Chapter 33 No Rescue

◎By the time Melia and her group successfully found their base, the sun had already set in the evening.◎

Outside the city of Markasbon, heavy infantry were changing shifts under the scorching sun.

The hottest weather has passed, otherwise the siege that lasted for several days would have killed several unlucky people with the heat.

Beads of sweat dripped down his cheeks to the ground, evaporating instantly. Commander Maturi buried his head in the bucket and gulped down the water.

Although he didn't dare to complain openly, he was really fed up with his superiors' schemes: in order to trick Caesar into attacking the city under unfavorable circumstances, they quietly moved out the nobles' families and left a large number of poor people and slaves inside as bait!

His own wife and children hid in the mountains with his superior's wife, but none of his relatives escaped.

It was agreed before that after Caesar entered the city, everyone would surround him from all sides and use special magic props to deal with his abilities. In just two days, they would be able to capture Caesar by breaching the city walls, and the people inside would be safe.

However, they never expected that the Roman Legion was so powerful that they managed to occupy the city of Marcas. In turn, the Roman Legion used hostages and city defenses to resist and could not be conquered at all.

Oh, if we delay any longer, will the Romans resort to cannibalism?

"Commander, someone is approaching. It looks like a large caravan." The adjutant in charge of lookout reported loudly. Maturi wiped his face with his hand and raised his head tiredly.

The sun blurred my vision as a caravan slowly approached from the end of the road. Like all caravans, they placed their shields on the carriages, scimitars at their hips, and held their hands to their ears in a friendly gesture.

The carriages were richly decorated, covered in fireproof and arrow-proof leather. Each carriage had six or seven guards, a bit too many, though not too few if the cargo included spices, jewels, or gold.

This group of people is a little suspicious, but not overly suspicious.

Ever since the city of Markarth was surrounded, caravans of all sizes, refugees, and civilians visiting relatives were all housed near the base, and were not allowed to enter or leave freely to report news.

"Go and stop them... Wait, I'll go myself." Maturi suddenly changed his words because he saw a special sign: the sign of the temple.

Belief in gods was widespread in Rome, Greece, and Egypt. People in the temple were not allowed to do business on their own, but they could entrust agents to trade some scarce items.

Special bells hung outside the carriages. Such decorations were not conducive to marching, but they made it easier for merchants to reveal their identities. Maturi's doubts were further reduced, and he approached the convoy impatiently.

What kind of good stuff could it be? In the face of war, even the agents of the temple have to pay a little blood to show their respect to them!

Ding-ling-ling, ding-ling-ling~

"Hey, merchant over there, don't come any closer!"

The melodious bells jingled to a halt. The soldiers hidden in the carriages tightened their weapons. Elena pointed her hand downward, signaling them to remain calm.

The closer you are to success, the more you cannot take it lightly.

She looked at her lieutenant, Clauto, who quickly lifted the lid of the jar: inside was a slowly burning fire. Everyone covered their mouths and noses, and several soldiers carefully poured the fire onto the pile of grass where the potion was placed.

The safest way to use the potion was to put it in food, so that it would only affect the enemy. Unable to do that, they had to resort to ignition.

But - the ignited potion is more effective.

The officers outside were still yelling at the slaves, demanding they open the doors and inspect the cargo.

Elena put her ear to the carriage and counted down silently.

Is Melia doing well? If only she could light the forage now...

"Sir! Something seems wrong back there!"

There was a sudden commotion outside, and even through the wooden planks one could hear shouts of "Fire, fire!"

The slave dressed as a merchant suddenly remembered Elena's instructions. He smiled shyly and opened the carriage with force: "Sir, I told you that there are only food and statues of gods in here--"

Light purple mist surged out.

Maturi, sweating profusely, gazed at the distant fire: the flames lit up half the sky red, a clear sign that the garrison was in chaos. The nearby cities had been evacuated for this raid! Could they possibly borrow food from the Romans?!

If the military rations were burned, they would have to risk their lives to charge and then retreat!

Bah, bah, bah, bad luck, the general will definitely keep some distance and call on Caesar to come out and fight to the death.

Damn it, even if Caesar was crazy enough to come out, which team would be willing to fight him head-on?! Never mind, never mind, first give the order, have the soldiers control the city gates and don't add to the chaos by letting Caesar out.

"Notify them quickly..." He had just said half of the order when the words suddenly slipped out of his mouth.

Maturi, like the other soldiers nearby, stood in the purple mist in a daze.

Ding-a-ling, ding-a-ling.

The temple bells rang slowly, and a blond human figure emerged from the flames.

The helmet and armbands belonging to the gods make everything clear—

"Athena--" Maturi called out to the pagan god with emotion, a line of blood spurted from his neck, and he fell into the sand.

Elena sheathed her knife and shouted, "Don't fight any longer! Follow me once you're done!"

The war slaves were busy eliminating the nearest enemies. These enemies might have been brave soldiers, but under the effect of the potion, they were all dizzy and unable to resist.

They didn't need to chase people in the distance. The most urgent thing now was to open the city gate and meet up with Caesar.

"Raise your shields! Raise your shields!" The deputy commander at the door witnessed the commotion not far away and hurriedly rode his horse from the left side of the square to the right side: "Don't panic, everyone raise your shields—"

Heavy wooden shields were held high, the veins beneath their muscles throbbing. These skilled guards had just been relieved and were at their peak. Even if the fatigue of continuous garrisoning had yet to wear off, they were still well-rested.

Until the heat of the flames came... The war slaves pushed the burning vehicles, and the purple mist with light and heat approached quickly.

Boom boom boom

"Hold on!"

Boom boom boom

"Hold on—"

The adjutant's roar disappeared in the thick smoke, and the iron sheet on the edge of the wooden shield burned people's palms and caused blisters.

There were many elite soldiers in the phalanx who could endure the burning, but the potion took effect the moment they were inhaled. The murderous aura on the battlefield seemed to be tangible, and layers of shadows emerged from the purple smoke, converging into human-like figures.

"Ah, ghost! It's a ghost!" There was a clicking sound inside the square formation, and a gap opened up in an instant.

Smoke poured in through the gap, and real pain came from my neck.

Puff—blood splattered in large flakes, mixed with the burnt stench of flames and smeared on the city gate.

The masked soldier gradually felt tired, and his knife-holding hand was shaking.

Why are they here? What are they doing?

“Push the door for me!!”

Elena was almost unconscious. Although her helmet blocked most of the potion, she still forgot her other purposes and only had the obsession to push the door open.

"Open the door!"

Fortunately, the massive city gate of Markasbon was so conspicuous that even if the name was forgotten, the soldiers could still see the outline of the gate in the illusion without the blessing of interpretation.

Maybe it was a wooden door, maybe it was an iron fence, maybe it was an old stone door, they chose to listen to the words in their ears and rammed hard -

Boom! Boom! Snap—

The stone shell cracked from the burning and collision of the flaming chariot, and after the iron lock fell, the wooden door inside was vulnerable.

What's more, there are people inside doing the same thing!

“The door is open!!”

Everyone cheered, and even some Persians lost consciousness and joined in the revelry.

I don’t know how long it took, maybe just a moment, and behind the door, a series of bright silver armors appeared.

The leader was wearing a brown-gray fur cloak, his short black hair flying in the wind, and his golden crown could not suppress the flickering fire in his eyes.

This hint of fighting spirit made Elena tremble all over, and she stepped back into reality from the edge of amnesia.

【Caesar.】

【Father. 】

She gripped the reins tightly and led the soldiers across the city wall to join the silver-white torrent.

But before that—click.

Elena swung her sword and cut off a cold arrow.

"Ouch." The archery girl stuck out her tongue. She was dressed like a nomad, holding a bow and about to disappear into the chaotic battlefield.

However, the opportunity to escape had passed. When the smoke cleared, Caesar's army suddenly pressed forward and dispersed all the scattered Persians who had arrived.

The helpless little assassin had no choice but to walk among the hostages who were driven to the door with an innocent look on his face, holding his head and slowly squatting down.

Elena glanced at her, memorized her flattering face, and then rushed to Caesar impatiently: "Father, I will lead the team to greet you!"

Caesar's black eyes swept over, as if with some appreciation. He raised the spear in his hand and said, "Very good. Take your people out of the way first. It's time to go home."

The soldiers behind him let out cheers of "Oh! Oh!" They clearly understood what was coming. Their frustration at being trapped inside the city by the Persians was about to be vented.

The autumn wind blew, and the Persians outside the door broke free from the state of magic potion. Even though the reinforcements were still putting out the fire, they resolutely took up their weapons and prepared to continue resisting.

However, the light gathered at the tip of Caesar's spear - and then bloomed.

…

Melia was riding a horse, she was more tired than the horse, relying on Ronnie and Taffy on both sides to help support her. Letting a cat bite a torch and set fire everywhere was really not a human thing to do.

"Hah... I wonder how Elena is doing."

She looked up at the city gate and suddenly opened her mouth wide: "W-What the hell?! There are cannons these days??"

Boom!

The thunderous "bombardment" swept across the earth, followed by the sound of footsteps running.

In the square, invisible to Melia, carnage swept across the ground like a rainstorm, then abruptly stopped amid the endless cries of the captives. Silver chains shattered the blockade, and Roman soldiers and slaves slowly merged into the river like tributaries.

By the time Melia and her group successfully found their base, the sun had already set in dusk.

The author has something to say:

Thanks to Qimingfei, Mubai, Liuzhuantuxu, 48253821, Shiqi, 9miao, Xu Linsen, Xuezhong, and Xiaolu Dingding for their support~