The Evil of Human Nature

Having lured away Marshal Hodge, the battle plan proposed by the Moxi people was naturally put on hold for the time being by Hudson's time.

The siege of Dapes is not something that can be easily lifted.

The mobilization of two to three hundred thousand troops involves too many factors and requires a considerable amount of time to prepare.

As a high-ranking military officer, Marshal Hodge had an extremely deep understanding of the Moxi Duchy.

He was well aware of the current situation; it was virtually impossible for the duchy to preserve its foundation on its own.

While Hudson's proposal was somewhat mind-blowing, it was indeed a path to national salvation. Having reached the brink of life and death, regardless of its effectiveness, they had to give it a try.

As for potential long-term consequences, we'll have to live to see those consequences.

Having resolved one problem, Hudson slowly opened the official document from the kingdom.

Rewards are a must. Although battle achievements cannot be specifically calculated, the kingdom will not be stingy with verbal praise.

Following the commendation, the two countries reached an official conclusion regarding the two great victories, and the naming, as always, lacked any artistic flair.

The name "The Berthel Bearmen Imperial Court Great Victory" has no merits other than being simple and easy to understand.

However, Hudson could understand that people's level of knowledge was not high at that time, and many lower-class nobles were semi-literate, not to mention serfs.

If it's made too complicated, people will be confused and it won't serve its purpose of promotion.

The official account of the "Berthel Bearmen Imperial Court Great Victory" not only explains the location of the war but also introduces the opposing forces and the significance of the war.

Anything involving the word "Imperial Court" is considered extraordinary by ordinary people.

In most people's eyes, leading troops to storm the Bearman Imperial Court and seize their Royal Banner is far more convincing than severely damaging a few Orc Legion.

As expected, the nature of the war marked another "turning point" in the war with the Orc Empire.

Frankly, the word "turning point" gives Hudson the creeps.

There was nothing we could do. We had just finished promoting a turning point, and our teammates immediately delivered an epic defeat.

Although there was no news from the Duchy of Orton, experience told Hudson that the situation there was far from optimistic.

An avalanche might have already occurred. His recent resounding victory will likely be buried by his teammates' defeat.

Deep down, Hudson was secretly praying that the bad news would come later, otherwise, if people connected the two things, things would become complicated.

The bad news eventually reached the Royal Capital the Duchy of Orton, along with the Beastfolk army that was on its way.

Like a bolt from the blue, the high-ranking officials of the Duchy of Orton were stunned. Although they had little confidence that their army could hold off the Beastfolk army, the speed of the collapse was far too fast.

They should at least hold out for a few days to prove they've played a role. If things continue like this, even if the Human Alliance reclaims the lost territory in the future, it won't be their problem.

Weakness is the original sin. Even if it is wrapped in a layer of rules, the Aslant Continent still follows the law of the jungle in essence.

"The Beastfolk army is attacking! What should we do?"

I can't believe it Oden XIX asked in a panic.

As a lazy ruler, he has never been interested in such fighting and killing. Now that the enemy is at his gates, he naturally doesn't know how to deal with it.

The ministers fared no better. The greatest value of the frontline army was merely to slow down the Beastfolk army's advance with its routed soldiers.

Effective resistance did exist, but under the overwhelming force of the army's collapse, any individual effort was futile.

Ultimately, the problem stems from a lack of elite troops and an overabundance of new recruits. The few capable soldiers, hampered by the burden of their teammates, have no chance to prove themselves.

"Your Majesty, at this point, we have no choice but to prepare for the defense of the Royal Capital."

Regardless, we must fight the Beastfolk to prove the duchy's indomitable spirit.

Chancellor Jacob said, forcing himself to speak.

It's harsh to say, but it's the reality. If they don't prove themselves on the battlefield, they won't be able to stay in aristocratic circles in the future.

Not only them, but all the nobles of the Duchy of Orton will perish.

It's not a big deal to suffer a defeat in many situations. When you lose because of a significant difference in strength, no one will laugh or mock you.

The key is how they lost.

Such a situation of collapsing at the first touch is completely different from losing cities and territory under fierce resistance.

In a time of great strife, nobles who cannot protect their own territory are a cancer to the human race.

The prime minister made it clear that he was determined to fight to the death, and many of the ministers' faces darkened, but in the end no one suggested fleeing.

It's not that people don't want to move the capital and flee, but the current situation doesn't allow them to leave.

Now that things have come to this point, all the nobles of the Duchy of Orton have no way out.

If they fail to demonstrate their abilities in the upcoming battles, the wolves, who are watching them closely, will not let them off the hook.

If they back down, their status as nobles of the Duchy of Orton will no longer be an honor, but a laughing stock to be mocked.

Even if they couldn't defeat the Beastfolk, they had no choice but to grit their teeth and charge forward. Only blood could wash away their shame.

Without sufficient strength, one can only portray a tragic hero and garner sympathy within aristocratic circles.

Compassion can't put food on the table, but it can make powerful forces leave a bowl of soup for their families when they're about to strike.

"Where are our reinforcements?"

"I asked with concern, "Oden XIX inquired.

In any case, since we can struggle, we must struggle.

The Beastfolk army is indeed formidable, but they are all elite troops, and they may not necessarily be willing to use them to attack the city.

"Your Majesty, the distress signal has just been sent out, and the countries have not yet responded."

Considering the distance, most countries' aid efforts are insufficient to address the immediate needs.

Of the countries bordering us, the Moxi people are preoccupied with their own problems. The smaller countries to the west are of limited strength and cannot be relied upon.

The only entity with the capacity to offer assistance right now is the Warhammer Kingdom.

However, their performance in this war has been lackluster, making it unlikely that securing their reinforcements will be easy.

Dubois said with concern.

Weak nations have no diplomacy. As the Foreign Minister of a small country, Dubois has always faced immense pressure.

Maintaining routine international relations is still manageable, but getting countries to actually send reinforcements is definitely not something that can be done with a few words.

"Issue a mobilization order, summoning all nobles of the duchy Royal Capital the capital to fight the Beastfolk to the death!"

As for the others, they wouldn't be of any use staying behind, so let them escape on their own!

Oden XIX said with a steely resolve.

There's no hope of saving the entire duchy, so the only priority is to save the Royal Capital.

In a sense, this was also a veiled political exchange.

They persuaded the nobles to abandon their territories and come to participate in the defense of the Royal Capital in exchange for the legal evacuation of their families.

Before Oden XIX's orders could be issued, the refugee crisis had already begun.

Knowing the Beastfolk's brutality, people throughout the Duchy of Orton began fleeing without any organization being needed.

The wealthy left in carriages, while the poor took away all their possessions in a single bundle.

Apart from a few conscientious nobles who are still maintaining order, social order in most parts of the duchy has collapsed.

Countless atrocities continue to unfold in this suffering country.

There's a strategy to fleeing. Having witnessed the terror of the Beastfolk army, even when it comes to escaping for their lives, everyone knows to choose a powerful nation.

As a good neighbor, the undefended Warhammer Kingdom naturally became the first choice for refugees.

The influx of countless refugees caused a mental breakdown among the nobles in the border regions of the Warhammer Kingdom.

Forcibly expelling refugees is inconsistent with aristocratic values. If word gets out, it will damage one's reputation.

They were generous with their donations, but their own pockets weren't that full. Faced with the endless stream of refugees, they simply couldn't save them all.

Left with no other choice, they resorted to underhanded tactics, leading the refugees into the heart of the kingdom.

If one noble family cannot bear the burden of a refugee crisis, then they will drag everyone else down with them.

They were forced into this situation. The Human Alliance has a rule that all nations have an obligation to provide assistance to belligerent nations during wars against other races.

This also includes provisions for aiding refugees.

Although enforcement is weak, rules are rules, and they still need to be followed on the surface.

In particular, the Warhammer Kingdom is currently one of the belligerent nations, and if the Beastfolk attack, they will also need the assistance of other countries.

If a fundamental mistake is made at this time, it will be difficult to obtain help from other countries later when you encounter trouble.

Through the chain of events, the trouble quickly reached Joseph II.

"Rescue refugees?"

Unfortunately, His Majesty the King is busy considering the sudden changes in the situation on the battlefield.

The extended battle lines of the Beastfolk army also meant that the border between the Warhammer Kingdom and the Beastfolk was lengthened.

"In the end, there was no escaping it!"

Joseph II said dejectedly.

Since the outbreak of the war, he had shown the Beastfolk a lot of face. Unfortunately, those guys didn't appreciate it at all and still turned their swords against them.

"Your Majesty, the kingdom will inevitably face an invasion by the Beastfolk army sooner or later. It's just that the Moxi people and Orton people have performed so poorly that this war has been brought forward."

Judging from the movement trajectory of the Beastfolk army, it is almost certain that they will use the Duchy of Orton as a springboard to launch an attack on us.

Due to the long-standing friendly relations with the Duchy of Orton, the kingdom did not devote much effort to its western border.

Based on the current situation, the Beastfolk army will definitely invade the kingdom within two months to ten days.

It's too late to build a complete defense line.

The only course of action now is to set up several temporary defensive lines to gradually slow down the enemy's advance.

Marshal Borg said with a solemn expression.

It wasn't that he lacked strategic vision or failed to consider the defense of the western border in advance; it was mainly because the kingdom's financial, human, and material resources were limited.

The Warhammer Kingdom mobilized 500,000 laborers just to build the defensive line between itself and the Moxi Duchy, almost reaching the kingdom's limit.

In the relatively safe western region, defense issues can naturally be dealt with later.

Aside from issuing an order to the nobles on the border to strengthen their defenses, the Warhammer Kingdom was simply unable to provide any further support.

The original plan was to organize manpower to build a defensive line in the western part of the kingdom after the fortifications in the danger zone were almost completed, but unfortunately the enemy came too quickly.

"Building a temporary defensive line is acceptable. However, the military needs to speed things up and complete the construction of the temporary defensive line before the Beastfolk army launches its attack."

If there's a shortage of manpower, let the nobles on the border figure it out. Aren't they always complaining about the large influx of refugees? Let them organize the refugees to build fortifications.

This will keep people confined to the border regions, preventing them from roaming around and disrupting security throughout the kingdom.

Joseph II said coldly.

In the absence of enough castles and fortresses to accommodate refugees, keeping people confined to the front lines is tantamount to sending heads to the Beastfolk's slaughter.

Everything is for the benefit of the kingdom. If we can't solve the problems caused by the refugees, then we can only deal with the refugees who are causing the trouble.

"Your Excellency, there is a Griffon Cavalry outside who claims to be a member of the Hollisir Family and has brought a letter from Miss Melissa."

As a general commanding one side, Hudson could now be considered to hold a high position of power. Under normal circumstances, strangers would not be qualified to request an audience.

However, the current situation is special, as the nobles of the Southeast Province all know about his relationship with Melissa.

No one dared to suppress or fail to report the letter sent by the head coach's fiancée.

"Have you verified the visitor's identity?"

Hudson asked with concern.

As a cautious commander, he wouldn't easily give strangers the chance to get close. Especially at a time like this, the arrival of the letter was too coincidental.

Although he hadn't spent much time with Melissa, he still knew her somewhat. Under normal circumstances, his fiancée wouldn't make such a fuss over a letter.

The Hollisir Family has a rich history, but it still lacks the ability to train griffins. The few Griffon Cavalry the family has were acquired from the royal family at a great cost.

Such a dangerous mission over a long distance would require careful consideration, even for Viscount Oran, let alone a noble lady.

"It's confirmed. The person who came is indeed a member of the Hollisir Family. Not only did the code match, but someone in the military also recognizes him."

Tom said with certainty.

Having received a definitive answer, Hudson waved his hand and said, "Since there's no problem with the person, bring him over!"

In war, there is little room for tenderness. Even for generals commanding an army, communicating with their families is extremely difficult.

Official documents could be delivered to the kingdom by the Moxi people would send Griffon Cavalry, but private letters could not.

It's not that I'm afraid of being accused of misusing public resources; it's just that there are too few Griffon Cavalry, and they simply aren't enough.

When messages are sent by messengers, delays of a month or two are normal. With such long intervals, the contents of the letters become old news.

Most importantly, Hudson set a precedent, and all the nobles, big and small, in the expeditionary force would follow suit, probably requiring hundreds of messengers.

"Your Excellency, Miss Melissa and the head of the family specifically instructed that this confidential letter can only be opened by you personally."

As they spoke, the person handed over the letter. However, Hudson didn't rush to take it; instead, he cast a spell, causing the letter to levitate in the air.

After confirming there were no problems, he slowly began to open the letter. After a long pause, Hudson slowly said:

"Go back and tell Viscount Oran that I already know about it. However, the situation on the battlefield is unpredictable, and the real chaos has only just begun. It is not advisable to act rashly for the time being."

I will explain the rest in a letter. You should rest in the city for a day and take a few letters back for me.

After a pause, Hudson instructed, "Tom, pass down the order to keep today's events a secret."

It's not that the matter is something to be ashamed of, but mainly that we're afraid that once the news gets out, a bunch of nobles will come running over with letters from their families.

Although griffins are magical beasts, their level isn't very high. It would be awkward if they couldn't carry all the letters they received.

Moreover, the nobles of the expeditionary force were spread across six provinces. This communication mission was also a huge undertaking.

It's impossible for the Hollisir Family not to have objections if you use their resources to do favors.

Hudson wouldn't be that kind of pushover.

As Hudson picked up his pen to write, he suddenly realized he didn't know how to begin.

He understood what the Hollisir Family meant. They simply felt that there weren't enough empty slots available, and they couldn't guarantee that they could fill them, so they wanted to dig a few more.

The problem is that the nobles aren't fools. It's a miracle if you encounter even one simpleton Duke Liufeng. Expecting all the nobles to be like that is wishful thinking.

If you swing the hoe correctly, you'll dig a hole. But if you swing it off-target, you might just dig your own foot.

If you don't manage to kill the person you're trying to harm, but instead end up making a major enemy of your family, that would be a tragedy.

In every major battle, there have been instances of teammates sabotaging each other. However, this is not happening now, but during a major counter-offensive.

With the overall situation on the battlefield already decided, even if a few factions were to perish, it wouldn't affect the overall victory of the war, so everyone could focus on internal strife.

Generally speaking, in this kind of mutually destructive game, nobles who are skilled in military command often have the upper hand.

The worst off are usually those who are military Little White. Many times they don't even know what happened and are sold out without even knowing what happened.

What's worse is that they were set up, and they don't even know who did it.

Hudson originally didn't intend to get involved in this mess, but judging from the current situation, it seems he can't avoid it.

Things were fine in the Moxi Duchy, as everyone was not sharing the same pie and there was no conflict of core interests.

People are too busy trying to win over a powerful outsider like him who can influence the course of events to dare offend him.

Once they return home to participate in the counterattack against the Orc Empire, the situation will be different.

With a severe shortage of available positions, in addition to ripping off the powerful nobles ahead of them, they also have to rip off potential competitors.

When faced with self-interest, Hudson himself may be able to remain rational, but he cannot guarantee that others will be equally rational.

With a few strokes of the pen, a letter was quickly completed.

Thank you elvin2016 for the patronage award. I owe you more updates... This is an awkward topic; I've been feeling really down lately. Let's talk about this again after the pandemic ends. Love you all, Haiyue.