Reinforcements

Ballistae malfunction, catapults are broken, Magic Crystal Cannon are smoking...

The fierce battles of the past few days have resulted in heavy losses for both the human defenders and the Beastfolk army attacking the city.

Looking out over the battlefield, the worry on Crown Prince Alex's face was obvious to anyone.

The outside world thought it was due to the unfavorable situation on the front lines and the heavy losses suffered by the Behemoth Legion, but only he knew that the real hidden worry came from his own father.

The Behemoth Emperor's return to power greatly surprised him. The network of connections he had painstakingly cultivated was instantly shattered with the Behemoth Emperor's appearance.

The title "Crown Prince" still carries the added "Crown Prince." Seeing that the Behemoth Emperor his advanced age, those who were about to take sides stopped in their tracks.

There are too many negative examples in the past. The Behemoth Emperor outlived several crown princes, so adding one more wouldn't be a big deal.

The "Longevity Secret Method" currently circulating among humans was indeed released by the Alpha Kingdom, but Alex's role in promoting it was equally significant.

His own plans were like child's play in front of the Behemoth Emperor, and the success rate of turning the tables was frighteningly low.

Not wanting to follow in the footsteps of his elder brothers, he had no choice but to rely on external forces. The emergence of the Longevity Secret Method for achieving immortality was undoubtedly the best opportunity.

Rumors aren't scary; what's scary is when rumors get close to the truth. Alex did was embellish the information he had and then leak it out.

Not only were the human nobles restless, but there were also many eyeing the matter within the Orc Empire itself.

If it weren't for the awe-inspiring power of the Behemoth Emperor and the fact that the war was still ongoing and it wasn't a good time for internal strife, the Orc Empire would not be at peace.

"Your Highness, Prince Butzwig has led his army to the Duchy of Orton and is now out of danger. You need not worry too much."

Although we suffered a temporary setback in the Battle of Dapes, the situation remains under our control.

I've almost completely taken over the enemy's Terence Defense Line, leaving only a few major cities. Once these thorns are removed, I'll settle accounts with the Moxi people.

The prince's suggestion is good. If we cannot destroy the Moxi Duchy for the time being, then let the army detour and destroy the Warhammer Kingdom first.

If the refugee crisis plan goes smoothly, we will not only be able to take over the Warhammer Kingdom, but also disrupt the Alpha Kingdom's rear and disrupt their military deployment.

With a bit of luck, we might be able to wipe out the three northern kingdoms in one fell swoop and then take over the Northern Continent!

The time has come to test one's connections. While seemingly persuading Crown Prince Alex, one is actually speaking up for Prince Butzwig.

When it comes to connections, Prince Butzwig, who spent many years in the military, had a much deeper network of connections than Crown Prince Alex, who indulged in eating, drinking, and having fun.

They are all descendants of the Behemoth Emperor, and it remains to be seen who will ultimately ascend the throne.

Especially now that the Behemoth Emperor is particularly resilient, Alex, the last prince, might meet the Beast God first.

With the prince gone, the competition for the throne now falls to the grandsons of the emperor, and Prince Butzwig has a significant advantage. Even after his previous defeat, he is still considered a strong contender by many.

"Understood. Ask General Agustin for his opinion. If he thinks the plan to bypass the Moxi Duchy, detour through the Duchy of Orton, and enter the Warhammer Kingdom to fight is feasible, then proceed with it."

Crown Prince Alex said with a gloomy expression.

They haven't even managed to deal with their own old, unreliable father, and now their younger generation is starting to cause trouble.

The elder brothers met the Beast God ahead of time, but the connections they cultivated remained. Prince Butzwig inherited the political legacy of a deceased crown prince.

Having endured countless years of hardship, Alex was naturally not lacking in patience. Even knowing that now was a good opportunity to suppress Prince Butzwig, he still chose to restrain himself.

With so many competitors, suppressing one won't solve the problem at all. Rushing in and kicking someone when they're down will only make the situation more passive.

As the crown prince, he already has the moral high ground, so he can simply go with the flow and there's no need to push things to the extreme.

The most urgent task is to resolve the threat posed by the Behemoth Emperor. Without this sword of Damocles hanging over our heads, everything else will be much easier.

Unfortunately, the Behemoth Emperor was too cautious and didn't give him a chance to make a move. Now he can only hope that the outside observers will step up their game.

Alex was no longer concerned with the potential consequences. Haunted by the fear of death, his mind teetered on the brink of collapse every day.

"Waste!"

"They're all a bunch of useless trash!"

"They're all idiots! They call themselves the best cavalry in the world, and they've been..."

The Bearman Emperor's cursing voice echoed through the camp, and the nearby imperial officials all lowered their heads, trying to minimize their presence.

Just when the chance to avenge their defeat was about to appear, it slipped away right under their noses. Now, with his temper flaring up, the Bear Bearman Emperor is nothing but a cannon fodder.

The bear-men's fiery temper is innate; their racial nature cannot be changed simply by becoming a king. And it's not just the Bearman Emperor who has a bad temper; all the Beastfolk kings are not exactly known for it.

Many times, when anger flares up, there's no room for sentimentality. The advantage is that after venting the anger, the matter quickly passes, which is much better than letting it fester inside.

After venting his anger, the Bearman Emperor, now calmer, frowned even more deeply.

Shouting and cursing solves nothing. After venting your emotions, you still have to face reality.

The crushing defeat at the front lines led to the failure of the plan to destroy the Moxi Duchy, and continuing with the original plan was no longer meaningful.

If it's a cavalry force, we could consider whether to enter the Duchy of Orton via the Moxi Duchy, and then stab the Warhammer Kingdom in the back.

However, the Bearman Imperial Court only sent infantry. If they followed suit, their army would probably be surrounded by the human alliance before they even got out of there.

The expeditionary engineering corps that had been damaging the roads has now returned to rest and is no longer digging holes along the way.

It's clear the enemy isn't afraid of them coming; they might even be waiting for them to come to them. Without allies to support them, the small army sent by the Bearman Imperial Court is no match for the human alliance.

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"Send the order: have Bruno bring the troops back!"

The Bearman Emperor gave the order with a sense of helplessness.

"Cavalry"—the Bearman Imperial Court needs a cavalry force capable of fighting tough battles. The Demon Elephant Cavalry, passed down from their ancestors, is indeed incredibly powerful, but the problem is that there are too few Demon Elephants.

Unlike warhorses, which can be mass-produced, the fertility of elephants is notoriously low. They give birth every five or six years after reaching adulthood, and young elephants need to be trained for more than ten years before they can go to the battlefield.

Ever since the once-renowned Elephant Cavalry Legion was annihilated by the human race, the Bearman Imperial Court has been constantly striving to rebuild it. After countless hardships, they managed to capture only a few Elephants, and after decades of development, the herd has only grown to a little over three hundred.

It's unclear how long it will take to recreate the magnificent spectacle of countless elephants galloping across the land. With insufficient war elephants, Elephant Cavalry have become merely an embellishment.

To truly play a role in a major battle, at least several hundred war elephants are needed to influence the success or failure of a campaign.

Without a doubt, this is impossible for the current Bearman Imperial Court. The elephant herd still needs to reproduce; we cannot exhaust its resources.

The fifty-odd war elephants currently in the Imperial Court's camp are definitely not enough for an attack.

After all, this is a world of extraordinary beings, and there are countless things that can threaten war elephants. Whether it's high-ranking knights, mages, or large Magic Crossbow and Magic Crystal Cannon, all can inflict fatal blows on Elephant Cavalry.

Before they can reach a certain scale, the Elephant Cavalry will have difficulty exerting their power. There are many similar endangered unit types among the various races of the continent.

The purpose of bringing in the Elephant Cavalry was not only to enhance the appearance of the camp, but also to ensure its security and prevent a repeat of the tragedy of "horses trampling the bear camp".

Watching the Beastfolk army retreat or borrow passage, Hudson, now free from battle, suddenly found himself with nothing to do.

Perhaps due to the stimulus of war, the administrative speed of the bureaucrats of the Moxi Duchy has become much faster.

What might have been a dispute over battle merits and rewards was resolved in a concrete plan on the seventh day after the war ended.

As expected, apart from replenishing some of the military equipment and supplies consumed in the war, there were only a small amount of cultivation resources as rewards, and most of the rewards were "war bonds".

The real reason was far more complex than Hudson had anticipated. Although the Moxi Duchy had sold a considerable number of bonds, it had actually received very little gold coins.

After acquiring most of the gold coins, they immediately traded them for strategic resources. Even if they had surplus funds, the money was overseas and was never brought back.

As a result, the Moxi Duchy is now only nominally wealthy. While its treasury is not so large that rats would cry in it, it is also difficult to feed them.

When there is no cash on hand, the only way to reward meritorious officials is to use bonds for settlement.

This preferential treatment was given because the expeditionary force was a guest force. Normally, it would be directly recorded in the accounts of one's own troops.

It's clear that there are still smart people in the government of the Moxi Duchy who know that bonds cannot be issued indiscriminately.

With nothing else to do, he could only visit people around and socialize. Although he didn't particularly enjoy these social engagements, Hudson chose to accept the reality in order to build a wider network of contacts.

"What? Human Alliance reinforcements are arriving soon?"

It wasn't that he was making a fuss, but the timing was just too early. When did the Human Alliance become so efficient?

"Your Excellency, there is no need to be too surprised. Those who have arrived ahead of schedule are merely experts sent by various forces."

All of this was driven by the Longevity Secret Method. After the alliance meeting reached an agreement, various forces sent their experts over.

According to the intelligence we have gathered, the number of experts who have come this time is much greater than what the Alliance Council requested.

Especially the Church, it is said that over a hundred Cenobites have emerged from there.

Almost all the powerful figures on the continent whose lifespans were nearing their end had gathered here. With so many powerful figures assembled, Behemoth Emperor's good days were about to end.

After hearing Crown Prince George's explanation, Hudson immediately understood. All interests, regardless of their value, had to give way to immortality.

Especially for those powerful individuals nearing the end of their lifespan, encountering such a situation would certainly warrant a strong effort.

However, to attract so many people to participate, a single rumor of immortality is certainly not enough; there must be more evidence circulating.

Hudson vaguely sensed that this seemed to be a grand conspiracy, with someone pulling the strings behind the scenes.

"Your Highness, could the rumors about the Longevity Secret Method be true?"

Hudson asked tentatively.

The fact that two people from different social classes can become friends and sit here chatting is purely due to mutual benefit.

Crown Prince George also has his own troubles. Under normal circumstances, when the King falls ill, it should be his turn to take Crown Prince.

Unfortunately, the domestic nobility did not trust him, the young crown prince, and members of the royal family were unwilling to support him in taking charge of the overall situation.

Allowing high-ranking officials to hold power temporarily is not a major problem. However, if this situation continues, it can easily lead to a power imbalance where the ministers are strong and the ruler is weak.

Delegating power is easy; reclaiming it is difficult.

The current ministers are well-behaved and show sufficient respect to the royal family, but the future is hard to predict.

Rebellion might not be the case, but instances of powerful nobles usurping the King have occurred on the Aslant Continent.

To avoid being sidelined in the future, Crown Prince George must establish prestige. Given the current complex situation, any political maneuvering is virtually impossible.

The key to breaking the deadlock lies in the military. The example of Crown Prince Caesar directly blocked George Crown Prince's path to commanding the army and achieving great deeds.

If a frontal breakthrough is impossible, then we'll try a flanking maneuver. Leading troops into battle is too risky, and nobody will support it, so surely we can just tag along and bask in the glory of the enemy!

Hudson, who had been undefeated in his campaign, quickly caught the eye of Crown Prince George. Although his attempt to persuade Hudson to switch sides failed, it didn't prevent the two from becoming friends.

Compared to a group of old men, the two, who were close in age, clearly had more in common.

"Whether the Longevity Secret Method is real, I cannot be sure. But the Behemoth Emperor has indeed used Longevity Secret Method to live to this day."

This news has been confirmed.

It is said that, given the Behemoth Emperor's current condition, he could live for another five hundred years. With a lifespan of eight hundred years, he could rival the elves.

Even if used by humans, if it were folded in half, it would still grant a lifespan of four hundred years, which is longer than that of Holy Domain expert.

Especially for those powerful individuals, having such a long lifespan would greatly increase the probability of advancing their cultivation.

Breaking through to the Holy Domain, or even reaching a realm above the Holy Domain, is entirely possible.

According to the Arcanist, if one continues to cultivate and achieve life leaps, one's lifespan will also increase.

The specific details are not recorded in the royal archives, and most of them are unofficial historical accounts, making it impossible to determine their authenticity.

The only evidence that can be found in historical records comes from those ancient epic heroes. Many of them lived for more than three hundred years.

However, these myths and legends have encountered many accidents during their transmission, and their contents may have been distorted.

The impact of the Great Tribulation of Ten Thousand Years is particularly severe; almost every calamity is followed by a dramatic shift in the continent's situation, with many civilizations suffering devastating damage.

Crown Prince George's reply left Hudson speechless. The boy's greatest hobby was exploring these strange and unusual things; he lacked any real devotion to the divine.

If this were during the era when the Church ruled the continent, someone like him who openly promoted heretical ideas would definitely be put on the barbecue grill.

However, this is the era of Royal Authority. Caesar III dared to confiscate the Church's property, Charles III could question the Pope's legitimacy. George's promotion of arcane theories is nothing to him.