Upheaval

"What?"

"The Beastfolk army has retreated!"

Hudson couldn't help but exclaim.

They were all ready to pull off a big heist, but just as they were about to launch their attack, the Beastfolk army suddenly didn't show up.

The roads have all been dug up, so even if we wanted to send troops to pursue them, it would be too late. Sending small groups of cavalry to take shortcuts and launch an attack would be pointless.

"Yes, Your Excellency. This morning, the Beastfolk army suddenly turned back along the same route. They were in a great hurry, even abandoning some of their siege equipment along the way, as if some upheaval had occurred in the rear."

Viscount Kenny's words reminded Hudson of the victory report from the kingdom he had just received.

If those old fogies were leading the way, and the Alpha Kingdom's army followed them all the way into the Orc Empire, then the enemy's withdrawal would make sense.

While destroying the Moxi Duchy was important, it paled in comparison to their own homeland.

The Beastfolk army committed genocide against the humans, and the human army did the same against the Beastfolk.

The hatred between the two sides, accumulated over countless years, had become an unbreakable enmity. Given the opportunity to invade the Orc Empire and exact revenge, the kingdom would absolutely not let it pass.

The defeat in the great battle will inevitably trigger a chain reaction, leading to the complete collapse of the Beastfolk army entrenched along the Alpha Kingdom's front line. Hudson would not be surprised at all.

After this defeat, although the Orc Empire was not so weak as to be completely powerless to resist, their internal structure was indeed hollow.

The few defeated soldiers who retreated from the Alpha Kingdom, along with the remaining troops within the Orc Empire, are unlikely to be able to withstand the kingdom's major counterattack.

Under these circumstances, it is absolutely necessary to withdraw the troops from the front lines.

Man proposes, God disposes; with the Beastfolk army's retreat, all of Hudson's plans have now become futile.

Since it had all happened, Hudson could only console himself: he hadn't even fought a single battle, yet he had gotten the position of Allied Commander for free and had a good time. It wasn't a bad deal!

Glancing at the map on the wall, he silently mourned for the Warhammer Kingdom. The Moxi Duchy could be abandoned because it was no longer profitable for the Beastfolk.

But the Warhammer Kingdom is different; they still have hundreds of thousands of Beastfolk troops causing trouble within their borders. These are mostly valuable elite troops, and the Beastfolk certainly won't retreat without luring them out.

You can't exactly negotiate with the Warhammer Kingdom about this: ask them to open their defenses and let their troops out, can you?

It's better not to try to negotiate; going will only make them more vehemently obstruct us. No matter how many conditions are promised, it's meaningless; the Warhammer Kingdom has no reason to trust the Beastfolk.

Besides, the Human Alliance is watching from the sidelines. If they let the Beastfolk army leave directly, they'll be accused of colluding with the Beastfolk, and they can forget about staying in the Alliance.

If negotiation fails, then the only option is to forcibly breach the Warhammer Kingdom's defenses and bring the army out.

Of course, there is another option: to have the Beastfolk expeditionary force that has penetrated deep into the Moxi Duchy return along the original route and bypass the Warhammer Kingdom's defenses.

The obstacles that blocked the way are gone, but the distance that needs to be traveled has increased by thousands of kilometers out of thin air.

Not only would it waste time, but they would also need the local bullies along the way to let them pass.

The Duchy of Orton has no right to stop them, but things are different in the Moxi Duchy. As long as Hudson is still the head coach, he certainly won't let them go back.

Hudson didn't have the appetite to leave behind his main force of over 100,000 Beastfolk, but he could easily delay them for 20 or 30 days.

Adding the time it would take for the Beastfolk army to travel, the Alliance reinforcements would arrive. With both sides working together, defeating these troops wouldn't be a problem at all.

It's likely that the Beastfolk weighed the pros and cons and weren't confident they could destroy the Moxi Duchy before the Alliance reinforcements arrived, which is why they turned to bully the Warhammer Kingdom.

Hudson vaguely felt that he had also played a part in this. The "halo effect" of a famous general can be a great asset when assessing military strength.

Even if the title of "Number One General" is largely exaggerated, it's still a boast that's already been made. The Bearman Imperial Court and the Behemoth Imperial Court can't contradict themselves like that!

Even if we remove some of the exaggeration, he was still a formidable fighter. No amount of special circumstances can erase Hudson's undeniable military achievements.

Instead of wasting time on a skilled "famous general," it's better to bully those with little to no record; the win rate will be much higher that way.

Who told the Warhammer Kingdom to perform so poorly? They gathered an army of 700,000, yet they were led by the nose by the Beastfolk expeditionary force, essentially helping to boost the morale of the Beastfolk.

Especially now, relying on piecemeal tactics, a quarter of this 700,000-strong army has already been decimated. Judging from the current battlefield situation, the army will be almost completely wiped out before the Warhammer Kingdom can complete its strategic retreat.

By comparing them, we can see who is more like the pushover.

"Guards, immediately issue the order to all units to cancel all military operations!"

Viscount Kenny, you continue to keep an eye on the Beastfolk army until they leave the Moxi Duchy.

Hudson gave the order decisively.

The enemy has all fled, so the plan no longer needs to continue. However, surveillance must continue; all that's left is to wait.

With no battles to fight, Hudson won't resign from his position as head coach immediately. Staying in his post for as long as possible and using the opportunity to build up his reputation is the best strategy.

In any case, appointing a commander-in-chief of the coalition forces is always difficult, and removing him from office is even more difficult. Even if someone wanted to take the credit, they wouldn't dare to make any rash moves.

Since it involved diplomatic relations between the two countries, Hudson could have easily stayed in his position until the end of the war, provided he hadn't committed any major offenses.

This is an important political qualification, which will also apply upon returning home, allowing one to be directly included in the list of candidates for the Kingdom's commander-in-chief.

"Wow..."

"Kill!"

Amidst cries and shouts of battle, the Behemoth Cavalry drove their army of refugees and captured another human city.

Prince Butzwig had long since become immune to this scene, and had even come to appreciate this "alternative musical performance."

As it turned out, his plan to wreak havoc deep into human territory was entirely feasible. One after another, small countries were swallowed up by the influx of refugees.

With each victory, the refugee ranks grew ever larger. Before anyone knew it, he had amassed an army of over a million refugees.

The refugee crisis has devastated the production and economy of many small countries along the way.

Only a few fortified cities remained, which was only because Prince Butzwig did not want to waste his precious time on a few meaningless cities.

Prince Butzwig smiled slightly as he watched the chaotic siege force. He most enjoyed seeing humans kill each other, needlessly depleting their own strength.

"The refugee army has almost gathered. We should create some trouble for the Alpha Kingdom. If this continues, the situation on the front lines may not be able to hold out."

Prince Butzwig was busy making plans when a voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts.

"Your Highness, something terrible has happened! News has arrived from the Imperial Court that our army on the front lines in the Alpha Kingdom has suffered a crushing defeat, and even His Majesty's fate is now unknown..."

Before the visitor could finish speaking, Prince Butzwig stood up, walked over, snatched the document, and began to examine it.

The reality was even more brutal than the visitor's description. The defeat in the great battle brought the Orc Empire to the brink of collapse. A single misstep would send them plummeting to their deaths.

The uncertainty Behemoth Emperor's fate, in particular, caused Prince Butzwig considerable anxiety. The matter of seizing the throne was set aside for the time being.

Without the Behemoth Emperor in charge, the Crown Prince, who only knows how to eat, drink, and have fun, has absolutely no chance of dealing with the current complex situation.

Preconceived notions are not easy to change. Even though Crown Prince Alex performed very well on the front lines, his long-standing prejudices still influenced Prince Butzwig's judgment.

The situation is difficult, and internal strife is on the verge of erupting, which is truly worrying.

These negative emotions didn't last long; Prince Butzwig recovered quickly. The domestic problems were beyond his control; the key issue was the immediate troubles.

The influx of refugees has materialized, but with the deterioration of the situation, the original plan is unlikely to achieve its intended goals.

The Alpha Kingdom is no small country. Without the cooperation of a frontline army, it would be extremely difficult for a group of refugees to destroy a kingdom.

The possibility of being killed by the enemy is actually very high if you can't kill the enemy.

The Imperial Court has decided to withdraw its troops. Staying in the heart of human territory for too long will almost certainly result in them being buried far from home.

The Behemoth Legion wreaked havoc in all directions, attracting countless enemies. These small countries might not dare to attack at other times, but once the enemy discovers they are trying to escape, it is necessary to create trouble along the way.

In particular, the route through the Moxi Duchy is now blocked by Hudson. The only way to break through the enemy's defenses and escape is to reach the Warhammer Kingdom and join forces there.

"Pass down the order: the entire army shall immediately march towards the Alpha Kingdom!"

Prince Butzwig gave the order decisively.

We've worked so hard for so long to create this refugee crisis; we can't just let it all go to waste. No matter how much trouble it causes the enemy, we have to put it to the test.

I'm getting sleepy, so I'll post a short chapter.