Mithridates looked coldly at the elderly man who was standing beside him.
"Didn't you say that the population of the province of Asia hated the Romans and that they would surrender as soon as my army arrived? How is it that things are like this now?" Mithridates said with a gloomy expression.
The old man was drenched in cold sweat; he had never expected things to end up like this.
But, honestly, the population of the Roman province of Asia hated the Romans very much at that time.
"Because the Roman army has arrived. They hate the Romans, but they fear them even more. Years ago, Sulla did not hesitate to massacre many cities in Asia." At that moment, a general spoke.
The reputation of the Roman Army is very notorious, and among all the well-known figures, Septimus's reputation for cruelty is well spread throughout the Mediterranean.
"More importantly, Septimus is known for torturing and massacring entire cities, and many fear that surrendering would mean a subsequent massacre by Septimus's army," said a general named Cleo while frowning.
"Damn cowards! They are a bunch of deer who only know how to fear the Romans," Mithridates said with an expression of disdain.
But immediately, Mithridates realized the problem after hearing General Cleo's words.
"Do they really think that I am no match for Septimus? Do they prefer to resist me rather than submit?" Mithridates asked with an annoyed expression.
General Cleo changed his expression slightly and thought with an ironic smile.
Why bother explaining things so clearly?
Originally, he was one of Mithridates's favorite generals, sent by him to Rome to contact Sertorius and those nobles in order to cause trouble in Rome, and he did not fail in his mission, managing to destabilize the situation in some cities.
"The people of this province are foolish; how could they possibly understand the wisdom of Your Majesty?" General Cleo said with a flattering expression.
"Do not come to me with meaningless flattery. If I were truly wise, I would not have allowed myself to be defeated by Sulla. I am not that kind of foolish king," Mithridates said while waving his hands in annoyance.
"Your Majesty is a great king," General Cleo said while bowing.
In fact, if it had not been for the Romans, Mithridates VI would have been considered wise.
He not only conquered Galatia and Bithynia, but also Asia, greatly expanding the territory of the Kingdom of Pontus.
He also defeated the historical governor of Asia, Cotta, and even defeated Murena, a general serving Sulla, when he attacked Pontus.
After being defeated by Sulla, Mithridates immediately ordered reforms throughout the kingdom.
In the past, when the Pontic army went to war, it was covered in gold and jewels. The fleet had golden cabins and luxurious baths, which gave them an extravagant and exaggerated appearance.
But now all of that has disappeared. Mithridates distributed short swords and Roman shields among the soldiers and taught them Roman tactics. The army was freed from gold and jewels, and its appearance was completely new.
That was why many nobles and generals admired Mithridates VI wholeheartedly.
"You have been a spy in Rome for a long time. Tell me, who do you think has a greater chance of winning, me or Septimus?" Mithridates VI asked curiously.
Upon hearing this, the general found himself facing a dilemma; it was a difficult question to answer.
On this occasion, Septimus commanded 10 legions, making him much more powerful than Sulla had been at that time. In addition, with the full support of Rome and the recruitment of Thracians and other tribes, he should not be underestimated.
The general thought for a few seconds and said very tactfully, "It is very likely that we will lose."
"How dare you, damn brute! Are you saying that His Majesty is no match for that Roman butcher?" roared Dionysus, the chief eunuch of the court of the Kingdom of Pontus.
"Your Majesty, I beg you to forgive me, but what I mean is that the enemy is very powerful and that this will probably be a difficult battle," the general quickly said while bowing.
"All right, I have that tolerance," Mithridates said calmly.
"However, we also train according to Roman methods, so our strength is not much lower than theirs. Were we not the ones who defeated Murena's army? So do not fear the Romans too much," Mithridates said with a serious expression.
Mithridates's words did not reassure the generals present.
How many men did Murena have? Can they be compared with Septimus's ten legions?
Besides, training methods only show the form, not the spirit, and they are completely incomparable with those of the regular Roman army.
If a war really breaks out, they could become a burden by using cumbersome formations that are difficult for the Pontic soldiers to understand.
"To be honest, those training methods are completely useless. What matters in war is whether you dare to fight to the death. As long as you dare to fight to the death, no matter how many people there are, they are no match for us," a barbarian chief raised his voice.
Everyone looked at him; the barbarian was called Eutagus, a chief of the Dandarians.
Mithridates recruited a large number of barbarians for this campaign, at least 80,000. That was how he managed to gather an infantry force of more than 140,000 men and 16,000 cavalrymen.
In addition, a large number of workers were employed, a figure estimated at 300,000 people in total.
"We cannot underestimate the Romans; their training methods are still very effective, and Septimus is known for his exceptional methods of training legions," Mithridates said calmly.
"What kind of absurd training methods does that Roman named Septimus have? I think you are simply afraid of the Romans," said Eutagus with displeasure.
Upon hearing Eutagus's words, everyone's expressions changed.
The defeat at the hands of the Romans was a permanent pain in Mithridates's heart, and usually no one dared to provoke him by mentioning the subject; this brute was simply an idiot.
"How dare you, Eutagus! Do you know what you are saying?" Dionysus said angrily.
"I am telling the truth," Eutagus said disdainfully.
Mithridates's face darkened, and the others began hurling insults at Eutagus.
Some tribal chiefs may criticize him verbally, but secretly they agree.
What use are those training methods? Does fighting not simply come down to attacking with a knife? You simply have to kill the enemy, that is all.
On the other hand, Eutagus's words struck a sensitive nerve in Mithridates, causing his expression to become gloomy.
Eutagus was merely a barbarian leader and did not understand very complex social matters.