The Game Behind the Scenes

"The main reason I've gathered everyone here today is to address one thing—to fill the account deficit!"

You've probably all heard about the investigation team. It's not a rumor; both the Kingdom and the Human Alliance have sent investigation teams, which will arrive at the front lines soon.

Everyone here is responsible for the specific execution of the coalition's logistics and transportation. I think everyone knows how I have been doing since I took office and whether I have embezzled any military supplies.

Losses during the transport of logistical supplies are inevitable. Due to various unforeseen circumstances on the battlefield, occasional losses exceeding the limit and discrepancies between outbound and inbound data are also normal phenomena.

These are all unspoken rules in the military; as long as they don't exceed the limits, generally no one will investigate.

But this time was an exception; someone betrayed the party and exposed the unspoken rules of the military.

Now the Alliance Council is going to take us seriously. There's no other way; whoever's region incurs a deficit will be responsible for cleaning up the mess.

Whether I try to make up for the deficit or find a reason to explain to the investigation team, I don't care at all.

The problem must be solved. We can't let everyone be dragged down and bear the infamy of embezzlement and reselling military supplies, and be despised by the world!

I'm giving you ten days. After ten days, the Logistics Department will organize a self-inspection. Whoever is responsible for a region with a deficit will be held accountable.

This matter is very serious, and it cannot be resolved by simply scapegoating a few people.

Any attempt to take chances will end up harming others and yourself. Once the investigation team finds out the problem, people will die!

If anyone has any questions, please consult Duke Pias. I believe His Excellency the Duke will provide a satisfactory answer here!

At the Logistics Department's military meeting, Hudson spoke indifferently.

The Human Alliance's investigation team came not simply to investigate the resale of logistical supplies; there was a greater political significance behind it.

Otherwise, even if an investigation were to be conducted, people from several countries responsible for logistics and transportation would be brought in to investigate together.

Unfortunately, Hudson learned that the Human Alliance had sent a separate investigation team. They even excluded people from the four northern kingdoms from the team, citing the need to avoid any appearance of impropriety.

Hudson wasn't surprised that the Moxi Duchy, the Warhammer Kingdom, and the Duchy of Orton received this treatment, but targeting the Alpha Kingdom in this way was going too far.

As the strongest nation in the north, the Alpha Kingdom is a formidable power within the entire human race. Even though it is currently severely weakened, it remains a significant force among humans.

Under normal circumstances, given the Alpha Kingdom's position within the Human Alliance, it's unlikely that anyone would go to such extremes.

After all, since the Allied forces launched their counter-offensive, there has not been any major oversight in logistics, and the performance of the Logistics Department can be described as excellent.

In this era where results determine success, even if someone reports a crime, the Alliance Council should suppress the issue and investigate it slowly after the war ends.

If they launch an investigation in such a hurry and find out a problem, are they going to replace the entire Logistics Department that has performed so well?

Even if the investigation team has the courage, who can guarantee that the successor will do a better job after the change?

If things go wrong later on, and the logistics fail and kill the Allied forces at the front, who will take responsibility?

In the world of the nobility, there is never absolute right or wrong. The Alliance Council's current actions are clearly aimed at the distribution of post-war benefits.

Whether we like it or not, the Alpha Kingdom made the greatest contribution to this war, followed closely by the Moxi Duchy and the Warhammer Kingdom.

According to traditional practice, the country that contributes the most should also take the biggest slice of the pie.

Undoubtedly, this is merely an ideal scenario. Countless years ago, this model of fair distribution based on contribution was disrupted by a group of rule-breakers.

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This time was no exception. It's one thing for everyone to look down on the Orc Great Plains, but that doesn't mean everyone wants to see the Alpha Kingdom continue to expand into the Orc Great Plains.

If the distribution were truly fair, the Alpha Kingdom would receive at least one-third of the Orc Great Plains, effectively doubling its territory.

Once this vast territory is developed, the Alpha Kingdom will truly become immense, and no other power in the northern lands will be able to counterbalance them.

Even though Caesar III made a promise to give up his claim to the Orc Great Plains Steppes, it still couldn't reassure everyone.

It's just a verbal promise; it can be voided at any time. Besides, the fact that the Alpha Kingdom didn't take an inch of land doesn't mean that its nobles wouldn't participate in the spoils of war.

Even if new countries are established, the bones are still connected. Leveraging its geographical advantages, the Alpha Kingdom can still gradually annex the Orc Great Plains.

For the purpose of strategic checks and balances, other major human powers will definitely take action. Originally, everyone was still worried about what reason to find to kick the Alpha Kingdom out of the game, but unexpectedly, the opportunity was delivered to their doorstep.

Once it's confirmed that the nobles of the Alpha Kingdom were involved in the resale of strategic materials, then everyone can legitimately kick them out of the game.

Without a guide, even if the Alpha Kingdom recovers its strength, it will be difficult to expand into the Orc Great Plains under the watchful eyes of various major powers.

The inside story and the truth are all Hudson's personal speculations, so naturally he can't openly reveal them.

Even if the nobles present don't realize the problem now, they will gradually figure it out over time.

However, knowing this didn't stop Hudson from using it as an excuse to direct his hatred towards Duke Pias. Since they were sworn enemies, he naturally had to be ruthless in his actions.

Perhaps sensing the hostile gazes of the crowd, Duke Pias hurriedly explained, "Count Hudson, I am also completely baffled by this matter."

To be honest, the matter of reporting to the league has absolutely nothing to do with the Locknerd Family; I only found out about it recently.

Upon receiving the news, I immediately ordered the recall of that fool, Geoff. Unfortunately, it was too late; he had already disappeared in the Frankish Kingdom.

According to our investigation of Geoff, we have discovered that he has recently been in contact with several different groups.

The most attention-grabbing event was the Cult of the July Association.

Geoff's sudden filing of a report with the Alliance Council without informing his family strongly suggests he's being controlled by Heretical Cult!

There were many suspects, but the July Association was the easiest to bully. Without evidence, Duke Pias dared not offend anyone and could only pick on this pushover.

"Duke Pias, are you sure you're not joking?"

Everyone is well aware of how rigorous the Alliance Council's vetting process is. Trying to control members of parliament and infiltrate the chamber using underhanded methods is simply impossible.

Even if it was the work of the Cult of the July Association, it was only because Geoff actively cooperated that it was possible to evade detection.

The person is from the Locknerd Family, and represents the Locknerd Family's position in the league. Now that something has happened, they're saying it's unrelated? Do you think that's reasonable?

Count Pierce asked angrily.

As the one who suffered the most, he no longer cared about his previous agreement with the Locknerd Family. He had lost all interest in continuing to cooperate with such a terrible ally.

While striking at Hudson is important, the methods and approaches must be carefully considered. Even reporting Hudson's embezzlement of military supplies to the kingdom would be acceptable to Count Pierce.

He truly couldn't understand what the Locknerd Family was up to, going so far as to file a complaint with the Human Alliance Council over a mere disagreement.

He didn't believe a word of the Duke Pias's explanation, or rather, he didn't want to believe it.

Geoff is a core member of the Locknerd Family and holds an important position as a councilor in the Alliance. He would certainly not lack skilled protectors.

It was extremely difficult for the members of the July Association to get close to him, let alone use evil magic to control him and manipulate him into filing a complaint at the Alliance Council.

If they were really that powerful, the July Association have turned the Alpha Kingdom Earth Flip Heaven Overturn long ago, instead of still being a Heretical Cult.

Even if you're going to shift the blame, you should choose a powerful figure who is more likely to be accepted by everyone.

"Your Excellency, although things may seem illogical, this is indeed the truth."

"Think about it, what good would it do me to report the head coach to the Alliance Council —such a taboo thing?"

Duke Pias tried to explain.

He really couldn't bear this blame. The murderous glares from the nobles made it clear that today's meeting was a trap set against him.

If things are explained clearly, the Locknerd Family will still be a prominent noble family in the Alpha Kingdom; if they are falsely accused, they will no longer be able to associate with noble circles.

"Snort!"

After giving a cold shout, Count Pierce, having regained his composure, did not continue his "offensive".

Ultimately, they share a common enemy. Even if the Locknerd Family were to be destroyed, it would not benefit the Dalton Family in any way.

Seeing this, Hudson smiled knowingly. Putting two enemies against each other was undoubtedly the easiest approach.

The seeds of discord have been sown. Future cooperation between the two companies will not be so easy.

"Duke Pias, now that you have given your explanation, I will believe you this once and for all."

However, since the incident was ultimately caused by the Locknerd Family, they still have to bear the responsibility.

My demands are not high. As long as the Locknerd Family can make up for this loss, I can overlook this matter!

Count Cales's timely and insightful comment undoubtedly served as a reminder to the nobles present.

Regardless of whether there's a mastermind behind this, the Locknerd Family must be held accountable for this incident. Otherwise, where will everyone find compensation for their losses?

The July Association is a Heretical Cult so poor it's practically bankrupt. Even if they caught someone, they wouldn't have the money to compensate everyone for their losses!

"Carles is right. This whole thing was caused by the Locknerd Family, so they have to take responsibility for it."

My demands aren't high. As long as His Excellency the Duke can procure enough strategic materials and balance the accounts for us, the matter will be settled!

Count Martinez said with a chuckle.

In the blink of an eye, Hudson was forced to abdicate by the third of the twelve earls of the kingdom, and he also roughly realized the existence of the circle.

There is no doubt that these three families are politically united. Otherwise, they wouldn't have jumped out at this time to launch a joint attack on the Locknerd Family.

In a sense, this was also forced upon them by Hudson. Originally, everyone was just looking out for themselves and trying to fill their own deficits.

However, with Hudson having just clarified the mission, everyone not only had to make up for their own losses, but also had to settle accounts with their subordinates before things would be considered settled.

Unsurprisingly, Count Pierce became the biggest loser. As a fellow nobleman from the Southeast Province with a large number of relatives and friends, Hudson naturally offered him no shortage of help.

Count Pierce got a lucrative job, and his underlings followed suit. The more lucrative it was when they were making money by reselling strategic materials, the more miserable it is now when they have to clean up the mess.

To suddenly come up with a huge sum of money to cover a deficit would be a major blow even to the most powerful nobles, let alone the less powerful ones.

The underlings had no money and could only choose to give up. The task of filling the hole fell to the boss.

The pitfalls in which the nobles of the Southeast Province stumbled were too deep, and the holes they left behind were too large. Even the wealthy and powerful Dalton Family could not afford to take the blame.

Left with no other choice, Count Pierce had to pinpoint the Locknerd Family as the direct perpetrators, hoping to force them to share the losses.

The herd mentality was evident. After someone took the lead, the nobles present all jumped out and demanded compensation from Duke Pias for their losses.

"Everyone, please be quiet for a moment. The Locknerd Family is certainly to blame for what happened. It is only right that they bear the responsibility."

However, given the current situation, we must also consider this. The biggest problem right now is that unscrupulous merchants are hoarding goods and driving up prices, leading to a surge in inflation.

"I think Count Hudson has a better way to solve this problem!"

From the moment Duke Cavadia stood up, Hudson knew what was coming was bound to happen. He just hadn't expected it to come so brutally and simply.

"Don't look at me like that. Everyone knows what a trading platform represents."

If anyone has the guts to do it, then go ahead and do it. I haven't lived enough yet.

Whether they are unscrupulous or not is secondary; you should know where the goods on the black market come from.

After such a long period of scattered transactions, most of the strategic materials flowing out of the military have been sold to mercenaries, and it is estimated that they have been almost completely consumed by now.

Merchants aren't fools; even if they had stockpiled goods, they couldn't possibly have too much. Before this, no one knew that someone would be foolish enough to report it to the Alliance Council.

The limited stock on the black market is simply not enough to cover everyone's losses, and might not even be able to fill a quarter of the gap.

To balance the accounts, we need new sources of goods. Transporting from the rear is too late, and everyone should know who can sell strategic materials now.

There are two options: either you use your own connections to try and acquire strategic materials from them, or you let merchants act as intermediaries.

Of course, anyone who believes they are strong enough to disregard the will of the allied forces can consider some idiot's suggestion.

Hudson mocked without any restraint.

How could someone who dares to operate on the black market be unprepared? This kind of shady business is destined to be hidden in the shadows and cannot be verified.

It's a mix of reality and illusion, reality and illusion.

As for the extent of the forces behind the trading platform, no one knows for sure unless Hudson himself reveals it.

Just like now, he can brazenly use the Allied Forces' name to his advantage. Trying to pressure him under this pretext is utterly ridiculous.

The most direct characteristic of great noble families is their vast wealth and power. When doing things, they need to consider all aspects and cannot act impulsively.

Even if someone wanted to overturn the table, they'd have to look at who's sitting at it first. The black market has a multitude of sources, and with Hudson using multiple identities and recruiting merchants, who can tell the difference?

Even the sales staff at the trading center didn't know who they were working for.

Since the true owner of the goods was still unknown, no one dared to make any rash moves.

If you accidentally rob the wrong person and run into a brick wall, you'll pay a bloody price.

Duke Cavadia glared fiercely at Hudson, forcibly suppressing his anger. Reason told him that now was not the time to lose his temper.

Deep down, he was cursing himself for being foolish. He hadn't even figured out the enemy's hand before stupidly running out to stand up for his ally.

The topic had been successfully shifted, but the way people looked at him had also changed. Those looks of feigned concern for the mentally challenged were truly unsettling to him.

There is no doubt that today's events will deal a huge blow to his reputation.

Once labeled as "stupid," his influence within aristocratic circles will inevitably diminish significantly.

Unfortunately, analyzing the aftereffects didn't mean he could counter them. His carefully prepared offensive was neutralized by Hudson before it could even take hold.

The question everyone was considering next was no longer whether to shut down the black market and reclaim the previously sold goods; rather, it was to find a way to encourage the black market merchants to continue their efforts and collect more strategic resources to consume.

Price is a secondary issue. The key is to have enough strategic resources on the market to help them fill the gap.

Money alone cannot extract strategic resources from the coalition forces.

Exaggerating battle losses will also incur liability. This is especially true in a short period of time, which further increases the risks involved.

Nobles who value their reputation would simply ignore them. After all, engaging in such a transaction would be tantamount to exposing their weaknesses.

The best approach is to have well-connected merchants act as intermediaries. The specifics of the operation aren't important; the key is having strategic resources.

"If no one has better suggestions, then let's do as Count Hudson suggests!"

In short, everyone must plug the holes they've created as soon as possible. This is also His Majesty the King's intention.

The investigation team sent by the kingdom will arrive in ten days. Hopefully, by then everyone will have covered the deficit, so we don't all lose face.

Marquis James, who was standing nearby, chimed in.