Stormwind City Sightings and Reflections

Hu Feng had been in Stormwind City for a while now. The largest city on the southern continent possessed a unique charm all its own.

The morning bells chimed softly. The sea breeze from the harbor carried a hint of salt into the fresh air, and people began their new day of hustle and bustle.

A large crowd of laborers slowly gathered on the docks. Many small, mobile stalls had already set up shop near the harbor, forming a small market selling all sorts of breakfast and drinks. For a few copper coins, the laborers could buy a simple, rough, but filling meal. Some were slightly stale pan-fried sea fish, others were leftover wolf meat or roasted wild boar legs from The Pig and Whistle Inn.

The foremen, with more money in their hands, tended to gather separately from the laborers, in small groups on the other side of the docks. The vendors here sold food of a considerably higher caliber. These vendors acquired leftover food daily from Stormwind City's most luxurious establishment, the Gilded Rose Inn. Perhaps it was tender beefsteak, or okra with pork, accompanied by a cup of leftover fine ale. The foremen ate with relish.

As the sun fully rose, the Priests of the Stormwind Cathedral would begin their morning hymns precisely on time. The combined voices of hundreds of priests echoed throughout the cathedral district. The more devout nobles would arrive early, waiting in their carriages on the plaza before the cathedral doors, quietly discussing last night's banquet or amusing anecdotes about certain families with acquaintances.

Young noblemen, unwilling to endure the daily ordeal at the cathedral, preferred to ride their fine horses out of the city with a retinue of guards for excursions. While the vast and beautiful Elwynn Forest held many hidden dangers, the areas around Stormwind City and its towns were at least safe. Mirror Lake Orchard and Goldshire were their favorite destinations.

Because the Stormwind Kingdom had enjoyed several wise kings in succession, these noble scions dared not engage in any oppressive acts against common folk or forcibly abduct maidens; such melodramatic behavior was out of the question. In truth, the pursuits of human nobles in the world of Azeroth, aside from the eternally unchanging gold, were to become professionals. Nobles with talent would spend vast sums of money to learn various combat techniques and skills. Even fewer nobles discovered their aptitude for magic, their paths becoming even broader. The path of magic was an expensive one.

This world was very realistic. There were few instances of commoners achieving sudden success and becoming powerhouses overnight. Becoming a powerful Warrior or Mage wasn't about hiding away in a quiet place, poring over a magic book or combat manual with diligent practice. You needed to spend a considerable amount of gold to hire teachers, purchase various armors or magical materials, and constantly spend money to grow stronger.

As for those tales of a commoner meeting a mysterious, white-bearded old man who, without a word, thrusts a peerless secret manual into your hands, begging you to practice it, requiring no materials or assistance, and finally becoming a generation's powerhouse through sheer talent and effort – such stories certainly existed. You could find them by purchasing a folk novel from any roadside general store.

Except for absolute geniuses like Aegwynn, who, despite a commoner background, had all the major kingdoms vying to pay for her sponsorship. For everyone else, it was best to accept reality. If a commoner discovered they had talent, there were two options: First, head to Stormwind Keep and apply for royal sponsorship. Upon approval, they would receive a basic monthly stipend. To live better, they would need to take on quests to earn gold. Those with less courage would assist their teachers or academies. After completing their studies and becoming junior Warriors or Mages, they would have to serve the Stormwind Kingdom for ten years, Warriors in the army, and Mages in the court.

The second path was to seek sponsorship from nobles. Nobles were often more generous, but in return, they demanded much greater compensation. This could be personal guardianship for most of their lives or becoming an adventurer under a noble's banner.

Of course, if you possessed the talent of a Priest, adept at sensing the Holy Light, then congratulations, you had joined the easiest group. The Stormwind Cathedral of the Holy Light would reimburse all your expenses and provide free guidance for your studies. Upon completion, you would become a respected Priest of the Cathedral.

Therefore, the vast majority of adventurers among humans were actually divided into two categories. The first category consisted of retired professionals who had fulfilled their ten-year commitment and no longer wished to remain in the army or court, thus becoming free adventurers.

The second category comprised adventurers under noble patronage. They were responsible for bringing various rare items to their patrons, and half of the gold they earned had to be handed over to the nobles. However, they typically received material and equipment support from the nobles, something free adventurers lacked.

Every morning, these adventurers would head out of the city to accept quests. Their speed in earning gold was countless times faster than the law-abiding commoners within the city, but the price was the constant risk of death. For instance, the quest issued by Westfall Keep to kill Hogger, King of the Gnolls, had yet to be completed by anyone. It was preliminarily estimated that no less than eight hundred adventurers had perished at the hands of Hogger and his gnoll subordinates.

Over time, although Hogger's bounty had reached one hundred gold coins, no one had managed to claim it. Of course, this also represented a polarization. "European Emperor" adventurers with the capability to complete the task disdained a mere hundred gold coins and thus were unwilling to expend the effort. Meanwhile, "African Chief" adventurers who wanted to complete the quest and claim the hundred gold coins lacked the necessary strength.

A few "European Emperor" adventurers with a fighting spirit and good luck returned to their homeland from the continent of Kalimdor. Their legendary orange gear, produced in Suramar, drove everyone mad with envy. These few adventurers were immediately sought after by nobles for recruitment. Those "European Emperors" accustomed to freedom began forming their own adventurer guilds to recruit their subordinates. Regardless of the path chosen, these successful "European Emperors" could earn at least several thousand gold coins daily and were no longer interested in accepting small quests like ordinary adventurers.

"African Chief" adventurers could only join the "European Emperor" adventurer guilds and tag along. Although a few "African Chief" adventurers returned to their homeland with one or two pieces of Suramar equipment that didn't suit them, sold them for a large sum of gold, and then returned to the city to marry a wife, farm, or engage in business, such examples were too few. Thus, they were basically making a living by following the "European Emperors."

Hu Feng sat in a corner of the main hall of The Pig and Whistle Inn, a black hood obscuring his face. He didn't want to be recognized.

Sitting in this noisy tavern, watching the adventurers come and go, struggling for a living, and witnessing the occasional disputes and brawls, Hu Feng found a sliver of familiar comfort here.

It was no different from his previous life on Earth. The only distinction was that human society in Azeroth, in addition to gold – the eternal truth that held true everywhere – pursued slightly different things.

Perhaps, setting aside his identity and the mission weighing on his shoulders, he was still just an ordinary young man from his past life. This might be the indelible human nature.