Laines Trollbane leaned against the wall, a cigarette butt between his teeth, greedily taking the last drag before reluctantly exhaling.
Trollbane is a distinguished surname that dates back to the ancient Arathi Empire and has also shone brightly in modern times.
The statue of Danath Trollbane, one of the five heroes of Stormwind City, stands in the Valley of Heroes in Stormwind City.
Lains knew his origins; one of his ancestors had served a Trollbane in battle and rendered meritorious service, thus being granted the surname Trollbane.
Thanks to the wisdom of his ancestors, and relying on this illustrious surname, Lains was promoted to Captain within a few years of enlisting, thanks to his success in suppressing the Gnoll and Murloc.
Unfortunately, his luck seemed to be bad; the military sent him to deal with the Cult of the Damned.
Are the Cult of the Damned someone to be trifled with?
When other officers couldn't catch the Cult of the Damned, they took their anger out on the people, seizing the food the Cult of the Damned sent and taking the opportunity to plunder the people's wealth.
Lains was timid and cowardly, only going through the motions and never bothering the people. As a result, he was ostracized by his colleagues, who jointly denounced him, and he was about to be in trouble.
No one expected that all the officers who suppressed the Cult of the Damned would disappear overnight, leaving only Lains. The military's reward came down, and although they were very reluctant, they could only reward Lains.
He is now a major, and even more surprisingly, the military recommended him to Prince Anduin.
If he were to be favored by the Prince, he could easily be promoted to general, which would be an incredible stroke of luck. In recent days, matchmakers have been flocking to his door to propose marriage.
Lains, however, didn't think so; he always felt it couldn't be anything good.
A guard came out and invited Lains. Lains straightened his collar and followed the guard into the Castle.
Prince Anduin wore a silver suit of armor, resembling a general about to go to war, but unfortunately, the armor did not match his thin frame and looked rather empty.
"Major Trollbane, do you want to become a general?" Anduin asked casually, without looking up, while holding a booklet in his hand.
Lains remained silent, but to be honest, he felt Anduin too naive; he had seen too many similar tactics used to win people over.
Anduin finally raised his head, glared at Lains, and said unhappily, "I've seen your resume; you made great contributions in suppressing the Cult of the Damned."
Lains bowed and said, "As a soldier, it is my duty to serve the kingdom."
Anduin put down his book. "Of all the officers who suppressed the Cult of the Damned, you have the least public resentment, the best reputation, and have achieved great merit. Indeed, you must have something special about you."
"That's because the other officers are all missing."
Lains thought to himself that Prince Anduin illustrious status, probably hadn't noticed this, and Lains certainly wouldn't bring it up himself.
"I only used a little trick; I hope Your Prince will forgive my blunder."
Anduin carefully examined the resolute-faced officer and said solemnly, "That's exactly what I need. The war with Kingdom of Stormwind is imminent, and 50,000 soldiers are on a campaign to Pandaria. They need a large amount of military rations. I need to procure these rations within half a month, by any means necessary."
Lains scratched his head, looking incredulous. How could this be possible? Even though His Highness the Prince is high above and far away, he should still be aware of the poor harvest in Kingdom of Stormwind.
Anduin noticed Lains's confusion and emphasized, "Remember, I don't need ordinary grains, I need plenty of meat."
Lains was startled and unconsciously took a step back, his eyes filled with fear. After thinking for a long time, he said, "If it's at any cost, I can do it."
Anduin satisfaction:
"I summoned several officers; some feigned ignorance, some cried and lamented, some even threatened suicide to escape, but you answered most readily: Yes, at all costs. How many soldiers do you need?"
Lains took a deep breath. "Two thousand soldiers, twenty ships."
Anduin shook his head. "I'll give you five thousand soldiers and fifty ships. I need all the ships loaded with Tough Jerky."
"Is minced meat okay?" Lains asked abruptly.
"Alright, you're a general now!"
With a solemn expression, Lains saluted and accepted the order to leave the Castle.
Vol'jin appeared behind Anduin, grinning:
"Prince Highness, you are forcing him to learn the Silver Hand."
Anduin unfazed and chuckled, "Same here. Sen'jin and the Darkspear Trolls met the same fate back then, didn't they?"
Vol'jin stroked his two sharp fangs. "If we really succeed in this, how will you reward our General Trollbane?"
Anduin's gaze darkened. "I need capable people. If he can truly act quietly and decisively, without leaving any trace, I'm willing to give him an important position. Otherwise, hang him at the gates of Stormwind City. I am a wise Prince, the future King of Stormwind City, who loves his people like his own children and will not tolerate any blemishes."
Vol'jin picked up the conscription handbook on the table, which contained information on conscription in various regions.
Kingdom of Stormwind suffered a poor harvest, leaving countless refugees teetering on the brink of starvation. Joining the army for rations was one of the few options available, and the conscription process proceeded quite smoothly.
Anduin didn't need this army to be very strong. After some training, they could set off once the provisions arrived.
Vol'jin raised an eyebrow. "Interesting. These people became refugees mostly because they refused the Cult of the Damned's food. They are truly people of principle."
Anduin smiled disdainfully, "You've got guts. Of course you'll be fed to the Orcs."
Two weeks later, fifty large ships sailed into Stormwind City Harbor, fully loaded with bags of dried minced meat.
Anduin personally boarded the ship to inspect it and was amazed by Lains' efficiency. Even more surprising was that all of Kingdom of Stormwind was calm and there was no bad news.
The five thousand soldiers suffered heavy losses, and each one carried a chilling aura of killing intent.
Lyons smiled apologetically, "This is completely different from killing jackals and merfolk, Your Highness. I have accomplished my mission."
"This is a true Butcher. To be able to conceal it to such an extent, he must have planned meticulously and used all sorts of dark methods," Anduin himself.
"General, you have done a great job." Anduin praised him sincerely, recognizing him as a remarkable talent despite his bloodthirsty Butcher.
Large ships laden with soldiers set sail one after another from Stormwind City Harbor. Anduin felt it was time to build his own army. As the leader of the Peace Dove, he naturally had to instill the Peace Dove's ideals in his subordinates. These days, Anduin studying the Peace Dove's propaganda brochures and found them utterly absurd.
Even the most absurd thing, if repeated a thousand times, will become the truth.
Anduin summoned his most trusted generals and advisors, including his most favored general, Trollbane, and delivered a loud speech:
"The Orcs created a great history; they were not only the Saviors of Azeroth but also the creators of Azeroth civilization. Long ago, the Orcs descended upon Azeroth alongside the Titans, helping Titans defeat the Old Gods and the Elemental Lords. At that time, the various races of Azeroth were barbaric and backward. It was the Orcs spread language and writing, taught living beings to use fire and eat cooked food. Countless archaeological discoveries prove that the Orcs once helped the various races of Azeroth create a glorious civilization. To forget the Orcs is to betray one's ancestors, an unforgivable act."