CHAPTER 60: CHAPTER 59: THE SUPPLY CAMP RECRUITS NEW SOLDIERS

The Roman Army did not seize the opportunity to counterattack because Cassinius, standing atop a large boulder, clearly saw the enemy’s other units forming ranks behind them, so he cautiously maintained their defensive formation.

The soldiers of the Third Battalion retreated to the rear through a deliberate gap left by the other battalions, and the First Battalion immediately moved forward to replace them...

The rebel army employed revolving tactics, fighting the Roman Army until evening. Exhausted, starving, and utterly desperate, the Roman soldiers were finally routed.

In reality, when Cassinius saw nearly ten thousand rebel soldiers appear—half of them fully armed and obeying commands signaled by military horns—he knew that positioning his troops at the river’s edge was tantamount to trapping himself. However, his role as the camp commander prevented him from leading a retreat in battle. Fighting to the death seemed to him a form of honor.

As the enemy broke through their formation and slaughtered fleeing soldiers in disarray, Cassinius let out a long sigh: "Damn the Senate, you’ve got yourselves a huge problem now!"

He drew his short sword, slashed it forcefully across his neck, and blood spurted forth in a crimson arc...

Led by Spartacus, the rebel army marched rapidly over long distances and fought two battles in one day, using their superior numbers to defeat 6,000 Roman Legion soldiers who had been divided into smaller groups. Most of the Roman soldiers were either annihilated or captured, with only a few managing to escape, while the rebels suffered just 2,000 casualties—a resounding victory.

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

"What is your name?"

"Tini Bazus."

"How old are you?"

"Around twenty-six or twenty-seven."

"Around?"

"I’m an orphan. I never met my parents and don’t know my date of birth."

"Oh... Do you have any relatives or family members among those joining us this time?"

"No."

"Where are you from? How did you become a slave?"

"I’m from Pontus. I didn’t have a fixed home and wandered from place to place, performing for a living. During the war between Pontus and Rome, I was forcibly conscripted. Our army was defeated, and I was captured and sold into slavery..."

"Can you read?"

"No."

"Can you do calculations?"

"No."

"What can you do?"

"I can perform acrobatics, flipping seven or eight somersaults in a row, and I can walk a tightrope... Oh, and after coming to Rome, I also learned how to farm."

...

Vorenus, seated at the wooden desk, finally stopped writing, looked up at Tini Bazus, and smiled warmly. "Tini Bazus, welcome to our Supply Camp!"

"Supply Camp?" Tini Bazus asked with some confusion, "What does it do in your group?"

"You’ll find out soon enough." Vorenus didn’t provide a detailed answer but said somewhat mysteriously, "I’ll just tell you this much—this time, you’re lucky. Otherwise, getting here wouldn’t have been easy for you. Now you can head out that way. Next!"

Somewhat bewildered, Tini Bazus followed the direction Vorenus had pointed to as he exited the military tent. Ahead, he saw another tent not far away. The slave who had been ahead of him in line was being roughly dragged away from the group by a fully armored soldier. The slave struggled and shouted, "I’m fine! Really, I’m fine!"

"The whip wounds on your back are already infected. If you delay any further, you’ll soon get a fever. Stop resisting and come with me for treatment!" The soldier’s persuasive tone managed to calm the struggling slave.

Tini Bazus stared blankly as the two walked toward the other side. A soldier standing in front of the tent couldn’t help but shout, "Hey, what are you standing around for? Get over here already!"

Tini Bazus immediately ran to the front of the tent and couldn’t help asking, "Where are they going?"

"To the Medical Team," the soldier replied with a glance. "If you’ve got injuries, you’ll also need to go there soon enough."

"I don’t have any," Tini Bazus quickly shook his head.

"Whether you do or not isn’t for you to decide," the soldier said, urging him impatiently. "Get inside—don’t keep them waiting!"

Tini Bazus entered the tent.

This time there were three people inside: one wearing a linen robe with a kind expression, another clad in armor with a rugged appearance, and a third who was a young boy.

The armored man, seeing him enter, grumbled disapprovingly, "Why are you so slow? Hurry up and take that tattered piece of clothing off!"

"Huh? Take my clothes off?!..." Tini Bazus froze.

The armored man glared, "Why aren’t you moving faster?!"

Frightened, Tini Bazus hastily removed his linen outer garment, which was so worn that it barely held together.

The man in the linen robe immediately stepped forward, examining Tini Bazus from top to bottom with careful scrutiny, occasionally pressing firmly on different parts of his body and asking, "Does this hurt?"

Tini Bazus shook his head while instinctively using his hands to shield his body.

"Limbs are intact, no physical deformities, plenty of scars but no obvious internal injuries... Hmm, no major physical issues," the robed man said with a frown. "But you’re extremely dirty. You’ll need a thorough bath."

The armored man also scrutinized him closely before suddenly asking, "The scars on your chest—those are from blades, aren’t they?"

"Yes."

"Have you served as a soldier before?"

"I was conscripted in Pontus, but only for half a year before the Romans defeated us and I became a slave."

The armored man grinned, "Half a year in the military—that’s already more experience than most of the men in our group! What kind of soldier were you?"

"Phalanx spearman."

"Never heard of it before, but it sounds impressive," the armored man said, his grin widening. Approaching Tini Bazus, he pinched his arms and thighs before nodding in satisfaction. "You don’t look particularly strong, but your muscles are dense and solid. You’ll make an excellent heavy armor infantry soldier. Magus, take note—assign him to the Fifth Hundred-man Team as the leader of the First Squad."

"Captain Torrelugo!" the boy named Magus interjected loudly, "Leader Maximus specifically instructed that all team officer positions in these newly formed hundred-man teams must be filled by soldiers from the original three hundred-man teams!"

"But this guy has half a year of military experience and has seen real combat—that’s better than many of my former soldiers. He’s fully qualified to be a centurion," Torrelugo argued.

"Even so, it’s against the leader’s orders!" Magus firmly declined.

"You stubborn fool!" Torrelugo yelled angrily. "All you ever talk about is Maximus’ rules! Maximus’ rules! Is Maximus your father or something? Why are you so obedient to everything he says? Can’t you show a little flexibility?!"

Magus stood his ground, retorting, "The leader said that rules are made to ensure everyone follows them. Only with discipline will the group become orderly. If everyone broke the rules, there’d be no point in having them at all!"

"There you go again!" Torrelugo exclaimed in frustration.

"Both of you, stop arguing," the robed man said, his experience with such disputes evident. He stepped in to mediate. "Captain Torrelugo, while this man does have military experience, he’s new to the Supply Camp and unfamiliar with its workings. Without guidance, he might unknowingly break camp regulations, which would undermine his authority with his subordinates. I suggest letting him start as an ordinary soldier. Once he’s gotten the hang of things and proven capable, you can promote him then. Wouldn’t that be better?"

Torrelugo considered this for a moment before nodding. "You make a good point. Fine, let’s do it that way. Magus, assign him to the Fifth Hundred-man Team, First Squad."

Magus complied and made a note of it.

Torrelugo then turned to the robed man with a suggestion. "Horace, with your skills, staying in the Medical Team is such a waste. Why not join me and pick either the Second or Fifth Hundred-man Team? You can be a centurion—what do you say?"

Horace smiled calmly, unmoved. "In the Medical Team, I don’t have to push myself too hard, I have women for company, and I can study medicine under Minujus—that’s what I desire most."

Torrelugo, rebuffed, didn’t press further. Instead, he grabbed a small wooden token etched with a number from Magus and handed it to Tini Bazus. "Take this and follow the others ahead of you. Go to the warehouse to collect your supplies. Afterward, they’ll guide you to the Fifth Hundred-man Team, First Squad, based on the markings on this token."