King-Chapter 1396 - 272, Enemies Everywhere

The news spread, and the frontlines quickly erupted into a frenzy. Legal "looting" had always been a legend within the Kingdom.

Outsiders often claimed: The Alpha Kingdom had the strictest military discipline.

In truth, it wasn’t that the Noble Lords wanted strict discipline; it was simply that the Kingdom’s circumstances were unique.

The Orcs next door were so poor they had nothing but their lives. They were always the ones looting the Kingdom, never the other way around.

If there was nothing to loot externally, the only option left was within. Since everyone was part of the same group, they needed to unite to resist external enemies. Doing anything to disrupt that unity was unacceptable.

The majority of the Kingdom’s soldiers would go their entire lives without experiencing looting. This skill, common among the Continental Army, was particularly rare in the Kingdom Army.

But this instinctive skill was something people always mastered innately. As long as the conditions allowed, it would awaken almost instantly.

Now that the Clergy was in decline, presented with an opportunity to take a share of the spoils, no one was willing to pass it up.

The only issue was: the Kingdom Government’s capitation tax wasn’t low. If they didn’t perform well, there was a chance they’d end up incurring losses.

But just the thought of the Clergy’s immense wealth swept away everyone’s worries in an instant.

After all those years of collecting Tithes and selling indulgences, the vast fortune accumulated couldn’t just vanish into thin air.

In no time, Hudson’s command headquarters became a lively scene. Noble officers flocked in to enlist; their numbers were overwhelming.

Except for a handful of exceptions where participation was inconvenient, the main Nobles of the Kingdom had all signed up.

"Marshal, this expedition to the Papal State is a rare opportunity. Are you really not going to join?"

Duke Zuell asked with concern.

When it came to kicking someone when they were down, more participants meant more loot to divide. Under normal circumstances, fewer participants were undoubtedly better.

But in the end, the Clergy was still the Clergy, even if it had fallen from grace. A broken ship still had three pounds of nails.

Given the tension between the Kingdom and the Clergy, there was a good chance they’d be the main target. Who knew—they might even end up clashing once they arrived.

When it came to warfare, Hudson was clearly the expert. With a professional like him leading the way, attacking the Clergy or even clashing later with other nations over shared interests wouldn’t intimidate anyone.

Looting together meant the stronger they were, the more spoils they’d get. Teaming up with Hudson was undoubtedly a way to enlarge the pie for everyone.

Even if the Clergy was driven to desperation and brought in the Sanctuary as reinforcements, Hudson, the "tall one," could take the brunt of it.

"Haha..."

"In this world, opportunities are the one thing that’s never in short supply. Miss this one, and there’ll be another.

Even though the war has come to a halt for now, the frontlines remain unstable. The Orcs have only temporarily withdrawn; that doesn’t mean they won’t come back.

With so many troops being drawn away, the frontlines still need me to hold the fort. This time around, the Koslow Family will not participate!"

As Hudson’s words fell, everyone’s expressions froze for a moment.

As the newly appointed Human Marshal, Hudson’s reluctance to tarnish his reputation by participating in looting was understandable.

But there was no need to exclude his family from the opportunity to profit!

Could there be some hidden risk involved in this expedition to the Papal State?

As soon as the thought arose, they quickly dismissed it. If there really was a serious danger, the older, more entrenched Noble families would surely catch wind of it first.

Besides, this military campaign involved every nation on the Continent ganging up on the Clergy. Even in its prime, the Clergy couldn’t have withstood the collective black hands of so many nations.

Though the Kingdom had significant conflicts with the Clergy, when it came to earning enemies’ ire, the Frank people far surpassed them.

If the Clergy had any strong counterattack measures, their first target would undoubtedly be the Franks. Only by dismantling that primary ringleader could they hope to curb the tide of this plundering frenzy.

By comparison, the Alpha Kingdom was merely after money. Once they looted what they wanted, they’d leave without lingering.

After dismissing the crowd, a faint smile played on Hudson’s lips. Not joining the "looting" didn’t mean he couldn’t get a share of the spoils.

Considering the Papal State’s massive wealth, there was no doubt the spoils of war would be plentiful. Aside from some liquid currency, most of the loot would need to be disposed of elsewhere.

Although the Kingdom’s Government had established a professional evaluation department, when it came to handling such tasks, bureaucrats clearly weren’t the most competent.

In their hands, even the most lucrative ventures could end up losing money.

The most critical issue was that the Kingdom Government currently had no money! freeweɓnovēl.coɱ

The Treasury had already issued a mountain of IOUs. Any Noble family with the slightest bit of clout had already become creditors of the Kingdom Government.

Years of constant warfare had driven the Kingdom’s Nobles to the brink of poverty. IOUs were all they could accept during wartime, but now that the major battles were over, who would still want Treasury IOUs?

Anyone even slightly well-informed knew the Treasury was considering pushing for "government bankruptcy" to patch the financial hole. Many Nobles had internally already accepted the prospect of the Kingdom Government going bankrupt.

If the Kingdom Government wanted to sustain this line of business, finding a powerful and capable partner was their only choice.

Throughout the entire Kingdom, the only entity currently capable of bringing forth large sums of cash was the Near East Development Bank.

Conveniently, the Near East Development Bank’s commercial reach extended across industries, giving it an inherent advantage in handling loot-related tasks.

Looted Gold Coins could be deposited in the bank, and discounted war spoils sold to the bank, allowing everyone to lighten their load and continue their looting endeavors.

The bank profited from expanding its business, and the Kingdom Government could also collect a portion in taxes—a perfectly orchestrated win-win-win.

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