"How is the situation?" Maximus asked urgently.

"Lord Quintus's fever has completely subsided. He just needs to rest well for two more days, and he should be fine," the doctor replied.

"That's great!" Maximus breathed a sigh of relief, smiling as he lifted the tent flap. He immediately saw Quintus hunched over, pacing slowly within the tent. Maximus quickly stepped inside and gently advised, "Quintus, you've just recovered; it's best to continue resting until your strength fully returns before getting up."

"Leader, I know my body; it's fine," Quintus stubbornly waved his hand. "I've been lying down for almost two full days. If I don't move around, my body will stiffen. By the way, Leader, your return at this moment—does it mean Sinbaisbed has been taken?"

Though Maximus knew Quintus was changing the topic, he still nodded and said, "Yes, Sinbaisbed has already been seized by us. All the civilians inside the camp have been captured, and we suffered no losses. It was a perfect victory!"

"It seems that Giant's Fury played a critical role in this battle. Unfortunately, I didn't get to witness its majesty in action," Quintus said, showing a look of longing. "So, I can't miss the upcoming battles."

Maximus understood that this was Quintus's roundabout way of expressing his intent to continue advising with the army and not return to Ophelia for recuperation.

Previously, when the army reached Gonami Lake, Quintus caught a chill and fell gravely ill with a high fever. Maximus had prepared to send him back to Ophelia Hospital for treatment, but Quintus had obstinately refused. This time, Maximus decided not to push the matter further.

He said, "The plan is progressing smoothly. Next, we will stay here for a short period. Once Sinbaisbed is fully under our control, the army will continue southward to seize the riverside camps that were built over the past few years…"

"The recent autumn harvest means we can procure plenty of grain and supplies from Brochi's settlements. With the use of boats for transport, consumption will also be minimal. This time, we won't need to worry about food supplies at all," Quintus nodded in agreement. "We can proceed steadily, securing each location we conquer. This ensures our rear remains secure.

More importantly, it will show the Great Chief of Brochi that his defensive plan against us is entirely ineffective. This will give him ample time to seek reinforcements from other Pannonian Tribes.

When our army finally presses toward the Brochi Main Camp, we might even face the Panoni Alliance Army in a grand battle. Once we achieve victory there, regardless of whether we turn east toward Maziyi or south toward Andizeti, our path forward will become much smoother."

"Let's hope the battle unfolds as you predict, Quintus."

"Once this battle ends, it will only be a matter of time before the entire Pannonia is fully absorbed by us. The next enemies we face won't be the Boyi people—it will be the Dacians…"

As Quintus spoke, he returned to the bedside, sat down, and pressed his numb legs with his hands. He sighed with a sense of melancholy, "I'm old now. My body is failing me. This will be my last expedition with you, Leader. I fear I won't live to see the day when our Nix tribe defeats the Boyi and the Dacians to become the true masters of this vast Great River Plain!"

Maximus wanted to offer words of comfort, but after opening his mouth, he swallowed them back. At nearly sixty years old, Quintus's health had indeed been declining rapidly these past years. Before this campaign, Maximus hadn't intended to let him join the army, but Quintus had been insistent, so Maximus had reluctantly agreed. The fact that just exposure to the wind had caused him to fall gravely ill was proof that his body could no longer endure such hardships.

Minujus, who had treated Quintus numerous times, privately told Maximus his diagnosis: Quintus's years of grief and rage over the loss of his son and daughter-in-law had severely drained his vitality, accelerating the deterioration of his body. If it hadn't been for the comfortable living conditions and ample medical care in recent years, his health might have failed him long ago.

In contrast, Flanitnus, who was of a similar age and had endured many years as a slave, was still remarkably robust, as vigorous as a man in his middle years.

After a moment of silence, Maximus spoke, "Once this war concludes, Sinbaisbed will become an important town for our Nix Tribe in this region. I plan to appoint Valles as Sinbaisbed's administrative chief."

Quintus was taken aback with both surprise and delight, hesitating as he said, "Leader, Valles is still young. Currently, he's just the Chief Officer of the Religious Management Department and has never managed a town. A promotion of this magnitude will surely spark opposition among the other officials…"

Why would Quintus say this was a promotion beyond the usual ranks?

Because the Religious Management Department operates independently of all other departments, reporting directly to Maximus, just like the Intelligence Department, the Attendants Department, and the Archives Department. When Maximus established the official hierarchies for the Nix Tribe, he had designated the Religious Management Department at a lower rank due to its small staff and relatively light workload. Additionally, out of a desire to avoid favoritism, he assigned the department's Chief Officer to a secondary grade, while town administrative chiefs needed to hold at least a fourth grade (the Chief of Ophelia was ranked fifth grade). Thus, Valles's promotion would mean jumping two full ranks.

"Promotions beyond the usual ranks aren't uncommon in our Nix Tribe. Xie Pangbo went from managing a mere marketplace to becoming the Administrative Chief of Snowdonia in no time; and Magus, who came from the same youth cohort as Valles and is around the same age, has served as Deputy Officer in the Finance Department for years… No one raised objections in their cases," Maximus argued earnestly. "Youth is not something to fear—what matters is ability! You must realize that our tribe has now established four Danu Temples, dozens of altars, over a hundred priests, and thousands of supporting personnel, including a Danu Goddess School… All of this falls under the Religious Management Department's jurisdiction.

Our tribesmen come from various regions, each with their own beliefs. Yet under the Religious Management Department's guidance, the faith in the Danu Goddess has taken root in our tribe within just a few years. Eighty percent of our tribesmen devoutly follow it, and the influence has even extended to friendly neighboring states. Throughout this entire process, there have been no religious disputes or transgressions by the priests. This is no small feat, and Valles, as Chief Officer, deserves much credit!

Such a capable individual in our tribe deserves greater authority to contribute even more to our cause!"

"Thank you, Leader!" Quintus rose once again and respectfully bowed to Maximus.

Those earlier remarks had merely been an expression of his worry for his grandson, but Maximus made it unequivocally clear—he was fully committed to nurturing Valles's rise. With the Leader's unwavering support, Quintus could finally put his mind at ease. It was only a matter of time before Valles became a department head and a significant official of the tribe.

..........................................

The Nix Army stayed in Sinbaisbed for five days. During this period, they stabilized internal order, pacified the captured Brochi warriors and civilians, and turned the settlement into a logistical base.

At the same time, craftsmen worked to repair the damaged catapults one by one.

Maximus then led the army further south, capturing several riverside camps along the way. Adhering to the strategy of "securing each location as it's conquered," the army slowly advanced until early December, when they approached the Brochi Main Camp.

The Brochi domain was roughly rectangular in shape, flanked by mountain ranges on its east and west sides, bordered by Gonami Lake to the north, and backed by Andizeti to the south. Running through its heart was the Sava River, flanked by fertile plains on either side.

The Brochi Main Camp was situated on the east bank of the Sava River, near its southern border. To the east, the terrain grew gentler. Every time the Pannonian Tribe Alliance convened, the Great Chiefs of Segestica, Brochi, and Andizeti—along with their attendants—would first pass through here before heading further east to the Maziyi Main Camp.

Not long after the Nix Army captured Sinbaisbed, Bricks received reports from spies that the settlement had fallen within a single day. Shocked, he realized that the defensive system he painstakingly constructed was no better than paper under the devastating assault of the Nix people's siege weapons. The defenses of the Main Camp weren't much stronger than Sinbaisbed's. Holding out at the camp would only lead to death.

Thus, Bricks urgently dispatched messengers to the other Pannonian Tribes, seeking their aid.

The Maziyi Great Chief, Maitilis, was the first to respond. Despite having suffered significant losses during the Battle of the Kolana River and further strains from aiding the eastern Pannonian tribes against the Boyi people, he understood the pressing danger. Given the proximity of his settlement to Brochi and their historical ties, he rallied five thousand warriors and personally led them toward the Brochi Main Camp.

The next tribe to respond favorably was Andizeti. Though they had never before participated in the Nix conflicts, Brochi had often supported them in their southern wars against Skodisqi remnants. If Brochi were to fall, Andizeti would face a dire strategic predicament, being caught between the Nix and Skodisqi forces. Mobilizing most of their troops—over eight thousand warriors—they disregarded threats from the south and marched toward Brochi Main Camp.

In contrast, the three major tribes to the north were much less responsive. Already stretched thin by their struggles against the Boyi invaders, they lacked the capacity to send substantial aid to Brochi.

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