"Many citizens have to sail for eight months with full salary to learn and practice seafarer experience. ︾" - Pericles, the consul of the ancient Athens,

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In the battle between the mountain pass and the swamp, all the veterans Octavian relied on were killed. Avenus escaped by luck. Two thousand new recruits from Pansa's Forty-two Legion were killed. In addition to the losses of the other legions, only the sixth legion was still firm and unharmed. It can be said that Anthony completely defeated "Dear Child Tulinus".

Then, the 12th Legion abandoned the newly built camp and retreated from the mountain pass, met with the rest of Octavian's military forces, and closed the camp to hold on. Because they were afraid of affecting morale, Karenus ordered the withdrawal of troops at night. They did not even have time to restrain their bodies during the day, so they hurriedly brought the wounded and baggage. Fortunately, Anthony's casualties were also serious, and Karenus had resettled the guards' forces and the difficult swamp area, so they did not have enough room to pursue.

Octavian visited the seriously injured Avenus in private late at night. The other party was lying on the camp bed, covering his head with linen, covering his eyes, eyebrows and forehead, only revealing his nostrils and breathing hard, and blood was everywhere. Several medics and low-level priests were busy, as if they had a premonition in the dark. Avenus trembled and stretched out his hand and touched Octavian sitting by the couch, and then Octavian held his hand tightly.

"I was also promoted step by step by step by step by Caesar. I came from a civilian clan. I followed your adoptive father when he was very young. First, his campaign mobilized people. Then he followed him to the province to serve as a low-level bureaucrat. Until I became his military guardian in the Gaul area, I was stripped of my military post, but I didn't hate him, because without Caesar, there would be nothing about me. My true friends were not without quarrels, but they were not plotting and trauma, just like the one-eyed one-eyed one.

Like Cava, even if he was not killed by Pompei's army in Apheriga, he would die for Caesar without hesitation, no matter when and where. So under the advice of Libidaus, I will bring other people in the first moment you boarded the Italian land of Caesar." After saying that, Avenus' breathing under the candlelight began to become hard, and Octavian whispered to him not to speak so quickly, and to relieve his injuries first.

But Avenus shook his head with difficulty, his eyes could no longer see, "Young Caesar, my fatal injury is not on my head. I naturally know that after so many years of service - the enemy's sword blade pierced my legs, and I can only die with blood - no. It's not the enemy, they are our former companions, what made us kill each other in the mud? You should go and see after dawn tomorrow, that miserable battlefield, Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother. This is the Senate who is traumatizing all the Caesars. They are constantly instigating you and Anthony and Li Bida to kill each other. They are the most sinister in their hearts." After the words fell, Avenus's body became colder and colder, and the warmth of life was rapidly losing. He seemed to be afraid of having enough to say, and sent it over and pinched Octavian's arm tightly, "Promise me, promise me, Shao Caesar."

"Say, say..." Octavian choked.

"Unite the Caesars Party and avenge the dead dictator..." After saying that, Avenus suddenly let go and died of anger.

Everyone around him came over, while Octavian looked at his body, speechless for a long time, and could not sit still. Then he wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes, stood up and turned around, and said to Pansa, Hejius, Agripa, Mesenas, Karenus, Angandinus and others standing behind him, "Have you heard the last words of Avenus? Especially Pansa and Hejius, you are the consuls designated by the Senate. Now I decided to listen to Avenus and unite with all the former adoptive fathers.

, No, the entire Senate is revenge - Pansar and Hegius, I understand your duty. If you wish to tie me up and dedicate me to the Temple of Concord, please give me, or you two will take the Forty-Two and Forty-Three Legions back to Rome, I believe these two Legions are still willing to follow me, if the Sixth and Twelve Legions are not willing to follow me, then I will take the remaining entourage and my friends to fight Anthony, or persuade him, otherwise I would rather accept death."

Everyone was silent for a moment, and Panza continued, "What Avenus said is actually what we think in our hearts. Without Caesar, there would be no today. Our honor and official rank were identified by Caesar before our lifetime. We are not grateful to the Senate at all, and we do not owe anything. If necessary, I am willing to join forces with Hejus to elect you as the dictator."

Octavian nodded. He saw that everyone had maintained a high degree of consistency in dealing with the Senate, so he began to plan and say, "The dictator's recommendation should be slowed down for the time being. Anthony may not be willing to shake hands with me because of his previous victory. We must win allies. However, my guardians and four legions are still on the southern border of Italy at this moment, so I need more neighbors."

In the end, Octavian decided to contact Dihimos in Mutina City and tried every means to contact him, asking him to abandon his former personal grievances and fight with Anthony inside and outside. Then Octavian wrote a letter to surrounding vassal cities such as Liguria and Aquilia, and strongly invited local troops to fight: Itasos, the CEO of the city-state of Liguria, has two legions, and Aquilia, a fortress at the border with Dacia, can also come from three thousand Latin warriors.

Because Anthony's military strength was limited and he could only do a key defense, Octavian's messenger successfully sent the secret message to the city after several failures.

This action aroused Curio's alertness. He then found Anthony in the camp and suggested that he could use the Eighth Legion to guard the outer defense line of the city. The rest of the legions gathered together and attacked Mutina City. The faster the better: Dehimos and Octavian really joined forces, the situation was still unfavorable to me.

"What if I can't stand it if I can't stand it?" Anthony paced back and forth twice, then asked questions.

"In the previous battle, Octavian's guards were all destroyed, and even the bodies of those people were cleaned by us. The child's courage was already scared. As far as I know, Karenus and Angandinus were not very obedient, and Pansar and Hegius had always served as civilians beside Caesar before, so as long as the Eighth Legion remained in the camp and set up several cavalry ambush sites on the main road, Octavian would not dare to act rashly - Marco, see, since Octavian has reached the point of joining forces with Dihemoth, it can be seen that he is at the end of his life." Curio analyzed and cheered up.
Chapter completed!