In the evening, the bathhouse.
Steam filled the hot water pool.
Lucretia was even more proactive than last time. She almost pressed against him as soon as she entered the door.
Lynx could feel that her mood was not right, with a kind of suppressed irritability and unease.
(Here 10,000 words are omitted…)
After it was over, the two leaned against the edge of the pool.
"Batiatus has been contacting gladiator bosses from other cities recently,"
Lucretia suddenly spoke, her voice carrying post-event laziness. "He wants to organize a cross-city performance match. The scale is very large. The Nodis training camp is just the appetizer. The real main event is behind."
Lynx's heart moved: "When?"
"After next month's performance match,"
Lucretia said. "If you win, Batiatus's reputation will rise greatly. At that time, he can pull in more bosses to participate. He plans to organize an 'All-Star' gladiator team to perform in Rome."
Go to Rome?
Lynx narrowed his eyes.
That was not a good place.
Rome's arena was bigger, the audience more picky, and gladiators died faster.
"You want me to go?"
"It's not that I want,"
Lucretia turned around and faced him. "It's Batiatus who wants it. He thinks you have potential. If you can go through the tempering of a few large performances, you might become a real gladiator star. At that time… money, fame, freedom, none of them will be a problem."
Lynx didn't speak.
Lucretia stared at him: "But you must first win next month's performance match. The Nodis training camp will not let you go easily. I heard they are secretly training a new weapon — a kind of net with barbs, specially designed to deal with flexible gladiators."
Net with barbs?
Lynx remembered it.
"Also,"
Lucretia continued, "As for Crixus… he has almost recovered, but he is holding a fire in his heart. In the performance match, he may deliberately create chaos to put you in danger. You have to guard against him."
"I know."
Lynx nodded.
Lucretia looked at him for a while, then suddenly sighed: "Lynx, I know you are not simple. You have ambition, you have ability, and you don't want to be a gladiator for a lifetime. But in this place, ability alone is not enough. You also need someone to help you."
She reached out and traced her fingertips across his chest: "I can help you. Batiatus's plans, opponent intelligence, even… some special channels, I can get them all. But the premise is…"
"What is the premise?"
"The premise is that you must make me feel it is worth it."
Lucretia leaned closer, her breath spraying on his face. "Don't put all your thoughts on that little healer. She can't help you with anything and will only drag you down."
Lynx understood.
This was a warning and also a transaction.
"I understand."
"Madam, rest assured, I know what to do."
Lucretia smiled with satisfaction and kissed him: "Very good. Then prepare well. In next month's performance match… I will be watching you from the audience seats."
Leaving the bathhouse, Lynx returned to his cell.
He lay on the bed,梳理 the information of the day in his mind.
On Mira's side, favorability was steadily rising, but he couldn't rush for now.
On Lucretia's side, he needed to stabilize her. The information she provided was very valuable.
Crixus, Nodis training camp, net with barbs, Batiatus's Rome plan…
"One by one,"
Lynx muttered to himself. "First settle next month's performance match."
He closed his eyes and simulated various possible situations in his mind.
Net with barbs… how to break it?
Crixus's possible betrayal… how to guard against it?
And that "All-Star" team going to Rome plan…
Thinking about it, he fell asleep.
Moonlight came in through the wooden window and landed on his face.
Calm, but firm.
Outside the training ground, Capua's night was still noisy.
Drunken singing came from the tavern, red lanterns hung at the entrance of the brothel, noble mansions were brightly lit, and slaves hurried through the dark alleys.
This city was like a sleeping giant beast, and the gladiator training camp was just a small flea on its body.
But sometimes, a flea can also make the giant beast restless.
Lynx turned over, his dreams full of swords and blades.
In the small house of the medical room, Mira was organizing herbs under the lamp.
She picked up the small clay jar Lynx left today — it was empty, the ointment was all used up.
She touched the smooth surface of the clay jar and remembered the butterfly story he told. A slight smile unconsciously appeared on her lips.
But soon, the smile faded.
She shook her head, put the clay jar back on the shelf, and blew out the oil lamp.
Darkness enveloped the small house.
In the distance came the noisy sounds of gladiators drinking and having fun, and suppressed crying from some unknown cell.
The day of the performance match was getting closer day by day.
The atmosphere in the training ground was like a taut bowstring, getting tighter and tighter.
The instructor's rattan whip lashed harder than usual, the gladiators roared louder during training than usual, and even the kitchen slaves' footsteps when delivering food became much lighter — afraid of offending anyone's bad mood.
Lynx's days were still relatively calm.
Crixus had become much more honest since that day he was hit with the groin kick.
At least in the training ground, he no longer took the initiative to provoke. He just looked at Lynx with colder eyes, like a knife quenched with poison.
Mira's ointment was very effective. The bruises on his arm mostly disappeared in three days.
Lynx still went to the medical room to change medicine every day and chatted with Mira a few words.
Sometimes he told some cold jokes from his previous life, sometimes he listened to her talk about who she treated today.
Mira gradually talked more and occasionally smiled.
When she smiled, her eyes curved, very clean.
On Lucretia's side, Lynx maintained the frequency of "regular reports".
Every two or three days he went to the bathhouse once, listening to her talk about Batiatus's new movements or small news from the Nodis training camp.
Net with barbs, Crixus might trip him up, Batiatus's Rome plan…
Lynx remembered all this information in his heart, but on the surface he remained calm.
His current focus was training and completing that "Establish Prestige" system task.
Ten days passed, and the task progress reached 5/10.
In addition to Gisco and Amir, three more gladiators who were willing to follow him were added — all young people struggling at the bottom of the training ground, either thin or honest, often bullied.
Lynx taught them a few practical self-defense skills and occasionally shared some black bread with them, thus winning their hearts.
It wasn't any great favor, but in this place, a little goodwill could be exchanged for loyalty.
At least temporary loyalty.
This afternoon, just after training ended, Lynx was preparing to go to the medical room when the slave beside Batiatus came again.
"Master wants you to go to the study, now."
Lynx frowned.
Batiatus had been calling him more frequently lately. Sometimes to ask about training, sometimes to talk about performance match tactics, sometimes just to "chat" — the kind of seemingly casual but actually probing conversation in every sentence.
The old fox was evaluating his value and also evaluating his threat.
Lynx followed the slave through the training ground and went up to the second floor of the main building.
When passing the corridor window, he glimpsed a few unfamiliar faces in the corner of the courtyard — not people from the training ground, wearing elaborate togas, talking to Batiatus with serious expressions.
Batiatus had his back to the window, nodding and bowing, his posture very low.
Lynx's heart moved.
Who were those people? From the Nodis training camp? Or other gladiator bosses?
He didn't have time to look carefully. The slave had already pushed open the study door.
"Master, Lynx has arrived."
Batiatus was sitting behind the desk, holding a sheepskin scroll in his hand, his face not looking good.
Seeing Lynx come in, he waved his hand. The slave retreated and closed the door.
"Sit."
Batiatus said, his voice a bit hoarse.
Lynx sat down opposite him and didn't speak.
The study was quiet for a few seconds.
Batiatus put down the sheepskin scroll, rubbed his temples, and then looked up at Lynx.
"How is the training?"
"Not bad."
"Is the arm injury healed?"
"Healed."
"What about Crixus? Has he been honest lately?"
"Quite honest."
The two asked and answered mechanically.
Batiatus stared at Lynx for a while, then suddenly smiled: "You are quite calm. Aren't you going to ask who I was meeting in the courtyard just now?"
Lynx also smiled: "If Master wants to tell me, he naturally will."
"Sly."
Batiatus shook his head, took out a folded papyrus from the drawer, and pushed it over. "Take a look."
Lynx unfolded the papyrus.
On it was a simple diagram — four people, in pairs, marked with weapons and positions, with dense notes beside them in Latin.
Lynx now had "Latin Language Mastery" and read it effortlessly.
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