The Goblin, intimidated by Aserok's imposing presence, couldn't help but take a step back, pointing at the soldiers who had surrounded him and saying:
"Because of your refusal, they will all die."
Aserok clenched his fist and said passionately:
"Everyone will die, but to die a worthy death, a death of value, is more precious than a thousand suns. We died to save Azeroth."
The Goblin gave a mocking laugh, "Very well, Orcs, I see your choice."
Then, the Goblin turned to look at the soldiers:
"And what about you? Are you willing to sacrifice your young and precious lives for your superior's promotion and wealth, and to marry several beautiful wives?"
Even the bravest Orcs are afraid of death.
Outside the fence, an endless array of Kobold glared, many with their tongues lolling out, drooling yellow saliva.
A soldier, pale-faced but still bravely clenching his fist:
"For Azeroth, for the Horde, for the Warchief, I am willing to die at the Crossroads."
The Goblin, somewhat enraged, roared mockingly:
"You bunch of fools, don't you understand? Your deaths are only meant to allow a few to enjoy luxury, to shackle you, to bully you, to exploit you, to trample on your last bone, and then to call you trash. The braver you fight, the tighter the shackles around your necks will be."
Aserok was enraged and roared:
"Get out, you Goblin! Orcs won't be fooled by you. Put away your delusions; our courage is beyond question."
The Goblin laughed and jumped onto the back of the Wyvern:
"Aserok, I believe in your courage, but I must tell you, an air force has been assembled, and even the Wyverns of Orgrimmar have been stopped. You cannot escape."
Aserok remained unfazed and resolutely stated:
"You think this will shake my resolve? You filthy Goblin, you'll never understand the courage of Orcs."
The Wyvern Goblin, Aserok stood on the hillside, his gaze sweeping over the young faces of the soldiers:
"The Goblin is right. The Crossroads is now an isolated city. There will be no reinforcements. We must fight bravely until our last drop of blood is shed. Warriors, die here with me, for Azeroth, for the Horde, for the Warchief."
Seeing their commander so brave and fearless, his fervor inspired all the soldiers, who shouted with all their might:
"For the Horde! For the Warchief!"
Shortly after the Goblins left, the Kobolds launched an attack.
Just as Thrall had predicted, a king emerged from the Kobolds.
For example, they knew how to use sticks and stones as weapons.
The first group of Kobolds did not rush to attack, but instead threw burning torches at the fence surrounding the Crossroads.
Soon, the wooden fence was set ablaze, and the Orcs attempted to attack, Kobolds nimbly escaped.
Several Darkspear Trolls threw javelins, leaving a few corpses behind for the Kobolds, while the rest successfully retreated back to their own ranks.
Aserok quickly organized firefighting efforts, preventing the fire from spreading. The fence was burned to pieces and rendered completely useless.
A large group of Kobolds gathered together, barely forming a battle formation.
The Kobolds at the front held wooden sticks, while those behind them carried stones. Their formation was loose and completely undisciplined, making one want to laugh.
But no Orcs laughed out loud; the overwhelming Kobolds weighed heavily on everyone's hearts.
Aserok believed that the Kobolds were known for their cowardice and would scatter and flee once the casualties exceeded a certain number.
Therefore, Aserok Rock arranged his soldiers in an equilateral triangle formation and divided them into two flanks for cover, preparing for a head-on confrontation with the Kobolds.
The battle began, Kobolds crept stealthily toward the Crossroads.
Aserok roared and, wielding his Battle Axe, led the Charge.
The first Kobold didn't even have time to scream before Aserok cut off his head, the rolling head still bearing the mark of terror.
The Orcs pierced the Kobold ranks like sharp knives, and the Kobold formation, as fragile as paper, was instantly shattered.
Most of the Kobolds fled for their lives, with only a few brave enough to fight.
Suddenly, the thunderous sound of war drums rang out, and Aserok clearly sensed a change in the Kobolds ' aura.
The fleeing Kobolds turned around almost simultaneously, their eyes glazed over, and pounced on the nearest Orcs as if they had gone mad.
Use sticks, stones, or even teeth, even if it's just biting off a piece of meat, and chew it vigorously.
The Orcs' formation instantly increased the pressure, Aserok relied on a few reliable confidants to fight together and cleverly retreated.
A qualified officer must always remain rational. While loudly boosting morale, Aserok also maneuvered with his confidants, leaving the greatest pressure to his allies.
As a result, while the friendly forces around them suffered heavy casualties, Aserok's confidants not only escaped injury but were even able to conserve their strength.
The battle thus entered a stalemate. The Orcs were much physically stronger than the Kobolds, but unfortunately, they would tire and make mistakes.
Many Orcs were pinned to the ground by dozens of Kobolds, and more Kobolds surrounded them, tearing at their flesh.
Many Orcs went berserk due to extreme tension, charging into the Kobolds like whirlwinds. Although they managed to carve a bloody path through, they never returned.
As more and more soldiers fell, Aserok knew that defeat was only a matter of time.
Just then, an officer approached Aserok. He was a young Lightforging Orcs named Leiluosite.
"Sir, look over there, isn't that the leader of the Kobolds?"
Aserok wiped the blood from his face and looked in the direction Leiluosite was pointing.
In the densest part of the Kobolds, hundreds of Kobolds were carrying a tattered wooden platform, like a raft, floating in the sea of Kobold.
A Kobold sat atop the raft, twice the size of the other Kobolds, adorned with brightly colored feathers and a bone necklace.
Beside the feathered Kobold stood a large drum, which four Kobolds were beating enthusiastically.
"That's right, he is indeed the leader of the Kobolds. What are your thoughts?"
Leiluosite whispered:
"Sir, we have a Tauren in our ranks, he's our rations. I rescued him, and he's willing to lead the Charge. Let's go straight in and take down this guy with the brightly colored feathers."
Aserok estimated that he was less than a kilometer away from the Kobold leader, but there were thousands upon thousands of Kobolds in between.
"Are you sure?" Aserok asked.
Leiluosite chuckled, spitting out a rotten, bloody tooth. "How will you know if you don't try?"
"Alright, I'll split up my forces to cover you and relieve some of the pressure." Aserok nodded.
Aserok assigned two teams to launch a fierce attack on the Kobold camp.
Leiluosite led his small squad—one Tauren, about twenty or thirty Orcs, and five Trolls —to assassinate the Kobold leader.
The Tauren roared deafeningly and charged Charge, carving a path through the Kobolds.
Exhausted, the Tauren successfully advanced more than 500 meters for the team before collapsing from exhaustion. A group of Kobolds pounced on him, tearing at his flesh.
Leiluosite's small squad bypassed the Tauren who were being devoured, and three Orcs went berserk, acting as the vanguard to reap the lives of the Kobolds.
Aserok kept a close eye on the small group, skillfully conserving his energy.