Escape Route

Hudson was slightly disappointed not to see the Beastfolk fighting amongst themselves. However, such things were bound to happen sooner or later.

No ruler can tolerate betrayal. The fact that no military action has been taken yet does not mean that no action will be taken next.

Given the style of the Five Great Royal Families, if these rebels are not purged, the future Orc Empire will be filled with rebellious flags.

Coming to his senses, Hudson's gaze fell upon the death of Marshal Campbell.

The supreme commander of the Kingdom Army died, and while the allied Noble Allied Forces were still fleeing in panic, he was suddenly forced to become the kingdom's supreme military commander.

Hudson didn't know what words to use to describe this dramatic scene. He guessed that the bigwigs in the Royal Capital were also having a headache over this change of events.

"Pass down the order to have the army cease training and rest for two days."

Breaking through the Beastfolk's encirclement was just the beginning. An even more brutal escape lay ahead, and whether they would survive depended on luck.

The two sides were originally more than 500 li apart, and considering that they would not be fleeing in only one direction, the actual distance might be even longer.

In life-or-death situations, people are most likely to unleash their potential. Hudson decided to lead his troops out to provide support two days later.

After hesitating for a moment, he added to the head guard, "Tom, make a copy of the message we received and send it to the Royal Capital."

Tell His Majesty the King that we have taken action and are rescuing the Northern Expeditionary Army soldiers who have broken through the encirclement.

As a subject, one must always know a few rules. Submitting an extra report may not have any effect, but submitting an insufficient report might become a handle for political enemies to use against you at some point.

At the Beastfolk army camp, the five emperors who had severely wounded the Northern Expeditionary Army showed no sign of joy.

Betrayal by their own men undoubtedly exposed the internal conflicts of the Orc Empire directly to the human race.

Given the opportunity to take advantage of the former overlord of the continent's misfortune, how could the human race not take action?

"The situation has changed. That damned Campbell seems to have sensed something. When he ordered the breakout, he deliberately mixed up the troops."

Currently, all factions within the Alpha Kingdom have suffered losses to varying degrees. The advantages held by the Northern Nobles are not significant, and we need to intensify our efforts to eliminate the Southern Nobles.

But that's not enough. To truly destabilize the Alpha Kingdom, the key lies in whether or not Caesar III can be killed. If that guy lives, those cowards won't be able to cause any trouble at all.

Alex deliberately downplayed the issue.

The problem of traitors is difficult to solve, so let's pick the problems that can be solved first and deal with them first.

To defeat a powerful force, external pressure alone is not enough; internal support is also needed.

In order to alleviate their own pressure, instigating internal strife in the Alpha Kingdom has now become the national policy of the Orc Empire.

"The Church has been planning the assassination of Caesar III for a long time, and has been waiting for an opportunity to carry it out. Even if we don't ask, they will do it."

The most troublesome party now is the Human Alliance. News from the Church indicates a shift in the situation; the pro-war faction within the Human Alliance has surged in strength, and they are losing control!

"The Bearman Emperor said indignantly."

The situation is out of control; in other words, the war will continue.

For the Orc Empire, already adrift in the storm, allowing the war to continue would be the greatest disaster.

There was no mention of revealing any leverage they had over each other. Because once a trump card is played, it becomes an open secret.

The Church will certainly become even more infamous, but their reputation was never good to begin with. If pushed too far, they can still try to whitewash their image.

For example, they went to great lengths to the Annihilation of the Orc Empire, proving through their actions that their collusion with the Beastfolk was a complete frame-up.

The result is enough; who cares about the truth in the middle?

"We don't have much time left. We must deal with the Northern Expeditionary Army that broke through the encirclement as soon as possible, and then go back to deal with the rebellion in the country."

If we don't stabilize our rear, it will be our doom if the human army comes to attack.

Unfortunately, the Dragon Race's mediation plan was foiled by the enemy. Otherwise, the Human Alliance would never have dared to be so arrogant!

The Lion Emperor almost roared.

He finally got to be the leader, but before he could enjoy his good days, the human army was about to invade.

If he had known earlier that the various ethnic groups on the mainland were so cowardly, he would not have blindly provoked this war, thus bringing his race into a dangerous situation.

Humans are no match for the various races on the continent plus the Dragon Race. Unfortunately, while the various races on the continent may have the motivation to join forces, the Dragon Race definitely do not.

The position of the continent's overlord is of great benefit to all races on the continent, except for the Dragon Race.

A struggle for living space?

Given the pitifully small number of Dragon Race, Dragon Island is sparsely populated. Even if every dragon ruled a mountain, 99% of the land would still be unclaimed.

Competition for resources?

Unfortunately, very few treasures are ever chosen by Giant Dragon.

As for gold coins, that's just a hobby. If you want them, just go out and rob them yourself; there's absolutely no need to start a meaningless war for such a small amount.

Even without the participation of the Dragon Race, the combined strength of the various races on the continent still surpasses that of the human race. However, this advantage is no longer as pronounced.

Because of a lack of trust and being separated by the human race in various places, it is difficult for everyone to unite.

The Orc Empire serves as a cautionary tale. Those who spearheaded the effort to form an alliance are now facing the harshest realities of society.

Perhaps all the races on the continent want to lend them a hand now. However, when the human race takes a firm stance, everyone's confidence in standing up to them is clearly somewhat lacking.

This is a consequence of poor interpersonal relationships; no race is willing to take the lead in opposing the humans in order to save the Orc Empire.

Now everyone is calling for peace, and the so-called pressure they're putting on is at most like the dwarves and Elves who announced: during the war, it's forbidden to sell weapons to humans.

Or, going a step further, they could learn from the Half-Orcs and Barbarians and directly halt trade with humans.

Under the self-sufficient feudal lord economy, such a small amount of pressure is clearly not enough to intimidate the Human Alliance.

If the "trade ban" were replaced with the "threat of war," the situation would be entirely different.

"The Northern Expeditionary Army has been scattered and no longer poses a threat to us. To improve efficiency, let's split up and proceed!"

"Leave the cavalry to continue pursuing the remaining enemy; the infantry should return to deal with the rebellion at home. If this drags on, those traitors might turn against our people!"

"The Eagle Emperor said with a worried expression."

Even among the Five Great Royal Families of the Beastfolk, there are differences in strength. The eagle-people were able to obtain their royal status mainly because they eliminated all their competitors.

As the only organized air force in the Orc Empire, it naturally held a unique position. This gave it the opportunity to form alliances with the other four races, creating a political structure of shared rule by Five Great Royal Families.

Once the Rebel Army turn their attention to their own people within the country, the elderly, weak, women, and children of the other Four Great Royal Clans can take up arms and possess considerable fighting power, but they are the only ones who cannot.

The eagle-men, unable to fly, are among the weaker Beastfolk races. It's not surprising they couldn't defeat the Rebel Army.

"Then let's split up! But be careful when pursuing them, and don't get too close to the enemy's lines."

The current commander of the Alpha Kingdom is Count Hudson, and everyone knows how capable he is in commanding troops.

With hundreds of thousands of troops stationed in the fortress for over a month without any movement, they are most likely plotting some conspiracy.

If the fleeing soldiers were to join in, even an elite cavalry legion could be wiped out if they weren't careful.

The Silver Moon Wolf Emperor warned the group.

It wasn't that he liked to meddle; it was simply that the Five Great Royal Families needed to work together. If they continued to fight amongst themselves, they would all perish together sooner or later.

On his escape, Duke Cavadia had long lost his former lofty and aloof image, replaced by a haggard appearance.

They weren't the main targets of the Beastfolk army's pursuit, but that didn't mean the Beastfolk wouldn't hunt them down. The king's thoughts didn't necessarily represent the thoughts of the Beastfolk soldiers below.

They were all human armies; killing them on sight was the only option. The lower-ranking Beastfolk soldiers didn't care which noble family these armies belonged to.

Having dodged three enemy sniper attacks, the exhausted Duke Cavadia only wanted to sleep. Unfortunately, this was just wishful thinking; if he slept now, he would probably sleep forever.

"Where are we?"

Looking at the sky, Duke Cavadia asked with concern.

"This is the Ocoro Province, which is already part of the kingdom's territory. However, the area has been completely destroyed by the Beastfolk, and our defenses have not been extended here."

In terms of distance, the nearest city controlled by the kingdom is less than 300 miles away from us.

I reckon the reinforcements have already begun their operation. We should have a chance to meet them as early as tomorrow.

Ciss answered hastily.

He never missed an opportunity to impress his father. Even knowing that doing so could easily offend people, Ciss didn't care.

As an illegitimate child, he had to fight for everything himself. Especially when he couldn't make a living in the Southeast Province, he needed to prove his abilities even more.

The only consolation is that old rival Hudson has risen rapidly; in just a year and a half, it has already become a household name. Losing to such a competitor is not shameful.

Thanks to Ciss's efforts, Duke Cavadia, who was initially prepared to give up on him, gradually changed his mind.

Ultimately, he was the fruit of his love, and as long as Ciss himself was capable, he still hoped that his son could do better.

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It's okay to suffer a big loss once. As long as you can learn from it, you can get back on your feet.

Ciss lived up to expectations, performing exceptionally well during his time by his side, even subtly surpassing the eldest son.

Unfortunately, the limitations imposed by one's social status cannot be overcome through hard work alone. Even though Duke Cavadia valued this son highly, the rules of the game still had to be followed.

"Don't have too high expectations for reinforcements. Did you see the griffins flying overhead? Our movements have already been discovered by the garrison."

The Count Hudson, stationed there, is a Southern nobleman. Even if a rescue were needed, he would prioritize saving his own people!

"Xilo said irritably from the side."

He had absolutely no goodwill towards this extra, adopted older brother. The two had long since fallen out, and they had even made a scene in front of Duke Cavadia.

What he just said, seemingly criticizing Hudson, was actually a veiled reference to Ciss.

In times of national crisis, there is no need to divide the troops into factions when rescuing soldiers attempting to break through. However, there is one exception: the enemy.

No matter how much you consider the bigger picture, you can't expect others to come to your aid. Not stabbing you in the back is already a sign of integrity.

"Enough, Xilo. I don't want to hear such divisive words a second time, especially when the kingdom is in peril."

"The Count Hudson is a pillar of the kingdom; how could he disregard the kingdom's interests for such a trivial matter!"

Duke Cavadia couldn't help but warn.

Both sons are his flesh and blood; when his sons fight, the father is the one who suffers the most.

Duke Cavadia wasn't sure whether Hudson would send reinforcements. But outwardly, he had to say: reinforcements are here!

After fleeing all the way, only seven or eight thousand men remained behind them, and morale had plummeted to rock bottom.

At this time, if we don't release some good news to boost morale, how will we proceed with the escape?

Perhaps realizing her slip of the tongue, Xilo blushed slightly. However, her gaze towards Ciss grew increasingly displeased.

A vague idea began to form in his mind: to use someone else to do the dirty work.