Drawing Fire from Under the Cauldron
Having successfully tricked his enemy, Hudson returned to the military camp feeling refreshed and invigorated.
Judging from the situation on the battlefield, the Locknerd Family's losses this time will definitely be significant, enough to make them feel the pinch.
Unfortunately, Maxim was still too inexperienced. If it had been a more experienced rogue dragon, the Locknerd Family would have been devastated.
Even a centipede, though dead, does not stiffen.
Hudson was fully prepared that destroying a major power within the bounds of the rules was not something that could be accomplished overnight.
I had originally wanted to encourage Maxim to do it again, but in the end I gave up on that tempting idea.
Novice dragons may lack experience and be easily fooled, but they are certainly not lacking in intelligence. Overly deliberate designs are easily exposed.
They've been targeted by a Giant Dragon, and there's no peace from now on; even a good night's sleep will be a struggle.
Having witnessed Maxim's prowess, Hudson had no desire for a similar spectacle to unfold within his own camp. His main concern was his apprehension; he dared not attempt to slay the dragon.
Hitting the younger sibling might not necessarily bring down the older sibling. But killing the younger sibling will definitely bring down the older sibling.
Given the Giant Dragon's pitiful reproductive capacity, the death of just one dragon could easily devastate half of the Dragon Race.
Giant Dragon are a long-lived race; who knows how many generations they've lived together? If a whole bunch of their elders came knocking on the door, Hudson wouldn't be able to handle it.
Such a glorious feat should be left to the dragon-slaying hero. It's been sung by wandering poets every day, ensuring his name will be remembered for eternity.
However, this treatment is more suitable for lone heroes. After successfully slaying a dragon, they can simply find a place to hide, and even the Dragon Race would have a hard time finding the culprit in the vast sea of people.
On the contrary, people like Hudson, who have large families and many responsibilities, dare not try it.
The same concerns apply to the Locknerd Family. Beating up Maxim is no big deal; the Dragon Race won't meddle in such trivial matters.
I reckon Maxim would be too embarrassed to go back and call his parents. At worst, the Giant Dragon can take revenge; a hundred years isn't too late. If that's not enough, we can add another hundred.
After venting his anger a little, Hudson's life became completely mundane. Days passed uneventfully, and before he knew it, more than half a month had gone by.
News of the dragon attack on the Locknerd Family also reached them. Astute noble officers even began to connect the dots, suggesting Hudson was involved.
However, being a smart person, they naturally wouldn't jump out to criticize their own coach without evidence.
Moreover, this army was composed of nobles from the southern and central provinces of the kingdom, and they were not of the same ilk as the Locknerd Family.
Whether it was just his imagination or not, Hudson felt that he was much more popular in the military, and many noble officers had secretly expressed their desire to get closer to him.
It was as if he had suddenly become the spiritual leader of the nobles who had been forced to flee south to seek revenge.
However, the position of leader was far too hot to handle. The Locknerd Family alone was enough to give him trouble; if he were to face the Five Great Families of the North at the same time, people would truly die.
Hudson didn't have the courage to raise the banner of revenge against the Northern Nobles, but he had already taken concrete action to raise the banner of revenge against the Locknerd Family.
Hudson was relieved that someone was approaching, as it meant he wasn't fighting alone.
These minor nobles may not have much say in the kingdom, but they can still be useful by following along and cheering.
Some were happy, some were sad. Maxim, whose robbery had failed once again, dragged his exhausted dragon body back to his temporary cave.
He's really exhausted this time, and all he wants now is a good night's sleep. The physical injuries aren't the problem; it's the mental exhaustion that's the worst.
Since his debut, he has planned three robberies, all of which ended in failure, and he was also hunted down twice.
Such a record made him deeply doubt Dragon Mother's education.
The creatures outside are not as weak as the Dragon Mother described, and the Giant Dragon are not that strong either.
He closed his longan eyes.
Maxim opened his eyes again soon after. He couldn't sleep now that he hadn't earned any gold coins.
Looking at the treasure in the cave, Maxim, who was originally exhausted, quickly perked up again.
Robbery is a dead end; it's much more lucrative to swindle and deceive people under the guise of the Dragon Race.
"Life is tough for dragons!"
After a sigh, Maxim decided to change his dragon birth plan.
I'll hold off on raiding for now. I'll first trick the humans into signing the ceasefire agreement, get the gold coins the Beastfolk promised, and then consider whether to continue my raiding spree.
Maxim's sudden escape has dealt a heavy blow to the Orc Empire. They had originally intended to use this to put pressure on the Alpha Kingdom, but unexpectedly, Kung Fu Dragon was gone in the blink of an eye.
What's even more frustrating is that the Red Dragon, who was supposedly the Dragon King, was actually driven away. The Locknerd Family has become famous now; everyone knows that their family is full of powerful figures, and even the Dragon King would have to run away.
"The dragon has been found and returned to its temporary lair. Considering that Maxim has just suffered a loss and is currently in a bad mood, our people did not approach."
This commotion could change the situation. We need to expedite our negotiations with the Alpha Kingdom.
The pro-war faction within the Human Alliance is stronger than anticipated. Apart from the Church, no other top power is firmly opposed to war.
We must carefully manage the pace of the battle going forward. We need to put pressure on the enemy while also leaving them with hope.
According to intelligence gathered from within the Alpha Kingdom, the enemy has redeployed its defenses, and the commander is still our old adversary Count Hudson.
"If we push the Alpha Kingdom too far, they might order the Northern Expeditionary Army to break out, and then we'll have no leverage!"
"I still have lingering regrets," said the Eagle Emperor.
The strength displayed by the human race is truly terrifying. A group of old men nearing the end of their lives have thrown the Orc Empire into chaos.
If the humans were to unleash their full power, the forces they could mobilize would extend far beyond that old regiment. Meanwhile, the Orc Empire's mobile elite forces were reduced to what they already possessed.
The tribe can be mobilized, but the stronghold still needs to be defended. If all the able-bodied men were to come out, no one could guarantee that the Rebel Army wouldn't give them a hard time.
For many races within the Orc Empire, the Five Great Royal Families and humans are not fundamentally different; they are all enemies who encroach on their living space.
"Then we'll abandon all other conditions. As long as the Alpha Kingdom can disrupt the Human Alliance's military plans, we'll let their people go back."
We can even overlook the areas in the south that fell into their hands!
"The Lion Emperor said coldly."
The son sells his father's land without a second thought.
That land in the south was a piece of fat meat that was bitten off from the Alpha Kingdom, thanks to the old Behemoth Emperor leading the charge and the participation of the previous Lion Emperor.
Now, with the situation suddenly changing and the Orc Empire severely weakened, it is difficult to even defend its vast territory, let alone care about the land it has seized.
Giving up temporarily might be a wise choice. After all, the old Behemoth Emperor who died in battle will take the blame for this defeat, so he doesn't need to bear the responsibility.
"I agree to make concessions. The current situation of the Empire is indeed not suitable for pushing the Alpha Kingdom too far."
Everyone knows who Caesar III was. He might very well have abandoned the Northern Expeditionary Army.
Even if the empire compromises with the Alpha Kingdom, Caesar III remains a potential threat. For the empire to maintain stability, this man must be eliminated first!
If possible, eliminate Hudson as well. A wise ruler paired with a great general poses too great a threat to the empire.
"The Bearman Emperor said through gritted teeth."
The person who understands a person the most deeply is always their enemy.
Before Caesar III came to power, the Alpha Kingdom, with its weak monarch and powerful ministers, had already begun to decline, but his ascension to the throne quickly reversed this trend.
After the Alpha Kingdom reclaims its lost territories, Caesar III's prestige will inevitably recover.
It will reach an even higher level, enough to suppress all kinds of voices within the country.
If such a powerful monarch were to rule the Alpha Kingdom for several more decades, the Orc Empire would be doomed.
After all, the human population is growing much faster than the Five Great Royal Families. Under normal circumstances, the Alpha Kingdom would definitely recover its strength before them.
All the monarchs of the Alpha Kingdom throughout history have taken "Annihilation of the Orc Empire in the north" as their ultimate goal, and there is no reason why Caesar III would be an exception.
No need for a single victory; as long as we keep reducing the population of the Five Great Royal Families and drag the war on, victory will belong to the human race.
The Alpha Kingdom, united as one, has become a real threat to the weakened Orc Empire.
As for Hudson, who was dragged along, who told him to trample the Bearman Imperial Court and crush the Bearmen's dignity under his feet?
Shame can only be washed away with blood. If conditions allowed, the Bearman Emperor would have taken action long ago.
"I support the Bear Emperor's proposal that after the ceasefire, both Caesar III and Count Hudson must be dealt with."
However, both of them are high-ranking and powerful figures, making it difficult to approach them. Considering our relationship with the Alpha Kingdom, even sending highly skilled individuals wouldn't be enough to get close to them.
If you want to assassinate them, it's best to have it carried out by humans. The last assassination attempt against the high-ranking generals of the Alpha Kingdom went smoothly because of inside and outside cooperation.
Unfortunately, the same plan can only be executed once. Even if July Association willing to cooperate with us, it will be difficult to carry it out a second time, unless a major human power intervenes.
Alex, you've had contact with the Church. They also have many conflicts with the Alpha Kingdom. Could we use their help to complete the mission?
"I am concerned, "the Silver Moon Wolf Emperor asked.
The last operation was nominally led by the Orc Empire and July Association, but in reality, other forces were involved behind the scenes.
Although no substantial evidence was found, the Silver Moon Wolf Emperor still suspected the Church. Now, wanting to repeat the same trick, his first thought was to rely on the Church's power.
"My connection with the Church is not what you imagine. It's just that the Church planted a spy in my home, which I happened to discover."
Following the clues, they finally found incriminating evidence against them. However, it's still hard to say whether this information will be enough to get the Church to intervene.
After all, no matter what kind of evidence it is, as long as it comes from us, its credibility among humans will be greatly reduced.
They are unlikely to accept direct threats; it's best to negotiate with the Church in the name of the Empire.
In the short term, we have no conflict of interest with the Church, and we even share a common enemy, so we should be able to find common ground together.
Alex answered rationally.