"Who took your physical body?" Osaid asked curiously.
"This is the suffering of us Ethereal, so don't ask about it." Christina's tone was full of bitterness.
Although it was the truth, it successfully aroused Osaid's sympathy, and Christina won the first round.
"They are my people. Release them. I do not wish to be your enemy." Osaid's tone softened considerably, and he spoke in a conciliatory manner.
Christina remained silent for a while, then said:
"The number of Kobolds is endless; why bother with their lives?"
A murderous glint appeared in Osaid's voice. "I'll say it again, let them go."
"Alright, alright!" Christina tried to ease the tension. "Why don't you use them to make a deal, like what you want most?"
Osaid narrowed his eyes, the saint's teachings echoing in his mind.
One of the tenets of the Holy Light faith is the principle of equality; brothers and sisters are all equal, with no distinction of rank or status.
To become a king, one must do the opposite of what the sages say; this is the secret to Thrall's success.
Selling the Kobolds into slavery isn't necessarily a bad idea; otherwise, we'd have to dig tunnels again.
Do you have the weapon I desperately need? Something that can breach the walls of Orgrimmar in one fell swoop?
Christina said calmly, "Let alone breaching the city walls or destroying Orgrimmar in one fell swoop, such weapons are nothing in interstellar space. Even destroying Azeroth with a single cannonball wouldn't be difficult, but I can't sell them to you."
"Why? Are you worried I can't afford the price?" Osaid asked unhappily.
"There are barriers between civilizations in the universe; money can't buy everything," Christina explained. "According to the rules, advanced civilizations are not allowed to sell advanced weapons to lesser civilizations. Although we Ethereal are engaged in smuggling, there are some rules we dare not break, otherwise we would have been wiped out long ago."
Osaid scoffed, "Do slave traders even follow the rules?"
"Slave?"
Christina's sarcasm deepened. "Do you even know what constitutes a slave? In interstellar space, Kobolds aren't recognized as civilized beings; they're no different from cats and dogs. I sell them as pets. To put it bluntly, Kobolds don't deserve to be slaves."
Osaid was annoyed, but quickly calmed down. "Who are the certified civilized beings in Azeroth?"
Christina said unhurriedly, "That depends on their origin. For example, Dragonkin, humans, Dwarves, Gnomes, Mogu, and so on, have intricate connections with the Titans and are recognized from birth. Only the Night Elf race are native to the region. Trolls and Tauren are not recognized as civilized beings. Ironically, the Forsaken have connections with the Shadowlands, and they are recognized."
Upon learning that neither the Trolls Tauren had received recognition, Osaid felt much better.
"Since you can't offer me what I want, we have nothing to discuss," Osaid said bluntly.
Christina chuckled, "Advanced weapons are hard to come by, but outdated weapons can be traded. Although Azeroth's firearms are still in their primitive stages, I can sell them to you. As long as you can afford the price, you can have as many as you want."
Osaid quickly realized that Christina wanted to act as a middleman.
The production of firearms in Azeroth is almost entirely monopolized by the Goblins and Gnomes.
But neither of these races dared to sell weapons to the Kobolds.
If it were done through Christina, the middleman, it would be different. Christina and Chen Stormstout are sworn enemies, so she wouldn't care about adding an extra charge.
After a moment's thought, Osaid nodded. "Okay, how much does it cost?"
Christina feigned reluctance, then made an outrageous demand. "I'm taking a huge risk. Five thousand Kobolds for a Critical Strike Rifle, plus fifty rounds of ammunition."
"I'm not good at business," Osaid said honestly. "But I know your bottom line: one hundred Kobolds for a Critical Strike Rifle, plus two hundred rounds of ammunition."
Christina froze; this was exactly her target price. She murmured, "..."
How did you know?
In business negotiations, skilled individuals can read between the lines and determine the other party's bottom line.
However, it is impossible to read the expressions and Ethereal of ethereal beings.
"I'm an assassin, my intuition is extremely reliable," Osaid said coldly.
Christina hesitated for a long time before squeezing out the words through clenched teeth:
"I agree, but on one condition: I don't believe in intuition. Tell me, how did you know my target price?"
"Since you don't believe me," Osaid considered for a moment, "I just peeked into your ledger."
Christina slumped into a chair. "You win. Five thousand Kobolds is the first deal. The high-explosive shotgun and ammunition you requested will be delivered in three days."
Osaid smiled and agreed on a handover location.
The door of the stealth spaceship opened, and Osaid jumped straight down from the sky.
Christina tilted her head, thought for a long time, and then suddenly woke up with a start:
"No, he's lying. How could Kobold possibly understand Ethereal language?"
"I told him."
Illidan appeared behind Christina, leaving a clear mark on the smooth floor.
Christina looked on with heartache and said regretfully:
"It seems this spaceship can't stop you from infiltrating."
"Little girl, technology and magic, at a certain level, are actually interconnected."
Illidan waved his hand, and the mark on the ground disappeared.
"You see, I'm not heartless. If I hadn't known I was nearby, you would have been killed by that Kobold."
Christina gritted her teeth and said with lingering fear:
"Azeroth is protected by the Titans Shield, preventing the advanced weapons on the spaceship from entering. Otherwise, it wouldn't be threatened by a Kobold. Lord Illidan, you are of noble birth; why would you speak up for a lowly Kobold? This is not your style."
Illidan, wielding his golden sword, sat down. "Since being defeated by Thrall, I've learned a lot. What the Burning Legion and the Army of the Light want is a stalemate between the Alliance and the Horde in Azeroth. They only need a spark to ignite conflict between the two factions and reap countless high-quality souls. What I want is a three-way balance of power."
"Please enlighten me," Christina asked honestly.
Illidan explained, "With three powers locked in a stalemate, constantly wary of and scheming against each other, the variables have increased significantly, making the situation extremely complex. It will be difficult for the Burning Legion and the Army of the Light to control the situation. However, I do not want to become a third force; otherwise, I will certainly be seen as a thorn in their side and will be eliminated as soon as possible."
"So you want to support the Kobolds as a third force, to confront the Alliance and the Horde." Christina understood immediately.
Illidan nodded. "No Lightforging Kobolds. As long as this Holy Light Great Emperor gets enough equipment, Orgrimmar will surely fall, Chen Stormstout will be replaced, and Azeroth will achieve a three-way balance of power."
"Who will replace Chen Stormstout?" Christina observed Illidan's expression.
Illidan's face was grim.
"Could it be that Thrall has risen again?" Christina chuckled. "Lord Illidan, it seems you also have your disappointments."
Illidan snorted coldly and said calmly:
"Chen Stormstout has learned Thrall's thinking; he is Thrall's shadow. If he gains power, he will be even more ruthless Thrall. I don't want such a person to be the Horde of the Warchief."