Without Commodus' introduction, everyone knew that the person under the helmet of the pursuer was Altrus.
Although Altrus's face was covered by the helmet, there was no doubt that this was the closest Commodus' most mysterious advisor had ever been to everyone.
Among all the people present, Zhang Heng was probably the only one who knew that this was not the real Altrus.
It was not that no one thought that Altrus would use a stand-in, but at this time and on this occasion, no one believed that Altrus would use a stand-in.
Because this was the day he walked from the dark to the front, and he was about to reap unparalleled power.
It was like a crown prince sitting on the throne, or a groom on his wedding night … There were always times in life when one could not and did not want to let others do it. Clint knew this very well. If he were in Altrus's position, he would have to be there in person today no matter what.
What's more, Altrus was just a name. Whoever appeared and stood next to Commodus would naturally become Altrus. Even if he was a fake, he would become the real Altrus from now on. He would become the second most powerful man in the world, second only to Commodus.
Clint clenched his fists and looked at the figure with a complicated gaze. He knew that once Altrus showed up and stood under the sun, it meant that he had lost this battle for power.
Although the people around him were still the majority, Clint knew very well why they were standing beside him. Altrus usually never showed up, and the closer they stood to him, the closer they would be to the center of power. In a sense, Clint represented Commodus' will.
But from today onwards, things would no longer be like this. Because there was someone who could better embody Commodus' will than him, and there would always be a center of power. It would not take long for the group of followers behind him to become Altrus' suitors.
It was precisely because he knew this that Clint was more afraid of Altrus coming to the front than anyone else.
But now, it seemed that he still couldn't stop this from happening.
On the other hand, Zhang Heng had long guessed that Altrus might use a stand-in. However, when the stand-in really appeared, a strange feeling rose in Zhang Heng's heart. He found that he could not figure out how Altrus planned to play this game.
With Altrus's physical condition, it was not that he did not want to, but he could not appear in front of the public at all. This meant that the person standing next to Commodus today would not be him. Besides, if Zhang Heng's guess was right, Altrus was a dead man, and he could not come back to life.
However, there were also side effects to using a stand-in. Just like what everyone present thought, once Altrus's stand-in walked into the light, with Commodus' endorsement, he would become the real Altrus. Even if Altrus revealed his identity at this time, no one would believe him. Of course, with Commodus around, the situation would not be too bad.
Since all of Altrus's power came from Commodus, Commodus could naturally take back these powers. This would be a great restriction on the stand-in. However, the problem was that once the stand-in appeared, it would not be easy for Altrus to use his power as smoothly as before. He needed to contact his stand-in first, and then the stand-in would issue orders on his behalf.
The extra step in the middle was not to be underestimated. It was like Altrus's cane suddenly doubled in length. Altrus would not feel comfortable using it.
Zhang Heng did not know how Altrus was going to end this drama. And there was another thing that attracted his attention at this moment. The person who assassinated him turned out to be Lucilla's husband, Pompeo Nuss. This surprised Zhang Heng.
That was because Pompeo Nuss was a very low-key person. He had been following Aurelius to fight all over the place, gradually rising to prominence in the army until he became a general under Aurelius. After marrying Lucilla, although Lucilla was not a qualified wife, and there were many rumors about her in the city of Rome, Pompeo Nuss did become one of Aurelius's men because of her relationship with Lucilla.
Therefore, he became more and more important. By the time Aurelius passed away, Pompeo Nuss had basically become the number one figure in the military. But even when he sat in this position, he did not change at all. He was still as conscientious, humble, and gentle as before. At the same time, he still respected his wife, Lucilla. Pompeo Nuss let the latter do whatever she wanted, and it was as if he did not see it at all. In this regard, he was exactly the same as Aurelius.
What Zhang Heng did not understand was why this military bigwig suddenly wanted to kill him for no reason. He had almost no interaction with Pompeo Nuss, and he should not have done anything to harm Pompeo Nuss's interests …
Just when Zhang Heng was puzzled, Commodus finally introduced "Altrus" to everyone present. However, he did not give everyone time to get to know "Altrus". Immediately, he set off for the military camp outside the city.
So Sebutul quickly formed a team and protected Commodus's carriage.
As for 'Altrus', he didn't ride in the same carriage as Commodus. Instead, he chose to ride a horse and follow behind Commodus' carriage. Considering his special identity, the Imperial Guards also assigned a small team to protect him. As for the rest of the people, they were escorted by the other two teams.
It was the early stage of Commodus's reign. The war had just ended, and when the young emperor ascended the throne, he gave out a lot of gifts to attract the people's support. As a result, the civilians in the city generally lived a good life, and public security had improved. Naturally, no one wanted to cause trouble for the emperor.
When they learned that the emperor was traveling, a large group of civilians cheered on both sides of the street. At this time, Commodus waved to the cheering people from the carriage, trying to create an image of being close to the people. However, the side effect was that the team moved very slowly, and they did not leave the city until noon.
Fortunately, they could finally pick up their speed after leaving the city.
The military guard breathed a sigh of relief. The people were too enthusiastic earlier, which made the scene a little chaotic. And Commodus did not allow him to use more violent means to disperse the civilians. So, Sebutul's heart was in his throat. Fortunately, in the end, there were no major mistakes, and they were safe outside the city. There were several military camps nearby, and the area was basically under their control.
Just as the military guard was thinking about this, he saw the team suddenly stop. He rode to the front and found that a donkey cart carrying smoked fish had overturned, blocking a section of the road in front of the bridge. In addition to them, there were a few passers-by and a group of Jews who were blocked here.
The military guard knew that the young emperor liked to show his compassion, so he asked a few imperial guards to help the owner of the donkey cart reload the goods. However, at this moment, his eyes fell on the group of Jews, and he suddenly felt that something was wrong.
This group of Jews were all dressed up, and their waists were bulging. Sebutul, who had some military experience, immediately wanted to warn the guards around him, but the group of Jews moved faster. They took off their coats, revealing the armor underneath, and at the same time, took out their weapons.
(End of Chapter)
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