they had no feelings. If you want to leave, just leave, he has no regrets.

"Chief, let's go north alone. Where are we going after leaving Italy?"

"Yes, Chief, it's time for you to tell us where the new home we are going to be!"

Pheasalus' words resonated with everyone. When this issue was mentioned, everyone felt resentful.

Because in the past, Maximus would brag in front of them from time to time and talk about the benefits of leaving Italy, but whenever everyone asked "Where are we going?", he would always make excuses.

"Now it is indeed time to tell you." This time Maximus did not escape. He said seriously: "Akgo, bring that big map."

"yes!"

A large wooden board was moved in front of everyone. On the wooden board was a map of the Mediterranean that Maximus had hand-drawn with an ink pen based on his memories of his previous life. It included not only Italy, but also the Iberian Peninsula, Greece, Asia Minor, Egypt, and Numi. Bia... Except for Italy, which has mountains, rivers and many towns, other places have only one name.

But even so, everyone in the military tent was surprised. Even the illiterate Aconis opened her eyes wide after asking Volenus in a low voice, and whispered excitedly: "It turns out that the Mediterranean is It looks like this! Egypt! Egypt is here..."

Not to mention that Frontinus, Quintus and others had seen the map of the Mediterranean drawn by Rome. The arrogant Capito also approached the map at this moment and looked at it carefully. The surprise on his face was not much different from the others, because it was far away. It is much more comprehensive, detailed, intuitive and beautiful than the map drawn by Rome.

Akago looked at the surprised expressions of everyone, and felt quite proud in his heart, because when Maximus was drawing this map, he put a lot of effort on the side, so he straightened his chest.

While Quintus was carefully looking at the map of Italy drawn by Maximus, he was also sighing in his heart: As far as he knew, this young leader had never left Italy and could actually draw such a map of the Mediterranean. , this is simply amazing! Just when you think you know this young man well, he always surprises you again! Is there really anyone who knows this from birth? ! Or is he favored by the gods? ! …

Quintus was sighing, and Frontinus asked directly: "Chief, when did you draw this map? Why haven't I seen it before?"

"After camping for the first two days, I took some time to get it out." Maximus said lightly: "Because I was short of time and didn't find anyone to understand the situation in various places, some places were not painted well. That’s right, let’s just make do with it for now.”

Frontinus leaned over and stared at the map and said seriously: "I don't know much about other places, but I know Numibia, Iberia, and Inner and Outer Gaul relatively well. The outline of this place is not much different from the maps I saw in the military before, so I think there should be no problem with this map.

I just want to ask the leader, how were you able to draw such a large map of the Mediterranean Sea? Even in Rome, I'm afraid only a few people can do it. "

Maximus did not respond directly, but said loudly with a serious look: "Actually, since the day I escaped from the Gladiator School, I have been thinking about where to go to build a business if one day we can leave Italy. Our own home?

This place must be inaccessible to the Roman army for a long time, but the other forces around it cannot be too strong to threaten our security, and at the same time it must be conducive to our development and growth..."

Everyone cheered up and focused their attention on Maximus.

"When we were in Sarapia, I finally decided where we were going to go in the future -" Maximus was talking when he saw Pygris winking and immediately glared at him to calm him down.

"The reason why I have kept it a secret from you is because this place is relatively remote. If it is accidentally leaked and the Romans are on guard, there will be big trouble! But now it is time to reveal this destination. , I hope that after you know it, you can keep this secret and not tell other people, and you can lead your respective men well and follow me to our new home! "

As Maximus spoke, his emotions became more and more excited. After all, this was the ideal place he chose based on the history of his previous life and thinking day and night. He stretched out his hand and pointed to a place on the map with a loud voice. Said: "This is our new home!"