Chapter 1: The Palace on the Black Sea

Just as the tour guide was about to press the shutter, he furrowed his brow and noticed a young man in the group who always seemed out of place and noncompliant. The man appeared to be around twenty years old, approximately 1.75 meters tall, from East Asia, with black glasses and black hair, wearing a gray casual jacket. His hair was long yet tidy, and he sported a pair of black-framed glasses, resembling a typical university student. At that moment, the young man seemed oblivious to the tour guide's invitation for a group photo, standing alone in front of a cliff several dozen meters high, with his back to everyone, gazing up at the cliff with a contemplative expression.

After the two soldiers who accompanied Li Bida saluted the centurion, they eagerly joined the ranks of the plunderers. The centurion showed no greater interest in Li Bida's background; he pointed at Li Bida and his companions, then at the fat man on the ground, saying, "Those who speak Greek are all pitiful beings—either they are pig slaves, or effeminate, or mute eunuchs. Now you should thank me, Haibida; you can now empathize with each other and discuss philosophical topics!"

The Roman soldiers had been inside the palace for quite some time, while the slaves around the crossbow remained either seated or lying down. Not to mention running about, even the sound of coughing was absent, their calmness surprising Li Bida. Two soldiers finally emerged slowly from the gap in the wall and approached Li Bida and his group, asking loudly, "Among you, who can speak Greek?"

The two Romans across from Li Bida looked at him strangely, as if they found it odd that a slave like him would care about whether he was dressed or not. Then, the two exchanged nods, and one of them took off his cloak and draped it over Li Bida's shoulders. Afterward, he tilted his head slightly towards the wall, indicating "let me pass".

"Dear guest, please come for a group photo. After this, we will board the bus to rest at the hotel in the city." Although the tour guide was not pleased, he still approached politely and walked over to the man.

The tour guide shrugged, clapped his hands, and turned to the other tourists, saying: "Let us go to the bus to gather; perhaps Mr. Li will stay here for an additional five minutes to continue his conversation with that Mitra." The surrounding tourists chuckled awkwardly and began to leave the cliff.

Li Bida stepped over the countless dead bodies, crossed the gap, and arrived at the palace of Mithradates. This was a hidden grotto built against the mountains, concealed behind walls. The stone steps ascended in levels, flanked on both sides by exquisite halls, temples, and sculptures made of white marble. However, these structures, which symbolized the glory of the "King of the Black Sea," had now fallen victim to the brutal slaughter and plundering by the victors—the Romans.

At the foot of the cliff, Li Bida had completely vanished, not even a single hair left behind. For several miles around, there was no trace to be found, only a pile of clothes, trousers, and a wristwatch remained. The tour guide trembled as he reached into the heap of clothing, retrieving only a pair of glasses with a black frame. The shadows of dusk gradually enveloped the canyon, and the surroundings were filled with an indescribable eeriness

Haibulida stepped forward, kicked around, and found that most of the corpses had swollen faces, curled limbs, and were in bizarre postures. He then concluded: "All of them are the servants and attendants of the King of Bendu, all having died from poison, the most cowardly way to die for Easterners"

Li Bida felt a warmth that came from the depths of his heart—beneath the floor and within the walls, there must have been lead pipes carrying flowing hot water, giving the entire hall a constant temperature that was isolated from the outside world. Everywhere, there were vibrant flowers in full bloom, and as his bare feet touched the ground, he felt the warmth rising from below, soothing every vein in his body, an indescribable comfort

Indeed, if Libida is not mistaken, most of these Roman legionaries are clad in chainmail and wear bowl-shaped helmets with short flaps extending at the back, which is the standard attire of the late Republic. Their enemies should be the forces of Mithridates VI. It can be said that Libida has traversed to the moment of the "Mithridatic Wars" initiated in Asia Minor and has witnessed the fall of the palace of the King of Pontus, whether it be Giresun or Karabiga.

After tightly wrapping his cloak around himself, Li Bida could only hurriedly escape the gaze of the palace maid and continue walking forward. He understood what fate awaited this palace maid after being humiliated.

The Centurion refers to a majestic core palace atop a mountain, surrounded by a small moon city. The bronze city gates are concealed, exuding the majesty of a king, a majesty that even makes the Centurion hesitate. He both hopes that Mithridates VI is inside, so that he can achieve unparalleled merit, and fears that Mithridates VI is indeed within, for it is said that this king of Pontus stands over four cubits tall, his arrows hitting their mark every time, riding a divine steed akin to a tyrant dragon, impervious to harm from mortals.

At this point, the tour guide smiled mockingly at the man and asked, "Are you here for archaeology?"

When Li Bida woke up, he first realized that he was completely naked

A few days later, Li Bida became one of the more than 5,000 travelers who go missing each year in Asia Minor

Subsequently, Li Bida outside the wall witnessed the screams and flames rising into the sky from behind the wall, and he roughly understood what the Roman soldiers who had entered were doing

Oh, everyone pay attention, this is the legendary relief of Alexander. The expressive tour guide then began to explain with animated gestures.

The man exhaled, paused for a moment, and then spoke slowly and deliberately: "It is the 1st century BC, the despotic ruler of the Black Sea, a formidable rival of the Roman Republic, who claims to be a descendant of Darius the Great, the leader of the Kingdom of Pontus, Mithridates VI!"

With the centurion's command, the crossbow launched with a dull "gda gda" sound, and stone projectiles flew out in succession, creating splashes of blood and lime on the city wall—after all, the crossbow was equipped with a sight, ensuring a high degree of accuracy. Soon, the battlements of the wall were destroyed, leaving the defending soldiers with no place to take cover, and the wall itself began to tremble precariously.

Before Li Bida could curl up his bare body in an attempt to find two pieces of clothing from the corpse to cover himself, shadows flickered in the firelight. A group of soldiers, clad in armor and stained with blood, emerged. The leader wore a bronze helmet adorned with a mane-like decoration on top, and his upper body was covered by a bell-shaped leather breastplate, featuring two silver ornaments resembling the head of an enraged bull, typical of a Roman centurion's attire.

Opposite the courtyard stood a smaller bronze door, where Haibulida exchanged cheerful glances and smiles with several centurions, before roughly dragging two slaves and walking directly across the sandy ground.

Only Li Bida remained, wandering in place. The evening breeze gently arrived, and the light of the setting sun gradually filled the valley. The incomplete column bases and reliefs were coated in gold, and the air was filled with a cool scent. At this moment, Li Bida suddenly noticed the giant sculpture of Mithras, holding the sun god's scepter, the sun symbol at its top seemingly not carved from ordinary stone, reflecting the sunset and emitting an extremely dazzling light. The light converged into a radiant beam, making it impossible for Li Bida to open his eyes. Soon, this light enveloped him, and before he could be surprised, his body transformed into billions of particles, scattering without a trace.

The travelers and the bookish guests found themselves at a standstill before the excited man. Even these domestic tourists had their knowledge limited to a few names like Alexander the Great and Cyrus. Who was Mithridates? Their interest quickly waned, and one plump woman raised her hand and asked the tour guide, "Is it possible to descend the mountain and have a meal at the hotel?"

But he had no time for shame, for what he discovered next were the countless dead bodies surrounding him. He was horrified and could also hear the loud and piercing sounds of horns and trumpets, as if tens of thousands of people were shouting from all directions

Li Bida and that effeminate man took turns translating the words of the chief eunuch for the centurion to hear

Li Bida stared in astonishment at the scene before him, as the counterattacking defenders surged like waves, for they understood that beyond this broken wall lay nothing; this was the final line of defense. However, the Roman soldiers, though appearing to be in a loose formation, were as solid as rocks. They skillfully wielded their short swords and shields, leaving no room for error. After approximately twenty minutes of close combat, the counterattack was easily crushed. With a resounding clash of shields, the Roman forces, unstoppable, surged over the bodies of the dying enemies and poured through the broken wall.

Out of curiosity, other tourists also gathered in front of this cliff, whose cross-section is actually a giant statue, a sight that is extremely common in Asia Minor. As the famous Turkish poet said, "This region resembles the head of a beautiful mare, galloping from distant Asia, plunging into the azure Mediterranean." If it were to be compared to a hand, the wrist would be the towering peaks of Eastern Anatolia, the inward-curving thumb would represent the Taurus Mountains, the palm would be the undulating plateau and salt lakes, and as one moves westward, the terrain becomes increasingly flat, densely populated with market towns. Ultimately, each finger symbolizes the various rivers gently extending into the Aegean Sea. The head of Asia, the belly of Europe, countless people and empires have left their footprints here: Hittite chariots, Lydian kings, Greek philosophers, Persian emperors, Roman eagle standards, Byzantine monks, and Turkish herdsmen. As Sir Hamilton of the Royal Geological Society of England claimed in the mid-19th century, "In Anatolia, even the smallest piece of land bears the presence of ancient relics."

With a thud, the centurion tossed aside his staff, then stood upright, took a deep breath, grasped Baloud's hair with one hand, and swiftly drew his short sword, plunging it into Baloud's throat with ease, then pulled it out just as effortlessly. The fat man let out a couple of grunts, and his thick blood splattered all over Li Bida's face

"No, this is definitely not a relief of Alexander." The young man turned around to refute the tour guide, which left the latter extremely embarrassed. However, before the guide could respond, the young man adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose, wearing a proud expression, and spoke fluently in Turkish, "All existing statues of Alexander the Great depict him as a beardless young man, yet the owner of this sculpture has a full beard styled in braids, resembling a typical Indo-European. But his armor, including the weapons of the soldiers depicted in the relief, is a mix of Greek Corinthian and Persian styles—look at his scepter!"

Li Bida wiped the blood lingering at the edge of his nostrils and said, "I will speak, but esteemed official, please provide me with a garment to cover my body first"

"Official." A centurion pointed to the innermost part of the hall, and everyone's gaze was drawn to a giant mosaic mural on the wall. The image depicted one man and several women, the man's appearance resembling the sculpture that Li Bida had seen on the cliff, adorned with a headdress resembling scorpion claws, and hair and beard as dense as octopus tentacles. "Mitradates VI... The noblewomen in the painting must be his wives and concubines."

Li Bida anxiously wiped the blood from his face, but the centurion grabbed his arm and, as if discarding trash, hurled him forward. "Alright, the philosophical discussion is over. Now, I, Centurion Haibulida of the 3rd Company of the 6th Battalion of the 7th Legion, will take this filthy slave into the palace of the King of Bantu!"

Beside a beautifully Ionian-style colonnade, Li Bida witnessed a Roman soldier brutally assaulting a beautiful palace maid. The woman's upper garment was torn to shreds, her skirt completely lifted. One hand was propped against the column while the other hand shamefully covered her mouth, tears streaming down her face, her body half-bent, with her hips raised high, held firmly by the Roman soldier's hands, as he repeatedly thrust his "short sword" beneath her.

After a moment of silence, the naked Li Bida slowly raised his hand and stepped out of the line with another slave

"From even farther beyond West Asia, my lord," Li Bida replied

Flames are everywhere, flickering like tongues; by the poolside and on the steps lie the bodies of men and women, haphazardly strewn about. They are either priests, servants, or palace maids, now indistinguishable, having had their limbs and heads severed by Roman soldiers.

A gust of deep autumn wind blew in, causing Li Bida to tremble violently, unsure whether it was from the cold or from excitement

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It was the evening of October 18, 2013, in Giresun, a small town located on the northeastern border of Turkey, adjacent to the Black Sea. This place can be considered a minor tourist attraction, with its rolling hills and river valleys, a rugged coastline, and lush cherry and hazelnut trees. Compared to the highly renowned and sun-drenched Crimean Peninsula across the Black Sea, this area possesses a unique beauty of tranquil countryside.

The male university student ran his hand through his hair, displaying an unperturbed demeanor, and said: "I am a Chinese student from X University, named Li Bida, majoring in Linguistics"

They crossed over the corpses and passed through the corridor, arriving at a rectangular courtyard. The courtyard was covered with a thin layer of sand, featuring several exquisitely trimmed precious potted plants, surrounded by a colonnade. The courtyard cast a cold moonlight, which fell upon the branches, leaves, and stone pillars.

There, several unarmored Roman soldiers were assembling the transported timber with their hands and feet—Li Bida discovered that these pieces of wood were not just randomly cut logs, but rather precisely ordered components—soon the answer was revealed, as a double-bottomed crossbow stand quickly took shape, followed by the installation of the barrel, with the mane rope being wound layer upon layer.

He looked up, and the relief of Mithras on the cliff was still visible, but beside it was filled with colonnades, staircases, and various statues. Although the flames were roaring, he could still see that these were not the ruins of ancient relics from 2013, but were alive, just as those grotesque corpses were alive.

As the small bronze door swung open, the luxurious scene within the Mithradates' palace left everyone feeling dizzy. The walls were adorned with sandy yellow marble veneers, and the floor was covered with smooth, mirror-like slabs of milky white stone. In the center lay an indoor reservoir of rippling azure water, the reflected waves dancing upon the walls. The sound of the centurions' and decurions' military boots echoed clearly and desolately throughout the hall. They slowed their pace, and this silent majesty made them instinctively tread carefully.

"Sissy? Are you referring to me?" At this moment, Li Bida glanced at the other slave beside him and finally understood the centurion's implication: the other person had curly flaxen hair, an exceptionally slender figure, a pale complexion, and possessed a face that was appealing to both men and women, with particularly thick eyelashes framing a pair of large, captivating eyes

As Li Bida passed by, he saw the palace maid glancing sideways, her face filled with terror as she looked at the bodies of several female companions at her feet

Finally, the artillerymen installed the bronze spring tubes on both sides of the cannon and inserted a simple sight between the spring tubes. With the completion of the two crossbows, amidst the creaking sounds, the artillerymen turned the torque wheels, retracting the springs. The supervisor's whip came down again, "Hurry, load stones into the crossbows!"

The centurion took the spiked wooden stick and struck it towards the fat eunuch, posing a question: "The first question, at the very top, is that not the residence of the King of Ben?

Several tourists from various countries stood smiling in front of the ruins of a colonnade, preparing to capture some images to commemorate their journey

Dozens of slaves, including the dazed Li Bida, began to work hard, panting and toiling away.

As the guests surged forward, the tour guide glanced at the statue: a tall figure of a man, adorned with a crown resembling scorpion claws, clad in military attire, holding a bizarrely shaped scepter in his hand. Beneath his feet was a relief of soldiers, intentionally rendered in a smaller scale, some on horseback, others wielding spears and bows, all lined up and charging in the direction indicated by the man's scepter. The entire sculpture exudes a sense of royal majesty and oppressive authority

"Prepare the heavy javelins!" The centurion waved his short sword, and several Roman soldiers bound the heavy javelins with ropes and loaded them into the crossbow. With a few sounds of "gda gda," the javelins, dragging the ropes behind them, were firmly wedged into the city wall. Except for one line of soldiers, the rest rushed to the front of the crossbow, grasping the ropes. With a few shouts, a tremendous roar and clouds of smoke erupted, and astonishingly, the wall was pulled down!

Then Li Bida's gaze shifted downward, his heart jolting. Beneath the grand mosaic was an oval walnut wood desk, surrounded by five ivory armchairs. One, two, three, four—sitting motionless in the armchairs were four elegantly dressed noblewomen, their expressions strange...

In ancient times, if the princesses were all loyal, then a siege would indeed require ten years to complete

The centurion raised the whistle in front of his chest and blew it, causing the soldiers to form ranks again, holding their shields in layered advance. After a brief silence behind the city walls, the sound of horns emerged. Amidst the smoke and darkness, the defenders clad in Greek-style armor howled as they surged forth, clashing violently with the centurion's Roman troops on the rubble of the city wall.

During the process, the centurion led his soldiers to tightly secure the crossbow position. Their intended target was a twenty-meter-long wall situated between two cliffs. The defending troops behind the wall also realized the intentions of the Roman soldiers. Amidst the shouts, flaming arrows flew down rapidly. The centurion's soldiers knelt partially, raising their large shields to block the fire arrows outside the crossbow position

Next, he continued to speak rapidly: "Indeed, Giresun, the ancient Greeks referred to this place as Karabi, meaning the mountain range where cherry trees bloom. The Romans called it the City of Friends of the Gods, signifying that this area is filled with temples. King Mithridates of Pontus transformed this place into his palace, and the ground beneath our feet was originally a vast palace, hunting grounds, and encampments..."

It was evident that the centurion regarded him as a slave, yanking his hair and violently throwing him to the back of the line, as if discarding a pile of garbage. Whether from one's own side or the enemy's, a slave is merely a slave, always available to perform the tasks that slaves are meant to do. Li Bida, thus stripped bare, instinctively moved with the other "pigs" to a pile of stones and timber under the whip of the overseer, who pointed with his whip to the empty space below the cliff, indicating that the materials should be transported there, which was the purpose of the work.

Under the illumination of the torch, a group of people discovered that the corridor was filled with corpses. The floor, stairs, and windowsills were occupied by both men and women. The strange, foul odor of the dead bodies surged forth as the door was opened, causing Li Bida to vomit.

Five minutes later, the impatient tour guide grumbled as he walked to the edge of the cliff where Li Bida had just stood, then he was taken aback, his mouth agape in astonishment

Four centurions pushed open the heavy bronze doors of the Moon City with a hearty "hey yo, hey yo," and then placed their torches in the wall sconces on either side of the corridor. The foremost centurion instinctively raised his shield in front of him and muttered, "What the hell is going on here?"

"Who else is inside?" The centurion's second question came with a second "greeting".

The centurion stood in the small square where the temple and palace intersected, as soldiers piled up the plundered goods around him. A few decurions beside him were beating a richly dressed fat man with thorn-wrapped wooden sticks. The fat man, before Li Bida's arrival, could still wail and shout something, but after a while, he could only spit blood and exhale like a pile of rotten meat. Upon seeing Li Bida and another slave who spoke Greek approach, the centurion's first words were filled with surprise: "From what place do you come, pig-like slave?" It turned out that during the earlier chaos, he had not had the chance to clearly see Li Bida's East Asian features, and now he was naturally curious.

French poet Bonar

Then, his hair was grasped by the other party, causing his entire scalp to ache as if it were about to come off, forcing his body to stand up, disregarding the shame of being naked. Li Bida did not expect ancient soldiers to be so barbaric, but he could not protest, as the centurion held a gleaming Roman short sword in his other hand, ready to cut his throat at any moment. Fortunately, he understood and comprehended ancient Latin; the centurion commanded, "Pig slave, hurry and move the stones and wood!"

All the tourists were captivated by the man's words, involuntarily looking in the direction of his finger, which made the tour guide even more embarrassed. "At the top of this scepter is a sun, with an inscription—Mithras, Mithras, yes, it is the name of the Persian sun god. This is a scepter that only Mithras, the descendant of the gods, could possess. Therefore, the owner of this relief is—"

"The master has already departed on his horse," the corpulent eunuch spoke as if he were being pulled by an iron wire. "I am Balude, the chief eunuch by the master's side."

"Everyone strike a pose, I'm about to take a photo!" exclaimed a tour guide dressed in traditional attire, dancing around in front of the tripod-mounted camera.

It turns out that this fat man is a eunuch from the Mitradat Palace

Just as Li Bida was about to sit up and call for help from the centurion, he received a friendly punch to the bridge of his nose from the centurion, causing blood to splatter out.

"They are the two younger sisters of the master, two wives and concubines, and one daughter... Please don't hit me, stop hitting me..." Baloud cried out, holding his head, blood streaming down his wrinkled, plump face. "Moreover, you cannot enter this hall, for they have all died, in the most noble manner, ascending to the temple of the sun god... If you enter, it would be sacrilege... because you Romans bring your filthy slaves wherever you go."