Before departure, Maximus repeatedly instructed: All personnel must keep the secrets of the tribe strictly, and they must not disclose to outsiders even the fact that they are from the Nix Tribe!

Onomabatis led the team along the path the rebel army had taken to the mountains years ago, arriving at the Eastern Adriatic Coast.

He chose Pula on the Istria Peninsula as his base, as it had previously been an important place for fencing stolen goods during his time as a pirate. He was familiar with the area, which made conducting business easier.

Apart from buying slaves, Onomabatis was tasked with another vital mission—gathering intelligence about Rome.

Previously, Maximus had entrusted Karsipengpas with this task, but Pompey's eradication of the pirates had severed this channel of external information.

This was one of the key reasons Maximus had agreed to Onomabatis' request.

Over a month later, ten slaves, escorted by guards, safely traversed mountains and rivers to reach the territory of the Nix Tribe…

To date, the trading post that Onomabatis had established in Pula had been operational for over six years. Due to the number of slaves he purchased and the critical Roman intelligence he collected, he had received numerous commendations from the tribe and had now ascended to the rank of Knight.

Walking in, Onomabatis exuded none of the unease and desolation he had felt when he first joined the Nix Tribe years ago. He was dressed in attire exclusive to Nix Nobles of Knight rank or higher: an upper garment made of exquisitely woven linen, dyed in deep red, featuring a double-breasted design embroidered with elegant patterns. The cuffs bore pleated cloud motifs, a Knight's emblem adorned his chest, and he paired it with fitted riding breeches and a high, straight collar, which set off his noble and spirited appearance.

Maximus motioned for him to sit down, then smiled and asked, "Onomabatis, it has been about four months since your last visit, hasn't it?"

"Leader, it has been four months and eight days," Onomabatis replied respectfully.

"How are things at the trading post?"

"The sales of cloth and pottery are as strong as ever. The new wooden carvings and a variety of dyed fabrics introduced last year have also been well-received. Merchants not only come from Rome's Northern Italy Province and Illyria Province but also from other parts of Italy to Pula to purchase goods. Some of them even complain that our supply is too limited…"

The Nix Tribe's reserves of gold and silver coins were already dwindling, so after Onomabatis secured his footing in Pula, Maximus allowed him to sell cloth and pottery to finance the purchase of slaves.

The reason for choosing cloth and pottery was that these commodities were common in Mediterranean towns; however, under Maximus' guidance, the Nix Tribe had undergone technological innovations and adopted intensive production methods. As a result, the items were not only of higher quality but were also much cheaper than similar products. Additionally, due to the large quantities produced, after meeting the tribe's own needs and trading with other tribes, there was still a surplus to sell.

Indeed, the sales of these two items proved successful. By last year, the Nix Tribe had added wooden carvings and dyed fabrics to their product line. This was possible because Maximus had trained a group of craftsmen with a certain level of modern carving skills (of course, the statues of the Goddess at the Danu Temple were still personally carved by Maximus), and the workers at the Weaving Workshop, through persistent effort, had finally developed high-quality plant-based dyes with a decent production scale.

"The quantity of goods is difficult to increase further, and transporting these items out of the mountains remains a significant challenge. You're well aware of this. Karsipengpas has complained to me multiple times, saying that transporting our goods has severely impacted their mining efforts.

Moreover, the more goods we transport, and the more people involved in their transport, the harder it is to keep things secret. By the way, with the increased number of merchants visiting your trading post, has anyone started to grow suspicious of you?"

"Leader, I believe there have always been merchants who harbored suspicions. Although we claim that our goods are shipped from the Eastern regions and even regularly dispatch our ships to circle the Adriatic Sea and the Greece Peninsula, there are always some who question this. Some have gone so far as to say that they have traveled to many Eastern ports and have never seen similar goods…"

"Let them suspect if they want to. As long as no one directly exposes the truth, just feign ignorance. However, if anyone confronts you head-on with evidence, then admit, 'These goods are produced by tribes in the Illyria Mountains. Because we feared being looked down upon, we lied.' But under no circumstances, mention the Nix Tribe! I believe the quality and price of these goods will still compel them to continue buying."

"Leader, hearing you say this puts my mind at ease. Our sales momentum is very strong right now, but we've encountered trouble in slave purchases."

"What kind of trouble?"

"Over the years, we've been frequently purchasing slaves in Pula and in significant numbers, making us the biggest customer of the slave market. But Pula's slave market has always been small in scale. Good slaves are becoming increasingly scarce, prices are soaring, and once these slave traders see us coming, they hike up the prices even further. We're at a massive disadvantage like this. I'm thinking of switching to another place for slave purchases."

"Where do you have in mind?"

"To the Southern Italian coastal towns, like Sarabia, Tarentum, Croton, and Regium… These port towns are far more prosperous in maritime trade than Pula, and there are bound to be more slaves available for purchase."

"Hmm… For now, don't consider heading south. Instead, you could start by surveying Padua and Milan to the west."

"Leader, the towns you mentioned are both inland. I don't think they'll have more slaves than Pula."

"Possibly. But give it half a year or a year, and the situation could change dramatically. By the way, any updates on that Roman figure, Caesar, whom I specifically tasked you to monitor?"

"Leader, yes!" Onomabatis straightened up, answering loudly, "The reason I've returned early this time is mainly because of him. I've learned that Caesar has relinquished his position as Roman Governor and has become the Governor of three provinces—Northern Italy, Illyria, and Western France. He has officially assumed office and, upon taking up the role, has already begun mass recruitment to form new armies."

"Leader, do you think this Caesar is preparing to launch an attack on us Nix?" Onomabatis asked nervously. His reasoning stemmed from Maximus' exceptional vigilance during any discussion of Caesar.

Maximus shook his head and reassured him, "Rest assured, he likely hasn't entertained such thoughts yet."

After Onomabatis departed, Maximus' expression darkened. Caesar had finally arrived! Over the next eight years, this man would conquer Gaul, strike at the Germans, launch a far-reaching campaign into Britannia, and ultimately become Dictator, shaping the Roman Republic into the prototype of an empire brimming with vitality. By then, the Nix Tribe would be in grave danger. The clock was ticking, and the Nix must expedite their efforts!

"Immediately summon the three Chiefs of the Military Department. Tell them I am convening an emergency military meeting to discuss plans for crossing the river to attack the Boyi people!"

"Yes, Leader!" The attendant responded with enthusiasm.

As he watched the attendant leave, Maximus sank back into contemplation once more. Fully subjugating the Pannonian Tribe Alliance had already taken so many years. The Boyi Tribe, with its vast land, population, and superior strength, surpassed the Pannonian Tribe Alliance. To conquer them before Caesar concluded his Gallic Wars would still be a race against time…

At this thought, Maximus couldn't help but let out a wry smile. Once, he had harbored the grand ambition of uniting the Danube Plain and then challenging Rome with all his might. Now, even conquering half the Danube Plain felt like a Herculean task. The other half, meanwhile, remained in the hands of the far stronger Dacians...

From years of intentionally gathering intelligence on the Dacians, Maximus learned that their leader, Brebiusta, was no ordinary figure. Defeating him and conquering Dacian territory would not be easy. If embroiled in a protracted war with the Dacians, missing the best timing to strike at Rome, it would be a decision he'd regret bitterly!…

Maximus tapped rhythmically on the back of his chair with his fingers, then suddenly instructed another attendant, "Go to the Commerce Department and call Pigeris here. I have an important matter to discuss with him!"

"Yes, Leader!"

Because the Nix Tribe included many Scodisqi tribesmen, relations with the Scodisqi Tribe had strengthened over the years. Maximus decided to send Pigeris to the Scodisqi Tribe to convey friendly overtures to the Dacians through them.

Based on Maximus' memories from his previous life, the historical Brebiusta didn't leave a deep impression on him. However, he did recall one thing—Caesar had been planning to dispatch troops against the Dacians before his assassination. Therefore, Maximus decided to abandon any notion of treating the Dacians as opponents and would attempt to ally with Brebiusta.

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

Spartacus' rebellion army had once dealt a great blow to the Seventh and Eighth Legions of the Northern Italy Province. Since then, these two legions had been rebuilt. Alongside the Ninth Legion from the Illyria Province and the Tenth Legion from the Western France Province, Caesar now commanded four legions across the three provinces he governed. However, due to their long lack of engagement in combat, these legions were severely understrength, with the actual manpower of a single legion falling short of 5,000.

After arriving at the Northern Italy Province's capital, Ravenna, Caesar implemented the same strategy he had used upon assuming the Governorship of Spain: a massive recruitment drive. His objective was not only to fill the four legions to capacity but also to establish two additional legions.

For Rome, having four legions stationed across the three provinces of Northern Italy was a slow development achieved over centuries, ensuring provincial security and adequately defending against Barbarian invasions.

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