The next day, just before dawn, the troops was urged to hurry.
no bid farewell to Ariaeus and rushed back to lead his troops. He curse the other leaders in his heart, as he rode his horse back to the tail of the “long dragon”. He believed that the reason why they put his troops to serve as the rearguard was because the other rcenary leaders hated his close relationship with the Persians and persecuted him.
At the sa ti, he noticed that the soldiers were tired and complaining. It turned out that because of the march last night, the rest ti was too short, but they also have to guard against the Persian's sneak attack, basically they just lied on the ground. Early in the morning, they had to hurry and leave, so the soldiers had soon gotten tired and hungry. However, the supply unit could not provide more food, which lowered the morale of the soldiers.
no thought to himself, the food situation in the other camps was already bad. His subordinates might be more miserable getting bullied these 2 days due to his absence! He was afraid that his soldiers will make trouble and hurriedly rushed until he saw many familiar faces before slowing down.
As a result, he was surprised to find that, unlike what he had imagined, his soldiers were in a good spirit and many of them were chewing a bunch of dark things hanging on their chest as they walked. Therefore, he curiously called an officer to inquire.
“It's called smoked sausage, it can fill your stomach and it won't spoil for a few days.” The officer pointed to the thing on his chest and said.
no cut a small piece and tasted it, although it was a bit dry, the taste wasn't bad. After he saw the soldiers of the other camps starving and his soldiers were able to eat enough, he beca delighted: “This…smoke…was the sausage made by rsis?”
“No. It's Davos – the ‘God's Favored’!”
“God's Favored?” no curiously asked about the situation in detail. After hearing the officer's words, his face turned gloomy and he imdiately noticed that so soldiers were carrying 2 more javelins.
“Where is this Davos?”
“The unit he was in was sent to defend the supply unit.” The officer obviously didn't notice his expression and asked with a little excitent: “Are you going to look for him?”
The officer's look dissuaded no: ‘Is it worth making a fuss about a local kid from a small village in Thessaly?’ It's totally inconsistent with his identity to hurriedly go looking for a soldier, especially now that the army is currently marching. If there is ti, he can make Davos go see himself later.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
From early morning to noon and then to the afternoon, the troops have been marching without rest.
Davos felt that his legs were filled with lead and every steps he takes is difficult and his throat is burning, the shields, spears and javelins were becoming burdenso. In the morning, he could still talk and laugh with his companions, now he felt that every ti he opened his mouth wasted his physical strength, but he gritted his teeth and insisted, since his companions are also marching in silence.
Finally, the troops stopped. But the information from the front made them nervous again, they found the Persian cavalry!
Soon another information ca again, it wasn't the cavalry, it was the Persian army's animals grazing.
The troops continued marching.
It was getting dark and after a short walk, Davos saw smoke rising in the distance.
Hielos told him: “That must be the Persian army camp.”
However, the rcenaries still continued to move forward, without the slightest shred of guarding and evading.
It was late and there is no moonlight. The soldiers relied on the torches to advance and it beca more difficult to march.
Finally, an order ca from the front, ‘Camp on the spot and rest.’
The terrain is flat and the trees were scarce, and it is impossible to order them to build a camp in the dark. At the sa ti, because there are Persian troops nearby and they are afraid of getting attacked. The soldiers started shouting at each of their friends' na and gathered together to find a way to camp. Likewise, the exhausted officers could not control the order and the entire rearguard beca a ss due to the shouting, like a boiling pot making a huge noise. Many of the animals in the supply unit beca frightened and ran in panic, injuring many people. The screams made the troops beca more uneasy and at danger of collapsing any ti.
At the critical mont, Clearchus dispatched the only cavalry squad of the Greek rcenaries, each carrying torches and rushed to the rearguard, loudly announcing the order of Clearchus, demanding that the soldiers remain quiet, and at the sa ti, ordered the supply unit to take care of the animals and to punish anyone that would release them. The troops gradually recovered their composure after they had captured several soldiers who were frightened.
Only then did no found the leader of the cavalry, Tormide, known as the “Best Emissary”.
“How did Clearchus commanded the troops' marching! There is almost an uproar that happened in the camp! I've just been away for a day and things got worst! He isn't fit to command the whole army at all!…” no took this opportunity to discredit Clearchus.
Tormide didn't utter a word.
“Where is he now?”
Tormide hesitated a bit: “…at the vanguard.”
When no noticed his hesitation, he imdiately asked: “Is it the sa as us, without a camp?”
Tormide had to tell the truth: “The vanguard stayed in the village… no, this is now a special ti-“
no interrupted him with a sneer: “This is the so-called fair and just Clearchus?! He stayed in a warm house, while letting us sleep on the cold and wet ground!!” no couldn't help but shout even though he also knew that it was not appropriate to stimulate the soldiers at the mont.
Fortunately, the soldiers around him were already exhausted after the previous uproar. After a swearing, they fell asleep.
“no! no!…” At that mont, soone shouted.
It is rsis! no hurriedly brought him over: “How is the supply unit? Is there any loss?” The supply unit is the place he is concerned the most, because all his belongings were there, and only when he has money can he have soldiers.
“No!” rsis' fatty face showed a proud smile: “We ford a big circle with the supply cart and tied the animals to it, everyone slept inside and it's very safe!”
“Those animals aren't kicking a fuss and noisy?” Tormide asked curiously, since most of the supply unit he had seen before were in chaos.
“It was Davos who told to blindfold these animals, and they really beca obedient!” rsis said excitedly.
That Davos again! no frowned.
“no, this kid is very smart! If you just assign him to the supply unit, then I'll have a much easier ti.” rsis asked.
“We will discuss it later.” no said a few words. The supply unit is his foundation, rsis has a close relationship with him, and he is good at supervising and financial managent, and has no ambition, so he is assured in using him. Letting a stranger enter the supply unit and not just a stranger but a smart one, what if he finds out his secret?
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
The next morning, a ssenger woke up no and inford him that the king's envoy had co and the other rcenary leaders asked him to co over and discuss about it.
no mounted his horse and galloped to the main camp of the rcenary at the front. There wasn't a shadow of the Persian camp within his sight, it turned out that last night the Persians got frightened by the huge noise of the rcenaries, and they withdrew their camp 5 km overnight.
As soon as he arrived at the main camp of the rcenary, no saw a full 4 Hoplite units in front of the camp, waiting in formation. He doubtfully went inside and saw several leaders, such as Clearchus, Proxenus, Agias, Socrates1 (not the philosopher in Athens), and Sossis were waiting and all of them are fully ard.
When he saw Clearchus, no snorted and sarcastically said: “It seems that you had a good sleep last night, while my pitiful soldiers slept on the wet ground for the whole night!”
As a Spartan, Clearchus is straightforward and obstinate, he likewise dislike no and did not want to talk to him much.
Agias laughed and said: “Yo, when did no start to care about his soldiers?!”
Proxenus ca to diate: “no, listening to what Tormide said, that there was no trouble that happened in your camp last night. Amazing! You must impart us so of your experience.”
“Not only that! no's soldiers also made a kind of…sothing called smoked sausage. As a result, everyone was hungry and only his soldiers were able to fill their stomachs with this stuff!” Socrates sad to the others. His troops were in front of no's troops in the marching formation, so he had a better understanding of the situation.
“no, tell us all about your experienced.” no was a little complacent by the requests of Sossis and several other rcenary leaders, and he couldn't help but say: “Even if the environnt I was given was any more difficult, I could still figure out a way to solve it. So only knowing how to fight won't make you a good leader!”
“Well…let the envoy of the Persian king co in. Let's listen on what new proposal does the king have?” Clearchus interrupted no's bragging.
The leaders began to rouse their spirits and no shut his mouth helplessly.
1. Socrates of Achaea was a Greek rcenary general from Achaea who traveled to Persia to fight at the Battle of Cunaxa.
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