King-Chapter 1381 - 265: Flooding “7 Counties”_3

Watching a group of elves fly away, Hudson felt a little embarrassed—this old aunt was just too easy to fool.

He hadn’t said anything, and yet she had already filled in all the blanks herself.

Since the Elf Race believed it so firmly, then this blame would undoubtedly fall on Daniel.

From the reconnaissance findings, the orcs responsible for the construction were the first victims. With all the parties involved dead, any investigation would be impossible to pursue afterward.

On the surface, the exposed issue was simply poor engineering quality.

If one were to dig deeper, it was nothing more than construction being rushed, leading to subpar workmanship.

And thus, the spearhead pointed directly at poor Daniel again—after all, it was his order to accelerate the construction process. ƒrēenovelkiss.com

As time ticked by second by second, reports of disasters from various regions continued to pour in.

Thanks to prior arrangements, even though the flood hit unexpectedly, the early measures managed to save a significant amount of losses.

"Marshal, according to intelligence from various regions, the Seven Prefectures along the borders have suffered the most from this flood.

The exact damages are still being calculated, but just the materials soaked by the flood amount to tens of thousands of tons.

Casualties are also staggering—there are already over a thousand confirmed dead, with more than five hundred corpses recovered and over two thousand still missing.

The only piece of slightly good news is: the reservoir and accumulated water upstream have already been drained, and water levels across the region are starting to recede. It’s expected that the flood will fully subside by tonight."

After hearing Jose’s report, Hudson helplessly rubbed his forehead.

Not all frontline commanders had his quick reflexes, issuing adaptive orders immediately upon realizing the flood’s approach.

A moment’s delay could spell the beginning of a catastrophe.

The flood took everyone by surprise—the soldiers stationed inside the city fared alright, but those patrolling outside were almost entirely wiped out in one fell swoop.

As for the soldiers missing in the flood, chances were high they had perished.

Casualties among civilians hadn’t been tallied yet, but surely they would surpass those of the soldiers.

Old men, women, and children in particular—facing such intense psychological trauma, even if they hadn’t drowned, many were bound to fall ill from fright.

"Issue orders for all regional troops to strictly enforce epidemic prevention protocols and to properly address the potential outbreaks of plague ahead!"

No mention was made of pursuing the enemy—given the current situation with the water receding, the orcs were scrambling to flee for their lives, hardly able to remain and await destruction.

Engaging in battle was out of the question—all the supplies accompanying the army had been swept away by the flood.

Cattle, sheep, and warhorses were all gone; anyone lucky enough to survive could be counted as fortunate—what would they even fight with now?

Were it not for the muddy and impassable roads hindering large-scale troop movements, Hudson might have already ordered a full counterattack.

...

"Your Highness, we must go!

The Empire no longer offers us a place to stand. While the floodwaters have yet to fully recede, this is the perfect time for us to leave.

Let us first retreat to the World of Ice and Snow, await calmer conditions, and return when it’s less perilous!"

The Guard Commander anxiously implored.

Such a major incident would certainly lead to accountability. At present, all the damning evidence pointed directly at Daniel.

If the leader were to bear the brunt, their underlings wouldn’t be spared either.

Explanations were meaningless now—fury boiled on all sides. Odds were Daniel’s mere appearance would cause the enraged various Orc Races to rip him apart.

"It’s too late. With the power of this flood, it’s enough to wipe out the Empire’s main forces—it’s me who destroyed the Empire!"

Daniel murmured bitterly.

A momentary lapse led to eternal regret!

What had seemed like an open trap to force the enemy into decisive battle had unexpectedly turned into the underhanded demise of the Orc Empire as its lead culprit.

If he had died in the ruthless combat of the battlefield, so be it—as a Combat Race, everyone was born with that destiny. As long as the war could be won, any losses would have been considered worth it.

But now? They hadn’t fallen to the blade of their enemy—they’d been undone by their own people.

What was meant to flood the enemy’s Seven Armies was absurdly twisted into a flood that drowned their own Seven Prefectures, losing their "Seven Armies" in the process.

"Your Highness, you cannot blame yourself for this. Those people’s relentless push for decisive battle forced your hand—it drove you to take a risk.

If you chose to take the gamble, failing at it was always within the realm of possibilities, but you don’t need to carry their blame!"

"Withdraw somewhere safe for now, await changes in the domestic situation, and return later to clean up the mess.

After all, Hudson is so formidable—apart from you, no one else stands a chance against him. Once they’ve suffered enough losses, they’ll naturally remember the value you bring!"

The Guard Commander continued his earnest persuasion.

Seeing his leader still unmoved, he gritted his teeth, steeled his resolve, and struck from behind, knocking the dazed Daniel unconscious. Without delay, he hoisted the man over his shoulder and left.

...

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