Time to Show Their Hand

Upon receiving the threatening letter, Hudson immediately ordered the activation of the epidemic prevention plan, but unfortunately it came too late.

The Beastfolk didn't just issue verbal warnings; they actually unleashed the plague. By the time the letter arrived, the plague had already spread throughout the allied forces.

The complex composition of the coalition forces made Hudson's pandemic prevention plan unsustainable. After all, he could only control the Logistics Department, not the large army and the mixed mercenaries on the front lines.

This epidemic, in particular, is accompanied by an incubation period. Before the outbreak, there was not a trace to be found.

The large number of non-combat casualties quickly drew the attention of the coalition's high command. Even the corruption investigation became old news.

"Those despicable Beastfolk have unleashed a plague, attempting to force us to withdraw through such vile means. What are your thoughts on this?"

Marquis Sunil's question startled Hudson.

The expected criticism did not occur. Instead, he asked for everyone's opinion, which clearly showed that the Frankish Kingdom's fighting spirit was not as high as he had imagined.

If this war is to continue, a mere plague is not enough to make the continent's number one kingdom back down.

Judging from the current situation, most of those who died from the plague were ordinary soldiers with weak immune systems. Even noble officers who had achieved mastery of their skills were mostly able to survive if they were infected.

The Priest's Great Purification Spell is somewhat effective against plague. The only problem is that the side effects are a little too severe, and there are simply too few Priests capable of casting Great Purification Spell.

"After continuous research by the priests, it can be basically determined that this plague is the Black Calamity that once ravaged the continent for decades."

In human history, it also has another name—the Black Death.

The destructive power it has shown so far is not as terrifying as rumored, because it is still winter.

For a short time, we can barely control the epidemic, but once winter is over and spring comes, the situation will deteriorate rapidly.

If the war drags on into the summer, the full-blown Black Death will pose a deadly threat to most knights and mages.

Blake said with a serious expression.

The Church has conducted the most in-depth research on these strange viruses. However, these methods are usually considered taboo and should only be used as a last resort.

Throughout the history of human infighting, everyone has maintained basic rationality and has never resorted to such heinous methods.

This enemy is clearly unruly. The plague, which indiscriminately kills friend and foe alike, has been unleashed.

Listening to the angry curses and complaints from the crowd, Hudson silently became a spectator. For the sake of the race's survival, any means necessary were understandable.

Understanding is meaningless; when it's time to act, Hudson won't hesitate either.

"If we can't drag this out any longer, let's finish this quickly!"

"While winter is still here, let's inflict as many casualties as possible on the Beastfolk. By spring, the Orc Empire might already be collapsed."

Hudson reluctantly suggested.

At this point in the war, continuing it would be pointless.

Even if the Orc Empire, severely weakened, were to recuperate for a hundred years, it would be difficult for it to return to its pre-war level.

Having lost the fertile Orc Great Plains and now reliant on a barren wasteland, the Beastfolk's development potential has been significantly weakened.

Even if one day the Beastfolk race were to unite, the Alpha Kingdom would no longer be the front line for humans.

According to Hudson, the best option is to take what they can get and pack up to go home.

However, for the sake of the kingdom's interests, he still had to try his best to prevent the war from ending so quickly.

The corruption case is still pending; if the war ends now, all the pressure will be focused on the case itself.

As the commander-in-chief of the Alpha Kingdom's army, Hudson had to step forward and demonstrate his efforts at this crucial moment.

"Count Hudson, you're thinking too highly of yourself. The army's movement has already been greatly affected by the plague."

Especially your Logistics Department, they've been exceptionally slow. If the fighting continues, I'm afraid we won't even be able to guarantee what the soldiers' next meal will be!

Hudson's face turned very ugly at Blake's merciless sarcasm, but deep down he was extremely pleased.

Opposition was exactly what he wanted. He had already gotten everything he wanted in this war, and there was no need for him to stay and waste any more time.

"Count Hudson, Blake's words, though harsh, are not without reason. The current situation is indeed not suitable for the allied forces to advance further."

The plague has been unleashed. According to the Beastfolk, if the war continues, they will open a portal to Hell, summoning powerful beings from Other Plane.

As the dominant power on the continent in the previous era, it's not surprising that the Orc Empire controls several spatial portals.

Once they open the passage, it will be a threat to all living beings on the entire Aslant Continent.

As the war has progressed, the Orc Empire has been severely damaged and can no longer threaten the hegemony of our human race.

It would be better to accept the terms and mediation from the various races on the continent, and then consider other issues after we have fully digested the Orc Great Plains.

Marquis Olavell said with a smile.

But behind that smile lay an undeniable resolve. With the Frankish Kingdom, the Church, and the Iberian Kingdom all unwilling to fight, the other powers naturally knew what to choose.

Faced with the collective will of the people, Hudson naturally wouldn't stubbornly resist. After the representatives of various factions within the coalition expressed their stance, he gracefully backed down.

With the military conference over, the pressure on the Logistics Department suddenly increased. The Allied forces were not prepared to continue their offensive, and all their attention was focused on logistics.

The first to be affected were naturally the Northern Nobles who were deeply involved in a major corruption case.

The deeper the investigation team went, the more evidence they found, and many minor nobles were arrested.

Amidst the tense atmosphere, the five dukes of the North were trembling with fear, lest they find themselves trapped at any moment.

"The alliance investigation team has started making arrests. We've filed a complaint, but command hasn't responded at all. Clearly, that bastard Hudson is planning to betray us!"

Duke Pias roared.

No matter how powerful the Alliance Investigation Team is, it must still abide by the rules. Without the tacit approval of the Alpha Kingdom, they have no right to arrest people directly.

The current situation clearly indicates that an agreement has been reached at the higher levels, deliberately allowing the alliance's investigation team to come and arrest people.

The Northern Noble Faction did attempt to resist, but after the investigation team presented evidence that the arrested individuals were reselling military supplies, everyone backed down.

Even the five dukes dared not openly oppose the Alliance investigation team. The much-anticipated intervention from the kingdom had yet to materialize.

"Pias, calm down. Perhaps the key to this matter is no longer on the front lines, but in the political maneuvering behind the scenes."

The Count Hudson is no fool. Even if he has a grudge against you, he wouldn't retaliate in such a way that gives you a handle to use against him.

Looking back at what has happened recently, it's clear that it's aimed at our companies. Such a large-scale operation is clearly beyond Hudson's capabilities to plan and implement.

"With the ability to orchestrate so many things, how many others in the kingdom besides our good emperor could do it?"

Duke Cavadia asked in return with a solemn expression.

Evidence is not needed; judging solely from the development of the situation is very much like the work of Caesar III.

The only problem is that the flaws are too obvious; a little reasoning is enough to connect them to him, and there is a lack of necessary concealment.

However, for a well-intentioned scheme, whether or not one exposes oneself doesn't seem to be that important.

This trap may not be able to bury the Northern Nobles in one fell swoop, but it will at least make them suffer.

As more and more people go to jail, some will eventually succumb to the pressure and betray them.

Once you're caught up in it, your life or death is out of your control.

Given their past behavior, it would be considered a favor if no one took advantage of their misfortune at a time like this. Expecting the kingdom to provide full assistance is virtually impossible.

"We can't just sit here and wait to die. If we continue investigating like this, it's only a matter of time before we're exposed."

Or perhaps we've already been exposed, but the Alliance investigation team hasn't rushed to take action against us for political reasons.

But this won't last long. The major battle on the front lines has ceased, and now only a group of mercenaries remain, making a final push.

The Orc Empire doesn't have much to offer right now; the Alliance's only interest is the vast grasslands they've already conquered. The upcoming ceasefire negotiations should proceed relatively smoothly.

"Once the armistice is signed, the Allied forces won't need to worry about logistical disruptions, and we'll be in real danger!"

"Duke Pias said with a worried expression."

The meticulously planned "fire dragon burning the warehouse" only delayed the investigation team's progress and did not erase all the evidence as expected.

As the investigation deepened, more and more evidence emerged that was detrimental to them. A large number of Northern Nobles were imprisoned for corruption, Pias was truly panicked.

"Judging from the current situation, we probably can't avoid it. Rather than letting the Alliance investigation team find out, we might as well just confess."

Surely the league won't just kill us outright?

"If we pull some strings, maybe we can turn a big problem into a small one, and a small one into nothing. It's just a corruption case anyway; we can just cover up the deficit and that's it."

"Duke Agalon said defiantly."

Theoretically, there's nothing wrong with "confessing and receiving leniency." But the current situation is clearly different, involving a power struggle between the Alpha Kingdom and the Alliance, which will inevitably be used against them.

Stop dreaming, Agieron.

Unless we expose all the fact that the nobles in our country are reselling military supplies, the alliance will not let us off easily.

Once we betray our colleagues like this, how can we ever face anyone in the country again?

Even the masterminds behind the attacks against us know to abide by the rules of the game. They merely orchestrate events from the shadows rather than directly presenting evidence to the investigation team.

Perhaps they've already dug a pit, just waiting for us to jump in.

Duke Dias's words laid all the contradictions on the table.

The predicament faced by the Northern Nobles appears to be a case of reselling military supplies, but in reality, it is a culmination of long-standing conflicts that have just come to a head.

Externally: The Alliance investigation team wants to use them as a breakthrough point to find an excuse to kick the Alpha Kingdom out of the game.

Internally: The major powers in the kingdom who had grudges against them were all waiting to see them make a fool of themselves and take advantage of their misfortune.

"Jingle bells, jingle bells..."

The bell outside the door suddenly rang, interrupting the five men's secret plot. To maintain secrecy, no one was left within a hundred meters of the camp; the bell was rung only in case of any major event.

Install the latest version.

"Ciss, what's happening outside?"

After rushing out of the tent, Duke Cavadia asked the young man in the distance.

"Your Highness, the Alliance investigation team has arrived. They've brought a large group this time, including Duke Affierro and Count Hudson..."

The string of names Ciss uttered immediately made everyone realize the gravity of the situation. Just as they were considering a solution, the group came into view.

Clearly, the guards in the army did not stop the people from coming, or rather, they did not dare to stop them.

They exchanged glances and sighed helplessly. What was bound to happen would happen eventually, and at this point, no matter what had occurred, they could only face it with equanimity.

"Duke Cavadia, Duke Pias, A... will the five of you confess on your own, or shall we interrogate them?"

Marquis Jerome's words instilled a sense of foreboding in the five men. In the world of nobility, people usually leave themselves an out.

Even if they are enemies, they will deliberately restrain themselves in front of outsiders and rarely ask questions that directly overturn the table.

"Your Excellency, we don't understand what you're talking about. Explain, what do we need to explain?"

Duke Cavadia struggled.

Unfortunately, his trembling betrayed his inner unease. Reason told him that what happened today most likely meant the investigation team had obtained evidence of their illegal sale of military supplies.

But a last glimmer of hope made them unwilling to confess. As high-ranking nobles of the human race, they could not be convicted without solid evidence.

It's now a gamble on how much evidence the investigation team has. If the evidence isn't sufficient, throwing out a few scapegoats might just quell the storm.

"It seems you gentlemen are not prepared to plead guilty. But that's alright, we already have enough evidence."

This box contains the statements of the people involved, the box on the right contains documents about the warehouse before and after the fire, and this box behind it contains the shipping times and targets of your resale of military supplies..."

Bishop Caveh's pointed words gave the five a glimmer of hope, only to be followed by another wave of despair.

With so much evidence presented, it's difficult to deny it even if they wanted to. Even if they have secret connections with the Church, it's impossible for the Church to directly protect them at this time.

Even pleading for them would only make things worse. The only one who could truly help them is the Alpha Kingdom.

After all, the case of reselling military supplies is not only an international case, but also a major corruption case within the Alpha Kingdom.

As a sovereign state, the Alpha Kingdom has the right to pursue its own disposal.

"Duke Affierro, Count Hudson, are you just going to stand by and watch them slander the kingdom's nobles?"

Duke Pias asked in a panic.

The words had barely left his mouth when he began to regret them. At a time like this, stirring up trouble between his enemies was clearly not something a wise person would do.

"Your Grace, we only care about the facts. The truth cannot be hidden, and the falsehood cannot be made true."

Everyone is watching closely, and I believe the investigation team will give you an objective and fair result. Until then, I suggest you cooperate.

Confessing your crimes yourself might at least get you a lighter sentence, preventing a huge scandal and ruining your reputation!

Hudson said without changing his expression.

Nearly half of the evidence in the investigation team's possession was sponsored by him free of charge, while the other half was provided by other parties.

The authenticity is beyond doubt; everything is verifiable and can withstand scrutiny. The fact that it's being brought to the forefront today signifies that it's time for a showdown.

"Alright, everyone. If you dare to do it, why wouldn't you dare to admit it?"

As members of the nobility, to commit such a heinous act is a disgrace to the kingdom.

I think I don't need to give any further hints on what to do next. The evidence is all here; if you're not satisfied, you can go and check it yourself.

I hope you will shoulder your responsibilities, not bring shame upon your families, and not let the kingdom's nobles be ashamed of you!

"Duke Affierro said coldly."

If possible, he wouldn't mind if the Northern Nobles mutinied on the spot. As long as they started, the royal family could use the pretext of suppressing the rebellion to remove this thorn in their side.