King-Chapter 1384 - 266: The Ripple Effect_3

"Hudson might be using this as an opportunity to eliminate dissidents!"

The Hawkman Emperor followed up smoothly.

The logic is now a closed loop—this has to be Hudson’s doing.

When dealing with such despicable enemies who even scheme against their own people, falling into traps is only natural.

With the biggest issue resolved, the internal conflicts within the Orc Empire have finally been temporarily alleviated.

...

At the Jade Palace, upon receiving the news of the war’s end, Caesar IV was utterly stunned.

Just a few days ago, Hudson had claimed the war situation was so critical that he didn’t even have time to attend the Alliance Council meeting. And now, in the blink of an eye, the war was over.

After reading the battle report, Caesar IV’s mouth formed an "O" shape, his mind flooded with disbelief.

Such an absurd story wouldn’t even be believable in a play, yet it had unfolded right beside him in reality.

"The Orcs killed themselves,"—it was both laughable and frustrating.

Of course, the army stationed at the frontline played a role as well. By exerting tactical pressure, they cornered the Orcs into making desperate moves, ultimately leading them to their own demise.

It’s not that Hudson is eager to claim the credit; the main reason is that: this explanation is the only one that makes sense.

Without any apparent reason, the Orcs wouldn’t have resorted to self-destruction. Only under extreme pressure would they risk such a dangerous move.

And since it was a "dangerous move," naturally it came with risk. The accidental collapse of the dam was just one of those risks.

Victory captivated Caesar IV and his ministers entirely, so much so that the losses detailed in the battle report were collectively overlooked.

Wars are fought; casualties are inevitable.

Compared to the millions of lives lost in previous Orc invasions, Hudson’s leadership certainly brought peace of mind.

Apart from the sour expression of the Minister of Finance, the rest, upon regaining their composure, were grinning ear to ear.

It doesn’t matter how the victory was achieved; the Alpha Kingdom is now the undeniable victor.

With the Alliance Council still in session, delivering a crushing defeat to the Orc Empire during such a critical moment is indeed a magnificent achievement.

"Your Majesty, Marshal Hudson plans to launch a counterattack against the Orc Empire. The strategic objective is to advance the national border by 800 miles and transform Snow Moon Lake into an inland lake of the Kingdom.

To ensure the army’s offensive proceeds smoothly, the frontline headquarters has submitted this list of required supplies."

Seeing everyone in high spirits, Count Ackman spoke up opportunistically.

One’s position determines their stance. When he served as the Minister of Government Affairs, he was a prudent member of the War Faction; now as the Minister of Defense, he had turned into an aggressive hawk for war.

He had reviewed the supply list and could only describe it as excessively demanding. Given the Kingdom’s current capabilities, it was impossible to gather everything in a short time.

But expanding territories isn’t just about defeating enemy forces; it also involves building new cities at the front and reconstructing defensive lines, which naturally demands significant resources.

The expenditure is indeed massive, but happiness always comes through comparison.

During previous Orc invasions, the frontline didn’t just demand supplies—they also called for reinforcements.

Every now and then, casualty reports would arrive, whether it was a general visiting the Lord of the Dawn or a fortress falling to the enemy.

Under Hudson’s leadership, the frontline hasn’t requested reinforcements; they’ve only asked for supplies.

As for battle reports, there’s hardly anything sent back. If one does arrive, it’s usually accompanied by bad news—for the Orcs.

In this context, the war supporters, from the court to the common folk, are at an unprecedented high.

"Crush the Orc Empire" has evolved from a political slogan into a national policy.

This isn’t the choice of any one individual—it’s the collective decision of all levels of the Alpha Kingdom.

After three hundred years of mutual conflict, given the chance to eliminate their enemy, no one would let the opportunity slip away.

If swallowing whole is impossible, then bite off pieces instead.

"Count Ackman, Marshal Hudson’s strategic plan is excellent, but the Kingdom simply cannot gather such a vast amount of resources in a short time!

The war has drained our finances to the bone. The strategic supplies we’re acquiring now are mostly on credit borrowed shamelessly from local nobles.

Should the creditors come to collect, the Kingdom might have no choice but to follow in the footsteps of the Moxi People!"

Count Francis spread his hands and remarked.

He supports the war, but the finances truly lack money. To be precise, the treasury was already in deficit even before the war began.

That the Kingdom has managed to hold on until now is solely due to his persuasive skills.

At this moment, the Kingdom’s Finance Department resembles a colossal pyramid scheme, having entrapped various creditors.

Not only does the Kingdom owe a mountain of debt to local nobles, but banks, merchant guilds, and churches within its borders are also among its lenders.

Even ambassadors stationed abroad have been tasked with moonlighting as war bond salesmen, with sales targets set for them.

Unlike his predecessor, who emphasized fiscal prudence and squeezed every copper coin to split in half, Count Francis relied on a mantra of "Borrow, Borrow, Borrow..." and "Charge, Charge, Charge..." after taking office.

In less than a year, the Kingdom’s total debt had doubled, hurtling ever closer to financial ruin.

During wartime, all considerations are focused on securing victory, naturally ignoring financial concerns.

But now that the crisis has abated and the Orcs have lost the capacity for further war, Count Francis must turn his attention to post-war matters.

"Absolutely not!

The Kingdom’s finances cannot go bankrupt, and yet the frontline’s supplies must be ensured!"

Caesar IV immediately set the tone for the discussion.

The situation was dangerously precarious—the Finance Minister of the Continent’s third-strongest nation was actually contemplating bankruptcy as a solution to a fiscal crisis.

If word got out, it would become the laughingstock of international society.

Deep down, Caesar IV already harbored a faint sense of regret. Had he foreseen the situation unfolding this way, he wouldn’t have promoted Count Francis to the position of Minister of Finance.

This individual was indeed capable, as evidenced by his fundraising skills—managing to extract funds from so many factions.

However, the ethical integrity of this Minister of Finance was alarmingly low, to the point that even the sensitive topic of fiscal bankruptcy was brought to the forefront.

It was foreseeable that if creditors discovered this Finance Minister’s thoughts of using bankruptcy to address governmental fiscal woes, several would have sleepless nights.

"Your Majesty, if both goals must be met, then we have no choice but to leverage our recent victory on the battlefield and issue more war bonds.

Taking advantage of the temporary ceasefire in the South Continent, we can also use the funds raised to procure strategic supplies internationally.

The bigger issue is the inefficiency of the frontline troops, who wasted a large amount of strategic supplies merely because they got soaked in water!"

Count Francis grumbled in frustration.

Faced with the triumphant military following its decisive victory, the Finance Department must stay cautious. Yet, he couldn’t turn a blind eye to the wasteful habits of the frontline.

Even if the nobles were too picky to eat, the supplies could have been distributed to the soldiers as rations!

"Count, the water-soaked grain had already spoiled; it’s a matter of ensuring the army’s safety!"

Count Ackman promptly countered.

In moments like these, maintaining a firm political stance is essential. If he didn’t align himself with the frontline troops, his role as the Minister of Defense would be rendered ineffective.

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