The season has entered the end of autumn, the first frost air of early winter and the last warm and humid air flow of late autumn meet, on the Weser River, the rain is continuous, the fog covers the entire long river, from the view of the walled city, it is almost impossible to see the figures on the opposite side, only the barbarian boats that are still on the river are still on hold one after another, stretching for several miles. Pen, fun, pavilion www. biquge。 There was a cold aura of slaughter in the air, and the soldiers of the Thirteenth Legion couldn't help but shiver a few times as they stood on the fortifications of the city, even with the thickest rags and linen stuffed into their armor, the climate here still made the legionnaires feel unaccustomed cold.

"Damn, we are going to spend the whole winter here this year, the barbarians are still on the other side, General Rabinus won't let us go back to town to rest."

Several legion veterans sat around the tents of the barracks, gambling on their pastime while unconsciously complaining about the current situation. The icy rain hit the white tents with a ticking sound. Perhaps the officers who have read the book will touch the scene and express their feelings, but for these GIs, they just want to return to the warm home of Gaul and go to their wives and slaves.

"Save yourself from complaining, you should be glad that we haven't died in battle, look at the countless barbarians on the other side, it's our luck to be able to survive to this day."

Another veteran with a scar on his face answered. They chatted in the barracks without a word, until two Roman hours later, when they had to go up to the city walls and take over from their comrades in the cold rain.

"The Germanic people are gone! Those barbarians are gone! They abandoned all their ships to confuse us! Checkmate. ”

The next day, the guards who had been stationed at the sentry hurried into the tent and reported the latest information to Labinus. An extremely serious and dissatisfied expression appeared on Rabinus's face. Apparently, the Germanic evacuation was planned, and the rain seemed to have come as expected.

"Heramini, take your Gallic cavalry and track down the whereabouts of these Germanic people, I must know where they intend to cross the river from."

After listening to the report of the guards, Rabinus did not think much about it, turned his head and ordered his cavalry captain to send cavalry to track down the Germans. The towns in the south were not manned at the moment, and once the barbarian army came to the city, the consequences would be unimaginable, and Rabinus was ordered to lead the most elite Thirteenth Legion back to the defense, and it was for this purpose to surround every new Roman town north of the Rhine.

Three days later, however, when the cavalry returned with intelligence, the situation was imminent, and the Germans had rebuilt their ships to cross the Weser River upstream, and at this moment, a large number of barbarian tribes were marching to Cologne, the Roman city in the south.

In just two years, the population of the town had grown from 3,000 to 20,000, and Labinus could not allow such a fledgling city to be destroyed by the barbarians, so the Thirteenth Legion had to immediately withdraw its camp and set out to pursue the Germans.

The problem, however, was that the Germans marched so fast that they were able to throw the Roman legions out of the distance of more than twenty leagues in three days, and it would take them two and a half days to catch up with the Germanic people at the average marching speed of the legions.

"You mean you know the shortcuts?"

While Rabinus was refrusing over the chase, Artur stepped forward again and told Rabinus the absolute shortcut to the Suebi tribal camp. However, as a battle-hardened veteran, Rabinus did not trust the newly captured Germanic traitor in front of him. After all, trust is not built without deep contact, and even the Germanic who had been serving in the Roman legions for ten years was not an absolute trust, let alone the barbarian traitor he had known for only a week.

"Yes, I am familiar with this land."

Artur conveyed his meaning to Rabinus through the direction of the Maconimani.

"Then tell me which way we should go?"

Labinus asked with a blank face. At the same time, he observed the expression of the Germanic man in front of him.

"From this river to Zagu, in front of you is a hill, with forests and pastures, and further south is a great mountain, which we call Gurum, and the road is at the foot of this mountain, and the Suebi people have bypassed the whole mountain. The path was in the valley, where my people and I had hunted and traded, and the path was hard to spot, and after passing through the trees of the valley you could reach the back of the mountain. At the speed of the Suebi's march, we will be able to cross the Gurum Hill just in time for their march, and then you will have enough time to set up camp again and block the passage of the Horde's army. ”

Artur replied "tremblingly" in front of old Rabinus. I was afraid that I would be condemned for saying the wrong word. At the same time, Artur recounted the whole plan with a strong sense of confidence and pride, as if it was indeed a territory he was familiar with.

"Well, good advice. But there's one thing I've never been able to figure out, Arturdas. ”

Rabinus smiled with satisfaction, but at the same time, there was a deep skepticism in this smile.

"Master? You say......"

Artur stood respectfully in front of Labinus, pretending to be innocent.

"Artur, as you yourself say, you are only one of the few sacrifices that have escaped from the ritual of the tribe's sacrifice to the gods, do you not have any feelings for your tribe? Just because they want to take him to the gods? Why did you try so hard to help the Roman legions? Do you not believe in your God? I've heard that in Germania, only the bravest warriors are sacrificed to the gods. ”

Rabinus asked with a suspicious tone. "Frightened" the young servant fell to his knees, and at the same time, Artur replied in a trembling voice—

"General, master...... You don't mean that if I do my best to serve Rome, you can give me freedom and money, that's all I do...... Also, it was not the decision of my people to sacrifice me to the gods, but the Suebi people, they are not my people, my people have been oppressed by them for generations, and this time they were forced to join the tribe of the Suebi people out of coercion, and besides, the gods they believe in are not the gods we believe in, it is true that I still have feelings for my people, but I hate the Suebi people to the core. My master. ”

Artur fell to his knees and replied tremblingly, his eyes showing horror, which Labinus could see.

"Freedom, ah, yes, everybody wants freedom and wealth. Arturdas, take your luggage, and set off with me tomorrow, take my men, and catch up with that Suebi tribe. If you succeed in stopping the Suebi army again this time, you will become a Roman freedman. If the exploits are sufficient, then I will write to Appis and ask him to bestow upon you the title of Roman citizen. Now, lead the way, Arturdas. ”

Rabinus said.