Chapter 4: The Flame of Amisus

"Boti, the maid of the Karabi Palace, once was." The slave named Boti, with scars at the corners of her mouth, smiled as she replied to Li Bida

Listening to Li Bida's tense breathing, Boti laughed and then leaned close to his ear, asking, "Karabis, are you still a virgin?"

"A crawling slave, how dare they concern themselves with military affairs?" said Adiana, sitting under the elm tree, with a tone of mockery.

"I..." Li Bida was about to say something when blood suddenly clogged his throat. Boti actually used his fingers to wrap around his 'little slave' and then skillfully began to manipulate it...

"Officer, may I ask your rank and identity?" Adiana had risen at some point, posing the question to Uthreus. She sought to leverage Uthreus to establish a connection with the Roman commander, as the events of the evening had been sufficiently alarming to leave her shaken.

"How did I only manage to get four of them?" Haibulida finally resolved a long-standing mystery

After calling out twice, the "owl" slowly moved its hooves, causing the Habreida in the cart to sway slightly, yet she did not awaken. Li Bida furrowed his brow—the morning light over the wilderness outside Karabi City was unimpeded, making it nearly impossible to open one's eyes once it rose above the horizon. The bluish-gray light reflected off the countless soldiers' helmets was dense and pervasive, enveloping the entire area for dozens of miles. By Li Bida's ears, there were either footsteps or the sound of coughing.

The Lord your God has delivered this city into your hands; you must take up the sword and kill all the males in the city. The women, children, livestock, and all the possessions within the city shall become your plunder, to be completely at your disposal

"With a whoosh, the crossbow on the hill fired towards Amisus, and Porty's hand synchronized with the roar of the stone projectile, suddenly intensifying. Li Bida felt a thrill that made him retract his neck, stifling a near cry—because he feared the raging Haibulida still trapped in the cage.

In the rain, Li Bida held up a blanket and draped it over the cart of Haibulida; then he returned to the elm tree, where the rain continued to fall incessantly, dripping down through the dense leaves. The area around Demetrius on the stretcher had turned into a world of mud and dirty water. Li Bida kept wiping the rainwater off him with his hands, fearing that his wounds might become infected, for once inflammation set in, it would mean certain death in this era

Following behind Scipio were several selected centurions, who raised their staffs and banners, shouting as they closely followed the commander. Then, more and more cavalry from the legions emerged from the dense forest, most of whom were hired Gauls. They held short spears in one hand and round shields in the other, their bodies partially bare, shouting fervent slogans as they charged out one after another. The sound of hooves grew louder like thunder—these elite cavalry had been lying in ambush in the dense forest, and at this moment, they all surged forth, catching the enemy off guard.

Heibrida continued to curse incessantly, while Adiana also began to mutter curses softly. After a while, even the "owl" that had been resting under the elm tree snorted twice, twisted its rear, and swished its tail against the princess, leaving in annoyance, which made her both angry and irritated

"Commander, I once saved your life in the battle at Fort Talra. I implore you, you cannot deprive me of my right to participate in this battle"

Li Bida did not pay her any attention. After applying medicine to Demetrius, who was on the stretcher beside him, he picked up a rough blanket, wrapped it around himself, and prepared to lie down on the grass to sleep. At that moment, he saw Portia wearing a very thin linen garment, with her two exposed shoulders hugging each other, clearly very cold. It was no wonder, as Portia had given her blanket to Adiana.

Adriana's face was pale, half-sitting on the bench, pulling her cloak to cover her face, trembling all over

Utharais looked at her in surprise, then picked up the undergarments and outer garments left by Hebrida, and hurled them at the proudly standing Adiana's face, throwing down the words, "Take these to the cart immediately, slave!" before turning and leaving.

Heibrida slowly approached, his dark shadow first enveloping Adrianne. "The short sword" was raised high. "Can't you see? A drunken Roman citizen, a centurion of the legion, is about to rape a female slave. Is there a need for explanation? Look, my 'little citizen' is already furious, ready to charge into battle like a warrior!

When the low-ranking centurion saw Libidas nearby, he exclaimed, "What, are you also dissatisfied with such a hypocritical person? He, Lucullus, is the wealthiest man in Rome, yet he does not allow the soldiers to earn the one hundred or two hundred drachmas they deserve." Before Libidas could respond, Adiana, wrapped in a blanket, stepped forward and mocked the two, saying, "The commoners and slaves will dismiss the noble virtues of the aristocracy, which they cannot comprehend, as mere hypocrisy—he is Lucullus, right? He is a true Roman warrior, a worthy adversary."

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The Allied Corps and the garrison of Amisus have been intermittently engaged in combat for nearly half a month, with neither side truly exerting themselves. When the garrison observed that the Allied Corps had moved their camp back today, they were surprised to see many craftsmen leaving the city. Along the damaged city walls, which had been struck by crossbow fire, they began to erect a series of scaffolds to commence repairs.

Li Bida, as a camp slave, was in charge of directing the mules of the "Tent Squad" of Haibida—an individual nicknamed Owl—who was pulling the cart loaded with Haibida, also trudging along behind with a creaking sound.

After the command was announced, Utaeris had not yet departed, while the female slave sat on the ground, calmly gathering her hair and slowly putting her clothes back on. "Thank you, may I ask your name?" Li Bida said gratefully, suppressing the intense pain.

Thus, Li Bida nodded at Boti, took off the blanket, and signaled to give it to Boti. Unexpectedly, the female servant rolled over and burrowed beside Li Bida, wrapping both of them in the blanket. Li Bida felt the warm, soft flesh pressing against him, and his blood surged. Although he had only seen the fierce battle between Boti and Haibulida with one eye last night, he had not missed a single detail. Just thinking about it made his breathing become constricted.

Under the elm tree, Li Bida felt as if the gusts of wind stirred up by the cavalry's charge were about to lift his clothes. Beside him, Boti was also pale with fright, while Adiana, with her bright, sparkling eyes, was determined to get a good look at the Roman army

At the foot of the high slope lies the camp of the Roman Latin Alliance legion, consisting of approximately 5,000 men, primarily from Samonae and Massy. Initially, when Lucullus went to fight against Mithridates in Carabi, he stationed this auxiliary legion in Amisus to besiege the city.

After the sun set, the Romans achieved all their military objectives—one section of the city wall was captured by Scipio, catapults and ballistae were set up on the heights, the warehouses and docks at the cape were set ablaze, and the defenses of Amisus were under simultaneous assaults from multiple fronts, on the verge of collapse

"Sigh." Boti instinctively responded as she saw the irate princess still sitting in the mud, and after merely kissing her arm, she flew away like the wind

Subsequently, Li Bida's neck began to stretch and contract in rhythm with the firing of the crossbow.

"Seckdilis, my superior, I am the centurion of the 6th Brigade's 3rd Battalion, Haibulida!" Haibulida shouted with all his might

"Do not speak any further; conserve your strength," Li Bida comforted. He then noticed that Adiana was still sitting under the tree, while Porty held up a blanket as a makeshift tent over the head of the princess to protect her beautiful chestnut hair from the rain. At that moment, Li Bida couldn't help but feel a twinge of resentment—this was unimaginable in the mindset of slaves two thousand years ago. Yet just a few days prior, he had been a university student who enjoyed being serious and angry, even though his current status had undergone a slight change.

"This is the punishment from the commander to you, officer—he has placed you in the stocks, forcing you to watch the city fall while the spoils are not yours to claim." Li Bida conveyed the orders brought by Utaireis from the legion headquarters

Haibulida felt dazed, yet her anger seemed far from dissipated. She swung her hand and slapped the female servant, who quickly turned her face back, her eyes still filled with a seductive allure. The servant arched her curvaceous body proudly, extended her finger, and wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, smearing it onto Haibulida's "little citizen," moving back and forth with increasing speed

The timing of Lucarus's sudden attack was exceptionally well-chosen. The defending troops, having long engaged in small-scale skirmishes with the allied forces, had become desensitized. When Secdilius led the cavalry in a fierce charge, the defenders on the city walls were surprisingly absent from their posts at the crossbows and towers due to a change of shifts for meals.

Li Bida, with red eyes and heavy breaths, held up a blanket, forcing Adiana to come closer. Upon hearing Haibulida's words, she was filled with fear, resembling a noble yet pitiful Persian cat, staring with helpless eyes. "You, you, Karabis, may vent your lust on Porti, but you do not have the right to touch me, for I am a noblewoman of Cappadocia"

Haibrida continued to vent his frustrations, as if Lucullus could hear his discontent. "Why, why does this prosperous city, due to your foolish ideas, prevent the soldiers of the legion from partaking? A wealthy man like you, who possesses countless villas adorned with gardens and fountains around the city of Rome, certainly does not understand the soldiers' desires. You deserve it, bringing about your own downfall! Perhaps one day you will meet the same fate as your predecessor"

"I am a Galilean, I speak Greek, I can write, I can keep accounts—when I was in Ionia (the northwestern coast of Asia Minor), many wealthy Greeks hired me as a tutor at a high price of two thousand drachmas a year—I could have... if it weren't for that damned war, if those damned Romans hadn't come..." The Jewish slave seemed to be feverish, speaking incessantly, with his wet hair sticking messily to his forehead, and a terrible crimson hue appearing on his neck and cheeks

Lucius was in a good mood and did not directly respond to Sonagius's doubts. Instead, he smiled and asked the assembled generals if they knew what dream he had last night. Seeing that no one knew, he said that he dreamt of the goddess Diana holding arrows, who advised him: "At the moment of hunting the deer, why does the beast king sleep soundly"

At this moment, Utharis arrived with several attendants. The seasoned centurion was deeply disgusted by the chaotic and bloody scene before him, frowning in revulsion. The attendants then hoisted the naked Habryda and threw him into the cart outside the tent. "By order of the legion, from now on, the low-ranking centurion Habryda of the Third Cohort is to be subjected to indefinite confinement as punishment"

"The soothsayer said that if I can seize Amisus with the utmost speed, then the scales of the gods will tilt even more in favor of the Romans, and the coast of Bithynia will surrender in one fell swoop." After saying this, Lucullus smiled and gave a knowing glance to Scepsis, who understood and, after donning his helmet, saluted: "My lord, I will certainly take down the walls of Amisus by sunset"

Haibida turned her head, opened her mouth wide at "Karabia," and after a long pause said, "Perhaps that night, I should have taken you as my mistress"

When Lucullus led the main forces of the Seventh and Eleventh Legions to this location, the defending troops of Amisus were completely unaware.

The outcome was quickly revealed. Li Bida, being a man, possessed strength that surpassed the petite Adiana. With a push and a shove, Adiana fell into the muddy water, and the sounds of Haibulida cheering filled the air. "Haha, I told you, when it comes to the Greeks, whether men or women, there is no need for courtesy. Karabis, you should be right under the elm tree, in the rain, dealing with that little brat Karabia. How exciting! I, your master, will just watch this as a gladiatorial performance. Come on, I authorize you to take care of this little girl!"

Once again, with a sound of "whoosh," Boti smirked mischievously and forcefully flipped his hand.

"A surprise attack! A raid! This is an excellent opportunity to seize the walls of Amisus!" Hebrida exclaimed excitedly upon witnessing the scene. Then, Libida stepped forward, and Hebrida asked him, "Why am I still locked up here? I want to return to the regiment and prepare to receive the spoils from Amisus."

Li Bida was awakened by the hearty laughter of Haibulida. He opened his eyes, which were as bright as books, and walked to the edge of the railing, where he beheld a striking scene

"Shut up!" Li Bida's shout interrupted Adiana's words, and then he continued in a low voice, "Don't think you are still some noblewoman, princess. You are now down and out, mingling with slaves; it would be better for you to put away that pretentious attitude of yours." After saying this, Li Bida shook the water droplets from his hair like a beast, splattering Adiana all over, yet she surprisingly did not dare to say anything. Then Li Bida turned around and carefully wrapped the blanket around Demetrius, saying, "Porti, find him something to eat, and go get some firewood. I don't think this rain will last long."

The craftsmen conducting repairs in the city were either cut down or captured in the midst of a cavalry raid, with no time to even dismantle the scaffolding. After several clashes, Secundus directly led his subordinates to dismount and swiftly climbed up the scaffolding in dense formation

The loud and terrifying sound of the firelight also masked Li Bida's embarrassment, as Adriana's attention was drawn elsewhere. He bent over in a painful posture, slowly stood up while clutching his groin, and said, "I am going to change the bandages for the Jew (Demetrius)." He then hurriedly left the two troublesome women.

Er, a female slave suddenly rushed out from an unknown corner and knelt before Haibolida. She skillfully removed her outer garment, revealing a pair of voluptuous breasts resembling those of a wild hare, which obstructed Haibolida's legs. She tilted her head back; she was a young black-haired slave girl with a wheat-colored, sensual skin and wild, thick lips. "Centurion, why bother provoking a naive little kitten? She will not bring you the pleasure you seek; perhaps a consistently obedient and skilled bitch would suit you better."

The location of the Hybrida barricade is precisely situated in a dense forested highland outside the city of Amisus. He looked around and felt the familiar aura of hostility permeating the thicket. He could vaguely see the reflections of shield covers and spearheads, and he heard the sounds of many horses snorting—our legion is hidden in this dense forest?

In the glow of the flames, Commander Lucullus rode on his white horse, flanked by six attendants who held aloft the eagle standard and the fasces, continuously striking the ground. It seemed that Lucullus wanted all the soldiers to maintain silence, yet few soldiers complied. Many centurions and soldiers even began to argue and shove each other.

One of those being scolded, the Eastern Commander Lucullus, was sitting under the shade of trees on a hillside, with golden rays of the setting sun filtering through. He was reclining in a simple folding chair, stretching his legs and enjoying a skilled massage from two slave attendants, as he had accidentally twisted his foot while dismounting.

Amisus, a city situated in a bay at the mouth of the Dumnus River, is tightly protected on its landward side by its curved city walls. On the extending cape stands a green lighthouse, accompanied by neatly arranged docks, piers, and warehouses, all swarming with seabirds. The city is adorned with beautiful buildings featuring red-tiled roofs, their vibrant colors alone enough to make Roman soldiers salivate.

In the torrent, Adiana remained silent, walking behind Libida as if he were a slave clearing the way for her. Upon seeing Adiana, Boti immediately knelt down, clearly recognizing the identity of the princess, and kissed her ankle. Adiana leaned down slightly and spoke a few words intensely to Boti, then slapped him. Following this, Boti presented a blanket, which Adiana wrapped around herself.

Haibulida roared mournfully, lifting its neck with a sense of exhilaration

Upon seeing Adiana's appearance, Li Bida suddenly felt like laughing, even though it aggravated his wounds and caused him greater pain

At this moment, Haibulida resembled a ferocious beast, roaring in its cage, cursing at anyone and everyone

Li Bida experienced such wonderful hand stimulation for the first time, the indescribable feeling of pleasure was as if that "big firework" was launched from between his legs, an unexplainable sense of accomplishment

Additionally, the heavy infantry of the four battalions of the Seventh Legion followed the cavalry and divided into two groups at the foot of the city wall. One group seized a high ridge where a river flowed to the south of the city; the other group, discarding their shields and javelins, advanced lightly armed with only short swords, targeting the lighthouse at the cape

"I have heard that the women of Rome are unwilling to use this trick to bring pleasure to men," said the female slave, speaking half-hearted Latin with a unique charm. She then arched her ample hips, resembling a slender female dog, kneeling between the legs of Habryda, slowly ensnaring the centurion's 'little citizen' with her alluring, full lips. Subsequently, the 'little citizen' underwent an unprecedented 'brutal judgment,' enveloped in saliva and moisture, being sucked and thrust upon. The slave's hair, in sync with her oral skills, fiercely rubbed back and forth at the base of the centurion's thighs. Habryda howled like a wolf, then tightened the reins around the slave's neck with a whip—surprisingly, she rolled her eyes in excitement, looking at him with a gaze that ignited his overwhelming desire to conquer. Unable to endure any longer, Habryda forcefully threw her onto the rough ground, shouting "filthy whore, filthy whore!" while indulging in biting, kneading, and thrusting upon her flesh...

"Soldiers, Amisus, this ancient city blessed by the gods is struggling in flames. We must save its temples and its people. Soldiers, temporarily set aside your lanterns and torches, and restrain your thoughts of quick wealth. Like true Romans who show compassion for the weak, grant this city mercy and assistance!" Lucullus waved his arms, earnestly persuading his troops. However, the filthy and greedy veterans remained unmoved; they collectively struck their short swords against their shields, quickly drowning out the sound of the attendants beating the drums, expressing their dissatisfaction and contempt for the commander's orders.

When Haibulida slowly woke up in the cage cart, rubbing his eyes and just about to get up, he suddenly bumped his head hard in the narrow space, cursing involuntarily. Then he saw Li Bida, Boti, and other slaves sitting under a elm tree beside the cage cart, and it was already dusk around them. "Water," Haibulida commanded. Boti handed him a jug of clear water, and Haibulida drank it greedily. He casually pinched Boti's breast through the bars and turned to look outside, for he had heard the sound of the sea, and couldn't help but shout, "Heavens, Amisus"

Socrates shouted back, "Did I not reward you with twelve gold coins after that battle!"

"Cabius, what on earth are you doing!" Behind her, Adiana stood angrily beside the 'Owl', scolding the two sneaky individuals. This completely sealed Libida's fate; he could no longer hold on, and the 'thousands of galloping horses' all surged forth—just then, a fiery stone projectile perhaps struck a fuel depot somewhere within the city of Amisus, the tremendous explosion nearly causing the night clouds to fall.

"Ha ha, Lucas, the wrath of the soldiers, you rich man, just enjoy it!" Heibrida appeared completely gleeful.

In the early hours of dawn, as the sky began to brighten, the Seventh Legion and the remaining six battalions of the Eleventh Legion set out towards their designated target, the port city of Amisus on the Black Sea. All soldiers were required to march in armor, carrying shields and javelins, remaining in a state of readiness for battle. They advanced through the tall grass in the darkness, the entire army maintaining silence, hardly resembling a force of ten thousand.

The entire Amisus trembles in the flames, and the resistance within appears to have been utterly crushed. Soldiers from the Seventh Legion and the Eleventh Legion are densely lined up along the sloping forest and down to the flat ground beneath the city walls, their curses, protests, and threats rising like a massive wave

Under the blanket, Boti's hands were exceptionally skillful, like a butterfly flitting among flowers, like a needle weaving through threads, sometimes hurried, sometimes slow, sometimes fast, sometimes gentle, stimulating all of Li Bida's sensitive points until they reached the head of "Little Cabius." Li Bida felt an overwhelming tingling sensation throughout his body, a sourness rapidly fermenting within him, as if it were about to explode, a blissful explosion of ecstasy

"You should give the blanket to Demetrius; it might save his life!" Libida suddenly asked, startling not only Portia but also greatly surprising Adriana. However, she maintained her composure, merely casting a disdainful glance at Libida before continuing to uphold her unique noble demeanor.

"Is it too reckless to hastily employ cavalry to assault Amisus?" questioned the officer named Sonaijus—he did not believe that Lucullus would use a cavalry unit to attack a fortress with formidable walls, as this was clearly contrary to conventional military strategy

Demetrius was severely beaten, yet Libida and Porty did not abandon him; instead, they placed him on the back of the "Owl," much like a satchel. Libida's forehead was simply bandaged by Porty, half of his eye covered, resembling a cyclops, with a bundle tied around his neck containing a pouch of medicine

- The Book of Deuteronomy from the Old Testament

Suddenly, Adiana screamed, for Libida had walked directly in front of her and rudely yanked the blanket from her head to hand it over to Demetrius. "You despicable... how dare you..." In her panic, Adiana was unable to articulate a complete sentence; Libida's actions were truly beyond her expectations. She could only tremble with anger, tugging at the blanket against Libida. Meanwhile, Portia was so astonished that she covered her mouth, unsure of which side to support.

Socrates tilted his head slightly, looked at him, and then smiled, presumably indicating that he recognized Habreida

The following evening, a heavy rain fell just in time, finally extinguishing the great fire in the city and preventing the complete destruction of Amisus

At that moment, approximately thirty buglers emerged in formation from the dense forest, all clad in exaggerated wolfskin cloaks. Following them was Secundus, riding a horse, accompanied by several camp officers, including Utheris, as they halted about one hundred meters away from Habryda.

"No, you cannot do this..." Before Li Bida, who was blocking Haibulida, could finish his sentence, he was struck on the forehead by a whip casually picked up by the centurion. He painfully knelt halfway down, his brow almost splitting open, and the blood flowing down blurred his vision, leaving him surrounded by a stench and darkness.

"The city of Amisus will likely not hold out until tomorrow morning," Li Bida remarked with a sigh as he watched the fiery stone projectiles launched from the crossbow, tracing blazing arcs before landing within the city.

Li Bida was indifferent to the words of the two men, for he saw that Lucullus's efforts to stop the legion's plundering had evidently failed. All the soldiers, whether from the Seventh Legion or the Eleventh Legion, whether from the Roman legions or the Latin allied legions, let out excited howls, ignoring their commander's admonitions, brandishing torches and rushing into the blazing city of Amisus. Amisus had become the second Carthage; by the next day, it was still billowing thick smoke. The looters had completely lost their order and sense of decency; they not only failed to extinguish the fires but instead set more fires, cutting down any visible residents and plundering any shops. Even the bronze prows of the ships docked at the wharf were smashed off and taken as spoils.

The other party shrugged, indicating this regret, and suggested going to find the person in charge of military supplies. Then he drew a short sword—this served as a signal, and thirty buglers puffed up their cheeks and began to blow vigorously, the piercing sound of the bugle rising into the sky

"What did you say!" Adriana's tone became somewhat flustered, tinged with embarrassment and anger, as she stepped back, "What do you want to do?"

Then, Sokolidis pointed to the position of his ear and shook his head at Habryda, indicating that he could no longer hear what Habryda was saying. After that, he rode down the hillside on his black steed in a flash.

The furious Haibida gradually grew tired and squatted down in the cage cart. Then, as if suddenly recalling something, he nervously asked Li Bida whether anyone was left to guard the Karabi camp. Li Bida replied that the commander seemed to have left a few battalions of the 11th Legion there. Haibida's expression tensed up again, and soon he began to curse loudly once more

Finally, the bloodshot-eyed Li Bida saw the female slave cross her legs over Haibulida's buttocks, squeezing hard a few times, accompanied by several lascivious cries, causing the centurion to "drop his helmet and armor," collapsing in utter confusion, unable to move again

"Centurion, your vile thoughts have already ensnared you in crime; one day, you will receive the punishment that I am obliged to bestow upon you" Adiana did not relent in the slightest