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MTL - The King-Chapter 316 showdown time
As soon as he received the threatening letter, Hudson ordered the activation of the epidemic prevention plan, but unfortunately it was too late.
The orcs didn't just warn, but actually released the plague. When the letter came, the plague had already spread among the coalition forces.
The complex personnel composition of the coalition forces directly made Hudson's epidemic prevention plan unsustainable. After all, he can only restrain the people in the logistics department, not the frontline army and the mixed mercenaries.
Especially this plague is accompanied by an incubation period. Before the virus broke out, there was no trace of it.
A large number of non-combat attrition appeared, which soon attracted the attention of the high-level coalition forces. Even the investigation of corruption cases has become old news.
"The despicable orcs have released the plague, trying to force us to withdraw our troops with this dirty method. What do you think about this?"
Marquis Sunil's question stunned Hudson.
The expected criticism did not happen. Instead, he asked everyone for their opinions. Obviously, the desire to fight in the Frankish Kingdom is not as high as he imagined.
If you want to continue this war, just a plague is not enough to make the first kingdom of the mainland retreat.
Judging from the current situation, most of the victims of the plague were ordinary soldiers with weak resistance. Even if aristocratic military officers who have succeeded in cultivation are hit, most of them can save their lives.
The priest's great purification technique also has a certain effect on the plague. The only problem is that the sequelae are so big, and the number of priests who can release the Great Purification Technique is too small.
"After continuous research by the priests, it can basically be judged that this plague is the plague of black evil that has been rampant in the mainland for decades.
In the history of the human race, there is another name—the Black Death.
The lethality displayed so far is not as terrifying as in the legend, that is because it is still winter.
In a short period of time, we can barely control the plague, but once winter turns to spring, the situation will deteriorate sharply.
If the war drags on until summer, the Black Death, which erupts in full force, will pose a fatal threat to most knights and magicians. "
Blake said with a serious face.
The Holy See has the deepest research on these strange viruses. It's just that these are usually regarded as taboo methods and cannot be used unless it is absolutely necessary.
In the past history of the human race's infighting, everyone also maintained the most basic rationality, and never played such crazy methods.
The enemy this time is obviously the Lord who doesn't play by the rules. The plague that killed people regardless of enemy or friend was released.
Listening to the crowd's scolding and complaining, Hudson silently became a melon-eating crowd. It is understandable to take any means for the continuation of the race.
Understanding is meaningless. When it's time to make a move, Hudson will not be soft.
"If you can't drag it on, let's make a quick decision!
Before the end of winter, try to cause as many casualties as possible to the orcs. By the time of spring, the orc empire may have collapsed. "
Hudson bit the bullet and suggested.
The war has progressed to the present, and it does not make much sense to continue.
The orc empire, whose vitality has been severely damaged, will hardly return to the pre-war level even if it takes a hundred years of cultivation.
With the loss of the fertile orc prairie and only a piece of barren rotten land, the development potential of the orc has been substantially weakened.
Even if one day all the orc races are unified, the Alpha Kingdom will no longer be the forefront of the human race.
According to Hudson's thinking, it is the best choice to pack up now and go back to each house.
It's just out of the interests of the kingdom, he still has to work hard, and he can't let the war end so quickly.
The corruption case has not yet come to fruition. If the war ends now, all the pressure will be concentrated on the case itself.
As the coach of the Alpha Kingdom's army, Hudson has to jump out and perform anyway at this time to prove that he has worked hard.
"Earl Hudson, you are thinking too well. Affected by the plague, the movement speed of the army has been greatly affected.
Especially your logistics department is extremely slow. If the fighting continues, I'm afraid the soldiers won't even be able to guarantee what their next meal will be! "
Facing Blake's merciless sarcasm, Hudson looked very ugly, but deep down he was extremely happy.
It is right to be opposed, which is exactly what he wants to see. In this war, he had obtained everything he wanted, and there was no need to stay and waste time.
"Earl Hudson, although Blake's words are harsh, they are not unreasonable. The current situation is indeed not suitable for the coalition forces to continue to deepen.
The plague has been released. According to the orcs, if the war continues, they will open a passage to **** and attract powerful people from different planes to descend.
As the overlord of the continent in the last era, it is not surprising that the Orc Empire has several space portals in its hands.
Once they are allowed to open the channel, it will be a threat to all living beings on the entire continent of Aslante.
The war has progressed so far, the orc empire has been severely damaged, and can no longer threaten the hegemony of our human race.
It’s better to accept it as soon as it’s good, accept the mediation of various ethnic groups in the mainland, and consider other issues after digesting the orc prairie. "
Marquis Olafur persuaded with a smile.
But behind this smile, there is an undeniable strand. The Kingdom of Franks, the Holy See, and the Kingdom of Iberia no longer want to fight, and other forces naturally know how to choose.
Facing the common will of everyone, Hudson will naturally not die. After the representatives of the forces in the coalition expressed their attitude, he went downhill.
The military meeting ended, and the pressure on the logistics department suddenly increased. The coalition forces were not prepared to continue the offensive, and their eyes were focused on logistics.
The first ones to bear the brunt are naturally a group of northern nobles who were deeply involved in the corruption case.
The deeper the investigation team investigates, the more evidence they find, and many small and medium-sized nobles were directly arrested.
Under the panic, the five Dukes of the Northland were also trembling, fearing that they would get trapped in it anytime.
…
"The alliance investigation team has already started arresting people. We filed a complaint, but the headquarters did not respond. Obviously that **** Hudson is planning to betray us!"
Duke Pias roared.
No matter how powerful the alliance investigation team is, it must abide by the rules of the game. Without the acquiescence of the Alpha Kingdom, they have no right to directly arrest people.
In the current situation, it is obvious that the higher authorities have reached an agreement and deliberately let the alliance investigation team come to arrest people.
It’s not that the northern aristocratic group didn’t try to resist, it’s just that after the investigation team showed the evidence that the arrested people were reselling military supplies, everyone was discouraged.
Including the five dukes, none of them dared to openly disagree with the alliance investigation team. There is no shadow of the intervention of the Kingdom, which has placed high hopes on it.
"Pias, calm down. Perhaps the key to this matter is no longer on the front line, but in the political game behind the scenes.
The Earl of Hudson is no fool. Even if you have a grudge against you, you will not retaliate in this way of giving someone a handle.
Counting what happened in the recent period, it is obviously aimed at our family. Such a generous layout was obviously not planned and implemented by Hudson.
With the ability to do so many things, how many other people in the kingdom can do it besides our good Majesty? "
Duke Cavadia asked solemnly.
Evidence is not needed, just judging from the development of the situation, this is very similar to the handwriting of Caesar III.
The only problem is that the flaw is too obvious, and it can be associated with him after a little reasoning, lacking the necessary cover-up.
However, for a Yangmou, whether to expose himself or not doesn't seem to be that important.
The pit this time cannot be said to bury the nobles of the North in one fell swoop, at least it will make them unable to eat.
As more and more people go to prison, there will always be someone who can't stand the pressure and finally betrays a few of them.
Once you get stuck in it, life and death are beyond your control.
Based on their past style, at this time, if everyone doesn't make trouble, it's considered a face. It is almost impossible to expect the kingdom to do its best to save it.
"That can't sit still, according to the current investigation, it is only a matter of time before we are exposed.
In other words, some of us have been exposed, but the alliance investigation team is not in a hurry to take action against us out of political considerations.
But it won't last long. The battle on the front line has stopped, and now there is only a group of mercenaries left, still making their final efforts.
The Orc Empire has nothing to worry about right now. The alliance's appetite is nothing more than the occupied prairie. The next truce negotiation process should be relatively smooth.
Once the armistice treaty is signed, the coalition forces don’t need to worry about logistical turmoil, and our family is really in danger! "
Duke Pias said worriedly.
The painstakingly planned "fire dragon burning warehouse" only delayed the progress of the investigation team, and did not erase all evidence as expected.
With the deepening of the investigation, more and more evidence against them. A large number of northern nobles went to prison for corruption, and Pias really panicked.
"Judging from the current situation, there is a high probability that we will not be able to hide. Instead of letting the alliance investigation team find out, it is better to confess directly.
The alliance will not directly kill us, right?
Find someone to do some activities, maybe you can turn big things into small ones. There is only one corruption case left and right, just make up for the shortfall. "
Duke Agiron said angrily.
In theory, there is nothing wrong with "leniency for confession". But the current situation is obviously different. It involves the game between the Alpha Kingdom and the Alliance, and it is inevitable to make a fuss about them.
"Stop dreaming, Agieron.
Unless we disclose all the reselling of military supplies by the nobles in the country, the alliance will not let us off easily.
Once this kind of betrayal of colleagues is done, how will we mess around in China in the future?
Even the mastermind who targeted us knows to abide by the rules of the game. It's just a secret layout and promotion, rather than directly showing evidence to the investigation team.
Perhaps now, people have already dug a hole, just waiting for the few of us to jump into it. "
Duke Dias' words put all the contradictions on the table.
The predicament faced by the nobles in the north seems to be a case of reselling military supplies, but in fact it is a contradiction accumulated in the past. At this moment, a general outbreak happened to happen.
External: The alliance investigation team wants to use them as a breakthrough to find an excuse to kick the Alpha Kingdom out.
Internal: All the great powers in the kingdom who have a feud with them are waiting to see their jokes and throw trouble at the same time.
"jingle bell, jingle bell..."
The bell outside the door rang suddenly, interrupting the plot of the five people. In order to keep it secret, no one was kept within a 100-meter radius of the camp, and the bell would be rang whenever something important happened.
"Sith, what's going on outside?"
After rushing out of the camp, Duke Kavadia asked the young man in the distance.
"Duke, the people from the alliance investigation team are here. This time they brought a lot of people, along with Archduke Efiero and the Earl of Hudson..."
The string of names that Sith spat out made everyone immediately realize that there was a big problem. Just when everyone was thinking about countermeasures, the team had already appeared in their sight.
Obviously, the guards in the army did not stop the people who came, or they didn't dare to stop them at all.
Looking at each other, the five sighed helplessly. What should come will come after all. At this time, no matter what happens, we can only face it calmly.
…
"Duke Cavadia, Duke Pias, Ya... the five will explain themselves, or should we interrogate?"
Marquis Jerome's words gave the five people an ominous premonition. In the world of nobility, everyone usually stays on the front line when doing things.
Even if everyone is an enemy, they will deliberately restrain themselves in front of outsiders. There are very few questions that directly overturn the table.
"Your Excellency the Marquis, we don't understand what you are talking about. Explain, what do we need to explain?"
Duke Cavadia struggled hard.
Unfortunately, the trembling of his body revealed his inner anxiety. Reason told him that today's incident is likely to be because the investigation team has the evidence of reselling military supplies.
But the last sliver of luck made them unwilling to plead guilty like this. As the great nobles of the human race, unless there is tangible evidence, it is impossible to convict them.
Now it is a bet on how much evidence the investigation team has. If the evidence is not sufficient, then throwing a few scapegoats out may be able to calm the turmoil.
"It seems that you are not ready to plead guilty. But it doesn't matter, we already have enough evidence in our hands.
In this box are the confessions of relevant personnel, in the box on the right are the materials before and after the warehouse was burned, and in the back box are the delivery time and transaction targets of your reselling military supplies..."
Bishop Kaveh's words gave the five people a glimmer of hope, followed by a burst of despair.
With so much evidence thrown out, it's hard to deny it even if you want to. Even if they secretly have contact with the Holy See, it is impossible for the people of the Holy See to come out and protect them directly at this time.
Even asking for mercy will only help you more and more. It is the Alpha Kingdom that can really give them a hand.
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 country, the Alpha Kingdom has the right to fight for them alone.
"Grand Duke Efiero and Earl of Hudson, do you just watch them slander the nobles of the kingdom?"
Duke Pias asked in a panic.
As soon as the voice fell to the ground, he secretly regretted it. It is obviously not what a wise man should do to provoke one's enemies at this time.
"Your Excellency, we only focus on the facts. The truth cannot be false, and the false cannot be true.
Everyone is watching from the sidelines, and I believe that the investigation team will give you an objective and fair result. Before that, I suggest that you should cooperate well.
If you confess the evidence yourself, at least you can get a lighter sentence, so that you won’t make a fuss and become notorious! "
Hudson said without changing his face.
Nearly half of the evidence in the hands of the investigation team was sponsored by him free of charge, and the remaining half was provided by other parties one after another.
There is no doubt about the authenticity, all of them can stand the test. Being able to get it on the table today means that it is time for a showdown.
"Okay, a few. Don't you dare to do it?
As a member of the nobles, if you do such insane things, the kingdom will regard you as a shame.
What to do next, I don't think there is any need to continue prompting. The evidence is all here, if you don't want to, you can check it yourself.
I hope you can take up the responsibilities on your shoulders, don't let your family be ashamed, don't let the nobles of the kingdom be ashamed of you! "
Grand Duke Afiero said indifferently.
If possible, he doesn't mind the northern nobles mutinying on the spot. As long as they make trouble, the royal family can use the name of suppressing the rebellion to pull out this unsightly nail in one fell swoop.