"The Legion Engineers often told us, 'Building a flat avenue will make it easier for us to walk, digging ditches will take away sewage and garbage and keep the city clean, and a viaduct will bring clear water directly into the city, saving us the trouble of carrying water back and forth, and we can continue to use water for .......'"

The Administrator, Shilos, also told us that Lord Davers had said, 'All the facilities that are convenient for the people in Turriyi should also be built in other Ionian cities, so that every Dionian citizen, whether in Turriy or in other cities, can enjoy a clean and convenient life!' ……’”

The captain's excited voice drew the attention of some of the working soldiers, and Sisprotis was afraid of causing some misunderstanding, so he could not say anything more, and the captain did not want to say anything more to the messenger of Crotone, who looked down on the Lucanians.

Sisprotis walked silently, and he even saw scholars measuring something on street corners with instruments (right-angle measuring instruments, used to measure whether buildings are vertical), and others marking lines on the side of the road with lime powder, telling soldiers where to dig ditches...... Everyone's expressions were very focused, which touched Sisprotis a little.

The Greeks could build majestic temples, grand arenas, and intricate and sturdy theaters...... They had the best building techniques in the Mediterranean of the era, but they did not apply them to the infrastructure that improved the lives of the people, who were accustomed to the rudiments of material life and devoted their energies to the political life, sports, athletics, and theater of the city-state...... It seems that only the Dioonians seemed to invest a lot of manpower and material resources in roads, bridges, ditches, aqueducts, and other infrastructure that other Greek city-states were unwilling to do. It seems that even the savage Lucalian mountain people are very interested in this way of life created by Dionia, and there must be something attractive about it...... Sisprotis thought to himself, and before he knew it, he came to the city hall of Asprarustum and met Shiros, who had just been in office for less than two days, and the temporary garrison officer Yasistes.

After listening to Sisprotis's request, both Shiros and Assistes were a little surprised: they had just fought a bloody battle with the Crotonens, and in the blink of an eye, they had become allies, and the Crotonees, who had been enemies, were now asking them for help......

Even though these two generals have been on the battlefield for a long time, they are a little difficult to accept emotionally.

Shilos said cautiously: "Helping Crotone defend Lockrie means that Dionya is going to war with Lockery, such a big decision is not something we can decide, and we need the permission of the Dionian Senate." ”

"We understand, of course, that another of our emissaries has already taken a clipper boat and is on his way to Turii. But Lokry's army has invaded our land, burning our villages and slaughtering our people...... When the order of the Dionian Senate arrives, how many people will lose their lives in Crotone! How many houses will be burned down! ......" Sisprotis pleaded bitterly, and even burst into tears: "Dionya has always kept its promise since its establishment, and as an ally of Crotone, can it be that he just watched the people of Crotone suffer and die without saving him?!" ”

The two generals, who had little political experience, felt a little embarrassed, and Asistes said that the matter was important and we needed to discuss, and forcibly took Sisprotis, who was wiping away tears, on the grounds that the matter was important and we needed to discuss.

By the time he returned to the hall, Shilos had regained his composure after some thought: "Yasistes, I am ready to grant the request of the messenger of Crotone and send troops to the west bank of the Tachina River to prevent the Lockli from entering the core area of Crotone. ”

"What?! If you go to war with Lockry without the permission of the Senate, Master Davers will be very angry! Remembering that in Niutum Sesta had asserted himself and been criticized by Davers, he immediately shook his head like a rattle: "No! This is definitely not going to work! ”

"Whoever said that stopping the Rockers must go to war with them, we can ...... this," Shilos said cautiously.

After hearing this, Assistes thought about it carefully, and showed a little worry on his face: "Wouldn't it be too risky to do this?!" What if Lockrie does attack our troops in desperation? ”

"You must know that the Dionyan Alliance, which has been established for less than a year, has a high reputation in Greater Greece, not only because of our military victories, but also because Lord Davers has led us to always adhere to our beliefs! When we were very weak, in the face of persecution from the powerful Crotone, we still did not give up the alliance with Turii, and now our allies are praying to us for assistance, and we do not lend a hand when we can help, so what is the effect of the Defensive Alliance Treaty just signed with Crotone?! What would the Crotone people think?! When we came, Master Davers and the Senate warned us to keep peace and friendship with Crotone, can it be achieved?! Can the other great Greek city-states still trust us Dionyas to keep their promises? I know Master Davers, and in the face of this situation, he will not hesitate to send troops to protect Crotone! If Lockry dares to attack, he will not hesitate to launch a counterattack! ”

After Shilos said this earnestly, Assistes was a little moved, and he defended himself in a low voice: "It's not that I don't agree to send troops, I just want to get orders from Master Davers first. ”

"This will take more than a day at the earliest, and by the time the order arrives, the Lokley people will probably have crossed the Tacchinadi River, causing great damage to the outskirts of Crotone, and since we are going to aid Crotone, we must show up when they need it most!"

Shilos looked firm and spoke forcefully, and Assistes was moved: "Well, I agree to send troops. However, send a messenger to Turii in an expedited manner to explain our decision! ”

"That's as it should be!" Shilos nodded.

Sisprotis was informed by Shiros that Dionya would fulfill his covenant and that Aspraustum would send troops to help Crotone defend the imperial territory. I couldn't help but be excited, and repeatedly thanked Shiros and Asistes.

As soon as Shilos made the decision to go on an expedition, the whole of Aspraustum began to move, and the 2,500 Third Army Corps were quickly assembled, led by Arcises, and immediately set out south, leaving only 500 people in Shilos to defend the city.

……………………

Lockrie's thousand-man assault party met little resistance, and approached the Tacchinadi River, leaving a trail of ruins in its wake. If it was the ancient era hundreds of years ago, the war between the city-states was still warm, the two sides agreed on a time and place to fight, and there was even a duel between warriors before the battle, and the winning side of the battle rarely pursued. And now, the war between the city-states has been very tragic, the losing side has been destroyed by the state, the destruction of the people is very large, so the strong side attack, the weak can of course only hide in the city to defend, then the attacker is not willing to storm the city, choose to destroy the farmland, burn the village, massacre the people...... and so on, forcing the other side to come out and fight, it is a common thing. For example, during the Peloponnesian War, Sparta attacked Athens by land, and Athens knew that it could not compete with Sparta on land, so the people hid within the Athenian wall, causing the Attica region to be trampled into a deserted wilderness by the Peloponnesians.

And these methods can also weaken the enemy's will to fight, just like what the Dionian soldiers did in the northern plains of Croton and the soldiers of Crotone in the plains of Xubari, and the decades of feud between Lockley and Crotone made the Lockley people do these things with an additional purpose - to vent their anger, so they did it thoroughly, and thus slowed down the march.

Hearing that the Tacchinadi River was not far ahead, the soldiers of Lockley were eager to cross it at once and rush into the heart of Crotone, burning and looting. When they reached the west bank of the Tachina River, they found an army blocking their way.

Diopantos, the general who led this Lockley force, muttered in his heart: Didn't the intelligence of the navy say that Crotone had sent all the soldiers, and the city was empty? Could it be that this is a newly recruited freedman?

He looked intently, and saw that the army in front of him was lined up in a neat phalanx, all tall, straight and upright, helmets, cuirasses, shins, round shields, bayonet guns, full of heavy infantry equipment, the whole phalanx was as silent as a mountain, and the oppressive momentum made the Lockley people who were still laughing loudly before began to become quiet.

"Look at the flag!" Someone pointed to a large red flag held high in the middle of the opposite phalanx and exclaimed.

The good-eyed Lockley soldiers could see a bronze statue of a figure with wings outstretched and a sword at the top of the banner.

"It's like death." Someone said uncertainly.

Death?! Diopantos remembered that Metrophines, who had just returned to Locke, had spoken of his experience in Dionya at the council, and he immediately realized that this unusual army in front of him was not from Crotone, but from Dioria, who had recently forced Crotone to sue for peace, a mysterious alliance of city-states that had not existed a year earlier, but which had become the most important in Great Greece in the blink of an eye!

Diopantus immediately became nervous and hurriedly began to reorganize his scattered ranks.

At this moment, a small group of cavalry galloped from the opposite side, and stood still about 50 meters away from the Lockley military formation. The general in the middle, wearing a purple crowned helmet, spoke loudly, while the other cavalry acted as a voice bearer: "I am Axistes, the captain of the Third Legion of the Dionian Alliance!" Dionya and Crotone had previously signed an alliance defense treaty, according to which Dionya was responsible for protecting the security of Crotone's territory! Dionia, Lokley people, has no intention of going to war with you, but if you remain in the land of Crotone, we will have to drive you out! ”

There was a commotion in the Lockley array.

Damn it! Diopantus cursed, and his worst fears finally happened.

When the news of Dionia's alliance with Crotone reached Lockrie a few days earlier, the entire council was shocked, and everyone scolded Crotone for being shameless and cowardly. 8)