Fire Dragon Burns the Granaries

"Your Excellency, you are truly magnanimous. Such a wonderful opportunity, yet you still let the Locknerd Family go!"

Upon hearing Marquis James's words, Hudson laughed and said, "Your Excellency, the most crucial thing now is to solve the problem of logistical deficits."

Everything should prioritize the greater good; personal grudges can be set aside for now.

Deep down, he had already rolled his eyes inwardly. To hell with prioritizing the bigger picture; if he could destroy the Locknerd Family, he would have done so already.

During the meeting just now, despite everyone's loud clamor, their demands were all about getting the Locknerd Family to compensate for their losses; they had no intention of killing them at all.

Everyone is a sensible person. Judging from the reaction of the Human Alliance, everyone knows that the Locknerd Family has most likely been tricked this time.

Anyone with a modicum of sense would report their own coach in secret; no normal person would be foolish enough to bring it up publicly in parliament.

While the Locknerd Family bears some responsibility for this undeserved misfortune, they do not deserve to die. Living in the same circle, no one will naturally go to extremes.

Having discerned the nobles' intentions, Hudson naturally wouldn't let them have their way.

If they were to force the issue, Duke Pias were to agree to take over everyone's losses under pressure, then he would become the one in charge of the debts.

As long as the enormous debt remains unpaid, no one will stand by and watch the Locknerd Family fall into trouble. They only need to make a token payment each year, and they remain invincible.

"Your Excellency, your generosity may not be appreciated. The Northern Gang is known for its greed, and they certainly took a lot this time. If things proceed as normal, they'll have a hard time covering up the losses."

If they take further risks and cause more trouble, you might also be implicated!

"The Marquis James said with a worried expression."

It's impossible to worry about Hudson. If this opportunity can bring Hudson down, he'll be happy to see it happen.

Although this incident was caused by the Locknerd Family, the Northern Nobles have always been regarded as a whole, and if the matter is investigated, Duke Cavadia will also be held accountable.

With the top two leaders in the military both gone, it was only natural that the third leader would take over as the replacement commander.

Unfortunately, things weren't that simple. Even though they knew the Alliance's investigation team was targeting the Alpha Kingdom, they couldn't fool Caesar III.

The King issued a direct order for them to resolve the issue before the investigation team arrived.

Compared to the more autonomous Hudson and Duke Cavadia, James didn't have the confidence to refuse to carry out orders. He not only had to solve the problem, but he had to solve it beautifully.

In the meeting just now, Hudson did solve the problem, but he also left behind potential problems.

In the Marquis James's view, since strategic resources were insufficient and the hole could not be plugged, a large scapegoat should be put forward to take responsibility.

Duke Pias, who had angered the public, was undoubtedly the best choice and the one most capable of preserving the kingdom's reputation.

"It's alright! The deficit below is so huge, and I, as the commander-in-chief, was completely unaware of it. It's only right that I take responsibility."

This is my resignation letter. I have decided to resign from His King and take responsibility for this failure of oversight!

Hudson emphasized the phrase "inadequate regulation" very heavily. The implication was very clear: his problem was inadequate regulation, and he couldn't be blamed for it.

The entire Logistics Department has over a million soldiers and civilians under its jurisdiction. It would be a real problem if it didn't cause any problems.

Given the immense logistical pressure on the front lines, maintaining the normal operation of the logistics system is already a remarkable achievement; to nitpick further would be excessive.

Even the Alliance Council's investigation team could not punish a decorated commander simply because someone under Hudson was involved in reselling military supplies.

If things were really played that way, then no one would dare to lead an army. These were originally private armies composed of nobles, each with considerable autonomy, and no one could completely control their subordinates.

The fact that the head coach is alright doesn't mean the vice-head coach is alright. If someone of significant standing needs to take responsibility, Marquis James is more likely to suffer undeserved blame.

"Your Excellency, this is absolutely unacceptable! This matter was not your responsibility to begin with, so how can you resign because of it!"

I think we should try to solve the problem as much as possible. If we really can't solve it, then let Duke Pias take responsibility. You don't need to take the blame for someone else!

"This is what Marquis James said nervously."

Having been on the front lines for so long, he knew how complex the situation in the army was. If Hudson were to back down at this point, he wouldn't be able to defeat Duke Cavadia.

Seeing this, Hudson simply smiled. The resignation still had to be submitted; it was a matter of attitude. Whether it was approved or not was the King's business.

Theoretically, everyone should be scrambling to buy strategic resources to fill the gaps, so the black market should be extremely short of supplies.

However, the actual situation was not as serious as everyone imagined. While it's uncertain whether all the problems can be plugged, at the very least, most nobles could escape unscathed.

The deliberate creation of a severe shortage is naturally intended to take the opportunity to sell the strategic materials in hand at a good price, and incidentally weaken the financial resources of competitors.

Just because Hudson didn't embezzle or resell military supplies doesn't mean he didn't take advantage of the situation. For example, he might have used the logistics system to smuggle in personal goods.

The supplies transported by the nobles were indeed strategic materials for the front lines. However, a large portion of the strategic materials escorted by Hudson's army were personal goods.

All of these were strategic materials, mixed together, and the people below were unaware that the supplies they were escorting also contained the commander's personal goods.

Even if an accident occurs on the way, the loss will always be the strategic materials of the coalition forces, not his personal possessions.

Seeing strategic materials coming and going naturally aroused suspicion from outsiders that Hudson was reselling military supplies. Being reported was to be expected.

Unfortunately, the supplies in the Allied warehouses that Hudson was in charge of always matched the accounts. Even if there were some discrepancies, the errors were within the normal range.

The only flaw lies with the chambers of commerce that provide strategic materials. However, since everyone has shared the profits, no one has any reason to sabotage their own business.

Even if it were exposed, the charge of smuggling personal goods would be much lighter than reselling military supplies.

As head coach, Hudson will at worst slack off. If he's lucky, he might stay on to redeem himself.

The merchants involved, however, are destined for the gallows. Pleading for leniency is futile; this is the world of the aristocracy, where the rules of the game serve the interests of the elite.

After the Logistics Department meeting concluded, the trading market suddenly became bustling. The nobles within the logistics system joined the frenzy of buying strategic resources.

Everyone was on edge. Even though they had already seized the supplies, they still dispatched heavy guards to escort them, fearing that someone might break the rules and rob them along the way.

To ensure the safety of the logistical transport routes, Hudson also specifically requested the coalition command to increase the number of air patrols.

In fact, the probability of such a thing happening is still very low.

Robbing a transport convoy is easy, but transporting the stolen strategic materials back is not so simple.

It's simply impossible for a long convoy of cars to pass by without leaving any trace.

Watching the convoys transporting supplies come and go, Hudson was in a good mood. Even the sound of the wheels turning into the clinking of gold coins sounded to him.

As the first rays of sunlight shone into the camp at dawn, Hudson, who had just gotten up, was met by a group of relatives and friends who had come to visit.

Clearly, this is the result of the news spreading. The high-ranking nobles are all busy filling the gaps, so it's inevitable that tasks will be pushed down the chain of command.

In theory, high-ranking nobles are jointly liable for the deficits of their subordinate nobles, but in practice, few low-ranking nobles dare to simply give up and wait for their superiors to help them fill the gaps and clean up the mess.

They created the problem, so they should take responsibility for solving it. The fact that the logistics system is functioning properly is enough to prove that most nobles are clean.

Of course, they couldn't be corrupt even if they wanted to. Not everyone was qualified to participate in the resale of military supplies. The vast majority of minor nobles were simply not given the opportunity.

Those who actually participated in the resale of military supplies were either relatives and friends of high-ranking nobles, or their trusted subordinates. Only these people had the opportunity to get a lucrative position.

As the head coach, Hudson was no exception. While he could restrain his own clansmen, he couldn't restrain his relatives and friends.

These people in front of us are actually innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire. What was originally a trap set for the Dalton Family has also unwittingly dragged many minor and medium-sized nobles in the Southeast Province into the mess.

Now that the truth has come out, everyone has no choice but to bite the bullet and come to us for help.

Seeing the ashamed expressions on everyone's faces, Hudson felt quite satisfied deep down, though his expression remained terribly gloomy.

"You guys are all incredibly bold. You dare to get involved in something like this? Are you really not afraid of death?!"

"Nonsense, I'm not listening to that. First, tell me how big the hole you've created, then I'll know what to do next!"

As he spoke, Hudson turned his gaze to Viscount Oran. Of all the people in front of him, his father-in-law was the closest to him.

They were the first to inform us about the investigation team. Although it didn't have much practical significance, we should still appreciate the favor.

"The family has suffered a misfortune. The Hollisir Family has lost a total of 700 suits of armor, 1,200 spears, 150 tons of grain, 500 pounds of salt, 5,000 feet of cloth, and 36,000 Arrow Feathers..."

Of these, I can manage to get another five hundred armors. I can also slowly salvage some food, but the remaining strategic resources... sigh!

Viscount Oran said bitterly.

He didn't lend a hand, but his tribesmen were uncooperative. A moment's inattention led to disaster. The five hundred pieces of armor they managed to repair were all taken from their own soldiers.

It's a tragedy to think that such a small amount of supplies has stumped the Hollisir Family.

If this were in our base, we could easily gather supplies. But this is the front line; money alone can't buy us resources.

The trading market may seem prosperous, but in order to get people to willingly spend money, they are still playing the scarcity marketing game.

To make the performance more convincing, members of various chambers of commerce have been rushing to the front lines of the allied forces every day recently.

Those unaware of the situation might think that the supplies on the black market were actually taken from the frontline coalition forces.

Some were indeed salvaged from the front lines, but it was only a very small amount. Even knowing that an investigation team was coming, the nobles at the front lines were still afraid of problems arising.

"Your Excellency, there's no need to worry too much. If the Hollisir Family only has this small deficit, it shouldn't be difficult to fill it as long as they're willing to spend the money!"

While seemingly offering words of comfort, he was actually drawing a line for everyone. The meaning was very clear: he could find a way to provide supplies, but everyone would have to pay for it themselves.

Hudson wants to sell favors, but he also wants to make money.

The price is the same as the market price; the only difference is that I used his connections to get the goods in the shortest amount of time.

"Hudson, I'm sorry to have troubled you this time. To be honest, I went to the trading center and all the major chambers of commerce are out of stock."

Even if there's some stock, not everyone can buy it. You'll probably have to use a lot of favors this time!

Viscount Oran's words pleased Hudson greatly. It was clear his father-in-law had grasped his unspoken meaning and was deliberately playing along.

The nobles who originally wanted to use their connections to get some cheap goods have now changed their minds.

Given the supply shortage, getting goods often requires favors; hoping to buy cheap goods would be incredibly foolish.

In the world of the aristocracy, the most expensive thing is always the debt of gratitude; the more important a person is, the more reluctant they are to owe favors.

"We're all family, this is what we should do. Your Excellency, there's no need to take it to heart."

Let's all share our situations. Hudson will do his best to help in any way he can.

Tom, get me paper and pen to take notes!

As soon as the words were spoken, many nobles who understood the implied meaning immediately turned bitter.

It's only natural for family members to help each other; if they're not family, then naturally we'll have to talk about exchanging benefits.

While both are acts of kindness, the favors Hudson bestows are not on the same level as the favors they receive.

Of the nobles present, all could indeed be linked to the Coslo Family, but for most, the connection was too distant.

Hudson couldn't recall the names of at least two-thirds of the nobles, nor did he know their backgrounds.

If I hadn't come along, it would have been uncertain whether I would have even been allowed into his tent. After all, the requirements for the commander's camp are already quite high.

As the nobles continued to introduce themselves and their shortages of supplies, Hudson's expression gradually darkened.

I don't know where these guys got the guts. Some simpletons have no skills, no connections, and yet they dare to resell military supplies.

It's one thing to be unable to resist reaching out, but to be so greedy is another. There are at least seven families with even more problems than the Hollisir Family.

Looking at the accumulated list, Hudson said irritably, "The shortage of supplies for everyone has been tallied. I can't guarantee whether we can buy them all."

You all know the rules of the black market. There's no such thing as credit here, so have your money ready!

To avoid any unforeseen complications, I will arrange for you to meet with representatives from various chambers of commerce tomorrow morning.

As everyone probably knows, the seller has the final say right now, and the buyer has no room for negotiation!

No money? No problem, Hudson has it! But he couldn't possibly say that himself.

If you want him to advance the funds, there will be a price to pay. What that price will depend on what each party has to offer.

They were all nobles, so Hudson wasn't worried about them defaulting on their debts. If they really couldn't pay, there were always their fiefdoms to rely on.

It is impossible to annex the fiefdom, but it is reasonable for the creditor to take the profits from it.

"Gentlemen, the situation is not good right now. It seems that the chambers of commerce in the trading center are deliberately targeting us!"

They accepted all the other people's orders, but when it came to ours, they suddenly ran out of stock!

As he spoke, Duke Agalon deliberately glanced at Duke Cavadia and Duke Pias.

This situation is most likely the fault of these two. Why did they propose raiding the black market when targeting Hudson?

Having incurred such deep hatred, it would be problematic to expect to buy goods from them without facing difficulties.

Unfortunately, the two were also in a difficult situation. They thought that by putting pressure on Hudson with the help of others, they could force him to give up the black market.

Unfortunately, despite the well-thought-out plan, new problems arose during the actual execution.

Hudson had close ties with the black market, as did many of the nobles within the Allied Forces. However, such matters were ultimately best kept private.

If everyone worked together, it wouldn't be impossible to raid and confiscate the property, but unfortunately, the crowd wasn't as united as they had anticipated.

Upon learning that the black market was short of supplies and that the cooperation of the allied nobles on the front lines was necessary to fill the gap, everyone immediately backed down.

While all three were involved in embezzling and reselling military supplies, their circumstances were vastly different. Not all nobles were so greedy, desperately scrambling to fill their own coffers.

Most nobles are frugal, and the deficit isn't that large; purchasing a batch of supplies would be enough to fill the gap. There's no need to take the risk with them.

"Merchants are driven by profit, and their deliberate attempts to make things difficult for us are simply a way to raise prices!"

What I'm afraid of is that they actually have no goods on hand right now, and it's not just that they're making things difficult for us.

For now, all we can do is try our best. If we really can't plug the hole, then we'll just have to...

It's best not to take that step. Even if you do it perfectly, it's hard to guarantee you won't be caught.

Duke Cavadia said with a gloomy expression.

He was thoroughly outmaneuvered by Hudson this time. If it weren't for Hudson's long-term indulgence, which had lowered his guard, he would never have been so easily led by the nose.

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"Pias, a Giant Dragon attacked your Locknerd Family a while ago. Have you found out who it was?"

If it really comes down to the final step, this dragon might come in handy!

Duke Dias's words seemed to open a new window for everyone.

Creating an accident yourself is easy to be discovered and exposed, but what if an accident actually happens?