Chapter 1631: Chapter 80: Yangguan County
“Marshal, we just received news.
Last night, the City of Parma fell, and Duke Ernest perished in battle!”
Upon delivering this news, Marquis Simon’s heart was filled with complexity.
The swift fall of the City of Parma left no time for rescue, hence he need not worry about accusations of indifference to its plight.
While resolving one concern, Marquis Simon was also filled with endless sorrow. How short a time has passed, yet another major noble of the kingdom has fallen.
Simply from the statistical data, the number of major nobles who perished in the Black Forest Kingdom in the past decade surpasses that of the past hundred years.
The dead cannot return to life; now what we must do is use the Earth Core Passage as bait to lure the main forces of the Demonic Crocodile Clan and avenge Duke Ernest!”
Hudson calmly replied.
Merely a major noble lost in battle; he had witnessed such scenes countless times and was well beyond feeling grief.
Perhaps for individuals and clans, this is a catastrophe, but for the decaying Black Forest Kingdom, such sacrifice is an opportunity.
Only with the continuous demise of major nobles can their martial spirit be awakened, forcing the remaining nobles to focus on military preparedness.
The collective setbacks of vested interests are also advantageous for the reformists. Only when everyone feels the pain will they support reforms to seek survival.
However, these thoughts he would only keep to himself, never to be spoken aloud.
The Black Forest Kingdom has numerous issues, yet how can the Alpha Kingdom be free of them?
The current strength is built on the continual victories in wars abroad.
Without resolving its own problems, Hudson would not involve himself thanklessly in the internal politics of an ally.
“Marshal, please take…”
Before Marquis Simon could finish, Hudson interrupted, “Your Excellency the Marquis, I am unfamiliar with the situation of the nobles, how could I command the national army?
Let us stop at this point.
You should advise His Majesty to select another capable person to undertake this heavy responsibility!”
If this opportunity had arisen five years ago, Hudson surely would not have let it slip by.
But the situation is different now!
Having acquired the title of Human Marshal, the marshal’s seal of the Black Forest Kingdom holds much less value.
Merely a title of no substance, wishing him to risk his unbeaten stature, laboring thanklessly, is impossible.
The outside world believes he is a military genius, capable of winning any battle, as if his appointment as commander would immediately lead to a great victory.
But those boasts are just for show; Hudson himself is not so arrogant.
Strategizing from afar, achieving victory from a thousand miles away, is based on an in-depth understanding of the battlefield situation.
Commanding the Alpha Kingdom’s forces, Hudson dared to make remote plans because the troops were trained by him, and he knew their capabilities well.
The military leaders were also nurtured by him, capable of executing his orders without compromise.
In the Black Forest Kingdom, no matter how high his reputation, he is still just an outsider.
Aside from the leaders of the allied forces that fought under him, who would truly regard him seriously!
Relying entirely on information provided by the Black Forest People to wage war, one might not even know how they died.
This is already Hudson’s third refusal, aside from the envoy sent by Alexander V who attempted to persuade him.
Most matters can be forced, but appointing a commander must be willingly accepted.
In fact, the Black Forest Kingdom has already given him many promises, gold, silver, jewels, various rare magical materials, or even a fief, all are negotiable, but unfortunately, Hudson just won’t accept it.
Different identity and status naturally result in different appearances.
Besides the benefits, politics must also be considered.
While there indeed are nobles on the Continent of Aslante who simultaneously hold fiefs in several countries, those are special cases, not common phenomena.
If Hudson accepted a fief from the Black Forest Kingdom, it could be interpreted as his dissatisfaction with the Alpha Kingdom, wanting to switch sides.
Such things have historical precedent.
Unlike typical noble lords, Hudson excels in leading troops into battle. Without a sufficient fief, he could carve out one himself through force.
The likelihood of him switching sides is small, but not non-existent.
To the many eager Alpha Kingdom aristocrats ready to overthrow the Orc Empire, even a one-in-ten-thousand chance must be nipped in the bud.
Any slight indication would immediately trigger a political storm.
In this context, Hudson must take care to maintain distance from international forces, lest unnecessary upheaval arise.
This small episode did not affect the allied forces’ pursuit of the remaining enemy. In the following days, the allied forces continued to relentlessly hunt down the routed troops.
For those being hunted, the experience was far from pleasant. Due to the allied forces’ efforts, the Centipede Army rapidly diminished.
After continuous fleeing, King Centipede led part of the remaining forces to their destination — Yangguan County.
“What is happening up ahead, why have we suddenly stopped?”
King Centipede asked sternly.
The travel hardships were a significant challenge for him, a king accustomed to comfort.
Forced by the situation, he endured with gritted teeth, though his temper was increasingly volatile.
“Your Majesty, the Demonic Crocodile Army ahead has blocked our path, and the eldest prince is negotiating with them!”
The guard’s response caused King Centipede to frown.
Under normal circumstances, should a Demonic Crocodile dare block his way, he wouldn’t hesitate to charge through directly.