Recruitment Order

Upon hearing the Elder Eagleman's report, the five emperors of the Orc Empire were furious. Had they not retained some semblance of reason, they would have already organized a powerful army to slay the dragon.

The Sea Tribe were found, and the connection was even established, but unfortunately Maxim's help created a line of hatred.

After the Elder Eagleman found the location of the Merman Royal Court, he was about to go and pay his respects when he was chased by the fishmen and almost didn't make it back.

Who told him to be brought there by Maxim?

The eagle's feigned dragon might seem to have intimidated the Shrimpmen tribe, but the Merman Royal Court held a far greater deterrent effect on Shrimpmen.

Although Maxim's arrest warrant did not spread far and wide, the Sea Tribe within a radius of thousands of miles received the notification.

The moment the Red Dragon appeared, news reached the Merman Royal Court. Enraged, the Murlocs dared not retaliate against Maxim, and instead vented their anger on the approaching Elder Eagleman.

Let alone revealing his identity, if the Elder Eagleman hadn't reacted quickly enough, the entire eagle would have been fish food by now.

"It seems we can't get through to the Sea Tribe. Unless we have something they can't give up, something we can use to make a deal."

We know nothing about the situation at sea. Even if an agreement is reached, the Merman Kingdom may not have the strength to stop human transport ships.

Everyone knows what happened at Fengyue Port. We clearly disrupted the shipping lanes, but those human mages came and cleared them faster than we could have done it.

Ancient legends say that the deeper the creature dwells in the ocean, the more terrifying it is. The Merman Kingdom, situated in shallow waters, can't be that powerful!

"The Eagle Emperor said helplessly."

Although things went wrong, it was Maxim's fault, not his underling's incompetence.

If they had known earlier that the Red Dragon had robbed the Murloc tribe and had a grudge against them, they would never have let that fool help them.

Should we send envoys over again?

Just think about it. The Sea Tribe don't interact with continental races for a variety of reasons. Without a middleman, they wouldn't even have the chance to meet the Fishman King.

Humans can navigate near-shore waters not because of the Sea Tribe's pity, but because they earned it through their strength.

"Eagle Emperor, there's no need to overthink it. It was just an experiment, and failure was to be expected."

Now, besides hoping for intervention from various ethnic groups on the mainland, it is even more important to rely on our own efforts.

The recent battles have gone very well. They've managed to hold off the human alliance without suffering heavy casualties.

The next phase is a strategic stalemate, a test of endurance. As long as we can hold our ground and use the advantageous terrain to slowly wear down the enemy, we can achieve final victory.

"At most, we can hold out for another year. The human alliance will be forced to withdraw from the front lines due to internal conflicts!"

After a bowl of chicken soup, everyone's complexion improved considerably. However, Alex, who had offered words of comfort, was secretly groaning inwardly.

Whether they can bring down the Human Alliance is unknown, but if things drag on like this, the sparsely populated Behemoth Clan will most likely be the first to perish.

They did win many battles on the front lines, but the main players in the war were all Beastfolk, which was essentially an internal conflict among their own people.

As the situation worsened, the Five Great Royal Families had fewer and fewer cannon fodder troops at their disposal, while the number of Beastfolk tribes that had been tricked by the humans increased.

If this situation continues, it may not be long before it turns into a war between the Beastfolk Five Great Royal Families.

"Simply stalling for time is not enough. The enemy's resources are far greater than ours, and we must take more proactive measures to counterattack."

With the battle lines stretched so long, it's difficult for the human alliance to cover both ends, and there will always be weak points that can be exploited.

By the way, it seems the humans are preparing to reinforce their forces again. A few days ago, we conducted a thorough interrogation of the human officer we captured, and he confessed that the enemy was planning to recruit more mercenaries to join the war.

As soon as the Lion Emperor finished speaking, the expressions of all the kings changed.

Human mercenaries have never been simply mercenaries. In addition to fighting for others, they have also developed many side businesses.

For example, the smuggling gangs that operated between the Orc Empire and the Alpha Kingdom before the war broke out, as well as those evil slave traders.

They especially hated the latter and repeatedly organized troops to carry out suppression campaigns.

Unfortunately, these slave traders were all slippery creatures. They would run away when they encountered a large army, and then reappear as soon as the mopping-up operation was over.

No matter how many are killed, it's useless; driven by profit, there will always be a continuous stream of slave-catching teams.

If the Human Alliance is willing to invest heavily, I reckon all the human mercenary groups on the continent will come to attack.

These guys aren't an army; they don't have any aristocratic baggage. When it comes to fighting, they always do whatever is most effective, using any means without any hesitation.

The fact that the Beastfolk discovered the plan did not affect the issuance of the bounty in the slightest.

On October 10, 99989 of the Holy Calendar, the Human Alliance Command passed the "Mercenary Recruitment Order" with an overwhelming majority through an anonymous vote.

Unlike previous recruitment methods, this time they pay based on the number of people killed. It's all about killing more and getting more money.

Different Beastfolk naturally have different pricing standards.

Adult Behemoth Cavalry: 100 gold coins.

Elderly, weak, women and children: 20 gold coins.

Adult Eagleman: 50 gold coins.

Elderly, weak, women and children: 5 gold coins.

Adult Lionman, Bearman, Silver Moon Werewolf: 30 gold coins.

Elderly, weak, women and children: 5 gold coins.

Cannon fodder races are not accepted.

Such targeted pricing was naturally Hudson's doing. All the bounty prices are verifiable.

The Behemoths are the most expensive, not only because they are the strongest fighters, but more importantly because there are few Behemoth Clan.

As the war has progressed, their population is estimated to be less than 200,000, and the number of able-bodied cavalry is even smaller.

Even if all the heads were cut off and used to exchange for the bounty, it would only amount to a few million gold coins.

If a mere few million gold coins could be used to wipe out an entire Beastfolk royal family, no one could refuse.

Setting such a price was intended from the very beginning to annihilate the Behemoth Clan.

Eaglemen are expensive because they can fly and are difficult to kill.

Of course, there is another reason that cannot be mentioned: the powerful air force is deliberately pushing this forward.

Human relationships and social dynamics are inevitable everywhere, and the allied forces are no exception. When the two major powers, the Frankish Kingdom and the Church, share the same stance, no normal person would object.

For eagle-men who cannot fly, the bounty is much more normal, the same as that of the other major royal families.

To further motivate the troops, the allied forces also promised that the leaders of the ten mercenary groups with the highest number of enemy kills would receive noble titles.

Individual mercenaries who rank in the top 500 can also obtain a noble title.

The rank of a noble title was determined by specific battle achievements.

An opportunity to transcend social classes has arisen. For commoners, this is the best chance to become nobles.

Inside an abandoned noble castle in the North, the core members of the July Association gathered once more. However, compared to before, they were much more disheveled this time.

As it turns out, getting involved in assassinating the king wasn't so easy. Even though they deliberately shifted the blame to the Northern Nobles, they were still caught in the crossfire.

The officials who remained in the area strengthened security control. Countless July Association members were punished with military service and sent to the front lines for their idleness.

It wasn't that they were lazy; it was mainly because of the war that their smuggling and slave-trading businesses were forced to stop.

To evade the pursuit of the Five Great Families of the North, members of the July Association mostly use false identities when they are out and about.

This identity, to a certain extent, guarantees their personal safety, but also cuts off their path to joining the military.

To be precise, this cut off their path to becoming officers. If they were only going to be privates, the identity verification would be much less stringent.

But that's meaningless. Once you lose your noble status, it's incredibly difficult to reintegrate into the aristocratic circle.

However, the Five Great Families of the North wield immense influence within the military. These remnants of rival families simply cannot survive in the army.

This was mainly caused by Hudson; they were just collateral damage.

Before the rise of the Coslo Family, the Five Great Families didn't pay any attention to these declining nobles.

This situation persisted until Hudson became the commander-in-chief of the army, at which point he finally had a chance to breathe.

However, it was still fraught with risks, after all, a local official is more powerful than a distant one. The army commander couldn't oversee everything, and with Hudson watching over them, the subordinates dared not deliberately send them to their deaths, but the dirty and hard work inevitably fell to them.

To avoid this suppression, the only option was to directly submit to Hudson's command. In fact, this was the choice of most of the declining nobles of the North.

But this doesn't include the leaders of the July Association. It's not a matter of being flexible or yielding; the main problem is that they have something to hide and are worried that if their infiltration of the military is exposed, they won't even have a chance to escape.

"Sir, the Allied Forces have issued a mercenary recruitment order. This is our best opportunity to change our identities."

With so many mercenaries, even the Five Great Families of the North, no matter how powerful, don't have the ability to investigate them all one by one.

He could gain merit as a mercenary, re-enter the ranks of the nobility, and temporarily bury his past, settling scores with his enemies in the future!

"It's as if noble status is already beckoning, and he's just one step away from becoming the new noble lord," a young man said enthusiastically.

"Mateo, things aren't as simple as you think. Just look at the bounty offered by the Allied Forces; even you're tempted. It probably won't be long before mercenaries from all over the continent flood in."

Speaking of which, the best app for reading aloud and listening to books right now is Wildfruit Reading.

Install the latest version.

Whether you become one of the top ten mercenary groups with the highest battle achievements or enter the top five hundred in individual battle records, you will face fierce competition.

Besides, are those noble gentlemen in the allied forces really so well-behaved that they won't try to take advantage of the situation?

It's possible that most of these titles have already been reserved in advance, with the remainder left for everyone to fight over!

The elderly man at the head of the group shook his head and said.

He knew all too well the integrity of the nobility. With such enormous profits at stake, how could they be considered nobles if they didn't get involved?

Even without resorting to underhanded tactics, and with everyone competing fairly, the connections and resources that nobles possess are far beyond what ordinary mercenaries can match.

Mercenary groups, if they concentrated their efforts on piling up battle merits on individuals, might still be able to compete.

If everyone tries to seize this opportunity to transcend social classes and competes fiercely, the most likely outcome will be that they fall on the battlefield, with only a lucky few able to take the bounty home.

This applies to ordinary mercenaries, and the July Association is no exception. If they concentrate their efforts on promoting a few nobles, it won't be difficult.

The problem is that most of the members of the July Association are noblemen, and after so many years of silence, everyone wants to return to the noble ranks.

Even if the fiefdom might be a bit remote, it can't dampen everyone's enthusiasm. If these issues aren't handled properly, the July Association might collapse.

"Chief, the situation isn't that serious. I've already inquired, and all the newly emerging nobles have fiefdoms in the Orc Great Plains."

If those nobles wanted to, their previous military achievements would be enough for them to place their family members in positions of power; they wouldn't even bother competing with us.

Besides, even within the same Orc Great Plains, fiefdoms are divided into different ranks. They took the best land, but they'll leave us with a scrap of soup.

After all, the border still needs to be guarded. The Beastfolk have retreated to the northwest, making it difficult for the allied forces to completely wipe them out. Pressure will remain on the border in the future, and this is our opportunity!

Mateo tried his best to persuade her.

This message was secretly passed on by members of the July Association who had joined the alliance. Indeed, there are quite a few high-ranking nobles within the alliance who have no interest in the Orc Great Plains.

At the very least, the allied command wasn't particularly interested in dividing Orc Great Plains. If the noble lords had really set their sights on this place, the war wouldn't have dragged on for so long.

"Chief, the situation in the Alpha Kingdom is tense at present, and it is not appropriate for us to take any action for a long time to come."

Since everyone's got nothing better to do, why not let our people give it a try? Even if we don't get the titles of Earl or Viscount, it wouldn't be a loss for the organization if a few Barons or Knights were to emerge.

Once we have established a foothold, we can secretly recruit more people and build up our strength, waiting for the right opportunity!

Judging from the current situation, a fierce power struggle is inevitable in the Alpha Kingdom after the war. If we were to stir things up further, it might even break out into a civil war.

"At that crucial moment in the power struggle, all we need to do is step in and stab the Five Great Families of the North in the back, and we can slowly bring them down!"

As soon as Longxi finished speaking, everyone's emotions soared. It had truly been a long and arduous journey. They had worked so hard for so many years to avenge themselves against the Five Great Families of the North, and now they finally saw a glimmer of hope.

The elderly man at the head of the group, though smiling, had inwardly cursed countless times: Fools! A bunch of idiots!

Success is always contingent on the enemy making a foolish mistake. Recruiting soldiers sounds simple, but in reality, it's something that minor nobles simply can't afford to do.

Even if internal strife occurs within the Alpha Kingdom, it won't be their turn to reap the benefits. At most, they'll just be a hindrance to the Five Great Families.

This kind of thing is inexplicable. For the members of the July Association, who have a blood feud with the Five Great Families of the North, doing something that can hinder their enemy is already worthwhile.

"Fine! Since you want to try, then go ahead and give it a shot!"

However, this trip is fraught with risks, so you must be extremely careful and never reveal your identities. You should also minimize contact with each other.

If possible, also take this opportunity to sow discord between the Five Great Families and the other noble families of the kingdom!

After saying that, the old man turned and left, disappearing from everyone's sight in an instant.

The recruitment notice's influence continues to spread. It's not just organizations like the July Association that have been impacted; the effect is even greater on mercenary groups.

They were already making a living on the edge, and risking their lives was risking their lives no matter where they were. Now, with the added prospect of a future, it became even more attractive.

From the moment the Allied Forces issued their recruitment order, the entire mercenary world was abuzz with excitement. Every day, mercenaries from all over the continent poured into the Orc Empire.

Hudson is under immense pressure with the surge in mercenary numbers. He's paid based on performance, but he also needs to provide food first!

The worst part is that the mercenaries who were originally helping to transport supplies are now all coming to resign, wanting to go to the front lines to make a fortune.

There was no stopping them; if it weren't for his position in the coalition, they probably would have just quit and left.

Left with no other choice, Hudson could only offer them empty promises, implying that once they finished transporting the supplies, they would be half the Logistics Department's personnel.

Next, they can go to the battlefield to make merit and earn money. In the future, when their war merits are verified and their titles are determined, he, as the logistics commander, will help them fight for it.

By using a combination of coaxing and deception, they managed to temporarily appease people and avoid the embarrassing situation of abandoning their responsibilities and running away halfway through.

However, this can only temporarily relieve the pressure. After these people finish their tasks and leave, someone else will have to take over.

At the Logistics Department's military meeting, the faces of all the nobles were extremely grim. Ever since the mercenary recruitment order was issued, they had watched the allied forces feast on the front lines while they were stuck in the rear, miserably transporting supplies.

It felt like I had lost millions of gold coins.

They couldn't even send anyone to try and get a share of the pie; the heavy logistical pressure effectively extinguished any ulterior motives they might have.

"Your Excellency Count Hudson, this cannot continue!"

Duke Cavadia spoke first.

Hudson rolled his eyes inwardly, not even wanting to answer. Everyone knew this couldn't go on, but the problem was that someone had to be responsible for transporting the supplies.

"Oh, I wonder what insights Duke Cavadia has?"

Hudson asked, feigning ignorance.

In an instant, it was Duke Cavadia's turn to be dumbfounded. What a load of rubbish! If he had a solution, he would have said it already; why was he just passing the buck here?

"Everyone has worked so hard and given their all for this war, but now all the benefits are being taken away by the Allied forces."

In any case, we should all get a share of the profits from the front lines!

Hudson smiled slightly after hearing Duke Cavadia's words. However, the hint of disdain in his eyes betrayed his true thoughts.

With a wink to the Marquis James standing to the side, Hudson promptly retreated to the background, quietly watching their performance.

"Since Your Excellency the Duke has this idea, then why don't you take charge of this matter?"

Marquis James said with a chuckle.

Aside from major affairs, which the commander-in-chief, Hudson, as the deputy commander, would handle, the Logistics Department and communication coordination with the coalition forces were all done by him.

Now, if he wants to snatch food from the tiger's mouth, the tough job will inevitably fall on his shoulders. What's worse, it's an impossible task.

The coalition forces are not pushovers. Why should they get a share when everyone else has already eaten their fill?

The ball was kicked back again, and the atmosphere inside the room had become heavy.

Everyone knew that this meeting was not simply about being envious of the coalition forces' success, but also about a deeper power struggle.

With the war nearing its end, those who were once united in solidarity are now scrambling to pursue their own interests.

Duke Cavadia's sudden attack was clearly premeditated, but Hudson was not one to be trifled with either. With a casual movement, the two vice commanders started fighting.

While everyone is indeed envious of the allied forces' profits, it doesn't mean that all the nobles are fools willing to be used as pawns by the Duke Cavadia.

After the ball was kicked back and forth, most of the nobles who had initially had some ideas calmed down.

The pie at the front is indeed big, but there are many people sharing it. Even if they go there, they might not be able to take much.

The simplest example: if a Behemoth Legion were placed in front of them, could they possibly conquer it?

Let alone an entire legion, even a cavalry regiment would be difficult for most nobles to handle.

However, the bounty for annihilating a Behemoth Cavalry regiment is only 100,000 gold coins. It's clearly not worth risking your family's private army for such a small amount of money.

The potential profits are enormous, but that's based on the Beastfolk being scattered. When the enemy appears in organized units, the rewards become commensurate with the risks.

In contrast, maintaining the internal power balance of the kingdom is more important.

After the brief attempt to probe failed, Duke Cavadia fell silent. Clearly, the matter was not over yet.

What we're seeing now is just the appetizer in a kingdom's upheaval; many more unpleasant things are yet to come.

"Alright, let's drop this matter!"

The situation at the front is extremely favorable to us. The Annihilation of the Orc Empire is imminent, a shared aspiration of all the martyrs of my Alpha Kingdom, and we will not allow anyone to thwart it.

I hope that everyone will not be blinded by petty gains or influenced by some greedy fools, and will not do anything stupid that is not in the interests of the kingdom!

The next task for everyone is to ensure the logistics of the Allied forces at the front.

Considering the practical issues, I will issue a public announcement in the name of the Logistics Department to fix the location for mercenaries to collect their supplies, in order to reduce the pressure on logistical transportation.

Hudson unceremoniously pinned the blame on him, and also brought up the subsequent deployment arrangements.

Now that the time for a complete falling out has come, it's natural to damage the enemy's reputation. Regardless of what Duke Cavadia thinks, the label of "blinded by greed" must be branded on him first.

Unfortunately, Duke Cavadia wasn't stupid and didn't jump out to refute it on the spot. Otherwise, if people started to identify with him, the label would have been stuck even more firmly.