The Grand Plan
On November 15th of the Sacred Calendar Year 99988, which was the fourth day after the assassination, the news finally reached Flying Bear Fortress.
Upon seeing the official document forwarded by the Kingdom, Hudson's first reaction was—impossible!
To carry out an assassination in a military camp? Isn't that a joke? The nobles all value their lives, and their bodyguards are all trusted confidants. Outsiders simply cannot get close.
But after seeing the killer's introduction, Hudson instantly accepted reality. Everyone has quirks and fetishes, and these quirks are their greatest weaknesses.
The assassin's disguise as a slave or servant to infiltrate the enemy is clearly not something that can be accomplished overnight; some may have been infiltrating for generations, otherwise they would never have been able to get close enough to him.
Rather than calling it infiltration, Hudson prefers to believe he was controlled by evil magic. To endure such humiliation and torture for a single assassination attempt—the price he paid was far too high.
Occasionally, an individual driven by hatred might be able to do it. But for a whole group of assassins to do it is clearly unrealistic.
Suddenly, Hudson recalled the pre-war auction that defied commercial logic. Two beautiful elven maidens had been sent to the Southeast Province for auction by slave traders.
Other slaves could not quickly get close to nobles, but elven slaves were undoubtedly an exception.
With her innate and unique charm, the elfin beauty is practically a man's nemesis. Buying such a treasure and leaving it untouched is clearly not an option.
Beauty is the best weapon, and almost all nobles take pride in conquering beautiful elven women. With just a little skill, they can easily bewitch their masters.
Even if their cultivation is restricted, they can still carry out assassinations once they gain trust.
Other characters who can perform similar actions include fox women, cat women, Leopard Women, and Bunny Girls...
If you encounter someone who plays tricks, switching genders will also work.
Having these people do the work is far more likely to succeed than sending a skilled assassin.
Of the known assassinated frontline noble generals, apart from Duke Arrendo, who was killed in an attack by Beastfolk experts, of the remaining seven, six died at the hands of slaves and one was poisoned by a servant.
No wonder Caesar III personally issued an order prohibiting frontline generals from bringing foreign slaves.
The number of high-ranking officers killed or wounded in a single assassination attempt was greater than that in a major battle.
If this happens a few more times, I reckon the Beastfolk won't even need to attack; the frontline army will collapse on its own.
Without a doubt, Hudson knew that the kingdom's Northern Frontier was in complete chaos.
With the patriarch suddenly dead, outsiders have no way to command the family's private army.
In particular, the deaths of those powerful nobles who commanded the armies of their respective provinces not only plunged their own armies into chaos, but also caused problems with the command system of the provincial armies.
It's easy to replace someone with a deputy, but clarifying the command structure is not something that can be done in a short time.
If Beastfolk can't seize such an opportunity that comes their way, they might as well give up on the continent.
Despite the troubles, Hudson believed the kingdom could withstand such minor turmoil.
At worst, they'll just lose a few lines of defense. The dense network of castles and fortresses in the northern provinces will be enough to Beastfolk a headache.
Without removing the obstacles along the way, even if the Beastfolk army breaches the defenses, they wouldn't dare to venture deep into enemy territory alone.
After all, the Alpha Kingdom is not the Moxi Duchy, where every noble family is highly prestigious.
Once a lone force ventures deep into enemy territory and is surrounded, escape becomes extremely difficult.
As a kingdom with extensive experience in being attacked, even if the situation collapses, it will deteriorate slowly rather than be completely destroyed all at once.
Compared to the situation in the kingdom, Hudson was more worried about the mastermind behind it all. The official answer was the Orc Empire, but this explanation was clearly unconvincing.
The Orc Empire is ruled jointly by Five Great Royal Families, effectively dividing its power into five distinct entities. Except when invading humans, which constitute a unified entity, the Five Great Imperial Courts operate independently in normal times.
The five organizations are riddled with internal conflicts, and their intelligence networks naturally operate independently. To think they could orchestrate such a large-scale operation is clearly overestimating them.
Besides, if it really was the work of the Beastfolk, why would they only target the Alpha Kingdom, instead of including the Moxi Duchy and the Warhammer Kingdom as well?
It wasn't that Hudson looked down on his allies, but if a large number of key frontline commanders were killed, the Terence Defense Line, still in the hands of the Moxi people, would immediately collapse.
Without these troops, the fall of Dapes was only a matter of time, and the Moxi Duchy would be doomed.
The situation in the Warhammer Kingdom is similar. Their "Iron Line" seems very powerful, but in reality, it relies heavily on the cooperation between the various legions on the front line.
If any link in the chain breaks down, the ironclad defenses will become a useless wreck, and the Beastfolk army will breach them in an instant.
Based on comprehensive analysis, the human race is more likely to be the mastermind behind this, and they also have a deep-seated hatred for the Alpha Kingdom.
In a hazy moment, two words surfaced in Hudson's mind—"the Church".
Hudson's face darkened instantly. If this guess was correct, then something big was about to happen.
If the news is confirmed, internal strife among humans is imminent. The monarchical faction, led by the Frankish Kingdom, will undoubtedly seize the opportunity to launch a purge against the Church, and then the front lines...
Hudson quickly dismissed the idea; Caesar III was not one to act impulsively. Even if the investigation led back to the Church, he would hold back for now.
Starting a civil war at this time would only benefit the Beastfolk. Even if the Church needs to be dealt with, it should wait until after the war.
Deep down, Hudson couldn't help but curse the Church's stupidity. Even if it was meant to cause trouble for the Alpha Kingdom, they shouldn't have resorted to such methods.
It is difficult to bring down a major power by relying solely on external forces; the best approach is to exacerbate internal conflicts.
Thinking about this, Hudson's headache worsened; his original plan was no longer viable.
The Church may make a mistake once, but that doesn't mean they will keep making mistakes forever.
Declining old noble families will not willingly relinquish their interests, and newly rising great noble families will not give up their expansion either; a clash between the two is inevitable.
After the war, the Alpha Kingdom was reshuffled, and a fierce battle was inevitable, which was the best time for the Church to intervene.
Open interference was not an option, but secretly supporting certain nobles to cause trouble was much easier.
Putting these worries aside, Hudson held his first banquet at Flying Bear Fortress. To avoid criticism, he gave the banquet a nice name: Victory Celebration.
Although some time has passed since the last great victory, these are minor issues. The reasons are readily available: busy military affairs.
We'll celebrate after we're done with our work. Absolutely perfect.
There were reasons for choosing this time. On the one hand, it was necessary to win over the declining Auden nobles, and on the other hand, it was for the benefit of the Northern Nobles in the army.
Although the Northern Nobles make up a very small percentage of the expeditionary force, they are among the most capable in the entire army.
Normally, Hudson wouldn't have any hope of subduing these guys, but things have changed now.
The sudden assassination has triggered a major upheaval on the front lines, and many noble families in the Northern Frontier border region will certainly suffer.
The powerful nobles are likely to weather this storm, but the situation is different for the smaller nobles.
Even if they were allied with the five dukes of the Northern Frontier, they would most likely be cannon fodder in this situation.
If the family's power is severely damaged, or even completely destroyed, then these Northern Nobles will become rootless duckweed.
Let alone taking it a step further, whether the family can even continue its lineage in the Southeast Province is still an unknown.
Without the protection of their families, they lost their voice in politics. The local nobles had plenty of ways to destroy them, seeking revenge for every wrong done to them.
At times like these, Lord Hudson's goodwill becomes crucial.
If he were truly ruthless, Hudson could have easily wiped them out and then annexed their fiefdoms after the war.
However, given their camaraderie, Hudson would never stoop to such a ruthless act of betraying his subordinates.
As long as you're willing to accept his goodwill, you can still be good friends. If you don't want to follow Lord Hudson, that's fine too; you can simply apply to leave the Southeast Province after the war.
This is for everyone's benefit. The local nobles in the Southeast Province can't tolerate them, and without their backing, it would be very difficult for them to survive.
Even though these guys made many friends after joining the military, these relationships were still not enough when it came to personal gain.
"Baron Katerley, why do you look so worried? Have I failed to entertain you properly?"
Hudson feigned ignorance and asked.
He had always paid close attention to this old neighbor. Although Baron Katerley had always been suppressed by him, this did not affect his own abilities.
The fact that Maple Leaf Territory's strength has continued to grow despite unfavorable circumstances is the best proof of this.
The current panic is naturally due to Kateryn's bad luck, which has once again plunged him into the vortex of the storm.
The official document forwarded by the kingdom mentioned the "July Association." Although there is no concrete evidence, the July Association most likely be unable to escape the charge of colluding with the Beastfolk.
As a member of the July Association, even if you are forced to join, it is difficult to escape the kingdom's reckoning afterward.
If the family's strength hadn't been damaged, they might have been able to help him out. But judging from the current situation, it's unlikely that many of the minor and medium-sized nobles in the Northern Frontier region would have escaped unscathed.
"Your Excellency misunderstands. I am merely concerned about the situation in the Northern Frontier. Several high-ranking generals have been assassinated, and I fear what will happen next..."
While explaining, he kept giving Hudson meaningful glances, as if begging for mercy.
Seeing this, Hudson smiled slightly. He raised his glass, took a small sip, and then turned to interact with other nobles.
A smart person doesn't need to say many things directly; a hint is enough.
The identity of the "July Association" is now Baron Katerley's biggest weakness. If he doesn't want to be crushed in the storm, he has no choice but to side with Hudson.
Whether this support can truly provide shelter from the wind and rain remains to be seen.
At least in the short term, Hudson was still considered relatively reliable in his mind.
After a brief pause, Baron Katerley joined the conversation.
However, unlike before, in conversations with friends, he would always inadvertently mention Lord Hudson's merits.
Kateley was forced into this role as a lobbyist. If she wanted to join them, she needed to offer some kind of token of loyalty.
Bringing a group of friends to join you is always more meaningful than going it alone. And if the situation changes in the future, you're less likely to be abandoned as a pawn.
In the province of the Warhammer Kingdom Artrus Province, a great battle that will determine the fate of the kingdom is unfolding.
Marshal Borg, who was staunchly opposed to the campaign, ultimately chose to abstain. Let whoever wants to go, go; in any case, the hot-tempered Marshal Borg had strategically fallen ill.
Unable to deal with his own capricious marshal, Joseph II had no choice but to personally oversee the battle.
It was all forced upon us, involving the coordination of armies from multiple provinces. Ordinary generals lacked the prestige to manage it effectively.
The kingdom's key generals were thoroughly screened, but no one was found more suitable Marshal Borg.
Finally cornered, Joseph II had no choice but to take command himself.
People were still willing to give the King face, and the armies in each province basically completed the mobilization as required. Then the problem arose.
Due to the distance, although the armies of the various provinces set off at roughly the same time, their arrival times were different.
Nominally, Joseph II commanded an army of 550,000, and publicly claimed a million-strong army, but in reality, less than 300,000 troops actually arrived before the Beastfolk army reached his doorstep.
It's too late to change the location of the decisive battle. If we retreat now, the Beastfolk army will be chasing us, and it could easily turn into a major rout.
"What happened? That idiot Matthäus couldn't even last ten days?"
Joseph II questioned him almost roaringly.
In fact, he had been secretly regretting it ever since he took command himself.
Only after personally commanding the army did he realize that mobilizing hundreds of thousands of troops was truly beyond the capabilities of ordinary people.
Even with the assistance of several experienced generals, problems still arose in the actual execution.
Although nobles in various regions began training serf soldiers from the start of the war, training soldiers also requires talent.
The private armies of the great nobles were barely passable, but the private armies of the lesser nobles were... well, let's just say they were in a terrible state.
We did train for a while, but in terms of results, it was only slightly better than not training at all.
Many nobles, lacking experience in training troops, simply applied the methods used to train their family guards. In the end, they failed to produce elite soldiers, but instead ruined a considerable number of serfs.
After receiving the mobilization order, troops from various places gathered together, turning into a large, disorganized mob.
Even if there were some elite legions, they would be helpless against the general rabble.
Of course, these trained legions are still stronger than the raw recruits of the Duchy of Orton.
At the very least, the nobles had taught them basic battlefield combat. So they wouldn't end up on the battlefield, weapons in hand, clueless about what to do.
"Your Majesty, Count Matthäus has been killed in battle, and the army responsible for intercepting the enemy at the front has been almost completely wiped out."
The Beastfolk army came in with overwhelming force, seemingly determined to fight their way through without any regard for their retreat.
Our anticipated plan failed to achieve its intended effect.
Tiago replied bitterly.
As Minister of Military Affairs, he's been caught in the middle lately, suffering from both sides.
The King blamed the Military Affairs Department for its incompetence, and the generals complained that the Military Affairs Department was giving misguided orders and ignoring everyone's actual situation.
That's the reality. The troops below all have their own difficulties, but the situation on the front lines doesn't allow them to slowly resolve those difficulties.
The army responsible for holding off the enemy at the front and buying time for the decisive battle collapsed. With Count Matthäus, their commander, dead, it's simply unfair to criticize them for not putting in the effort.
This is the highest-ranking general to have died in the Warhammer Kingdom since the start of the war.
However, happiness is always relative. The Moxi Duchy and the Alpha Kingdom, which fought alongside the Beastfolk, lost far more high-ranking generals in battle.
Even the Duchy of Orton, which was also caught in the crossfire, suffered more high-ranking generals killed than the Warhammer Kingdom.
"Snort!"
After letting out a cold shout, Joseph II forcibly suppressed the anger in his heart.
The person is already dead; there's no point in dwelling on a dead person.
The core issue now is no longer whether Count Matthäus is incompetent, but how to deal with the upcoming changes.
Retreat was impossible, so they had no choice but to press on. With nearly 300,000 troops, even if they couldn't crush the Beastfolk army, they wouldn't be defeated anytime soon.
As long as the war is dragged on, the situation will gradually be reversed as reinforcements from various places continue to arrive.
Having figured all this out, Joseph II's expression softened slightly, and he immediately ordered, "Pass down the order: prepare for battle."
"From now on, the entire army must remain firmly in camp. Without my order, no one is permitted to launch an attack."
Across the river, Duke Daniel sneered as he surveyed the human army on the other side.
In the magical world, a small river less than thirty meters wide could not possibly stop the Beastfolk army.
There's no need to build a pontoon bridge; a single spell can cut the river in half.
As for what kind of disaster this will bring to the downstream areas, it is not important to the Beastfolk army that is only interested in causing destruction.
With a string of victories and repeated blows, Daniel's control over the Allied forces has reached a new level.
While his word wasn't absolute, at least no one dared to yell at him. Everyone knew that this prince of the Silvermoon Wolf Tribe could truly kill when angered.
"Your Highness, according to the intelligence we've gathered, the enemy's army has not yet fully assembled. Now is the best time for us to strike. Please give the order!"
"The Marquis of Bartel proposed with great interest."
As the commander-in-chief of the Eaglemen Legion, he was not involved in the ground battles and was basically a spectator in the earlier battles.
Their only notable achievement was the siege of Orton's capital, but unfortunately, despite the enemy's desperate efforts, a few stones thrown at them did little to make a difference.
Having finally spotted a fighter jet, they naturally wanted to show off and prove they weren't just there for a picnic.
"It's not the right time yet!"
Perhaps his words were too profound for Marquis Bartel to understand, so Daniel added:
"Your Excellency, do not forget that our goal this time is to take over the entire Warhammer Kingdom, not just defeat them."
Instead of searching the world for enemies to fight, it's better to wait for them to gather their army and then crush their morale in one fell swoop.
If we act now, the defeated enemy can retreat to the western mountains. If they want to destroy the Warhammer Kingdom again, they'll have to go into the mountains.
While the Empire is not afraid to fight the humans in the mountains, as the defending side, the humans can make the most of the terrain, which will consume a lot of our time.
The Human Alliance has intervened, and reinforcements from various human nations could arrive at any moment. We have no time to waste on the Warhammer Kingdom.
As he spoke, Duke Daniel glanced at the distant Alpha Kingdom. Taking over the Warhammer Kingdom was just the beginning; the true purpose of this war was to annihilate their old rival Alpha Kingdom.
Only by crippling the three major human kingdoms in the north can the Orc Empire seize the opportunity to take over the entire northern continent during the ensuing chaos.
As for the current war, it is nothing more than a warm-up before the arrival of chaos.
This is far from enough to dethrone humanity from its position as the continent's dominant race. At least until all the continent's races join the war, there is not a glimmer of hope in sight.