"Got it." Henipolis went out happily.

Davers smiled and watched him leave. Henipolis lived in his family for several years, and although he had a detached personality, he was reckless and not pretentious, and was very much loved by Davers's family, and Davers also regarded him as a younger brother, so he didn't want Henipolis to know what happened next.

The officer in charge of defending the fortress was called in.

"I remember your name was Targlu, didn't you?" Davers said with a pleasant face.

The company commander, who was originally a little nervous, did not expect that Davers, the lifelong consul of Dionya and the commander-in-chief of the army, who was respected by the soldiers, would still remember the name he said when he first arrived at the fortress of La River ten days ago, and he saluted and reported to him.

"Yes, Commander!" He replied excitedly.

"I remember you were from Grummentum, did you belong to the tribe or were you independent?" Davers continued to ask, motioning for him to sit down.

"I'm already independent, I just have to work hard for my family." Tagru straightened his chest and replied in his more fluent Greek. In the last year, there has been a popular perception in the Lucania region that only independent Lucanians are truly Ionian citizens and have true freedom! In the last war, many of the tribes in Lucania (except Pothenia and Galaguso) had been destroyed and weakened, so that the remnants of the tribes were isolated and heavily dependent on the alliance, and had to resign themselves to the demands of secession, far less reactive than the leaders of the Brutí.

"Looks like you're married and have children? How's life going? Davers got into a family affair with him.

This made Tagru a little surprised, but also kind: "Asinu bless, I already have two children, and they are both boys, both are healthy!" …… At first, Master Bagul gave me five acres of land, but it was all mountainous and not suitable for growing wheat. The agricultural officer suggested that I plant apple trees, and I did. This year the tree has grown, and they say that it will bear fruit next year, and that I will be able to sell the apples to the city, and they say that the price of apples is higher in the city of Turiyi, but it will be a few days to get to Turiyi......

The year before, I also borrowed money from the city bank to buy 20 lambs and two cows, and now the number has doubled. In the summer, I sold six sheep and a cow to a restaurant in the city, paying off the loan and paying an extra 30 drachmas. I decided to buy some more cattle and sheep next year, so that I can drive hundreds of cattle and sheep up the mountain every day...... My lord, I'm not afraid of your jokes, this is my dream, there used to be so many cattle and sheep only in the tribe......"

"Haha, you have a lot of ambition!" Davers stroked his palms and laughed, and then asked with concern: "You are on a mission at the Lahe Fortress, what about your family?" ”

"My wife is a capable woman who is able to take care of the children and the fruit trees. And I also took out a loan from the bank to buy a Thracian slave and help me herd cattle and sheep. When hectic times, neighbors also come over to help. My lord, a village has been built where I live......"

After listening to this, Davers said seriously: "Stationed at the fortress of the Lahe River, far from the city and home, not only is the daily life very monotonous, but also the long-term inability to go home to take care of the family...... Originally, this most arduous task was carried out by registered and trained freemen and prospective citizens, as an important task to shorten the period during which they became citizens. But before the outbreak of war, I proposed that they be replaced by real citizen soldiers, stationed here, do you have some complaints? ”

"Your Excellency...... Well, to be honest, there's a little. Targlu hesitated for a moment, then said truthfully.

"Because you are more rigorously trained, you are citizens of Dionia, and in times of danger you will desperately defend this fortress to ensure that your homeland is not trampled on! And the fortress of the La River is the only land passage connecting Lucania and Turiyi, and the space here is too small for the troops to be deployed, and once occupied by the enemy, it will cut off the connection between Turiyi and Lucania, which is very dangerous! Davers said solemnly.

"Your Excellency, you mean...... Someone will attack here?! Tagru's eyes widened in surprise.

You must know that the fortress of La River is now within the hinterland of the Dionian League, and there is nothing else to do in normal times except to check on the passing merchants and travelers, and provide them with simple food and lodging. There was a proposal by the senators in the meeting to "abolish the fortress of the La River and turn it into a post station", which was finally rejected by Davers.

"During war, danger arises at any time, and danger often comes from the shadows...... From now on, you have to be vigilant and not allow any caravans, travelers to stay or stay inside or outside the fortress, and not allow any army without a warrant from the Ministry of War to enter or pass through the fortress of the La River, do you understand?! Davers solemnly admonished again.

"Yes, Commander!" Tagru stood up and saluted.

"Targlu, you're not an official legionnaire yet, are you?"

"My lord, I'm just a reserve soldier. My tribe joined the Alliance too late, and there are too many Lucanians who have signed up for the Third Legion. Tagru said with a slight frustration.

"I hope that after this war, I can see your name in the merit book of the Third Army Map!" Davers encouraged him seriously: "In addition, once the enemy attacks the fortress of La River, you should not fight alone, but inform Lord Hmon of Niutum in time so that you can get his assistance, understand?" ”

"Yes, sir!" Tagru saluted excitedly again, although he didn't know where the enemy would come from, he was no longer frustrated that he was sent to such a wilderness, and he made a loud promise: "Your Excellency, rest assured, I will definitely hold the fortress of the Lahe River until the end of the war!" ”

Davers nodded. After Targlu left, he got up and walked to the south-facing window and looked out.

It is impossible to see the city of Laos at the mouth of the La River here, so Davers can only guess what Arrobmas, who has no consul name but is actually an archon, will be doing at this moment.

Since Arobumas had twice been uncharacteristically absent from coming to the fortress of La to meet the Dionian army, and since the troops he sent to Henipolis were all loyal to Avinogis, and since Davers received a secret report from the intelligence services in Niutum, "there seems to be a trace of the Syracuse in the city of Laos". Davers had a bad premonition in his heart: when Dionia was at a disadvantage and in danger, what would the man who had gone east alone, united with Turiyi, and assisted Avinogis in retaking Laos in one fell swoop?

Davers could only wait quietly, but he took Henipolis and prepared with both hands.

…………………………………

By the time Davers had led his army from the fortress of the La River into the mountains and on his way back to Turiyi, Dionysius had already reached the banks of the Tachina River with an army of 90,000 men (this army included Dionysius' army of 70,000 Sicilians, as well as Lockrie, Hibernian, and the Corennian troops who had just joined the side of Syracuse), and set up camp on both sides of the Tacchinadi.

The camp stretched for more than ten miles, and thousands of military tents spread across the southern part of the Croton Plain and the lower Tachina River. The engineers of Syracuse also commanded more than 4,000 Coronian soldiers and Silitin slaves to build an improvised wharf at the mouth of the Tachina Nadi River, so that grain and baggage could be transported to the camp by sea, providing greater convenience for logistical supplies.

While the army was busy building its camp, Dionysius led his generals to the city of Crotone to inspect its defenses.

At this time, at the suggestion of the Dionian ballista officers, the city of Crotone set up deer barricades on both sides of the moat and began to lay traps, but the army of Syracuse came too quickly to complete it. This was the second time in five years that the city had been invaded, and the horror in the hearts of the people of Crotone was even greater than the last time, because standing on the top of the city and looking west, they could see the endless white and skyline formed by the continuous military tents in the far west.

Lycias, Sisprotis, Ascamas, and all the members and soldiers of the Council of Crotone who were at the head of the city all stared intently at the brutal Sicilian tyrant who was surrounded by hundreds of cavalry in the center of the city, and their angry eyes were mixed with a little fear.

Dionysius, on the other hand, regarded the people above the city as air, and he walked and watched as if he were on a leisurely walk, exchanging views with those around him from time to time.

"Look at the walls of this Croto are ten meters high, and they are all made of large stones, and there are moats and deer barricades outside the city, and the whole city is so big, they have enough people to defend it, I think it will be very difficult to capture this city!" Phoebe Das had no qualms about saying things that discouraged his allies. To tell the truth, the Spartans were terrible in the field, but they did little in siege, and in their previous wars, they did not capture too large cities, not even small ones. In the past Peloponnesian War, after decades of fighting, the Allied forces led by Sparta were stationed outside the city of Athens for many years, destroying the Attica Peninsula into ruins, but they never captured the walls of Athens. So one of the first things they did after winning the war was to get the Athenians to tear down the walls.

"We can't even take the city of Crotone, so the city of Asprarustum is narrow, not conducive to the deployment of troops, let alone captured, why are we leading our troops here?! Is it just to besiege them?! Astargoras said sarcastically, he was very displeased with the arrogant Spartan.