Unas sent a magical signal into the sky through Huoye, Oink quickly flew over. After observing the area from the air, he slowly descended onto the deck— the Dwarf warship was surrounded by Defias's bandit army, and it certainly didn't look like a safe place.
"What's going on?" The first thing the Blackbeard mage did after landing was to confirm safety. He pointed to the enemies on the shore, "How did your negotiations with them go?"
"It's still ongoing; this time, someone else is contacting you."
Unas shrugged and led Blackbeard to the cabin where the head of the secret service was resting.
The two high-ranking figures from Stormwind City met, but the meeting was not warm. Mages were quite disgusted by these spies who liked to gather intelligence, and the agents also kept a close watch on mages with superhuman strength on a daily basis—many mages walked the line of the law for their magical experiments.
The two cautiously exchanged information, both visibly alarmed. Upon learning that Hernan was seriously injured in the bank manager's office, Shaw exclaimed, "Take me to the bank immediately!"
Bank manager Fair is clearly the Countess's man, but it's uncertain whether he knows he's pledging allegiance to a Black Dragon, so the king's safety must be assured as soon as possible.
Shaw couldn't even stand up, but he was anxious about Varian's safety and envious of his achievement in rescuing the king. He couldn't stay on the ship and do nothing.
Oink hurriedly pushed open the cabin door and strode towards the paladin who was pretending to admire the scenery by the ship's railing. He said, "Knight Paladin, I need to take Shaw back to the Trade District now. It's urgent. Please excuse me."
Unas wanted to find out what had happened, but seeing Blackbeard's unwilling expression, he knew he wouldn't get any information and said, "Please go ahead."
Oink said no more, hurriedly returned to the cabin, helped Shaw up, and the two disappeared in a flash of blue light—just in case, he had left spatial coordinates at the bank as a backup plan, so he could teleport back directly.
Unas stroked his chin, wondering what could have made the two of them so anxious, when a commotion arose from the shore: it turned out that the old marshal and the female major had been brought there.
The two had been imprisoned by several thieves from Defias in a warehouse by the Docks, completely missing the great battle, until they were redeemed by Unas and regained their sight.
The old marshal already knew the good news that the Black Dragon had been shot down, and a hint of joy appeared on his weathered face.
Unas quickly jumped off the boat, took out a dagger, and swiftly untied the two men.
The old marshal rubbed his numb wrists, glanced worriedly at the surrounding bandit army, and said with guilt, "Stormwind City will remember your great deeds, Knight Unas, but unfortunately, Sophia and I not only failed to help you, but also dragged you down."
"How could that be? We need your help right now, and you'll have to clean up this mess," Unas gestured, "Come on, let's get on the ship and talk."
The three men walked across the deck, and the old marshal asked in a low voice, "I heard from those thieves that you traded VanCleef for us?"
"Yes."
Sophia said, "I overheard those thieves talking amongst themselves— VanCleef is dead?"
Unas was momentarily at a loss for words when the captain's cabin door opened, and Russell Blood Oath came out, beckoning to him and whispering, "He's awake."
Sophia asked in confusion, "Who?"
"You'll know once you go in and see."
"Wait," Russell interrupted, "He only wants to see the Paladin."
At this moment, the old marshal and the other man realized who "he" was; only one person's orders could command such obedience from the Elf Warlock.
"Let's rest in another cabin first." The old marshal retreated when faced with difficulties, but he was secretly worried. The man was not dead, Defias was still a formidable enemy. The Dwarf warships were now surrounded by bandits. If the enemy broke their promise, they would immediately become prisoners again.
Unas gave the old marshal a reassuring look, nodded, and told Nightmoon to lead them to another cabin before turning and entering the captain's cabin.
Edwin VanCleef not only woke up, but also sat in the captain's chair. His face was deathly pale, but the hawk-like gaze in his eyes was still awe-inspiring, as if he were the master of the ship.
Aren't you afraid I'll break the contract?
Instead of gratitude or flattery, he opened his mouth with a threatening tone, revealing that even after teetering on the edge of life and death, he remained the King of Thieves.
"I have no agreement with you." Unas glanced at Vanessa, who was standing to the side, and said in a firm but indifferent tone.
Vanessa hesitated, "Father..." The sixteen-year-old girl had not experienced much of the deceit and treachery of the adult world, and she found it difficult to turn her back on the benefactor who had saved her father.
VanCleef glared at his daughter, the words of rebuke he was about to utter were swallowed back. The scene before his death made him realize: no matter how great the cause, it cannot compare to the love of one's dearest family.
He sighed deeply, his fierce aura dissipating, and said to the Paladin, "You have great courage. Don't worry, although we are thieves, we are not treacherous."
Unas nodded neither humbly nor arrogantly, having anticipated this outcome—if VanCleef wanted to renege on his promise, he would have simply disembarked, and this conversation would never have taken place.
"Regardless, you saved my life, and I shouldn't interfere with your agreement with Vanessa," the King of Thieves said, then changed the subject, "But I cannot agree to the condition of using Vanessa as a hostage."
"Without hostages, how can you guarantee that you will hand over the Little Prince and the Regent to me once you have captured them?"
"It's simple, I'll take Vanessa's place and become your hostage."
"What?!"
The three people inside gasped in unison; none of them had expected VanCleef to volunteer to be a hostage.
Russell hurriedly advised, "No, Defias still needs you to take charge!"
"Father, you don't need to worry about me, the Brotherhood..."
"I did it for the Brotherhood," VanCleef interrupted his daughter, "This death has made me realize one thing— Defias too weak, so weak that it will fall apart as soon as its leader dies!"
A truly powerful organization will not collapse because of the absence of one person. VanCleef was not unaware of the instability within the Brotherhood, but his strong self-confidence made him ignore the hidden dangers. Only after encountering the Black Dragon did he realize the limits of mortal power.
"Consider me dead, Vanessa. From this day forward, you are the new leader of Defias!"
The firm order brooked no argument; Vanessa and Russell had no choice but to obey.
They all understood that the King of Thieves only wanted to use this "death" to shift from the open to the shadows and manipulate the Brotherhood from behind the scenes.
"Russell, immediately summon all leaders to a meeting in Vanessa's name. Each leader must board alone and is not allowed to bring any weapons!"
The Elf Warlock accepted the order and hurried away. VanCleef continued, "Paladin, this time we need not only your territory, but also your manpower."
"It would be my pleasure to serve you. Please feel free to give any instructions, sir."
The Defias Brotherhood was formed from the Stonemasons' Guild and comprised more than a dozen large and small robbery groups.
Of the seventeen leaders, only nine actually showed up; the others made various excuses to avoid coming.
It should be noted that the battle of the dragons above the Docks attracted the attention of the entire city. Before understanding the cause and effect of this battle, both sides in the fighting were somewhat distracted and their fighting was slack.
Apart from one or two people who were indeed on the front lines and were held up by the Stormwind City army, at least five leaders deliberately disobeyed orders.
Not all nine men who came were necessarily loyal; perhaps they were just checking the wind direction. But the fact that they dared to board the ship alone without weapons might indicate that they had nothing to hide.
VanCleef sat imposingly in the captain's chair, his icy gaze like a biting wind, making the leaders who entered tremble with fear.
According to the intelligence they received, even if the leader wasn't dead, he was seriously injured and unlikely to recover. Therefore, Vanessa issued the summons order, and no one expected that he would appear before everyone unharmed.
A long, deathly silence had passed. Dusk was approaching when VanCleef finally spoke, his calm voice concealing suppressed rage, "It seems only you are here today—so, I declare that the leadership of the Defias Brotherhood will be inherited by my daughter, Vanessa VanCleef!"
The leaders exchanged bewildered glances, suspicion creeping in: if the leader was unharmed, why pass the leadership on?
"If you have any objections, you may raise them now," Russell continued. "If not, please pledge your allegiance to Miss Vanessa immediately!"
This was a pointless statement. Judging from VanCleef's expression, anyone who objected now would be torn to pieces. The nine leaders knelt on one knee before Vanessa and loudly swore an oath of allegiance to her.
VanCleef kept a close eye on the leaders' expressions. If anyone showed any disrespect, he wouldn't hesitate to make an example of them. The Paladin's men were hidden in the next few cabins.
After the simple oath was completed and no one showed any sign of disapproval, VanCleef's lips curled into a satisfied smile. He solemnly declared, "The loyal will receive their due reward, while the Betrayer must be punished most severely!"
Upon hearing this, everyone knew that a bloody battle was inevitable that night. The leaders were excited, secretly glad that they had made the right bet. Those few ruthless scoundrels who hadn't shown up were definitely doomed, and their followers and wealth would become a rich reward.
As darkness fell, the fighting throughout the city gradually subsided. Exhausted, hunger struck with particular ferocity, and soldiers on both sides began hastily preparing rations.
In the City Guard headquarters at the main gate of Stormwind, General Jonathan, who had been busy with military affairs all day without eating, ignored the hot bread his subordinates brought him.
The chaotic intelligence left him overwhelmed and unable to muster any appetite—there was still no clear report on the battle between humans and dragons at the port, but the fact that the Countess was a Black Dragon had been confirmed by the Mage Academy, and after this news spread, the mercenary groups she had hired began to show signs of instability.
Internal strife also broke out among the teachers and students of the Military Academy in the Old Town. It is said that the Countess was the one who secretly provided them with a large number of weapons, and the people in charge were several high-ranking officials of the school. Some students suspected that they were the henchmen of the Black Dragon, so they stirred up trouble.
Defias, however, seemed unaffected by VanCleef's uncertain fate. The Gryphon Riders reported that they were dragging the Black Dragon underwater, and their morale remained high.
The situation was dire. Jonathan looked at the battle reports on the table—reinforcements for Westbrook Garrison and Darkshire would not arrive for several days, and the Seventh Legion, scattered in various places, was also gathering. He just didn't know if his side could hold out until then.
What worries him even more is that, as a politician, he is also considered a member of the Countess's camp, and he doesn't know if he will be targeted and Reckoning as a spy for the Black Dragon.
"My lord!" The guard's shout startled him from his worries. "Sir Shaw and a Knight are outside; they say they have important matters to discuss with you!"
"What?!" Jonathan stood up in slight alarm. There was only one Shaw in the entire city, and no official wanted to face him, because SI:7 was specifically responsible for high-level extermination of evildoers.
"Isn't Sir Shaw seriously injured and bedridden? How many of them have come?"
Only two people were supporting him.
Jonathan breathed a sigh of relief. Bringing only such a small group didn't seem like they were there to interrogate someone, and the fact that they came in this state meant it must be something very important that they couldn't refuse.
"Quickly, invite them in!"
Unas took Shaw from the two agents and helped him into the city guard commander's office, where they were greeted by the city guard general's haggard face.
The two men from Stormwind City exchanged polite greetings. Jonathan's slightly flickering eyes revealed his anxiety as he stepped forward and carefully helped Shaw to the other side, settling him into a chair.
Who is this?
Unas introduced himself, "Hello, I am Unas-Lawugade of the Silver Hand."
Shaw added, "Aid requested by Marshal Windsor from the North."
"The old marshal... is he still with Defias? Is he alright?" Jonathan had firmly stood by the Countess's side, believing the old marshal had gone mad and betrayed the country. Now that the truth was out, he couldn't help but feel guilty.
Unas simply replied, "Very good."
Jonathan nodded, then suddenly realized, "Could you be the Paladin who assisted the Mage Academy in defeating the Black Dragon at the port?" Black hair and black eyes matched the information.
"No, it was Master Omar from the Stormwind Mage Academy who assisted me and Dalaran." Unas retorted firmly, emphasizing the importance of clearly stating the priorities in matters of combat achievements.
"..." The city guard general was speechless. He had heard from the Gryphon Rider that the Mage Academy was the main force.
Shaw interjected, "Alright, none of that matters now, let's get down to business."
"Hmm." Unas exhaled through his nostrils.
Jonathan was somewhat embarrassed, but he couldn't show it, so he turned to him and said, "Sir Shaw has come with serious injuries; he must have something important to discuss."
"Excellent, a great achievement. We await General Jonathan's arrival to collect it."
It turned out that after VanCleef completed his daughter's succession ceremony, he discussed with Unas the matter of eliminating the traitors and evacuating Stormwind City.
Unas's plan was simple: Sophia's two battalions of soldiers, along with the refugee boats hiding on the isolated island outside the harbor, would launch a surprise attack, while Defias would feign defeat and retreat, conveniently throwing those traitors out to their deaths—killing two birds with one stone.
However, the City Guards of the Trade District are an uncontrollable element. Once they discover that Defias is retreating, they might take the opportunity to launch an attack, which would complicate the situation. VanCleef doesn't want a feigned defeat to turn into a real crushing defeat.
Just as Unas was feeling overwhelmed, a letter from Shaw's men arrived, pleading for help—it turned out that Dean Hernan was dying.
Unas needed to establish contact with the City Guards at that time, Shaw was a good bridge, so he teleported to the Trade District with Master Omar and several of his men.
Master Omar was quite adept at dealing with Dragonflight magic, managing to stabilize Dean Hernan's injuries, but when he would fully recover remained unknown.
Shaw no longer concealed the king's whereabouts from the Paladin. He and Blackbeard Oink had already realized they were too late when they returned to the bank; the underground vault was deserted, and the bank manager and several employees were dead on the spot—it must have been Black Dragon's men who, seeing the situation was turning against them, killed the king and escaped through the secret passage.
Oink led several elite agents to pursue them, Shaw, seriously injured and unable to move, had to stay behind at the bank.
Seeing that Dean Hernan was out of danger, but there was still no news of Oink, he asked the Paladins for help. Unas also needed his help to contact the City Guards, as rescuing the king would be a great achievement. So the two sides reached an agreement.
Huoye, Nightmoon, and Perella, along with a team of agents, went to retrieve the King as Oink's backup.
Unas then went with Shaw to the City Guard headquarters to meet General Jonathan.
Of course, Unas couldn't tell them the truth about his agreement with VanCleef, otherwise none of them could bear the charge of colluding with Defias, and they certainly wouldn't agree to his demands.
"Whatever happens tonight, wait for our signal to act."
"You mean VanCleef is dead, Defias is unstable, and the old marshal and Major Sophia were just feigning surrender, and they're going to launch a surprise attack tonight?" Jonathan couldn't believe such a windfall was coming his way.
"Yes, as long as your City Guards cooperate, we can retake the fortress and port tonight and drive the Defias bandits out of Stormwind City!"
Jonathan gradually came to believe the Paladin's lies, because deep down he believed that if the old marshal wasn't insane, he couldn't possibly have betrayed Stormwind City.
"Remember, you must wait for our signal, otherwise it will disrupt our entire plan."
"Definitely!" Jonathan was overjoyed. He had just been worried about how to hold the line, and now a great victory was right in front of him. He never imagined that the Paladin's purpose was to cover Defias's retreat, because in his mind, Defias had no reason to retreat.
Shaw wasn't so easily fooled. He asked doubtfully, "But the Dwarf warship that the Knight is on is still surrounded by Defias. How are you going to escape?"
Unas replied evasively, "I have my own way, don't worry."
Although he didn't receive a satisfactory answer, considering the strength the Paladin displayed in his battle against the Black Dragon and his actions, there was indeed no reason for him to be detrimental to Stormwind City. Suppressing his doubts, Shaw said, "Then I look forward to victory tonight!"
Unas said again, "Don't worry, I guarantee it will be a surprise!"
When Unas returned to the warship, VanCleef had just sent away the other eight leaders who had come to pledge their loyalty.
Although he had ordered the first nine men to not reveal any information about his fate upon returning, these bandit leaders couldn't keep their mouths shut and still leaked the news.
The other eight also received news that their leader was safe and sound. They hurriedly boarded the ship to plead guilty and pledge their loyalty, thinking that with so many people, they could get away with it. Little did they know that this time, the King of Thieves was determined to eliminate the pests.
VanCleef had already sentenced five of them to death in his mind. On the surface, he was kind and appeasing, ordering them to atone for their crimes through good deeds, but in secret, he had made arrangements for these five men and their confidants to be placed on the death list.
After exchanging messages, VanCleef said coldly, "Jonathan, you'd better know what's good for you, otherwise I can't guarantee that we'll honor our agreement."
"I've confirmed it several times; he will wait for our signal before acting, so please rest assured, Commander," Unas said. "Have you set a time for the retreat?"
The King of Thieves sighed deeply, unwilling to leave just like that, after all, destroying the Storm regime had been his dream for many years.
"It's settled."
"Then, please fulfill my remaining request."
Who do you want to kill?
Benedictus.
This man was the leader of the Church of the Holy Light in Stormwind City and the Archbishop of the Stormwind Cathedral. In the later history of Azeroth, he was proven to be a lurking cultist who posed a considerable threat to the world. Unas wanted to take advantage of the chaos of war to eliminate this destabilizing factor in advance.
But people at the time were unaware of the inside story. VanCleef's shock flashed across his face for a moment, then he showed an expression of understanding.
In his view, the fact that fellow believers of Holy Light were killing each other could only be due to a power struggle.
Unas offered no explanation, simply asking, "Is it possible?"
"Hmph!" The King of Thieves curled his lip in disdain. In his heart, the high-ranking officials of Stormwind City were all enemies who deserved to die. "I will personally slit his throat."
"With the leader's words, I feel relieved."
As midnight approached, the dying Black Dragon Princess was finally dragged ashore. People immediately used iron chains to firmly secure her to the ground. The giant beast was powerless to resist, and foul-smelling blood continued to seep from its wounds, soon forming a large pool of blood under its belly.
After the onlookers, including Unas, dispersed, he dismissed the guards and went alone to the dragon's head. According to his agreement with Vanessa, this enormous creature was now his spoils.
Seemingly sensing the presence of her mortal enemy, the Black Dragon Princess opened her blood-soaked giant eyes. The iron chains binding her body rattled as she struggled with her limbs. She roared, but unfortunately, no more dragon flame could be generated in her throat.
"I could kill you with a single sword strike right now," Unas said coldly.
The Black Dragon's enormous golden pupils suddenly contracted, and fear instantly spread throughout her body. She possessed a near-infinite lifespan and had never imagined that one day she would fall into such a predicament.
Unas silently drew the Horse-Slaying Sword from his Spatial Bag. The massive blade flashed through the air like a silver streak, stopping just short of the Black Dragon's eyelids, startling her so much that she shuddered violently.
"I possess wealth beyond your imagination, mortal," the Black Dragon Princess persisted, "According to the rules among you human nobles, I can redeem myself."
Unas sneered, "You know those are rules among humans, they have nothing to do with a beast like you."
Clang, clang, clang—the chains clattered loudly. Black Dragon had never suffered such humiliation. She wished she could swallow the little man before her whole and chew him to pieces, but her weakness prevented her from breaking free of the shackles binding her body.
"I've already interrogated your Warlock, Vandrin Bloodsoul. I heard you split King Varian into two people?" Unas had indeed interrogated the awakened Elf Warlock, but he already knew about Varian's situation, which Van der Linde hadn't revealed.
"Traitor!" The division of Varian was a secret known only to the Black Dragon and her two confidants. After her outburst, she suddenly realized this was a valuable bargaining chip and threatened, "Without me breaking the curse, you will never restore Varian to its original state."
"I don't care what happens to Varian," Unas said, addressing the Storm King by his name—a grave disrespect. "Even if you split him into ten thousand people, it's none of my business. What interests me is your Soul Splitting."