"Are you crazy? Apis. Pen ~ fun ~ Pavilion www.biquge.info soldiers need to rest, the day's fighting has exhausted them, and if you order them to dig fortifications, even if you give them ten times the salary, you will not agree! ”

Little Crassus was in the general headquarters of the legion, and he quarreled with Appis.

"No, I haven't lost my mind, my friend. Today is a day of life and death. We need to rest, and so do the Germanic people, and you see how they look, and the weary beasts are no longer able to raise their axes and spears, and it is time to take advantage of the fact that the enemy is tired and unprepared to launch a surprise attack and end this war in one fell swoop. ”

In the face of little Crassus's incomprehension and questioning, Apis tried his best to control his emotions and patiently analyzed to little Crassus. After all, this army was not entirely his own private army, and Crassus the Younger also had a "stake", and he financed the formation of the Sixteenth Army Corps and was responsible for the payment of the soldiers' salaries. Although Crassus the Younger nominally gave all command of the legion to Appis, Apis had to respect the opinions and attitudes of his dear friend in important matters.

"Well, well, I won't argue with you, but I want to say that even if you want to use the civil fortifications to encircle the Germans, there are still many barbarians, and it will take at least three days to dig the fortifications to encircle them. Do you think the Germans will give us these three days? They are savages, but not unintelligent livestock. ”

Little Crassus said, waving his hands constantly, emotional. Appis knew this characteristic, and he had been this since the Gallic War first saw this strong man with a strong back, and he was very different from his father. Licinius Crassus was much calmer.

"No, I just need one night."

Appis returned calmly.

"Don't talk about the ethereal theories, Appis, we are not priests talking about miracles on the battlefield here."

Little Crassus was obviously a little dissatisfied with Apis's statement, and even wondered if Apis was stimulated during the daytime battle, and his spirit was a little crazy and abnormal?

"I'm not talking about miracles, old friend, you must believe me, let the reserves and the soldiers who can still move get up again, dig the fortifications at night, and pour a round of cold water on every mound of earth a foot high, and pour another round of cold water on it, and I will triple their wages this evening, and all the slaves and soldiers who still have their strength will rush to work, and I will triple their wages. One night, fence off the barbarian camp, these fortifications don't need much wood to fix, just pile them up according to the model, and the next morning you will see a city of rock made of solid ice and frozen earth. ”

Appis explained calmly.

“……”

Although it was not certain whether this method would work, it was as if Crassus the Younger had guessed what Apis was trying to do, a subtle practice that none of the officers had yet practiced.

"The water freezes at night, freezing the dirt and sticking it together. That's what you mean, Apils, right? ”

Levius asked, frowning.

"That's right. We don't need to spend too much time fixing the soil and rock, we just need to dig a shallow trench and embed the whole wall into the ground for half a foot to a foot of foot. Tell the engineering team to rest well at night, and go up to set up the catapult ballista in the early morning when the cold water freezes. ”

Appis continued to command. A set of all-round defense, encirclement and suppression fortifications seemed to have begun to take shape in the talks.

Accompanied by Livy and Klein, Apis then went to the high platform of the barracks and gave a short but practical speech to the Roman legionnaires who were resting below. Mobilize those legionnaires who want to earn money and make military achievements again to rush to work overnight to build the Great Wall of frozen soil.

……

"Go in and sleep, Appis, and tomorrow perhaps the barbarians will launch another raid on us."

Maxim said with a melancholy expression as he stood beside Appis.

"I can't sleep, looking at this rootless city of broken earth in front of us, and to be honest, I can't guarantee that tomorrow it will solidify into the way I want it to be."

Appis looked at the Roman soldiers who were toiling up and down the mound in front of him, and said wistfully. Indeed, this is only a theory, and whether the Great Wall can be built the next day, Apis is not sure in his heart. If it fails, the Legion will lose its last hope.

"We can only pray to the gods. Let Jupiter decide the outcome of this war, we are mortal and cannot interfere with the decisions of the gods. ”

Maxim said calmly. Apis knew that he was one of the few Roman officers in the legion who still had faith.

"Yes, human power is so small. Let the gods decide. ”

In the past, Apis would have thought that man would conquer the heavens, but now, when many difficulties and realities continue to come to him, Apis finally feels that the power of man is too small. It is no wonder that the ancients came up with such a thing as theology, because now, Apis can only believe in the ethereal "God".

……

"We should strike, Burda! The Romans are building walls, and they want to besiege us! We must tear them down before they build them! Do not forget that the Gauls were not defeated by the Roman legions, but were trapped by these annoying fortifications. We cannot go back to the old ways of the Gauls. ”

During the night, when the Roman legions had exhausted their last strength to build the fortifications on the periphery, in the camp of the Germanic army, the tribal leaders also had a serious dispute over whether to go to war at night. The Abrian patriarch had a great deal with the Belgians in northern Gaul and knew that the Romans had ultimately relied on these fortifications to defeat tens of thousands of Gallic allies. Therefore, even if he is exhausted, the patriarch must choose to risk death to fight. Prevent the Romans from building fortifications.

But the daytime battles were too brutal and bloody. Although the Romans had lost an entire legion, the Germanic people had also suffered tens of thousands of casualties, and countless tribes had fled, leaving only twelve tribes, and most of the warriors were not only exhausted, but also wounded. In this case, the Germanic warriors, like the Roman soldiers, were reluctant to fight again at night. Even if they are willing to fight, they are indeed physically exhausted, and I am afraid that they will fall asleep even walking when they go to the battlefield.

At this moment, the Germanic Grand Chief Bulda is also in a dilemma of difficult choices. Out of caution, he wanted to destroy the Roman fortifications, but he had to take into account the actual situation of the people. Such a unit, without being trimmed, has no combat effectiveness at all.

"What do you want us to fight with? Don't you see that the fighters are so tired that they are paralyzed? Look at this messy camp, who has the strength to raise their arms again without tonight's rest? ”

"Reddaman, your fears are unfounded, even if the Romans were building fortifications, they would not have been able to build an entire wall and besiege us in one night. They need time, enough time to their manpower, at least three days or more. And our people, after a whole night of repairs, will be able to fight again, and when the time comes, the warriors of the tribe will be full of energy to crush the fortifications that are not worth mentioning by the Romans! ”

The leader of the Lucas clan was dismissive of the Roman threat. But there is some truth in his words. It was indeed impossible for the Roman legions to build a wall and besiege the tribes overnight. And, like the tribal warriors, the soldiers of the Roman legions were exhausted after a long day of fighting. No matter how serious the project is, it will never be completed in a short time, threatening the safety of the tribe.