King

In the spring season, the Northern Expeditionary Army is full of sadness.

Another camp's food was destroyed.

To Marshal Campbell, who had an army of hundreds of thousands, a camp of food was nothing at all. It was not enough to consume the army for a day.

But the problem is that the Northern Expeditionary Army is now isolated and helpless, relying entirely on the food they looted previously. In order to reduce food consumption, even the livestock in the army were slaughtered.

Cutting soldiers' rations was out of the question. Once logistics cannot be guaranteed, the morale of the army will soon fall to the bottom.

"The enemy is taking advantage of their air superiority and setting fires more and more frequently. They must be aware that we are short of food and want to use this to defeat us.

If this situation continues, even if we disguise the food and grass as ordinary tents, we will suffer heavy losses.

I firmly believe that the final victory will belong to us, but reinforcements are still on the way, and we still have to rely on ourselves in the short term.

Now we must take measures and we cannot allow the enemy's conspiracy to succeed! "

After hearing Marshal Campbell's meaningful words, everyone's expressions changed drastically. There is a shortage of food in the army, and everyone is aware of it.

The daily material consumption of hundreds of thousands of Northern Expedition troops is an astronomical figure. In the absence of supplies and being besieged for more than a month, it would be a problem if there was no shortage of food.

In order to reduce material consumption, noble officers have stopped eating barbecue recently, and instead stewed it.

The purpose is just to let the soldiers around me share a bowl of broth.

"Marshal, follow the old rules in special times and increase the supply of meat!"

Duke Kavadia said meaningfully.

There is no doubt that the "increase meat supply" he talks about is definitely not the "why not eat minced meat" mentioned by the ignorant.

Orcs can eat people, and if you look at it, people can also eat orcs.

It's just that compared to orcs, humans' moral integrity is still slightly higher. You will only do this if you really have no choice.

Ever since the army was besieged, there was a special team in the Northern Expeditionary Army that was dedicated to handling the bodies of orcs who died in battle. In order to welcome the arrival of this day.

After scanning the crowd and seeing no one objecting, Marshal Campbell smiled slightly.

It's just the evil look in the smile that makes people's hair stand on end.

"Let's do it this way. Meat will account for half of the supplies we receive.

The food problem has been temporarily solved. Next, we have to think of ways to organize a counterattack.

There has been no movement for such a long time. I guess the orcs have forgotten that we are also capable of counterattack! "As a veteran who has led troops for decades, there has been no movement since the orc army blocked the road.

If everyone present didn't have a certain understanding of Marshal Campbell, they would all think that their commander was a loser.

After waiting for so long, the moment of counterattack finally came, which was also the darkest moment of the Northern Expeditionary Army.

The intensity of the attack of the orc army is getting higher and higher, and the casualties of the Northern Expeditionary Army are also increasing day by day. Especially in recent days, soldiers from the five royal families have appeared on the battlefield again.

Everyone knows that the day when the enemy launches a general attack is not far away.

Although there is no evidence, everyone still vaguely speculates that the communication between the country and the orcs has encountered setbacks.

"Marshal, the enemy's vigilance is very high. Except for the camps of the cannon fodder races scattered all over the place, the camps of the five royal families are all heavily guarded.

The reconnaissance cavalry we sent often had accidents, so we wanted to..."

Before Duke Pias could finish his words, Marshal Campbell interrupted: "Then we will fight the cannon fodder race!

But this time I have to change my approach.

According to the news from intelligence personnel, the Orc Empire is not peaceful now, and many vassal races have rebelled against the five major royal families.

This is our best chance. As long as we alienate the relationship between these cannon fodder races and the five royal families, the next war will be easier to fight.

It wouldn't be difficult to directly compete with the enemy for consumption. We would fight to annihilate the whole army and drag down the vitality of the five royal families! "

If it's difficult to win tactically, then just play with the strategy and perish together. Obviously, Marshal Campbell was prepared for the worst.

The orcs would not let the Northern Expeditionary Army leave, so they would simply exchange the sacrifice of the Northern Expeditionary Army for the enemy's vitality.

It may be a bit uncomfortable for the nobles present, but it is the most beneficial choice for the Alpha Kingdom.

Being seriously injured and suffering heavy losses has never been a problem. The real problem is that only my family is severely damaged.

Marshal Campbell was very confident in Caesar III. He believed that no matter how the situation changed, the situation in the kingdom would be under control.

If the old political structure is broken, then a new political structure should be established. When it comes to checks and balances of power, Caesar III is a pro.

…

After the military meeting ended, all the nobles returned to their own camp with deep thoughts.

We have to fight hard, but we haven’t lived enough yet!

Especially those nobles who brought their outstanding children here secretly cursed themselves: lard has deceived their hearts.

All the eggs are put in one basket, and if you are not careful, there will be no successors.

It's too late to regret it. At this point, all we can do is react passively.

At midnight, in several brightly lit camps, small political groups were still having heated arguments and discussions.

The world of aristocrats is never lonely. The more dangerous the moment, the more everyone needs to hold together for warmth.

If you observe carefully, you will find that each small circle is full of regional characteristics.

This is caused by the times.

Transportation and communication have limited the scope of everyone's communication. Most of the time, everyone is used to dealing with the nobles around them.

Over the past countless years, through mutual marriage, the nearby nobles have become one family.

Even though we are competitors on weekdays, in the competition of the kingdom, we are natural political allies.

Among the many small groups, the alliance of the five Northland Dukes is the most special.

In other political groups, in addition to the big nobles, there are also some powerful middle nobles who have squeezed in.

They are the only ones in the camp of the five great dukes in the North, and all the other nobles in the North are vassals. Although it has the smallest number of all political alliances, it has the strongest military strength.

"Who's out there?"

Duke Kavadia asked angrily.

When someone was discussing something in his own camp, someone dared to eavesdrop. He simply didn't take him seriously.

The other four people were also holding back their anger. The topic they just discussed was not honorable. If word got out, it would immediately cause an uproar.

"Father, please calm down. I just received a special message. The content is too involved and I don't dare to make the decision without permission. I can only take it and ask for advice..."

Staring at his son fiercely, Duke Kavadia's expression was terrifyingly gloomy.

It was so embarrassing. He should have thought that no one except his own son could take down the guards so easily.

"Hiro, the news you brought had better be big enough, otherwise I will make you regret your recklessness!"

Duke Kavadia said angrily.

"Father, the content in this letter is too shocking. You should read it yourself!"

While replying, Hero handed over the secret letter. At this time, he would not dare to challenge Duke Cavadia's patience, otherwise his butt would surely explode.

In the blink of an eye, the originally angry Duke of Kavadia's expression suddenly turned into one of horror.

Perhaps realizing his gaffe, he soon forced himself to calm down, and then said to the other four dukes:

"You'd better read it for yourselves. The content here is really inconvenient for others to describe!"

Duke Pias, who was the closest, took the letter first, glanced at it briefly, and his expression changed drastically.

Without any nonsense, he handed the letter directly to Duke Jagiellon beside him.

There was no surprise. After reading the contents of the letter, the faces of the several dukes were full of shock.

"Is the content of this letter accurate?

beast……"

When the words came to his lips, Duke Jagiellon swallowed them back.

However, the word "beast" has exposed many problems.

"No matter what their credibility is, it is an opportunity for us, isn't it?"

Duke Pias said with a sneer.

They have been hanging around in the North all year round and monopolized most of the trade with the Orc Empire. How could they not have any contact with the Orcs?

It's just that this connection was quietly put away by them with the outbreak of the war.

Compared to other nobles in the kingdom, their attitude toward orcs is one of love and hate. Sometimes I wish I could uproot the orc empire, and sometimes I wish the orcs could be more active.

Everything is for profit. The most important factor for the rise of the five major families is to resist the invasion of the orcs.

It is precisely because of the existence of the orcs that the kingdom will continuously provide them with support, and the five major families have become the most powerful nobles in the kingdom.

If the orcs were gone, the output of their fiefdom alone would not be able to maintain the current huge armament.

Perhaps in less than ten years, they will fall from being the strongest military nobles in the kingdom to the mortal world, and slowly become the gatekeepers of the great nobles.

This is still an optimistic estimate. Considering the countless enemies they have offended in the past years, it is still unknown whether they can escape unscathed.

"Yes, opportunity!"

"It could also be a disaster!"

"The appetites of the orcs are not small. Even if they lose their vitality this time, it's not something we alone can handle.

If the Northern Expeditionary Army suffers heavy losses, life for our families will not be easy either.

The dominance of the kingdom is such a big piece of pie! "

Duke Kavadia said mockingly.

The future described in the letter is bright. Unfortunately, the operability is too low.

If you want to control the Alpha Kingdom, you need more than just strength.

If the king doesn't agree and the nobles in the south don't cooperate, can they really take military measures?

No matter how damaged the vitality is, there are still three pounds of nails left in the broken ship.

Once internal fighting breaks out, the Alpha Kingdom will decline if you are not careful. The next time the orcs invade, they won't find so many "close" allies.

"Whether we eat the cake or not will be decided in the future. As long as the initiative is in our hands, then nothing is a problem.

What needs to be considered now is whether the orcs really intend to let us go. If this is a conspiracy against us, we will be in big trouble. "

Duke Jagiellon said worriedly.

"If you keep it for too long, you will lose it!

There is not much food in the army, and reinforcements from the alliance are still coming. Even if special measures are taken, the Northern Expedition Army will not be able to sustain it for long.

There are only two paths open to us: either follow the marshal's wishes and trade lives with the orcs; or we can find a way to break out of the encirclement.

Since the orcs are ready to let us leave, let's try the breakout plan. If the breakout fails, we will directly fight the enemy.

Anyway, there is no need for us to do anything. If we successfully break out, it can only mean that we are lucky. "

Duke Pias encouraged hard.

Regardless of whether the orc's promise was valid or not, he had to try.

Compared with the enemies of other families who are still hiding in the dark waiting for opportunities, the enemies of the Rocknard family have already made their cards known.

If you don't take the troops back, you can't defeat the newly rising military strongman-Hudson with just the strength you have left behind.

…

Citadel of Ashes.

The low stone houses, coupled with the clanging sound of knocking, are the unique style of this ancient city.

People of all ethnic groups are constantly flowing in the streets and alleys, coexisting peacefully here, as if they are in a harmonious society.

This unique landscape can only be seen in the Castle of Ashes, the capital of the Dwarf Kingdom.

There are not so many reasons, it is all just because this is the largest arms production and sales center on the Aslant continent.

Racial talent cannot be reversed.

The same raw materials, after being processed by dwarf hands, the quality will be even higher.

Any dwarf craftsman is a master forger in the outside world.

Almost all noble equipment in the continent is sold from here. Most of the high-end magic equipment components are forged by dwarves and then handed over to alchemist masters for assembly and enchantment.

It can be said that without the dwarf kingdom, the level of weapon forging across the continent will drop by two levels.

In this chaotic world, no one can ignore the will of the arms giant.

Of course, there are exceptions to the perverts of the dragon clan who don't need weapons.

If other races want to do business here, they must abide by the rules here.

To be able to live in such a prosperous society, the strength of the dwarf clan is naturally an important factor.

Unlike the humans, who have many soldiers and generals, and the elves, who have many masters, the dwarves rely on sharp weapons and armor.

Various crossbows, magic crystal cannons... are all at the forefront of the mainland. The long-range strike capability is the leader in the Aslant continent.

Although the overall strength is not as good as the human race, it is still at the top of the mainland.

A team from the Holy See walked into the dwarf palace without causing any disturbance.

Arms trading is often accompanied by politics, and it cannot be done by just having money. In big deals, politics are discussed first, and price is discussed later.

There is nothing wrong with going to the palace for arms purchases by big forces. Although the dwarf king does not like this kind of political game, for the sake of the national interest, he still has to bite the bullet.

Looking at the big bowl in front of him, it was estimated that the wine in it would not be less than two pounds. Bishop Sauron, who was in charge of the mission, secretly complained.

This is the highest reception etiquette among the dwarves, but this is what the dwarves themselves say. To the outside world, this is clearly a deliberate attempt to torment people.

The specific amount to drink depends entirely on the dwarf king's mood. Anyway, if you drink it, you will be a friend of the dwarves. If you refuse to drink it, you will be disrespectful.

Of course, there are exceptions.

For example, every time a delegation from the elves arrives, the big bowl is turned into a small wine glass, and the strong wine is turned into fruit wine, showing elegance.

"Bishop Sauron, welcome to the Castle of Ashes, please accept the highest respect from my dwarves!

What's going on? Why use such a small bowl?

Did you know that you should use a basin to treat distinguished guests?

Go get mine quickly..."

Before the dwarf king could finish his performance, Bishop Sauron hurriedly stopped him and said, "Your Majesty, the bowl is enough.

I am just a junior bishop and cannot transcend my status. I should leave the basin to guests with more distinguished status! "

As soon as he finished speaking, he wanted to slap himself.

A typical person who speaks louder than his head. Such a big bowl of strong liquor is also very fatal.

Unfortunately, the enthusiastic dwarf king had no intention of letting him go. He waved his hand and said: "Bishop, you can rest assured that in addition to the basin, we also have a wine vat.

If the Pope comes one day, we will use a big wine vat to entertain you, and you will not be embarrassed by keeping it! "

Not daring to let the dwarf king continue to toss, Bishop Sauron immediately picked up the wine bowl in front of him and drank it all in one gulp.

"Thank you for your hospitality, Sauron..."

Before Bishop Sauron could finish speaking, the bowl of wine was filled again.

"Bishop, you're welcome. The Dwarf Kingdom and your Holy See have always been on good terms.

For the sake of our long-lasting friendship, you must have another bowl! "

When he heard the word "friendship", Bishop Sauron was secretly complaining. There is indeed a friendship between the two sides, but this happened in the past hundred years.

Pushing forward in history, when the Holy See dominated the mainland, there were many conflicts between the two sides.

Just by looking at this scene, you can tell how deep the friendship between the two parties is.

He bit the bullet and drank the second bowl, only to find that the dwarf maid continued to pour wine, and Bishop Sauron fell to the ground drunk.

If you make a fool of yourself, make a fool of yourself. If you don't get drunk yourself, you will get drunk. If you take the initiative to fall down, you can drink less.

The true master fell, and the dwarf king lost his interest in tossing. Immediately he ordered the maids: "Take the distinguished guests down to rest quickly!"

After sending Bishop Sauron away, the dwarf king glanced at the northern continent, waved his hand to summon his cronies and said: "Tell the orc envoys that I have helped them a lot.

If they want us to intervene in mediation, let them show more sincerity quickly, otherwise the human race representatives will follow suit and bid, and they will be in big trouble! "

Did the representative of the Holy See bribe the dwarves not to intervene in this war?

Anyway, the dwarf king now defaults to: yes.

Even if a representative from another country came over, he would still think so. It doesn't matter what the truth is, as long as it can be ripped off.

In the view of the dwarf king, the human race is very annoying, and the orcs are also not a good thing.

Now I tend to support the orcs, but that's just because the human race is too strong. If the human race is allowed to continue to grow, one day the dwarves will have no place to hang out.

Since they are all nuisances, the work cannot be in vain. If you want the dwarves to join in the mediation, you have to come up with actual benefits.