Rome Must Perish

The leader Jitias has already sent someone to the Segestica Main Camp to explain the situation to the elders, because their village has been occupied by the Nix people, and in the absence of the ability to reclaim it, they need the tribe to reallocate land and settle their families.

The person sent out has not yet returned, but Pulikas arrived, and upon learning the shocking news that "the Nix people invaded the territory and the main camp fell," these Segestica people were at a loss.

Pulikas, along with Ankasus and his followers, lived with these tribesmen, waiting for the tribal alliance to make a decision, while also starting his own plans.

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

The Stags team left and never returned. Immediately after, a small unit of Nix Soldiers would leave each day, reportedly heading to another village to meet up with the newly stationed Staggs Hundred-man Team.

By the third day, only Maientias and the 10 soldiers he led remained in the village.

In the two days following the departure of the main force led by the Stags, the village, from which hundreds of people were taken, did not seem more desolate; instead, it became slightly more lively.

This was because, without the presence of the stubborn Segestica compatriots, the village was now entirely inhabited by villagers who had joined the Nix Tribe. They considered themselves to be one with the Nix Soldiers, leading to increased activities within the village, expanded range of movement, and even visits to relatives in nearby villages. As long as they did not leave with large amounts of materials, the Nix Soldiers did not stop them.

Many people frequently visited Siris, asking him when the Nix Tribe would allocate land to everyone? When could they see their captured relatives and persuade them?...

Siris, of course, did not know the answers to these questions and so he represented them in consulting with Maientias, who was stationed in the main house.

Regarding land allocation, Maientias's response was that it would happen soon, just in the next few days.

As for "going to meet with relatives," Maientias stated that the tribe had already agreed to it, but it would still be some time before it was implemented, and he asked the villagers to patiently wait for news.

Overall, it was all good news, and the tribesmen felt excited.

On the morning of the fourth day, dozens of people arrived outside the village, including an old man, a dozen fully-armed Nix Soldiers, and some Scodisqi slaves wearing simple clothing.

What was meant to come, ultimately came!... Siris fixed his gaze on the Scodisqi slaves, took a deep breath, and followed Maientias to greet them.

Upon listening to Maientias's introduction, the leading old man smiled, scrutinized Siris, and said in fluent Illyrian Language, "Before I came here, the leader specifically mentioned you, saying that with your assistance, this is the village where the most Segestica people have joined our Nix Tribe so far and has remained relatively stable without any conflicts or disputes.

Next, I hope to gain more of your help to ensure that everyone in the village accepts their new life and lives better than before!"

The Nix Tribe Chief knows my name too?!... Siris felt extremely excited, thinking that his previous efforts had not been in vain, yet he did not lose his reason and responded seriously: "Pro...village chief, welcome to this place! As the temporary steward of this village, I will do my utmost to assist you! But you should know...it is almost impossible for us Segestica people and the Scodisqi people to live amicably like tribesmen in the same village!"

"Yes, it is indeed difficult, but it is an order from the Tribal Political Affairs Hall, and we must do everything we can to fulfill it. And precisely because it is difficult, being able to do it well will better demonstrate our abilities, right?" Pro responded gently.

"You are right." Siris was moved.

"Next, could you please inform everyone in the village to gather in the square? I would like to meet with everyone and have a good talk with them."

"No problem, I'll do it right away."

About half an hour later, everyone in the village gathered in the square outside the main house. Due to Siris's prior warning, and because among the Starks's hundred soldiers there were some Scodisqi new soldiers, both sides had had some interactions, therefore there were no extreme actions when they saw these Scodisqi slaves in the square.

Moreover, the Scodisqi slaves who came here had already been repeatedly warned beforehand, so they did not show any obvious hostility either.

Both sides just gathered separately, far apart, making the distinction clear.

"Uh... Hello everyone!" The old Pro standing on a haystack shouted loudly, attracting the attention of both parties who were on guard against each other.

"My name is Pro, appointed by the tribe as the village chief of your village! Some may ask, what is a village chief? According to the tribal decree, it's the person who manages this village.

Do not confuse the village chief with the previous leader of this village. From my understanding, a village chief is to ensure the overall safety and stability of the village, provide help to you within the village, and make everyone live better!"

It must be said, in the past year, Pro's tireless instruction to the tribesmen on how to farm has greatly honed his speaking skills, and even his Illyrian Language has become fluent.

"Just now, you all noticed that from now on, this village will not only be inhabited by Pannonians but also by the Scodisqi people. There was hatred between the two of you in the past, but that was then. Now you have all joined the Nix Tribe and will all be Nix tribesmen in the future!"

Pro emphasized his words with a deep voice, saying, "I believe you are all aware of the Twenty Peerage System implemented by the tribe. Not to mention advancing in peerage later, but now, if you want to be converted into Official Tribe Members within three years, you must behave well, comply with tribal decrees, and refrain from provoking other tribesmen, insulting, fighting, or causing disputes... committing these acts will result in tribal punishment, thereby extending the time it takes for you to become an official Nix tribesman!

After years pass, if you are still a Reserve Tribe Member while others in your village have become official Tribe Members, and some have even advanced to Second-class, First-class Tribesman, or even Knight due to their outstanding performance, enjoying far more benefits than you, you will regret it then! So everyone should start getting along peacefully from now on, not for the tribe or for me, but for yourselves!"

After the speech, the square fell silent; some people were indifferent, some were thoughtful.

"I noticed when I came into the village earlier that there were many wooden poles stuck in the fields outside the village. Thank you all for assisting the Agricultural Department in completing the measurement of the fields and for maintaining those markers on the fields after they left!"

Pro sincerely praised the entire village, but in fact, Siris played an important role in it. He remembered Stags's advice, and whenever he had time in the past two days, he would lead people around the village to ensure those poles in the fields remained.

"Let me tell you some good news!" Pro raised his voice another octave: "Tomorrow the tribe will send someone to formally allocate land to all of you!"

Once these words were spoken, the originally quiet square suddenly burst into excitement. One of the main reasons these people were willing to join the Nix Tribe was the land, and now that the Nix people were about to fulfill their previous promise so quickly, how could they not be delighted!

At this moment, regardless of whether they were Segestica people or Scodisqi people, they were all cheering excitedly.

Pro waited for the cheers to subside before loudly saying, "In the afternoon, I will inform everyone to gather by the fields at the east end of the village, and we will discuss together how to make the allocated lands more fertile, grow better wheat, and harvest more!"

After the mass gathering in the square, led by Siris, Pro began to allocate houses to the group that came with him.

The tribe that Siris belonged to was relatively large in the west bank region of the Sava River, with a population reaching nearly 1,500 households at its peak. Later, during Andres's war against the Aldeans, some young tribesmen from the tribe responded to the call and joined the newly established tribe by the Kupa River, and later the tribe's people were recruited several times to participate in the war against the Nix people. They were either captured or killed, and not many managed to escape back. Combined with the tribesmen who fled a few days ago and those who refused to join the Nix Tribe and become Foreign Auxiliary and were forced to move to the main camp, there were over 300 empty houses in this village, allowing Pro to choose and allocate them at ease.

He did not house the dozens of Scodisqi people all in the same area but scattered them around, intermixing with the dwellings of the Segestica people.

The most ordinary houses were allocated to the Scodisqi slaves who had just become Nix Reserve Tribe Members, while better houses, at least with a courtyard, were allocated to the new soldiers of the Nix.

Most of these new soldiers were strenuous Scodisqi who joined the Nix Tribe last year, with only two being Segestica people, one of whom had been previously tasked with persuading the people to join the Nix Tribe in this village, named Nikocus.

Actually, there is nothing surprising about this, because among the batch of people relocating to this village, quite a few came from the Staggs Hundred-man Team, including new soldiers and veterans, among them the centurion Casaridaoa, whom Siris knew well.

From Casaridaoa, Siris learned that this time Stags led his team to station in a village not far from Jingkou Village, but after tomorrow, his hundred-man team would be stationed in the southeast's tribe to continue to undertake the same mission. However, where exactly Stags himself would settle has not yet received an order from the Political Affairs Hall.