Surrounded by a large contingent of guards, King Varian arrived at the Stormwind Keep war room.
Although the Draenei in Shadowmoon Valley had been purged, it was still necessary for a great King to be escorted by five hundred soldiers, and Varian felt he had been low-key enough.
The generals and marshals in charge of the war room were all new faces. Varian knew their backgrounds well; they were all idle, good-for-nothing playboys or old men too old to walk.
Although Varian was unwilling, he was struggling to find suitable replacements and could only make do for the time being, leaving many positions vacant.
A loud commotion could be heard from afar, seemingly from a card game, mixed with a woman's alluring laughter, creating a chaotic scene.
Varian was furious upon hearing this, and he hurried to the door of the operations room.
A whiff of wine wafted out. "What kind of behavior is this? What do they think Stormwind Keep is?" Varian stood at the doorway and deliberately let out a loud snort as a warning.
However, they showed no sign of backing down and completely ignored what they heard.
"I won! I won! Give me the money! Haha, my luck has turned!"
"The Earl is really lucky today, you must treat us!" A charming and gentle voice came from inside. Varian recognized it as a familiar socialite, known for her graceful figure and beautiful singing voice.
"Where did my teapot go? You bunch of rascals, look at the state you've become! Sigh, each generation is worse than the last." This was a certain old nobleman who, instead of retiring at home, insisted on serving as Grand Marshal at Stormwind Keep.
The King's cold warning had no effect, Varian was truly angry. He angrily kicked open the door to the war room.
The strong aroma of alcohol, mixed with the scent of cosmetics and the fragrance of roasted meat, wafted towards us.
The central sand table was long gone, replaced by a luxurious bed where several alluring courtesans lay, striking seductive poses. Among them was a man dressed in women's clothing, whose features were surprisingly the most exquisite.
A stove sat nearby, warming fine wine, and a large platter of roasted meat was laid out on the table. Several noblemen, their clothes disheveled, one even shirtless and bare-chested, were busy playing cards and gambling, reeking of alcohol.
Some were chatting, some were drinking tea, and some were dozing off in their chairs. Their behavior was ugly and improper, completely lacking any semblance of their former dignity.
Upon hearing someone break in, the meeting room fell into a brief Anjing.
Upon seeing that it was King Varian, everyone visibly breathed a sigh of relief and went back to their usual activities, as if they hadn't even seen the King. Some played cards, some chatted, and some even took a nap.
"You damned bastards, guards, seize them all and send them to the Stockade. I want to see their heads hanging at the gates of Stormwind City tomorrow morning!" Varian roared in fury.
Upon hearing this, the guards hurried over. The Captain of the Guards stood at the door and shouted, "The King is here! Anjing down! Stop making noise! I'm talking to you! Put your clothes on!"
The room finally Anjing down, and everyone yawned, glancing indifferently at the King.
The Captain of the Guards was rather polite, respectfully saying to the King, "Your King, please calm down. Let them make a scene. Anyway, there's nothing much going on lately. It's just a little commotion; it won't affect important matters."
Varian was taken aback; the guards were disobeying his orders. He roared, "Didn't you hear me? Arrest them all and send them to the Stockade!"
The Captain of the Guards smiled faintly, "Your King, times have changed. You are still the King of Kingdom of Stormwind, but if you wish to arrest these nobles, you must obtain approval and follow proper procedures."
"Approval? I am the King of Kingdom of Stormwind, whose approval do I need?" Varian sensed something was wrong.
The Captain of the Guards scratched his head and shrugged. "Who knows? That's just the order I received. Don't ask who gave the order; they said it has to be kept secret. Why don't you try some roast meat and we can all have some fun?"
Varian was furious. He reached for the sword at his waist, confident in his skills honed in the Arena. But then he saw a large group of guards surround him, their eyes fixed on the King with menacing intent.
The nobles in the war room also gathered around, some even brandishing their weapons in front of the King.
Seeing that the spoiled brat who had just bared his chest and breasts, not even dressed properly, drew his sword, spat a mouthful of wine on it, and could barely stand, yet he looked as if he really wanted to challenge the King.
Varian was completely stunned; someone had actually drawn their sword in front of the King.
"Calm down, calm down, I am a benevolent and magnanimous King," Varian reassured himself. He sensed that things had changed; some conspiracies were quietly brewing and fermenting, and had already gained momentum. He knew that he had to be patient at this moment.
"That's the one in charge. I need to gather five hundred soldiers and march into Shadowmoon Valley." Varian loosened his grip on the sword hilt, deciding to take care of business first.
The old marshal approached, and though still polite, bowed and said, "Please submit your application first. It requires an approval process. Just go back and wait for news."
"I am the King."
"I know you are the King," the old man muttered, shaking his head. "Even Kings must abide by the rules."
"This is rebellion! This is rebellion! You're trying to start a revolt!"
Varian was furious and helpless. He could only Liuliu back to his room like a defeated rooster.
We absolutely cannot sit idly by and wait for our demise. King is not just a title; a King possesses immense power, profound knowledge, and unimaginable connections and resources.
For example, the House Wrynn.
Varian shook his head. After several wars, the Wrynn royal family's territory suffered heavy losses. Elwynn Forest, Lakeshire, Darkshire were all extremely desolate, with a sharp decline in population. They were no longer as glorious as they once were, and it was probably impossible to spare many people.
Instead, we should use external forces to work together from within and without to eliminate the traitors in Stormwind City. I wonder what's wrong with Guardian Medivh; why is he sitting idly by while Kingdom of Stormwind is in such chaos? He must be busy with something.
Varian dared not disturb Medivh; he could only try to figure out a solution on his own.
"In the Kingdom of Gilgis, King Genn Greymane is my confidant; Princess Moira Bronzebeard of Ironforge and I became close friends after a fight; High Tinker Gelbin Mekkatorque, the leader of the gnomes, has always been my lackey; Prophet Velen of Exodar values tradition and will certainly not stand idly by; Malfurion and Tyrande, though a bit foolish, should also lend a hand, and they are all people I can turn to for help."
The Kings of the Alliance will stand together in solidarity, sharing both loss and glory. They will never stand idly by and watch the royal line of Stormwind City end, as this would have a very negative impact on other kingdoms and set a bad example of daring to usurp the King.
Varian pondered to himself, realizing that the worst was yet to come, and considered how to send the letter out.
Just as Varian took out paper and pen, he was surprised to find that the Soul-Calling Crystal that Antonidas had sent was gone.
Varian was horrified; he realized that he had been under surveillance all along.
Stormwind Keep is now a prison where the King is held.
Varian slumped into his chair, feeling as if he had fallen into an ice cave, almost in despair.
Full moon night!
A huge airship flew through the air, slowly heading towards Karazhan.
The airship's gasbags were painted with black skull symbols, and dozens of dark cannons extended from both sides. A dark aura enveloped the entire airship, and the bow was decorated with Demons's skull.
Sylvanas stood on the airship, gazing into the distance.
High Archmage Antonidas floated to Sylvanas's side and suddenly said something strange:
"I just checked the Stormwind Keep's teleportation beacon, and it's no longer being detected."
Sylvanas's expression shifted slightly upon hearing this, but her rotting muscles prevented her from displaying a truly surprised expression!
"Varian would never dare to defy my will. It seems Medivh's accident has triggered a power shift in Stormwind City. We must bring that Little Lion back and salvage everything."