Jangolode Mine

The Shredder was indeed easier to repair than a Harvest Golem, as its structure was far simpler. Before long, Old Saldean had the Shredder running again. Shawn, who had been assisting him, had gained a solid understanding of its construction and even tried operating it himself.

Having driven tricycles, cars, tractors, electric scooters, and motorcycles since childhood in his past life—and even holding a Class C driver's license—operating a Shredder was a breeze for Shawn. His performance was so impressive that both Old Saldean and Fablon praised him as a genius.

Fablon even announced on the spot that he would lend the Shredder to Shawn for his use, and that Shawn could return it whenever he was finished; after all, Fablon was in no hurry.

Still mindful of his primary objective, Shawn swallowed his pride and asked, "Uncle Fablon, I'm currently researching Harvest Golems and was wondering if you might have any discarded Golem Hearts lying around... Don't worry, if I truly manage to figure them out, I'll be sure to get you a few Harvest Golems first!"

Fablon paused for a moment, then patted Shawn on the head and laughed heartily. "Shawn, I never realized you had such grand ambitions! Very well, very well! I'll be waiting for your good news! I have five discarded Golem Hearts here that are of no use to me; they're all yours!"

Upon hearing there were five, Shawn cheered instantly.

With these, plus the two Golem Hearts he had obtained at the Saldean Farm, Shawn now possessed seven. He was only three short of the ten required for his mission.

Perhaps one more farm visit would be enough to complete the set.

With that, Shawn drove the Shredder while Old Saldean rode his horse, and the two headed home together.

It was already dusk by the time they returned to the Saldean Farm.

The three-meter-tall Shredder looked incredibly imposing, drawing the attention of many. Everyone noticed that the once timid and insecure Shawn seemed to have changed; he had become confident, cheerful, and possessed a unique, newfound charisma.

"Our little Shawn has grown into a man, hasn't he? Fixing Harvest Golems and even driving a Shredder? Remarkable, simply remarkable!" Thelma Saldean, the mistress of the farm, beamed with joy.

Shawn scratched his head, feeling a bit embarrassed.

Nights in Westfall were dangerous and unsuitable for travel. After finishing dinner, Shawn lay in bed and closed his eyes.

In his life on Earth, Shawn had worked in a field related to piping and construction, so he had some knowledge of building. Drawing upon his memories, he began to sketch a blueprint in his mind.

What he had said during the day was no lie.

The reason Shawn had borrowed the Shredder was, naturally, to collect timber and materials, but also because he genuinely wanted to build a home of his own.

After all, Shawn harbored many secrets that could not be revealed to others, making it inconvenient to stay at Old Saldean's house. Furthermore, as his soul was that of an adult, he felt somewhat awkward constantly being around a group of children.

The trees of Azeroth were different from those on Earth.

Due to the unique environment of Azeroth, trees absorbed the arcane energy drifting in the air every day. Over time, not only did their wood become more distinct, but it also developed varying degrees of magical resistance.

For instance, some trees with extremely high fire resistance could be used to build houses that were completely impervious to flames, remaining intact even after a massive blaze.

Westfall bordered Elwynn Forest, Duskwood, and Stranglethorn Vale, all of which were rich in plant resources. Westfall itself, however, was a desolate, treeless expanse. Shawn would have to put in quite a bit of effort to find enough timber to fell.

However, Shawn had another idea, though he couldn't put it into action just yet. If he could see this plan through, his future life would be very comfortable indeed.

The next day, Shawn drove the Shredder to the northwest, far from the Saldean Farm, to the famous Jangolode Mine.

In recent years, a group of kobolds, led by a mining foreman, had occupied the Jangolode Mine. They collaborated with the Defias Brotherhood, selling the ore they excavated to help the Brotherhood build golems and warships.

To the people of Westfall, the Jangolode Mine was a veritable den of dragons and tigers. Shawn had come here because he wanted to conduct an experiment, and he wanted to do so because he had received a valuable item as a reward for clearing the [Kobold Den].

[Kobold War Horn (Westfall)], Green Quality, Excellent Equipment.

Effect 1: Kobold race affinity +1, Westfall Kobold affinity +5, Spirit +1.

Effect 2: Blowing the Kobold War Horn allows you to command the kobolds of Westfall.

Usage time: 10 minutes/10 minutes, effect duration: 30 minutes. This ancient war horn is extremely fragile and will automatically shatter after 10 minutes of use. Please use with caution.

"A token of the ancient kobolds, a symbol of the great Kobold Warbringer. Blow it, and we shall heed your command!"

He hadn't realized it at first, but a closer look left him stunned.

Shawn knew that if used correctly, this Kobold War Horn could be a powerful weapon for him, capable of playing a crucial role at a critical moment.

His goal today was to test whether the horn was truly as effective as it seemed.

Kobolds loved the darkness and feared the sun. In the bright daylight, they mostly hid inside the mine, with only two or three left outside to keep watch. They were Shawn's targets.

Approaching with extreme caution, Shawn waited until he was less than 20 meters from the Jangolode Mine before intentionally making a noise, then hid himself behind a large boulder.

"@￥%%**(*%￥#￥@!"

The noise successfully caught the attention of the three kobolds. Their low intelligence prevented them from leaving one behind to guard; instead, all three of them, candles atop their heads, walked toward Shawn's position.

Shawn waited until they were close before suddenly blowing the Kobold War Horn and stepping out from behind the rock.

He blew with very little force, keeping the sound low.

The low, rumbling sound did not travel deep into the Jangolode Mine 20 meters away; only the three kobolds nearby could hear it.

Shawn didn't know what kind of magic the horn possessed—whether it was the frequency of the sound waves or some other unique property. Regardless, the moment the horn sounded, those three kobolds were fooled... no, they were captivated by the Kobold War Horn.

In a trance, the three kobolds seemed to see their great leader, their great sage, standing before them. The great Warbringer, that legendary figure from ancient tales, that great existence, that immortal legend, now stood right in front of them.

Don't ask them how they knew it was the great Warbringer; they just knew.

They felt the blood in their veins boiling, like water at 120 degrees in a pressure cooker. A surge of fervent, surging power filled them, giving them an overwhelming urge to fight.

The kobolds began to chant an ancient war song in their own language.

They were filled with passion and burning blood, their bodies trembling, their throats parched with fire.