Before dawn, Orgrimmar was shrouded in choking smoke and dust, and the once majestic city gates now seemed dejected. King Saurfang stepped through the rubble into the makeshift command tent, his heavy footsteps startling the dozing messengers.
"Bring me the casualty report." The old orc's deep voice carried an undeniable authority.
The messenger frantically searched for the parchment scroll, accidentally knocking over the ink bottle on the table. The black ink smeared across the newly drawn map of Orgrimmar, completely covering the location that had originally been marked " Great Chieftain's Fortress ".
Saurfang took the report, his rough fingers tracing the shocking numbers:
"The central area is completely destroyed, Valley of Wisdom is half collapsed, Valley of Honor has lost a third of its civilian casualties, and there are at least 10,000 civilian casualties. The Kor'kron Guard..." His voice suddenly choked.
Heavy footsteps sounded outside the tent, Garrosh Hell scream lifted the curtain and entered. His dark shoulder armor was covered in ash, and blood seeped from the bandages on his right arm, but his crimson eyes still burned with a chilling rage.
"Go on, Saurfang," Garrosh's voice was like sandpaper scraping, "I need the exact numbers."
The old orc took a deep breath. " The Kor'kron Guard has suffered over 80% casualties; the first through seventh companies have been completely wiped out."
A deathly silence fell over the tent. The messenger huddled in a corner, wishing he could bury himself in the ground. Garrosh's fists clenched so tightly they cracked, his knuckles turning white from the force.
"How long will it take to rebuild?" he finally asked, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth.
The goblin engineer following behind him wiped the sweat from his brow. "Great Chieftain, considering the transportation of supplies and the allocation of manpower, it will take at least two years."
"Two years?!" Garrosh's roar shook the tent. "I want to see Orgrimmar rise again within six months!"
The goblin's pointed ears twitched uneasily. "But building materials are scarce, and the craftsmen have suffered heavy casualties."
"Then quarry the stone from the Barrens! Conscript all the goblin engineering teams!" Garrosh slammed his fist on the table, sending splinters flying. " The Horde has never lacked resources or courage!"
Saurfang frowned. " Great Chieftain, the civilians need to be settled first."
"Civilians?" Garrosh sneered. "The most important thing now is to rebuild our military! I've already ordered the reorganization of Kor'kron, and the new guard will be in place today. The enemy can attack at any time. We're still thinking about civilian resettlement. The Horde has no civilians, only Warrior. Mobilize everyone who can breathe. It's either victory or annihilation."
A commotion arose outside the tent, and the low protests of the Tauren and the shouts of the orc soldiers could be faintly heard. A sinister glint flashed in Garrosh's eyes.
At noon, the leaders of the Horde tribes finally gathered, though several familiar faces were missing. They assembled in a makeshift meeting hall. Calling it a hall was a stretch of open space enclosed by canvas and wooden stakes. Cairne Bloodhoof's tall figure stood out, his heavy hooves pounding the ground uneasily.
"Gentlemen," Garrosh said in a booming voice, standing atop a protruding rock, "Before discussing reconstruction, we must first find the culprit behind this disaster!"
The old Troll Vol'jin astutely noticed that Garrosh had used the term "culprit" rather than "murderer." The Darkspear leader tapped his green fingers lightly on the table, lost in thought.
"There is evidence," Garrosh continued, "That there are traitors within the Horde! It was they who provided intelligence to the enemy, leading to Orgrimmar being attacked without any warning!"
Cairne Bloodhoof abruptly stood up, the heavy totem pole slamming onto the ground with a dull thud. " Garrosh! This is a baseless accusation! More than thirty of my people have been unjustly arrested by you!"
Garrosh's lips curled into a cold smile, "Oh? Chieftain Cairne is so agitated, perhaps he has something to hide?"
"You!" Cairne's nostrils flared with scorching heat, veins bulging on his thick neck. " Thrall can attest to the Bloodhoof Tribe's loyalty to the Horde!"
"Then why are you against the investigation?" Garrosh pressed on. "Or are you really colluding with Theramore? I've heard that many of your people have worked Theramore."
The meeting room erupted instantly. Vol'jin immediately stood up, stepping between the two men who were on the verge of conflict. "Calm down! This is not the time for infighting!" He turned to Garrosh, " Great Chieftain, accusations require evidence."
"Evidence?" Garrosh said dismissively. "What time is it now? What's the point of talking about evidence? If there's any doubt, arrest and interrogate them first. Are we going to wait until the enemy comes knocking before we regret it?"
Cairne grabbed Garrosh by the neck. "Will Thrall allow you to arrest people like this without any evidence?"
Garrosh flung Cairne's hoof away and sneered, "Don't mention Thrall anymore. I am the Great Chieftain now. The Great Chieftain recognized by Thrall. He was too lenient with you, which is why you think everything needs evidence. You don't need evidence to deal with traitors, just torture them!"
Vol'jin scrutinized Garrosh's expression, trying to read his mind, then suddenly narrowed his eyes. " Great Chieftain, what exactly is in Flame Ridge that warrants such a dangerous attack from the enemy?"
Garrosh's expression faltered slightly. "Wait, of course. What do you mean by that?"
"Because you have the Kor'kron Guard guarding that place, only allowing those strange goblins and mages to come and go," Vol'jin said calmly, "While not letting us Troll or Tauren get a step closer. So what are you hiding?"
A murmur rippled through the meeting room. Garrosh's face turned ashen, but he quickly regained his composure. "That's a secret Horde project! You don't need to know the details. In my name as Great Chieftain, I authorize a full investigation of any suspicious individuals!"
"Wait a minute, since that's your secret project, we Troll and Tauren can't possibly get close, so the possible spies can't be us. You should also check the goblins and mages there. They're the most suspicious." Vol'jin, being shrewd, immediately found a flaw and turned the tables on Garrosh.
Garrosh was rendered speechless by Vol'jin's words. He slammed his fist on the table in anger. "Everyone is a suspect and must be investigated. Especially those who worked in Theramore, they are more likely to be spies. I have already issued an investigation order in the name of the Great Chieftain. Whoever objects is the most suspicious, and we'll start with them."
With those words spoken, everyone present looked grim, but no one voiced any further objections. Garrosh, with his hardline stance, pushed forward the internal purge within the Horde.
First update.