Expedition

Under the scorching sun, the army gathered beneath the Altar, and under the guidance of a cardinal, devoutly prayed for the protection of the Lord of Dawn!

Such a trivial matter was clearly not enough to alarm the Lord of Lord of Dawn, so there was no miracle.

A little difficulty is clearly no match for the charlatans. If miracles won't happen, they'll use magic.

The priests worked together, and golden light shone everywhere, filling the air with a sacred atmosphere.

Bathed in the holy light, the previously apprehensive soldiers instantly became full of energy, as if all their negative emotions had been wiped away.

Seeing this, Hudson was utterly astonished. Indeed, there was a reason why the Church had been able to endure for so many years.

Heretical Cult use drugs to mentally stimulate their followers, but that can't compare to the prestige of holy light.

Seeing Blake's smug look, Hudson wanted to slap him twice.

It's really too much of a target of hatred. Everyone is on the high platform, so why is it that the golden light on his body is so dazzling?

It's as if Blake is the main character today, and everyone else is just a supporting character. It's as if their presence here is all thanks to his special favor.

In front of the soldiers, Hudson, like the representatives of the various factions on the platform, silently chose to remember this debt.

The Church's desire to spread the faith and reshape their supreme status on the continent already goes against everyone's interests. Now, by creating this situation, they are clearly trying to undermine the major powers.

The ordinary soldiers at the bottom level didn't have much discernment. They all thought it was truly a blessing from the Lord of Dawn, and their faith and piety skyrocketed.

Preliminary estimates suggest that just this incident has resulted in the Lord of Dawn gaining over a thousand more devout followers, and even dozens of fanatical believers.

Hudson was certain this kind of activity would only happen once within the Allied forces. Anyone who participated afterward would be a fool.

If the Church continues to cause trouble like this, it probably won't be long before everyone's soldiers are taken over.

Blatant poaching will come at a price. If we don't retaliate, it will be hard for everyone to swallow this anger.

After a series of ceremonies, it was already afternoon. The so-called army's departure was merely the entire army stepping out of the city walls.

Fortunately, not many troops participated. If a million-strong army had been gathered together, they probably wouldn't have been able to leave the pass today.

It's nominally a joint operation, but in reality, they fight independently. They only cooperate when they encounter the Beastfolk force.

At midnight, the coalition meeting was still embroiled in heated debate.

If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, Hudson would never have believed it—that the army was already on its way out and they were still discussing how to fight and where to start their attack.

This is a consequence of a high degree of autonomy; the more than one hundred factions representing the human race have more than one hundred different ideas.

Smaller factions are relatively easy to deal with; they merely express their opinions and try to make their presence known. Most of the time, they play the role of opportunists.

The problem was a group of powerful forces; Hudson saw the Church and several kingdoms arguing and arguing, with no one able to convince the others.

As a representative of the Alpha Kingdom, Hudson should have participated in the discussion, but he was used to being a Hudson potato and had no interest in such meaningless arguments.

No matter how sound the reasoning is, what good is it?

Others disagree, they still disagree.

You can't force people to agree with you!

If you can't persuade all parties and your fists aren't enough to make them submit, then you're just wasting your time.

"Gentlemen, it's getting late. If we can't agree on the deployment route, then let's each fight our own battles until we encounter the Beastfolk force!"

Let's discuss logistics first. The allied forces total over a million men, including 200,000 cavalry, and the daily supplies they consume are astronomical.

Based solely on the spoils captured at the front, we fear we cannot even meet half of our supply needs. I propose...

Before Hudson could finish speaking, Blake interrupted him impatiently, saying, "No need for suggestions, just do it your way. The army of the Alpha Kingdom will be responsible for escorting the logistical supplies."

"If you feel the forces are insufficient, then add the armies of the Moxi Duchy and the Warhammer Kingdom. With so many men, surely that should be enough to meet the logistical needs of a large army?"

It's not very harmful, but extremely insulting.

Upon hearing Blake's words, Hudson's face immediately darkened.

While it's true that our own army's combat strength is quite low compared to the coalition forces, there's no need to say it so directly!

Apart from the hundreds of thousands of cannon fodder legions that dragged the army down, the remaining Kingdom Army was actually quite capable of fighting.

If the kingdom hadn't suffered heavy losses in the previous battle, Hudson would definitely have retaliated. But now, let's just forget about it!

As the war has progressed, the Alpha Kingdom has lost more than 60% of its military strength, making it inevitable that it can no longer compete with the Church.

"Count Hudson, don't be angry. Commander Blake's mouth is always ugly; don't take his words to heart."

As for the logistics of the army, according to past practice, it has always been organized by your country, and this time is no exception.

"If you need anything, please let us know. We will definitely cooperate if we can."

Marquis Sunil said with a smile.

He appeared to be mediating, but was actually fanning the flames. Unfortunately, Hudson was only physically young, but his mind was hardened and battle-hardened by society.

Even if they win the fight against the Church now, what will they gain?

As the host, he couldn't avoid the task of escorting the grain supplies. Although Blake's words were harsh, they aligned with the interests of all parties involved.

We've come all this way through so much trouble, we can't let it all go to waste. How can we go home and show off without killing a few Beastfolk?

If we could also make a little money along the way, that would be even better. After all, it's an empire; even if it's poor, there's still something to be made.

To boost the soldiers' morale, rumors spread throughout the army as soon as the allied forces arrived at the front lines about how extravagant the lives of the Orc Empire's nobles were and how much money and supplies they had looted during the war.

In many people's minds, attacking the Orc Empire now is simply a way to make a fortune.

It's not entirely a rumor, because the two races have different resources. Many things that are commonplace in the Orc Empire become priceless when they reach the human race.

Hudson merely fueled the fire by deliberately exaggerating the wealth of Beastfolk Five Great Royal Families, amplifying everyone's greed.

They were forced into this situation; without some persuasion, there was no way to increase the coalition's enthusiasm!

As for whether their plan will be exposed later, that depends on whether they conquer the Beastfolk royal court. Hudson never said that ordinary Beastfolk tribes were also wealthy.

"Your Excellency, please rest assured. Such a trivial matter is of no concern to me. We are all working hard for the cause of our human race, and there is no distinction between noble and lowly in our roles."

It's just escorting logistical supplies, right? We've taken on this task. But the situation on the battlefield can change drastically, and our supply transport can't keep up with everyone else's pace.

If the distance between people is too far, it will be difficult to deliver supplies in a timely manner.

Therefore, I suggest that when launching an attack, it's best not to disperse your forces too much. The supplies we transport are only delivered to your camps; the smaller units below will need to be distributed by you.

"For the sake of planning, it is best to carry at least a month's worth of provisions with the army. In case the army advances too quickly and the supply convoys do not catch up in time, it will not affect the army's combat effectiveness."

Hudson said with a sincere expression.

Precautions are essential. If we don't lay the groundwork upfront, and the army suffers a defeat in the future, the logistics department will become the scapegoat.

The group exchanged glances, each lost in thought. For any army, logistics is always the most crucial element.

When operating in a joint operation, things are fine, but once everyone is split up, it's uncertain whether the logistics team can locate them in time.

In this era without GPS navigation, people relied mainly on the sun to determine direction. Even scouts sent out to reconnoiter could get lost.

"Count Hudson's suggestion is very useful. Everyone should pay attention; don't think it's a hassle, it could be a lifesaver in a critical moment!"

Marquis Olavell offered a half-smile.

Just watching isn't enough. There are just too many stories of the eldest and second eldest brothers fighting and killing the third.

For its own safety, the Ilibia Kingdom needs more allies. Marquis Olavell wouldn't mind giving this kind of helpful reminder a few more times.

Watching the crowd begin to speak in twos and threes, Hudson shook his head inwardly. They were all such drama queens; it was becoming increasingly difficult for honest people to survive.

Transporting provisions was a tough job, but also a lucrative one. Compared to fighting on the battlefield, it was not only safer, but also had a more abundant supply of materials.

Hudson wouldn't stoop to the unethical acts of withholding military rations or substituting inferior goods. But making a fortune in the process was something he could do.

There's no rush to figure out the specifics yet. If we want to get rich, we'll have to wait until the war starts.

"If no one objects, then the task of transporting supplies will be entrusted to Count Hudson. The army of the Alpha Kingdom will be the core force, with the armies of the Warhammer Kingdom and the Moxi Duchy providing assistance from the side."

Marquis Sunil declared definitively.