Robbie was just about to make his move when a cold wind blew in and the inn door was thrown open.
A middle-aged man with black hair and a black beard walked in. Seeing the tense atmosphere inside the inn, he chuckled. "Quite a lively gathering. I came at just the right time."
Li Yueke frowned and shouted:
"Johnsen, I know you've set up a private detective agency under SI:7's banner and made quite a name for yourself, but don't think this is any of your business."
Johnsen the miner had spent his early years in the Deadmines, where his skill at mining had earned him considerable trust from VanCleef. Later, VanCleef had introduced him to SI:7, allowing him to turn over a new leaf and establish a private detective agency in Stormwind City's Canal District.
"I'm not here to meddle. I came specifically to find you, and you lot."
Johnsen pointed at Li Yueke, then pointedly at the Dwarf's group of four:
"Li Yueke, do you know what they've been doing? They killed people and stole their equipment under the pretext of doing group quests, then had the Undead eat the bodies to destroy the evidence. That Undead rogue has already been captured, and he's confessed to everything."
Li Yueke shrugged. How could he not know what the four had done? With the air of a scoundrel, he said, "The Undead rogue committed his crimes in Lunarfall. What does that have to do with the four of them? His confession proves nothing. He must be talking nonsense. If you have evidence, bring it out. Do you have any?"
"Well said. Just what I'd expect from Li Yueke. Let's put that matter behind us and talk business."
Johnsen smiled at Li Yueke, then glanced at everyone in the tavern. "Remember the bounty you posted to find your missing sister-in-law? I've found out where she went."
Li Yueke was overcome with both grief and joy. "You really found a lead? Don't lie to me."
"Don't worry. I, Johnsen, have always been reliable. Otherwise, I'd never take the money."
Johnsen ordered a mug of beer, drained it in great gulps, and said unhurriedly:
"Seven days ago, your sister-in-law took a quest in Embaari Village, a bounty for Ku'rat's Fangs. There's been no word of her since."
Li Yueke was shocked and looked at the Dwarf's group of four in puzzlement.
The Worgen Druid shouted, "You're lying! Seven days ago, it was a female Dwarf Priest!"
"She was wearing a replica Prophecy Robe, wasn't she?" Johnsen asked.
"Yes. How did you know?"
Li Yueke's face darkened, and he smiled bitterly. "You... you've really gone too far."
He actually held back his anger.
The Dwarf Warrior realized trouble was coming and hurriedly apologized. "I'm really sorry. I didn't know your sister-in-law was a Dwarf."
"What did you do with her afterward?" Li Yueke asked.
"The usual. The Undead rogue ate her."
Li Yueke fell silent for a long while, then patted the Dwarf Warrior on the shoulder. Generously, he said, "It's all right. A man who accomplishes great things doesn't concern himself with trifles. She was only a sister-in-law. I can forgive you. Johnsen, I'll send the bounty over later. I'm very busy here right now, so if you would..."
Johnsen gave him a thumbs-up and looked around at the adventurers. "Take a look, everyone. This is a real man, able to let things go as easily as he takes them up. He's got guts, all right."
The adventurers nodded in agreement.
"Just what you'd expect from Lord Li Yueke. That bearing, that magnanimity—there's no one like him."
"You're truly generous, my lord. We can't compare."
"Exactly. That's how a real man should act. Lord Li Yueke, we support you."
Cold sweat streamed down Li Yueke's forehead.
"But that's not the end of it."
Johnsen continued, "Li Yueke, your wife heard you were carrying on with her sister, so she secretly came to Draenor to catch you in the act. She didn't find you in Lunarfall, so she went to Embaari Village to look for you. On the way, she stopped to do a quest... A female Dwarf Warrior carrying a shield with the royal crest of Lordaeron. I'm sure these four remember her."
Li Yueke's eyes turned red, and he stared fixedly at the four.
The Gnome rogue stood on the table and bowed to Li Yueke in apology. "Sorry, we really didn't know... Why would a human like you marry a Dwarf, anyway? What kind of taste is that?"
Li Yueke sank into a chair. Once again, he actually held it in, saying weakly, "A real man needn't worry about finding a wife. She's dead, so be it. It's fine, it doesn't matter. I don't blame you."
"Impressive, truly impressive!"
Johnsen gave him another thumbs-up. "Lord Li Yueke, don't be hasty. Six days ago, your younger brother heard you'd made a fortune in Draenor, so he came through the Dark Portal intending to join you. Times are hard these days, and a green youngster like him was wearing a full set of replica Lightforged armor. It was bound to make people envious. What a pitiful death."
The four turned pale again. Li Yueke finally couldn't hold it in and spat out a mouthful of blood. Johnsen stepped forward to hold him up. "Oh, don't faint! It's only three murders, and you can't take it already? There are plenty more I haven't mentioned."
A vicious light in his eyes, Li Yueke seized Johnsen. "Tell me! Tell me! What exactly happened?"
"Don't go accusing an innocent man. The killers are over there, aren't they?"
Johnsen pushed Li Yueke away. Seeing that he was on the verge of collapse, he didn't forget to add fuel to the fire. "Five days ago, your younger sister came to Northrend..."
"Don't say any more." Li Yueke shook his head in anguish.
"That's not all. There's also your second uncle, your younger male cousin, your niece... Hey, hey, don't really faint on me!" Johnsen shook Li Yueke hard. Li Yueke slowly came around and spat out another mouthful of blood.
"You people..." Li Yueke held himself back once more and forced a smile. He patted the Dwarf Warrior on the head. "It's all right. Don't worry. Without evidence, no one can do anything to you."
The Dwarf Warrior lowered his head in distress. "I'm really sorry."
This was too interesting. Almost Li Yueke's entire family had been lured to their deaths, yet he didn't dare testify against the killers.
What was making him so obstinate? Robbie felt there was something big going on here.
"Li Yueke, you really are a cash-spending, manly man." Johnsen wasn't surprised in the least. "I know you too well. You're worried about embarrassing the person behind you, so you have to protect them for now. As for revenge, they can't escape your grasp anyway."
"Unfortunately for you, don't forget that since things have come this far, how could I let you have your way?" Johnsen leaned close to Li Yueke's ear and whispered a name.
After being transformed by the mysterious Demon Blood, Robbie's hearing was no longer ordinary.
He heard two syllables.
"Monroe."
Who was Monroe? Why did that name sound so familiar?
Li Yueke sat there in a daze for a long time, like a stone statue afflicted by the Curse of Flesh. At last, he made up his mind and pointed at the Dwarf Warrior's group of four. "I'm willing to testify against them."
"Very good." Johnsen clapped his hands. "A wise man knows when to yield."
"No, no, Li Yueke, you can't do this!" The Elf hunter jumped onto a table and shouted at the people in the tavern:
"Did you all hear that? Li Yueke is abandoning us! All this time, everyone here has been just like us, colluding with the Horde, sapping people and stealing their equipment, stabbing our own people in the back. What bad things haven't you done? If we're arrested, none of you will escape either!"
The Elf hunter's meaning was clear. He would confess and drag everyone down with him, hoping to force them to cause trouble alongside him.
But he had underestimated the adventurers. Most chose to return to their seats, order a drink, and sip it in silence, acting as though it had nothing to do with them. The few who had intended to cause trouble gave up too, seeing that the others weren't united.
Johnsen cast a contemptuous glance over the adventurers looking out for themselves. "I now announce SI:7's decision regarding these four. No approval is needed. Hang them immediately."
An immediate execution meant there would be no chance for a confession, and the decision put many of the adventurers at ease.
SI:7 agents took the four away to a gallows prepared nearby. Their cries could still be heard:
"You can't do this! I need a trial, a trial..."
Only Li Yueke remained. He left with the SI:7 agents of his own accord.
Was what happened to Li Yueke a coincidence? Absolutely not. It had been deliberately arranged. Only when Robbie saw the calm expression on Vanessa's face did he realize that the sweet-looking little girl was nothing like the innocent person she appeared to be.
When Robbie and Vanessa were alone, Vanessa noticed his puzzlement and asked with a smile, "What do you want to know?"
"How much do you want to tell me?" Robbie asked in return.
"Li Yueke is the one selling commander's credentials. Khadgar gave the Alliance three hundred commander slots, which were distributed by a noble of mysterious identity in Stormwind City. Li Yueke works for that noble," Vanessa explained casually.
No wonder Li Yueke had such a high reputation in Lunarfall.
"Commander, did you buy your credentials too?"
"No, I made my commander's credentials myself." Vanessa said proudly, "Forging documents is one of the skills every rogue needs. My work can absolutely pass for the real thing."
No wonder Li Yueke had tried to extort a hundred and fifty thousand gold coins. So that was why.
"That noble's identity remains a mystery to this day. They're one of the Peace Dove's most important leaders." Vanessa's expression darkened.
The Peace Dove?
Seeing that Robbie was interested, Vanessa began to explain the Peace Dove's history:
"After the Second War ended, King Terenas resolved to become the greatest benevolent king in history. He overruled all opposition and established internment camps for the Orcs, but the officers running the camps wouldn't go along with it. In the war against the Orcs, almost an entire generation of Lordaeron's young people had given their lives. The hatred ran deep. To protect the Orcs, King Terenas pardoned the nobles of the Kingdom of Alterac and had them serve as jailers. They were called the Peace Dove."
The Kingdom of Alterac had originally been one of the seven great human kingdoms. During the Second War, it betrayed the human Alliance and made an agreement with the Orcs. After the war, it received the punishment it deserved.
Vanessa's gaze grew sharper as she said sarcastically:
"The Alterac nobles didn't let King Terenas down. They treated the Orcs better than their own fathers. Later, the Orcs moved to Kalimdor, and the Peace Dove settled in Theramore, continuing to serve them. Fighting the Lich King and mounting the expedition to Pandaria emptied the Kingdom of Stormwind's treasury and left its people struggling to survive. Meanwhile, the Orcs living in barren lands grew more and more prosperous. They not only rebuilt Orgrimmar several times, but also had the money and resources to forge the Iron Horde. That was all thanks to the Peace Dove. Now the Peace Dove has reached into Draenor. Setting up the group of four and encouraging adventurers to use quests to deceive people were all their doing. Their goal is to drive a wedge between the Alliance and the Draenei."
"So the Peace Dove are traitors to humanity?" Robbie concluded.
Vanessa shook her head gently. "The Peace Dove's members aren't just humans anymore."
"Then who planned what happened to Li Yueke?" Robbie asked. "SI:7?"
Vanessa shook her head again and lowered her voice. "SI:7 was just a front. At most, they were the enforcers in the final stage. Where there's oppression, there's resistance. Years ago, adventurers banded together and formed an organization to oppose the Peace Dove, called the Wings of Freedom."
"One last question. Who is Monroe?"
Vanessa gave him a strange smile:
"Azeroth's number one beauty, Monroe Doras."