Thrall smiled gently and warmly greeted the two, "Don't be shy, make yourself at home here. We Orcs are rough and don't have many formalities."
Stormstout immediately felt a sense of familiarity and sat down with Vol'jin.
Thrall personally brought over two rough porcelain cups and placed them in front of Vol'jin and Stormstout, then moved over a crudely made earthenware jar, into which was poured not fine wine, but just ordinary water.
Thrall smiled apologetically, "I'm sorry, we Orcs are used to simplicity and never drink alcohol. We don't have much to offer our guests, but we do have a few fruits and vegetables from Outland with unique flavors that don't exist in Azeroth. Please don't mind."
Soon, Orcs soldiers brought fruits and vegetables, arranged on five or six plates. They were all specialties from the Orcs' homeland, which Stormstout had never seen before. The Staple Food was ordinary baked wheat cakes, no different from what the soldiers outside ate.
Although Stormstout was already full, he still showed a good appetite for the food in this other world, and the unique taste made him very satisfied.
Thrall also had a good appetite, eating heartily, and explained, "We Orcs are different from humans. Human nobles indulge in luxury and pleasure, completely disregarding the suffering of the common people. We Orcs have no distinction of rank or status. Whether we are ordinary soldiers or Warchief, our food, clothing, and daily necessities are the same."
Being able to share weal and Chen Stormstout was immediately filled with respect. This was a true hero, a great man.
I happened to glance at the book Thrall was reading, and it turned out to be the biography of Shaohao, the last emperor of the Pandaren.
Shaohao, the last emperor, is a legendary figure among the Pandaren, a great hero who saved Pandaren. Legendary ten thousand years ago, Shaohao and the Monkey King went through various adventures, overcame their negative emotions, and constantly cultivated their minds, finally finding a way to save all living beings and helping the Pandaren successfully resist the Burning Legion's attack.
"Great Savior, you also read the biography of Emperor Shaohao?" Stormstout asked with interest.
Thrall waved his hand, looking embarrassed, and said:
"Don't call me Savior. I'm just an ordinary Orcs, doing my best to save the world, like all the people of Azeroth. I'm amazed by Emperor Shaohao's greatness. He was able to overcome all kinds of difficulties, especially his ability to face his own fears and find hope for saving his people in the face of despair. I admire him immensely."
Chen Stormstout knew more about Emperor Shaohao, the great idol of the Pandaren. When he met Thrall, Stormstout was sincere and told him some of Shaohao's legendary stories, some of which were not in the books.
Thrall listened attentively, praising the greatness of Emperor Shaohao and extolling the long history and peace-loving nature of the Pandaren race. After the topic of Emperor Shaohao was discussed, Thrall enthusiastically said:
"The experiences of Emperor Shaohao constantly spur me on. He is a great hero in my heart. Whenever I think of the countless Evils still existing in Azeroth, the suffering of the working people, and the innocent races waiting for me to save them, my heart cannot find peace for a long time, urging me to improve and learn."
"Books are the greatest Wealth of all living beings. I immerse myself in the ocean of knowledge, striving to absorb its nourishment. Of course, I haven't forgotten to seek guidance from wise men, especially Old Chen, such a remarkable Pandaren sage, who has benefited me immensely. I am very interested in everything about Pandaria, and I humbly request Old Chen's guidance."
Stormstout, captivated by Thrall's charisma, lowered his guard and began to recount the customs and traditions of Pandaria, the distribution of power, and the relationship between the Pandaren, Mogu, and Mantid. He especially detailed the twelve ancient Divine Turtles that roamed Pandaria, serving as the guardians of the continent.
Thrall listened patiently, occasionally asking some military-related questions in a cryptic manner.
Happy times always pass quickly. Stormstout talked non-stop, and soon the sun was setting. It was time to bid a reluctant farewell to Thrall.
In the following days, Thrall repeatedly invited Stormstout to talk. Stormstout, unsuspecting, inadvertently revealed all the details about Thrall Pandaren, including the several Sha Pandaren secretly kept.
Thrall almost changed his plans, opting instead to directly attack Pandaria, slaughter all the Pandaren, seize this bountiful land, and declare himself king. Wouldn't that have been better?
However, Stormstout's description of the Sha from Thrall plan.
Stormstout, munching on a dry, crumbly bread, boasted loudly:
"There are seven Sha in Pandaria. They can amplify the negative emotions in the hearts of living beings. Demons like the Burning Legion, who are accustomed to killing, can easily be corrupted by the Sha and driven to madness. Anyone who sets foot on the land of Pandaria must relentlessly fight against the Sha. These days I have witnessed the love and kindness of the Orcs. The Sha have had little influence on the Orcs. You are our most reliable friends, the Pandaren."
Hearing this, Thrall understood that the Orcs absolutely could not approach Pandaria. The Orcs, accustomed to Bloodlust and slaughter, were inherently difficult to control their emotions. He also realized that there were likely many exaggerations surrounding the Pandaren's Emperor Shaohao; the true protectors of Pandaria were the seven Sha.
Having gained Stormstout's trust, and with the time ripe, Vol'jin calmly asked:
How do Pandaren view humans?
Chen Stormstout shook his head. "Humans are very complex creatures. To be honest, we Pandaren are very wary of humans. We've been tricked by them many times and suffered countless losses."
Vol'jin gave Thrall a wink, indicating that this was a good start. Thrall, intrigued, asked, "Why don't you tell me more?"
Chen Stormstout, bit into the wheat cake and said angrily:
"As you know, Pandaria has a long history, especially the Mogu, who once established a kingdom as powerful as the Zandalari Empire. We've unearthed many bottles and jars, old murals, and the like from Mogu ruins, but we didn't pay much attention to them, using them as ordinary household items. Humans bought them ship after ship at very low prices. Once, I attended an auction in Stranglethorn Vale and found that a single jar could buy the entire Halfhill."
Thrall looked puzzled; to him, it was nothing. Vol'jin understood: the Pandaren valued their reputation, and deception was their greatest concern.
Chen Stormstout, said, "Human merchants hypocritically donated to the Shado-Pan Monastery and helped us build a Chef academy, all using our money, didn't they? What a despicable race!"
"That's right, truly despicable," Thrall said in unison.
Eitrigg walked in, holding a letter in his hand.
"What are you holding in your hand?" Thrall asked deliberately.
Eitrigg feigned concern, saying, "It's a letter from my old friend Tirion Fordring; I haven't opened it yet."
Stormstout looked at Thrall curiously. Humans and Orcs had a history of conflict, and Eitrigg and Tirion Fordring had been exchanging letters, which was a very sensitive matter that could have serious consequences. He wanted to see how Thrall would handle it.
Thrall smiled faintly and said, "There are no outsiders here, only trusted friends. Tirion Fordring is a Paladin I greatly respect. Why don't we open the letter and let everyone take a look?"
Eitrigg immediately opened the envelope. The contents were quite ordinary, just some everyday talk, but one sentence caught Stormstout's attention:
"Race does not define honor. Orcs are noble and Shang Chun, as respectable as the highest knights; humans are treacherous and despicable, as Evil as the cruelest Undead Scourge."