He spoke very casually, but Unas knew it wasn't like that. "I know all these routes, but the question is how to do it. Take the first step, for example. How do you think we'll escape from underground? Is there anyone here familiar with the underground passages who can lead us out, avoiding the Rendaen and the Dark Horde?"
Regina shook her head. "How will we know if we don't try? They're fighting tooth and nail for territory right now, nobody will care about our small group. We can just slip away."
"You're mistaken. We're currently caught up in Rendaen's army. Any attempt to escape will be immediately suppressed. If you don't believe me, you can try it yourself."
"I've seen what happened to those rebels, that's why we need your help, sir. You are a formidable force, a tough nut to crack for Rendaen. He might not be able to..."
"Hey!" Unas interrupted him impatiently, "While Paladins have a creed of healing the wounded, they also have a tradition of keeping their promises. I promised to fight alongside Rendaen and won't hold him back in battle!"
"This is no time for pedantry. The situation is extremely urgent, and I must return to Stormwind City immediately!" Reginaln's tone was very firm, as if he were ordering his subordinates.
Unas ignored his attitude and asked curiously, "What's the emergency? Why are you going back to Stormwind City?"
"This is my secret too, please help me!" Regina realized her lapse in composure and quickly softened her tone.
"Have some patience, old man. Think about it carefully. If it weren't for Rendaen, you'd still be mining. What's the point of talking about returning to Stormwind City so quickly?" Unas didn't press for details; everyone has the right to keep their secrets. "Put your proposal on hold for now. Perhaps I'll agree to it when the time is right."
"At what time?"
Unas smiled but didn't answer. He leaned against the stone wall and closed his eyes to rest, clearly conveying his message that Unas wanted him to get lost.
The other man stood up but didn't leave. A full half minute passed before the middle-aged, burly man finally spoke, "Let me reintroduce myself. I am Reginald Marshal Windsor of the Redridge Mountains Border Guard."
This guy is actually a marshal!
Unas opened his eyes in surprise and looked at the middle-aged man in front of him again. He didn't seem particularly unusual, except that his brown eyes shone with a dignified and resolute light, and he had the air of a veteran general. For a moment, it was hard to tell if he was real or not.
Even if it were true, it would be useless for a lone marshal to act arrogantly here. Unas deliberately mocked, "If you are a marshal, then I am the king. Old man, I'll take this as drunken nonsense. Get lost."
"I can't prove my identity right now, but once we get back to Stormwind City, you'll know I'm telling the truth. If I'm lying, you can cut out my tongue."
This guy really can't stop talking about Stormwind City. Unas's suspicions grew, and he maliciously speculated, "If you're the commander-in-chief of the Redridge Mountains, why aren't you going back there? Why are you in such a hurry to go to Stormwind City? Are you planning to desert?"
"I've received crucial military intelligence and uncovered a deception that could threaten the very survival of Stormwind City. I must return as soon as possible."
"This is alarmist. What kind of scam could threaten the most powerful nation in human history?"
"Yes...!" The middle-aged man almost blurted out.
Unas continued to provoke, "What is it? Can't say? Or do you need more time to make up a story? You fraudulent marshal, your time is running out."
Windsor was not provoked; instead, he calmed down. "As a Paladin, your mouth is far too venomous."
"As a conman, your tongue is rather clumsy," Unas retorted immediately.
The middle-aged man shook his head with a wry smile. "I can tell you, but you must promise to keep it a secret and escort me back to Stormwind City."
"I'm sorry, I can't guarantee anything."
"It's okay, you'll agree to it once you know the secret."
It turns out that after King Varian Wrynn of Stormwind City mysteriously disappeared, the power of the kingdom fell into the hands of Duke Fordragon Bolvar Katrana king's mistress, Countess Prestor. Under their leadership, the nobles gradually indulged in pleasure and began to neglect the other territories of Kingdom of Stormwind.
For example, in the Westfall, which was occupied by the Defias Brotherhood, and in Duskwood, which was threatened by Ogres, Undead, and Worgen, the local people could only spontaneously organize armies to resist.
When Redridge Mountains was invaded on a large scale by Blackrock Orcs and Black Dragons, Marshal Windsor could no longer sit idly by and volunteered to lead the army to the front line to defend against the enemy. However, he was repeatedly rejected by the council controlled by Countess Prestor. The Countess's influence even swayed the Duke of Bolvar Duke Fordragon's decision.
After completely breaking ties with the Countess, Windsor had no choice but to bring his private army to the Redridge Mountains to oversee border defenses.
However, Stormwind City never sent any reinforcements there again, and the marshal was captured by the Dark Iron Dwarves during an attack.
Alone in prison, he could only deduce the cause and effect, searching for clues from various sources. In the end, he discovered that the biggest suspect was Countess Prestor, who was likely a spy, but he had no evidence.
When he was sent to the mines to work, he accidentally saw some familiar cipher tattoos on a Blackrock Orcs. He had seen this kind of cipher on a letter he had intercepted in the Redridge Mountains before, but no one could decipher it, so it was left aside.
It took half a sack of grain to get the answer from the Orcs: This is the writing of the Black Dragon.
The secret letter had been intercepted from Stormwind City, which further convinced him that someone in the city was colluding with the Black Dragon, and the Countess was the prime suspect.
"That secret letter is still at the Redridge Mountains Border Guard garrison. As long as we get back there and find a translator who understands Black Dragon language, that letter will be irrefutable evidence, and we'll definitely be able to bring down that female spy, Prestor."
Unas had a somewhat vague recollection of this plot, but it was roughly about the Black Dragon causing havoc in Stormwind City, being exposed, fleeing back to her lair, and ultimately being killed there, with her head hanging from the gates of Stormwind City.
So he immediately believed Windsor's words, but the Marshal hadn't yet realized that the Countess was an incarnation of a Black Dragon. Unas felt it necessary to enlighten him, "Find a translator who understands Black Dragon language? You're thinking too simply. Draconic is the oldest and most difficult language in the world. Where are you going to find such a translator?"
"Even that young woman, Prestor, understands it; it shouldn't be too difficult. Wait, you mean..."
Windsor realized, recalling the woman's inexplicable oppressive aura and the cold-blooded, animal-like gaze she occasionally revealed, "She's a Black Dragon!?"
"If that letter really was from her," Unas didn't want to sound too certain, "It's probably true!"