Rome Must Perish

Although Enomai's ideas were somewhat naive, given the chaos caused by the uprising forces in the northern Vesuvius area, the neighboring Ania Avenue had become desolate. Encountering good fortunes like before was nearly impossible. Nevertheless, the issue he raised was indeed the most concerning for everyone: it had been a month since they fled Capua, and their ranks had swollen to nearly 5,000 people, yet those equipped with rudimentary weapons numbered fewer than 500 (namely, wielding wooden shields, short swords, or long spears).

During this time, everyone had tried numerous methods, but the weapon shortage dilemma remained unchanged.

After a brief silence, Spartacus said gravely, "Enomai's suggestion is still good; we can let Okmar send his men to try. However, our priority should be to start intensively training our brothers tomorrow to improve their combat skills as quickly as possible. That way, when the Roman Army arrives, we will be able to defeat them and seize their weapons and equipment. If they don't come soon, we shouldn't foolishly wait for Rome to gather a massive force to encircle us. We must strike first by attacking smaller towns like Pompey to seize their armories and equip our brothers. Only then will we stand a chance against the Roman Army."

Both defeating the Roman Army and capturing cities were formidable challenges, but everyone recognized that there was no alternative for the uprising forces. In the end, they all expressed their agreement.

After the meeting concluded, Hamilcar convened all Supply Team personnel in the courtyard and announced: Maximus would be their new captain!

Cheers immediately erupted all around, accompanied by vigorous applause from some.

Hamilcar turned to Maximus and said, "We made the right decision; it seems everyone wanted you to be this captain."

"That's only because of your full support, teacher, and how selflessly you've taught me so much during this time!" Maximus said sincerely. Ever since he began assisting Hamilcar and frequently seeking his guidance, he started addressing Hamilcar as "teacher." At first, Hamilcar found it uncomfortable, but as Maximus persisted, he eventually accepted it silently, which led him to trust Maximus more deeply and often let him act independently. Hamilcar's proactive recommendation of him to Spartacus was one of the key reasons Maximus was appointed.

"It's all for the good of this team. The Supply Team is in your hands now, so make sure to manage it well. Don't let anything go wrong!" Hamilcar advised solemnly. "If you encounter any issues you can't resolve, feel free to come to me, and we'll discuss and solve them together."

Maximus immediately took the cue and said, "Teacher, I already have a problem that I need your help with."

"You're really not shy, huh?" Hamilcar muttered a curse, though not displeased. After spending time with this young man, he had grown accustomed to Maximus's thick skin. "Alright, tell me, what's the issue?"

"The Supply Team lacks manpower!" Maximus hurriedly explained, afraid Hamilcar would object. "Although the team seems large, with about 200 people, and it's growing daily, you must understand the makeup of these people. There are over 50 women, more than 30 elderly over 40 years old, over 20 children, and while there are over 80 adult men, many are frail or physically impaired... In short, most of the new additions to our team are essentially the old, weak, sick, and vulnerable—"