Facing the elders of the Shadowmoon Clan, Rulkan regained his imposing demeanor and asked in a loud voice, "Now can you tell me why the Warchief ordered me to hand over the Shard of Pain to the Alliance? Has summoning the Dark Star driven him mad? Does he not know that this shard allows people to freely enter and leave Bastion of Pain?"
The Orcs grinned, revealing an ugly smile, "This is exactly the chieftain's plan. The Shard of Pain can only allow a small number of people to enter the Bastion of Pain; it's a delaying tactic. The chieftain needs to buy time."
Rulkan lowered his head and thought for a moment, "I've heard that the Alliance has a few strong individuals who can take on a hundred men single-handedly. If just a few of these people go in, it will definitely cause us a lot of trouble. I know the chieftain's strength very well; there are several strong individuals in the Lunarfall who can defeat him."
"Don't worry, we've received unexpected help—a powerful being capable of taking on a hundred enemies single-handedly, and Mastery all kinds of magical traps," the Orcs elder said confidently.
"Everything is in place, just waiting for the Alliance to take the bait. Once we capture the Alliance generals who have infiltrated Bastion of Pain, the Alliance will be hesitant to act rashly, giving the Warchief enough time to summon the Dark Star. He will surely become the god of Shadowmoon Valley, and the Iron Horde will no longer dare to underestimate our Shadowmoon Clan."
A being capable of taking on a hundred enemies single-handedly, there are only a handful of powerful chieftains among the Orcs in the entire Draenor, such as Grom Hellscream, Blackhand, and Gul'dan.
Several other races also have them, such as Dragon Slayer Gruul, Destroyer Dov, and the Nathar the Eternal.
Even fewer are Mastery various magical traps? Rulkan pondered for a long time, only able to pinpoint a certain Ogre Mage. Could it be the leader of the Highmaul, the Imperator Ogre Archmage Mar'gok? How could Ner'zhul possibly bribe the Imperator? That was almost impossible. Rulkan could only make this guess, but unfortunately, he couldn't confirm it.
Clearly, the Orcs elder was unwilling to reveal the truth to her.
"Shard of Pain!" Robbie examined the tiny key from all angles, then asked Kel'Thuzad, "How many people can this key send into the Bastion of Pain?"
"No more than ten at most," Kel'Thuzad calmly analyzed.
Ten adventurers venturing deep into a fortress defended by thousands of Orcs was far too risky. This wasn't a dungeon run; the enemy would definitely swarm in and try to win with sheer numbers. Robbie immediately rejected the idea.
Bastion of Pain is a formidable Castle built by the Shadowmoon Clan over hundreds of years, protected by a powerful Magic Barrier, a true military stronghold.
God knows how many traps and mechanisms are inside; compared to that, Shaz'gul is just a poorly defended little village.
Yrel was worried about the safety of the Draenei prisoners; every day that passed increased the danger of them becoming sacrifices. Her face somber, Yrel whispered, "I've heard the Brotherhood a Legendary Rogue."
"Yrel." Robbie decided to shatter her illusions and make the little vixen face the harsh reality. He said coldly, "Do you think Ner'zhul doesn't know the weakness of the Magic Shield? He will definitely have heavy troops lying in ambush near the three Altars, and may even have set up magical traps. Don't pin your hopes for victory on miracles."
According to Robbie's plan, the safest approach would be to analyze the composition of the Magic Shield, break it from the outside, and then use overwhelming force to wipe out the Orcs inside Bastion of Pain, without taking any risks.
Yrel's expression was grim; she knew this was unreasonable, and she swayed away.
Kel'Thuzad looked troubled and said to Robbie:
"The Shadowmoon Clan's Magic Shield is very low-level, with no special features other than its sturdiness. But precisely because of this, it is the most difficult to break through and will take quite some time to analyze. I'm worried that we won't have enough time."
"What do you mean?" Robbie asked, puzzled.
Kel'Thuzad produced the blueprints and patiently explained:
"Our magical level in Azeroth is higher than that of Draenor. Take Silvermoon City or Dalaran's Magic Shield, for example. We need to consider many factors, such as ventilation, fresh air, and adequate sunlight. What if a fire breaks out? We also need to ensure that rainwater can pass through the shield, but not too much rain during heavy downpours, so that vegetation can grow well. This makes our Magic Shield particularly complex, and therefore lacks in sturdiness. But Bastion of Pain only focuses on sturdiness, simple and brutal, which is why it is the most difficult to conquer."
Robbie lowered his head and thought for a moment, then asked, "What if someone set fire to the Bastion of Pain?"
Kel'Thuzad hesitated for a moment, then said, "The gas inside will soon run out, and the Orcs will suffocate."
The Azeroth Continent did not yet know the composition of air, nor the role of oxygen for humans.
Kel'Thuzad chuckled, "We have the Shard of Pain, which can open a small door in the shield. If a Dragon with enough lung capacity were to unleash a Dragon's Breath, everyone inside Bastion of Pain would be choked to death by the smoke."
Where are we going to find a Dragon now? Besides, Bastion of Pain is holding a large number of Draenei prisoners; we can't just kill them all!
Robbie pondered for a long time, then suddenly his face lit up with surprise. "I have a plan, but I don't know if it's feasible."
The Draenei rangers were lying in ambush on a small hill not far from Bastion of Pain, firmly guarding the only exit. From here, the deep blue Magic Shield enveloping Bastion of Pain could already be seen.
Shanmiusen, the spokesperson for the Peace Dove, somehow got wind of the event and arrived uninvited, bringing fifty elite Ashran cavalrymen, claiming he would personally capture the Lich King Ner'zhul.
Shanmiusen wore beautiful openwork armor, the style most favored by Stormwind City nobles. It offered little in terms of defense, but it made him appear imposing and tall, exuding an extraordinary aura. In particular, it was inlaid with dozens of magical gems, which sparkled and made him seem as if he were enveloped in Holy Light.
"Yrel, do you really believe those adventurers? Do you think they can break through the barrier and rescue the Draenei?" Shanmiusen stared at the prepared Yrel and asked bluntly.
Yrel had some doubts, but she had faith in Robbie: "Robbie promised me that he could breach Bastion of Pain today and rescue the Draenei, on the condition that no one, including the Draenei rangers, would interfere."
"Ridiculous, utterly overestimating themselves. I already consulted Archmage Khadgar; the Magic Shield of Bastion of Pain is extremely sturdy, and it will definitely take at least six months to breach it. I'd love to see them suffer a crushing defeat. Then the Alliance in the Lunarfall will realize that only under the leadership of us, the Peace Dove, can we defeat the Lich King Ner'zhul and bring peace to Shadowmoon Valley," Shanmiusen replied with disdain.
"What is true peace?" Yrel asked, puzzled.
Shanmiusen's expression was full of sarcasm and mockery. "So-called peace is just a pretext, a merciless mockery of the defeated by the victors. You should thank Robbie. If it weren't for him finding evidence that Ner'zhul was the Lich King, after the Shadowmoon Clan Orcs wiped you out, they would have told their descendants: 'Many years ago, a group of Evil Draenei lived in Shadowmoon Valley, killing, burning, looting, and committing all sorts of atrocities. The most tyrannical and ferocious among them was named Velen. Fortunately, the great Savior Ner'zhul appeared and brought peace to Shadowmoon Valley...'"
"No, we Draenei are not like that." Yrel's eyes welled up with tears.
"I know the Draenei, but history is cruel," Shanmiusen chuckled and continued:
"Let me tell you a story. Many years ago, two Orcs children got lost in the wilderness and were rescued by a kind Draenei. The draenei invited them to visit Draenei magical city, and the two Orcs were amazed by the Draenei's wealth and civilization. When they grew up, following the method the Draenei had taught them, they found this hidden city. However, this time they led a large number of their people and completely destroyed this civilized Draenei city, slaughtering most of the Draenei. Blood flowed like a river. Among those killed was a Draenei woman named Yrel."
Shanmiusen tells the story of Parallel Worlds, in the Outland, where another Yrel suffers a tragic fate.
Yrel was deeply moved, staring blankly at the azure sky, lost in thought.
History shows no mercy to the weak, and there is no true peace, Yrel. Only by becoming stronger can you protect your people. Never place your hopes for peace on the sympathy of your enemies.
Shanmiusen's expression was slightly sorrowful as he murmured to himself, "We all know this, but what can we do when facing the Guardians? We have no choice."
Robbie led a loose group of adventurers, about a hundred people, who chatted and laughed along the way, making it seem more like a picnic than a battle.
There were twenty strange-looking large vehicles in the procession, completely covered up.
Robbie, riding his Death Charge Warhorse, greeted Yrel warmly, calling out:
"Yrel, after conquering Bastion of Pain, we'll need the cooperation of you Draenei rangers. See these wagons? They contain our Secret Weapons." He then glanced at Shanmiusen and his men. "General, if you want to make a fortune, don't miss this opportunity. The Wealth of Bastion of Pain will surprise you."
"Only a hundred men, and they think they can conquer Bastion of Pain? What a pipe dream." Shanmiusen sneered, but seeing Robbie's confident demeanor, which suggested he wasn't joking, he tensed up and secretly called over a scout, "Follow them secretly. I need to know what's inside those wagons!"
The scout took his orders and left, returning shortly afterward to report to Shanmiusen, "A whole cartload of food, drink, and firewood; the rest is empty. I suspect they're planning a bonfire party outside Bastion of Pain."
Shanmiusen narrowed his eyes. "That's strange." He suddenly thought of a question and turned to ask:
"Yrel, do you know where Velen has gone?"
Yrel shook her head, indicating she didn't know.
Shanmiusen was somewhat annoyed. "Damn it, how could I have forgotten about the Draenei Prophet?"
It was unclear why these Orcs had built the entrance to Bastion of Pain so high. Robbie and several dozen of the strongest men worked together to push the heavy cart to the top of the steps.
Everyone else retreated and waited a hundred meters away, leaving only Robbie, Kel'Thuzad, and a few others.
After the disguises of food, drink, and firewood were removed, the items hidden inside the carriage were revealed.
Three spherical bombs, each over half a meter in diameter, Gnome-made, are custom-made.