Rome must fall.

Chapter 352 Return

There were some tents set up in the camp, and a lot of supplies piled up on the open ground. There were also several rows of pack carts parked outside the camp. Many people were moving supplies from the boats onto the trailers, and there were people shouting and cows mooing, making for a lively scene.

It turned out that after the Sava River region was settled, the exchanges between the two regions increased, and the people in the Sava River region were very interested in the daily necessities provided by the Kupa River. However, due to road construction, the tribe was forced to pay attention to water transportation, so a dock was built here and a transport team was stationed here... As a result, not only the goods shipped from Sradia were transferred here, but the materials transported from Ophidilla to Todlido were also piled up here. This place has gradually become a material distribution center.

Selysis led the team and followed a transport team into the dense forest.

Due to the increase in exchanges between the Kupa River and the Sava River area, the tribe asked the Foreign Auxiliary People Management Department to select some foreign auxiliary people to cut down trees on both sides of the dense forest roads in January and February at the beginning of the year, widen the road surface, fill potholes, and compact the roadbed, which greatly improved the road conditions and laid the foundation for the future construction of highways.

The repaired forest road was indeed much easier to walk on, but over time, with carts loaded with goods traveling on it, the dirt road could not bear the heavy load and became bumpy again.

Fortunately, Celiss followed them. He led the captives to help and pushed the cart out of the mud...

The prisoners who had learned from Celisses yesterday that good changes had indeed taken place in their hometown were very enthusiastic, which made the leader of the transport team very grateful. He insisted on allowing the prisoners with leg disabilities who had difficulty walking to sit on the pack carts.

With the help of both sides, the progress was naturally not slow, and they arrived at Linkou Village in the afternoon. It had not changed much, except that the tribe renamed it Linkou Checkpoint.

The camp not far from it has undergone a lot of changes. Not only has the Nix Hotel been renovated, but a market has also been set up inside to facilitate the people in the nearby villages far from Ophidilla City to buy the goods they need nearby. Listening to the hustle and bustle coming from the camp, you can imagine the bustle in the market.

However, considering that his compatriots were eager to return home, Celissius did not plan to stay in this camp for long, and continued to travel east with the captives. The transport team only sent one-third of the carts to the camp, because the market in Ophidiliya also urgently needed more goods.

The captives set foot on the Sava River Plain, where the air was exceptionally fresh, the river breeze was very gentle, and the wheat fields were constantly undulating and making rustling sounds, as if smiling and saying to them, "Welcome home..."

Many people's eyes suddenly turned red, and some people couldn't help shouting loudly.

Selisis immediately reminded them loudly: Don't forget what they promised him last night, don't alarm the people here, don't leave the team, and don't violate discipline at the last moment, causing yourself to be punished and be taken back to the banks of the Kupa River, unable to reunite with your family...

Under the warning of Celisses, the captives tried their best to suppress the excitement in their hearts, but they could not stop their greedy gazes at every villager patrolling the wheat fields.

But soon, they began to panic, because groups of Nix people appeared in the fields, holding shields, carrying short swords and carrying armor. They walked out of various villages and headed towards the road where the captives were...

The prisoners were nervous because of the shadow of the disastrous defeat that year.

"Uncle Seresis, are they...going to have military training?" Seresis' voice trembled a little. When he was building the road along the Kupa River, he saw with his own eyes that the young tribesmen in those towns were called together during the slack season to undergo several days of military training.

"Don't worry, they are going to Ophidiliya!" Celis said loudly to the captives: "Some time ago, the Yapods invaded our northern territory. This should be the tribe's military mobilization to form an army to drive the Yapods out!"

"The Yapods are here again!" someone exclaimed. He still remembered the invasion of the Yapods a few years ago.

Some people were nonchalant: "What are you afraid of? Andres was able to lead us to defeat the Yapods back then. The Nix army, which is stronger than ours, can naturally defeat the Yapods more easily!"

These words made the captives feel relieved, but soon someone said: "But I heard that the territory in the north has not been occupied by the Nix tribe, and our original tribes are still living there. If the Nix army goes north to fight the Yabod people, wouldn't it also invade the territories of those northern tribes! -"

“Hahaha…” The leader of the transport team that was heading to Ophidilla with Selisis’ team couldn’t help but burst into laughter. “We, Nix and Segestica, are enemies. We have occupied this large area of ​​land, so it’s only natural to send troops to occupy the territory in the north. In fact, the leader should have done this a long time ago, and it would also save the people of Segestica in the north from suffering.”

"Two days ago, the village of Chief Iliges was breached by the Apods (the leaders of the Segestica tribe in the north are headed by Iliges, who is the backbone of the defense against the Apods), and I heard that many people died." Selixis said loudly, "Now many tribesmen have fled here from the north, and the tribe has taken them in. They also petitioned the tribe, hoping that they can send troops to rescue their compatriots... Now the tribe is conducting military mobilization, which is also a response to their request.

Captain Xibarita is right (captain of the transport team). If the tribesmen in the north had joined us when the tribe occupied this place, they would not have suffered today and would have lived a peaceful life like us. "

Selisis showed a look of regret. He had been working in the Foreign Auxiliary Civilian Management Department of the West Village for the past few months and was able to obtain information that ordinary tribesmen could not get. What he said was all true. However, he also understood that the petition of the tribesmen fleeing to the north was not the main reason why the tribe sent troops at this time. However, in order to prevent these captives from harboring resentment towards the tribe and to lead an honest life after returning home, he tried his best to speak well of the Nix tribe.

The captives thought of their own experiences and fell silent.

In the evening, Selesis's troops and transport team finally arrived at the western fortress of Ophidillia. After strict inspection by the city guards, they were allowed to enter.

Because it was early summer, although it was already evening, the sky was still relatively bright. Many wealthy foreign citizens were still strolling around the village after dinner, chatting and joking with relaxed expressions. The patrol team responsible for maintaining public order did not interfere at all. This scene was very different from the situation half a year ago when foreign auxiliary citizens had to stay in the residential courtyard after returning from work, making the entire West Village deserted at dusk.

As soon as these foreign subjects saw Celis, they all came forward to greet him.

Selesis already had some reputation in the Segestica tribe. In the past six months, he has led many teams in the Foreign Auxiliary Affairs Bureau, enlightened many foreign auxiliary people, and helped solve the difficulties of some compatriots. Therefore, many foreign auxiliary people trust him and are willing to work under him.

But at this time, Selesis had no mood to talk to them. He hurriedly brought the captives to the headquarters of the Foreign Auxiliary Civilian Administration, found the colleague on duty, handed over the documents, and asked him to check the captives. Then the colleague deleted the names of these captives from the list (after they were brought back from the Ardei tribe, they had not yet officially joined the tribe, so they were under the jurisdiction of the Foreign Auxiliary Civilian Administration), and issued certification documents and stamped them.

Seeing Selysis taking the documents and walking out in a hurry, his colleague couldn't help but say, "Selysis, you don't have to be so anxious. I'm afraid the Ministry of Agriculture is closed at this time. You should take them to rest first. It won't be too late to take them to the Ministry of Agriculture tomorrow."

"I have to go and take a look first." Celisis replied, "I just want to send them all home as soon as possible, so that they will be happy and I can rest assured sooner."

"You are such a worrier." The colleague sighed, "Okay, take them there quickly. I'll help you arrange food and lodging for them."

Celisis thanked him repeatedly and rushed to the East Camp with the captives.

At the bridgehead leading to Dongzhai, they were once again questioned by the guards guarding the bridge, but were finally allowed to pass.

Although it was the second time for the prisoners to step onto the wooden bridge, they stood on this longer and larger bridge and looked down. The familiar Sava River meandered past their feet, with endless waves rolling and making a low and powerful roar... This gave them a completely different shock.

After entering the East Village and rushing to the Ministry of Agriculture's compound, he found the gate wide open and the officials of the Ministry of Agriculture were still busy. Celisis breathed a sigh of relief.

Because the war was about to begin, several important departments of the Nix tribe began to operate day and night, and Selysis came at the right time.

Since he had been here many times, the official from the Ministry of Agriculture who was in charge of managing the prospective tribesmen was familiar with him. He did not shirk his responsibilities or complain. After checking the documents, he called his men together to quickly register each prisoner as a prospective tribesman. He also had to find the files of the prisoners' families and replace the heads of households... The whole process took time, and by the time everything was done, it was already dark.

During this period, Celis also made special explanations to the patrol team, and finally the patrol team "escorted" the prisoners back to their temporary residence in the West Village with torches.

The captives only had one last procedure left to return home - to take an oath in the temple.

Compared with last year, they no longer needed to rush to the mountains near Linkou Outpost, because a Danu Temple was also built in the East Village of Ophidili, which made things much more convenient.

(End of this chapter)