A New Mission

Shawn had always considered Vanessa to be one of the truly intelligent people on the continent of Azeroth; he had always been interested in her, and felt deep sympathy and admiration for her.

Therefore, regarding Rick, who had tied her up, Shawn's face darkened instantly.

Shawn said, "Rick, speak! What exactly is going on here? If your explanation doesn't satisfy me, I will slaughter you!"

Rick had not expected such a shift in Shawn's attitude, but that was not important.

He recounted the experiences he had endured over these past few days.

Rick was once a member of the Mason Guild in Stormwind City and a highly skilled architect. His professional skill level was second only to Edwin VanCleef, reaching the rank of Master, which was why Shawn's Eye of Insight had been unable to detect him.

During the reconstruction of Stormwind City, Rick had been responsible for the Mage District. It was during that time that Rick met Theocritus, as well as many other mages.

Later, when Stormwind City defaulted on their wages, Edwin VanCleef, under the schemes of the Black Dragon Princess, led the majority of the Mason Guild to transform themselves into the Defias Brotherhood. However, quite a few masons chose to leave on their own.

Rick was one of them.

For these past years, Rick had been wandering.

He had witnessed all of VanCleef's actions, and for this former friend and old superior, Rick felt deep sorrow, hoping that he could turn over a new leaf and stop doing things driven by a mind clouded with hatred.

He had met with VanCleef several times, but each time he was driven away by him.

"If you won't join us, then don't stop us! If there is a next time, I will kill you!"

VanCleef's attitude left Rick feeling cold and disheartened.

A few days ago, Rick decided to try one last time.

This time, he was severely wounded by VanCleef and was nearly killed.

It was at that moment that he saw Vanessa, and a sudden idea struck him; he kidnapped Vanessa and escaped from the Deadmines.

After finishing his story, Rick sighed and said, "That is how it happened. I brought Vanessa with me, fleeing all the way until I met you. Thinking you were a mage, I decided to throw my lot in with you."

Shawn remained silent for a long time before suddenly asking, "Rick, do you hate VanCleef?"

Rick replied, "I don't. No matter how he treats me, he is still my old friend. Besides, he has his reasons; Stormwind City is too detestable! It was Stormwind City that failed VanCleef first, not VanCleef who failed Stormwind City!"

Shawn sighed.

The entire Westfall was a tragedy from start to finish. And one of the sources of all this tragedy was a certain detestable fellow.

He decided to do something.

Shawn looked at Rick and shook his head, saying, "Actually, it wasn't entirely Stormwind City that failed you all. The one who truly failed you is someone else. Or rather, some other dragon."

Rick was stunned, not understanding what Shawn was talking about, so he asked in confusion, "Shawn, what do you mean?"

Shawn said, "It is like this."

Long ago, the famous big boss of Azeroth, Deathwing Neltharion, sent his daughter, the Black Dragon Princess Onyxia, to disguise herself as "Lady Katrana Prestor" and infiltrate the upper echelons of Stormwind City, using political maneuvers to stir up chaos.

The disappearance of King Varian of Stormwind, the nobility's default on the Mason Guild's wages, and VanCleef leading the Mason Guild to become the Defias Brotherhood—all of this had her shadow behind it.

It could be said that the entire tragedy of Stormwind City and the entire tragedy of Westfall were caused by her own hand.

Shawn concluded, "So, if you want to hate someone, you should hate the Black Dragon Princess Onyxia; she is the true culprit."

Onyxia!

The Black Dragon Princess!

Rick's mouth hung open.

He was not an ignorant man.

Back when the city was being rebuilt, he had heard legends about dragons from the mouths of the mages.

Those were powerful and terrifying legendary creatures! Any adult dragon possessed the strength of a high-level professional, soaring through the skies, hundreds of feet in length, looking down upon the world and blotting out the sun with their wings.

And the true enemy of himself and all the members of the Defias Brotherhood was actually a dragon, and a very powerful one among the black dragons at that—the Black Dragon Princess?

For the first time, an incomparable sense of despair appeared on Rick's face, even more so than when he failed to persuade VanCleef.

"Shawn, I believe everything you say is true; you have no reason to lie to me, although I don't know where you learned all this. But, but what if we know? How could we possibly kill a dragon? How could we ever get our revenge!"

Tears appeared in Rick's eyes.

A man does not shed tears easily, only when he has reached the depths of sorrow.

Shawn smiled and said, "Actually, there is a way."

Hearing this, Rick stopped his tears, immediately grabbed Shawn's arm, and asked urgently, "You have a way? You can let us get our revenge? You can let us kill Onyxia?"

Shawn smiled and said, "Perhaps you alone cannot kill a dragon, but that doesn't mean the entire Stormwind City cannot. Find a way to persuade VanCleef and have him reconcile with Stormwind City. As long as you unite and cooperate, you will definitely be able to kill Onyxia, I guarantee it!"

Rick stared blankly at the person before him, this boy not yet fifteen years old, and suddenly felt that there was a convincing aura about him. He was so different; his ears were slightly pointed, he was a half-elf, full of hidden depths, and he had never known him to be a mage before. His origins were mysterious, and he knew so many secrets...

Rick suddenly knelt before Shawn: "Shawn, as long as we can kill Onyxia, I swear to follow you for the rest of my life! I will go find VanCleef right now and I will persuade him! I leave Vanessa to you; take good care of her, she is the daughter of my best friend!"

After saying this, Rick scrambled up and ran off in a small trot, not knowing if he was in a hurry to tell the news to his good buddy Edwin VanCleef, or if he was afraid Shawn would refuse.

And so, Shawn accepted a mission, half-pushed and half-willing.

It was not a mission given by Rick, but a mission issued by the Space Garrison.

"Side Mission: Girl Raising Project."

"Raise Vanessa VanCleef, and mold her into an excellent, upright, and socially useful individual."

"Note: Tee-hee, Commander, for the very first important female character in your life on the continent of Azeroth, shouldn't you be careful, more careful, and even more careful? Cherish her, cherish her, and cherish her even more! Raise her well, and the rewards will be generous!"

"Mission Completion Criteria: Unknown."

"Mission Reward: Unknown."

"Mission Time Limit: Unknown."

Shawn carefully read the mission description, then tilted his head back to gaze at the sky at a 45-degree angle, speechless as he asked the heavens: "So, a mission to raise a 'three-no' girl, and you don't even give me any details—is this really okay?"