Unas didn't want to be a leader who just coasted along. Now that he had taken this position, he not only wanted to pursue his own interests but also hoped to make a difference.
The first thing a new official does upon taking office is, of course, to familiarize himself with his jurisdiction. In the following days, Unas ordered someone to take him on a tour of the entire stronghold.
He first walked around the military camp a few times, asking the ordinary soldiers about the situation, which showed his friendliness and also allowed the soldiers to get to know their new commander. Then he went to the entrance of the stronghold to inspect the fortifications, where Dwarves and human workers were already busy, working to raise and reinforce the Stone Walls.
The soil and stones excavated from the Caves carved into the mountainside were just enough to fill the Stone Walls. Unas saw a group of Orcs prisoners in shackles transporting these building materials. Most of these Orcs were short and thin, quite different from the muscular brutes he had imagined.
After questioning the guards of the prisoners, it was learned that not all Orcs were so strong; the weaker ones actually made up the majority.
Orcs revere strength above all else, and the more valiant a person is, the higher their status. Weak Orcs will naturally attach themselves to the strong, thus dividing Orcs society into two classes: the strong become the Warrior class, and the weak become the laborer class. Laborers serve the Warriors, and the Warriors protect the laborers. How many laborers an Orcs Warrior can have serving him depends entirely on his strength.
"So, you're saying this place is full of Orcs laborers?" Unas observed the orc Orcs unloading stones; they were all dejected and unattractive, not a single one of them pleasing to the eye. "Where are the Orcs Warriors?"
"They refuse to do hard labor. I've worn out several whips trying to stop them, it's laughable. Even defeated beasts want to retain their dignity?" The overseer's lips curled into a contemptuous smile. "They only need to sit in their cages to plunder the meager food earned by the Orcs laborers after a long day's work. What a lowly and filthy race!"
This guy immediately realized his mistake after making a racist remark. Standing in front of him was a Paladin from the Argent Dawn, who were advocating some inexplicable policy of racial equality. Would this new superior make an example of him?
However, he was clearly overthinking it. Unas was neither an old-fashioned person nor a brainwashed, impulsive young man. After listening to the overseer's words, he simply nodded and asked, "How many Orcs are there in the camp?"
The foreman breathed a sigh of relief and replied, "98, no, 96. Two died yesterday, including 17 Orcs Warriors, the rest were laborers."
The ratio is roughly five to one. The Orcs Warriors are really lucky, but the Orcs laborers are miserable. They used to be oppressed by their own kind, and now they are oppressed by both humans and their own kind. Unas shook his head. He didn't have the noble sentiment of liberating Orcs slaves. These laborers looked very skilled at their work, so he decided not to bother them.
Next came the various refugee settlements. He first arrived at the human area, where there were emaciated old people and children everywhere. The logistics officer told him that if things continued this way, many people might starve to death this winter. Unas felt the burden on his shoulders growing heavier.
Arriving in the Blood Elf territory with a heavy heart, Unas discovered that things could only get worse; the Elves were plagued not only by famine but also by Mana Addiction.
Most Blood Elves are born bathed in the radiation of the Sunwell, a magical wellspring. Their physique is gradually altered by the Sunwell's magic, which allows them to use magic with ease, but also makes them dependent on the Sunwell's power.
Therefore, when the Sunwell was destroyed, the Elves, suddenly deprived of their source of magic, faced a great calamity. Their bodies would involuntarily crave magic, and this thirst was difficult to fully satisfy.
The magic of the Sunwell runs deep in the Elves ' bones; the Mana Addiction is incurable. They must either endure it or find other ways to absorb magic, endlessly cycling between satisfaction and thirst.
Due to differences in physical constitution, some Elves are less affected, such as rangers, who do not use magic and have better physical fitness, so a little patience is enough to overcome their Mana Addiction.
Mages are different. High-ranking mages can draw energy from the Ley Lines that spans Azeroth, so Mana Addiction has a limited impact on them. However, low-ranking mages and commoners are the hardest hit by Mana Addiction. They cannot endure it and have no new source of magic power. They will soon perish under the repeated torment of Mana Addiction.
Therefore, the Elves had the highest mortality rate in the camp. Most of the elderly and children with weaker constitutions were on the verge of death. Even the only high-level mage Arenas Fireleaf, who worked day and night to create magic crystals, could not keep up with the needs of the more than four hundred Blood Elves.
Seeing the Blood Elves ' tragic state, it seems that Prince Kael'thas's Fel in the game was a last resort. To be or not to be, that is an easy question to answer.
Unas had been to the Unas Dwarf District before, and this was probably the best-condition place. Stonebrow was already waiting at the crossroads. When he saw Unas and his group appear, he quickly ran over with his short legs, spreading his arms as if to hug them.
Unas had to bend down and hug him; he wasn't quite used to such a warm gesture, and joked, "You're a man who makes me bow."
"Lord Unas is a man I can only look up to," Stonebrow cleverly replied.
It's said that Dwarves have to look up to all adult humans, right? Unas chuckled at his comment and asked, "How have you been lately?"
"It's the same as always, except there's no meat to eat and no wine to drink, hahaha," the Dwarf laughed heartily.
Unas's somewhat gloomy mood, dampened by the Blood Elf, lifted considerably. He pulled out several bottles of fine wine he'd scavenged from Todd's cellar from his Spatial Bag. "These wines are pretty good. Here you go."
Stonebrow and the Dwarves around him hurriedly accepted the bottle with great joy. Shi Mei even eagerly uncorked it, took a sniff, and then exclaimed with a blissful expression, "This is truly fine wine!"
"Drink it sparingly, I don't have many bottles left."
After touring the Dwarf camp, Unas also saw the Gnomes he hadn't seen on his last visit. Most of the Cave and Tents were empty; the hardworking and versatile Dwarves had mostly gone out to work, which was why they were doing relatively well.
The Dwarves are a force that can be united, Unas thought, so perhaps the investigation into Holiya's death doesn't need to be pushed too hard.
"Brother Unas!" The familiar voice and unique address interrupted Unas's thoughts. He knew who it was without turning around.
Beryl ran up to him with cheerful steps. Unas expected the Night Elf girl to throw herself into his arms as Unas always did, but to his surprise, she stopped abruptly, gave a slight Night Elf bow, and even changed her address. "Lord Unas, we welcome you as we welcome the wind in the Forest."
These were clearly polite phrases someone had taught her; it seemed Beryl had been well-trained. Unas smiled and bowed slightly in return, "Miss Blade Song, it's my pleasure."