SI:7

The Azeroth world was home to many famous Rogue organizations, such as Ravenholdt Manor, the Syndicate, the Defias Brotherhood, and...

SI:7!

SI:7 might not have been the strongest Rogue organization, the largest, or the oldest. It might not even have been the most famous, but it was definitely the most efficient and capable.

SI:7, also known as the Stormwind Assassins, was established and directly led by Stormwind City. It specialized in tasks that couldn't be accomplished openly through reasonable, legal means, such as assassinating nobles, gathering military intelligence, and all sorts of other missions.

With roughly 2,500 members, SI:7 had infiltrated every corner of Stormwind's sphere of influence. Wherever large numbers of people gathered, SI:7 assassins were sure to be present.

Matthias Shaw was SI:7's current leader.

SI:7 viewed itself as a hand gripping a dagger, and the organization was divided into five branches accordingly.

Matthias Shaw and his leadership were the thumb, responsible for management and leadership.

The leadership consisted of roughly thirty veteran rogues. They made major decisions and managed the other four fingers, providing leadership and training, keeping records, managing the accounts, and even making sure everyone received their wages.

The hand's two other fingers were made up of the organization's highest-ranking members, with around five hundred rogues in each.

The index finger was the highest rank an assassin could reach before giving up their life and joining the thumb's leadership. Its members devoted themselves to assassination, with targets ranging from enemy military leaders to corrupt priests. Anyone could be a target.

The middle finger was responsible for "acquiring" items: recovering something that had been stolen and returning it to its rightful owner, or obtaining a powerful object from a political figure who couldn't easily be killed.

The roughly five hundred rogues who made up the ring finger excelled at espionage. They usually worked with rogues from the index and middle fingers, gathering information, reading and memorizing scrolls without stealing them, and keeping watch or providing cover while others carried out their missions.

The little finger was the largest and lowest-ranking branch. Its thousand rogues were generalists rather than specialists. They usually buried victims, hid bodies, and fabricated crime scenes. Their duty was to ensure that the Stormwind assassins' identities remained undiscovered. They were also responsible for recruiting new members.

To lead such a band of assassins, command 2,500 subordinates, and take part in countless major events unknown to the public—to issue who knew how many assassination orders and kill who knew how many difficult targets, whether human or of another intelligent race—Matthias Shaw had to be one of Stormwind City's true elites.

Shawn believed that a man like that could certainly find a way to bring anyone before Anduin, and could also arrange for anyone to travel to Theramore to meet Jaina.

But what exactly was the relationship between VanCleef and Matthias?

Rick said, "VanCleef trained with SI:7 for many years. He and Matthias Shaw have known each other since childhood. Their teacher was SI:7's most powerful assassin, Halford Wyrmbane."

Well, to Shawn, that was a completely unfamiliar name. But to every SI:7 member and the true elites of Stormwind City, it was a name that rang like thunder.

This great assassin was truly SI:7's finest: a terrifying master of stealth, a master assassin, a master rogue, a master warrior...

The elderly Halford Wyrmbane had always taught and mentored Matthias Shaw. Matthias wouldn't have achieved what he had without Halford's help.

Well, let's forget that name for now. He wouldn't appear just yet, though he'd pop up again later.

In any case, after Shawn understood the relationship between VanCleef and Matthias, he thought it over carefully and finally decided that this plan was feasible.

There really was hope!

"If there's a chance, then we might as well give it a try! But first, I need to go talk to old Grian." Shawn said.

When Shawn arrived at Sentinel Hill, he saw that the whole place was under construction. The workers weren't Sentinel Hill soldiers, but recruited drifters.

The old Sentinel Hill had nothing but a perimeter wall, a crude stone Town Hall, a dilapidated barracks, and a few short watchtowers. Its defenses were practically only worth a +5.

But now, thanks to the workers, Sentinel Hill was beginning to take shape as a proper military base.

The walls had been reinforced and raised, the gate was being built, the number of watchtowers had increased from two to four, and the barracks were being renovated and expanded. Construction was also underway on the Town Hall, and all sorts of other buildings were beginning to take shape.

More than a hundred elite soldiers, fully armed, patrolled the outskirts of Sentinel Hill.

Nearby, a soldier who seemed to be a squad leader was training a group of recruits. They wore mismatched clothes and carried battered swords. They were obviously fresh recruits.

"Whoa, old Grian, what's going on here? You sent your own soldiers to build my Mage Tower, but you're hiring workers to build Sentinel Hill? And what's with those recruits? Have you started recruiting new soldiers?" Shawn squeezed his legs against the pig's sides, rode up to old Grian, and swung down from its back.

Old Grian stood at the Town Hall's entrance in plain clothes, without even his Truesilver Champion. He didn't look like a general, but more like a wealthy landowner...

Well, the fellow had money now. He really was a wealthy landowner.

When old Grian saw Shawn, he burst out laughing. "Haha, Shawn, don't you get it? I didn't hire any workers. They're all new recruits! Heh, now that I've got money, shouldn't I recruit as many new soldiers as I can? Am I supposed to count on my three hundred men to deal with the Defias Brotherhood? Heh!"

Shawn thought that was true. Even if old Grian did send someone to kill VanCleef, he wouldn't be able to destroy the Defias Brotherhood. He'd only drive them underground, making them even harder to deal with. So recruiting new soldiers was essential.

But there was one problem...

Shawn asked, puzzled, "If you're planning to rebuild Sentinel Hill, and judging by the amount of work, it's clearly a much bigger project than my Mage Tower, why are you sending your soldiers to help me build my Mage Tower? Won't that delay your own construction?"

Old Grian chuckled. "It won't, it won't! Heh, what kind of relationship do we have? We're friends who've shared life and death, friends across generations! Who else would I help if not you?"

Shawn scoffed. "Oh, please! Don't I know what kind of person you are? Would you do anything that didn't benefit you? Come on, what's the real reason?"

Old Grian's face reddened slightly. He motioned for Shawn to move closer, then whispered, "Well, most of the soldiers I sent you are old, weak, sick, or injured. They're not very efficient, and they can't do the work well. I don't feel comfortable letting them build Sentinel Hill. And sending them to help you... well, it also lets me earn a big pile of money, hahaha!"