Jaina was seething with hatred. "You're not King Varian at all. What right do you have to possess the power of the Goldrinn?"
Experiment 335, however, acted as if it were perfectly normal, glaring at Jaina, grabbing a piece of roasted meat and putting it in his mouth, chewing it up to the bone. As a result, he choked so badly that he almost passed out.
Remembering Aegwynn's request, Jaina managed to maintain a perfect smile.
"King Majesty, we have always kept our promises. As long as you reach an agreement with the Horde, we will gladly offer you the power of the Wild God, and we will also provide you with the secret to immortality, so that you may forever remain the king of Kingdom of Stormwind."
Experiment 335 had barely managed to spit out the bone stuck in her throat and was still recovering when Robbie said rudely, "His Majesty the King doesn't trust you, just like Grand Admiral Daelin of Kul Tiras. His trust in you resulted in him becoming a pitiful Undead. Lady Jaina, your trust isn't worth a single copper coin."
This blatant sarcasm enraged Jaina. She struggled to contain her anger, remaining silent for a long while before finally saying, "Your King, you will soon see my sincerity—the sincerity of Theramore."
Jaina needed an item to allay Varian's concerns, but of course, her real purpose was to bribe Robbie.
In the Dustwallow Marsh, a dark canyon overgrown with blood-red vines, where the sun never shines, the air is thick with darkness and dampness. The rocks here are stained red with blood, exuding a strong, pungent stench of blood.
Hendel had not eaten or drunk anything for three days and three nights. He was locked in a cage made of woven bones, his face covered in blood, terribly emaciated, dazed and confused, and in a state of near collapse.
At the Stormwind City hearing, the minor nobleman Hendel protested the Black Dragon Princess's slander against Lady Jaina, and was thus sent to Theramore. He had the opportunity to decline, which only required an apology. However, serving Lady Jaina was his ideal, so he gladly went to Theramore.
Hendel, born into a minor noble family, had a group of like-minded friends, along with some servants and men, forming a small group of about a dozen people. They sold their possessions and purchased weapons and armor.
What's the difference between a person without ideals and a salted fish?
Hendel always considered himself idealistic, possessing the passion and fervor of youth, willing to Consecration everything to his idol, the great and beautiful Jaina. If given the chance to meet Horde warriors like Thrall, Rexxar, Vol'jin, or Cairne, the heroes he admired, he would even be willing to pay the price with his life.
Unfortunately, his good fortune didn't last long. Not long after arriving in Theramore, his small group, on patrol duty, strayed into this treacherous canyon and were all taken prisoner.
So close to Theramore, yet there was such a dangerous area. Hendel felt he had to find a way to escape, even at the cost of his life, all for the sake of the beautiful Lady Jaina.
Splash, splash!
It was the sound of chains clanging. Hendel trembled; he knew the Demons had returned.
A hideous monster appeared outside the cage. It had distinct Orcs features, but its fangs were not as sharp as those of Orcs, though they were much stronger. This monster was extremely tall and stronger than an ordinary Orcs, with bronze muscles that resembled blocks of rock.
The monster looked at the several humans imprisoned in the cage. They were all Hendel's companions and his best friends. The monster opened the cage, extended chains, wrapped them around one of Hendel's friends, dragged him out, and threw him onto a huge chopping board.
Just three days ago, this humanoid monster attacked Hendel's patrol.
To be honest, apart from its superhuman strength, this monster wasn't particularly powerful. Hendel's party consisted of archers, a Mage Apprentice, several well-trained Warriors, and Paladins. The reason they were captured was because the entire party was weakened.
Whether it was due to the change in environment or food poisoning, Hendel's team all fell ill as soon as they approached the canyon. They were eager to complete their reconnaissance mission despite their illness, but little did they know that a terrifying monster was lurking near Theramore, right under Jaina's nose.
The humanoid monster, wielding two meat-slicing axes, was hacking at Hendel's companions with all its might. The screams and pleas for mercy quickly ceased, leaving only splattered flesh and blood and flowing blood everywhere.
The monster let out a whimpering roar, hacking and cursing at someone as if venting its anger.
Hendel listened carefully, and it seemed vaguely like that.
"Thrall!"
"This hideous monster is the enemy of the great Savior Thrall," Hendel concluded, praying silently to the Holy Light, hoping Jaina would come to his rescue.
After chopping up Hendel's companions, the monster threw away its meat-chopping axe, seemed to feel tired, and went to the next room to sleep soundly, soon emitting deafening snores.
Then, a small human emerged, his right leg locked with a long chain that was embedded directly into his ankle bone and had grown fused together.
The short man limped as he cleared the meat from the cutting board and tossed it into a large, scalding pot.
"Help me!"
Hendel had observed this short man. Every time the humanoid monster finished venting its anger, this short man would clean up the meat on the chopping board, cook it, and then the monster would eat it. After three days of observation, Hendel realized that this short man, like himself, was also a prisoner here; he was the Chef, and he was the food.
The short, cloudy-eyed man looked at Hendel, then suddenly remembered something. He rushed to the kitchen, brought out an iron pot filled with greasy dishwater, and muttered, "You guys can't die!"
For Hendel, who hadn't had a drop of water for three days, this was undoubtedly a rare treat. He took a big gulp himself and shared it with his companions.
"Don't you want to run away?" Hendel asked in a low voice as the other person took away the iron pot.
"Escape?" A glimmer of light appeared in the short man's eyes, and he whispered, "You have a way."
"Let me out! I'll go back to Theramore and ask Lady Jaina for help. It's very close to Theramore. I swear, I'll get you out of here," Hendel said urgently, this was his only hope.
The short man, a clear hint of mockery on his lips, sized Hendel up and down, and asked, "Judging from your attire, you seem to be a nobleman. What, are there fools like you among the nobility?"
"Idiot?" Hendel was stunned, dumbfounded and at a loss for words.
The short man's eyes flashed with malice as he cursed viciously, "If I hadn't trusted you damned nobles, why would I have been so foolish as to go to Theramore to do business? My family, my friends, my caravan—all of them have been eaten by this monster."
"You must believe me, I will definitely avenge you."
In order to save his life, Hendel had no choice but to plead again:
"This is Theramore, where the beautiful Lady Jaina protects its people, along with Thrall, Saurfang, and Rexxar —all heroes of the Horde —who would never tolerate such Bloodlust monster living among us."
"Well said!" The short man smiled mysteriously. "You must be a huge fan of Rexxar, right?"
"Of course, Rexxar is a true hero. He made indelible contributions to the peace between the Alliance and the Horde. What's even more commendable is that he refused Thrall's invitation, retired after his achievements, and willingly became a wanderer," Hendel said solemnly, his admiration evident in his words.
"How amusing! Those nobles have woven countless lies to deceive us, and now even a noble has fallen for it." The short man chuckled. "Since you admire Rexxar so much, I will bestow upon you the highest honor of the Horde, turn you into a delicious dish, and let your most admired hero devour you piece by piece. I guarantee that you will still be alive when he eats the last piece of your flesh."
Hearing this, Hendel felt a chill run down his spine; this little guy must be insane.
Wait, my most admired hero? Could it be...?
The short man pointed at the sleeping monster next door and said sarcastically:
"He is your most admired, Horde hero, Rexxar, who devoured all your companions."