What to do if I become a mud turtle?

Whether the Zandalari Trolls would share their knowledge was a question Tian Sang would never have considered in the past. However, after hearing Malacrass describe the relationships between the various tribes, he grew concerned. The Zandalari were not as magnificent as legend claimed; they looked down upon all other trolls from a position of lofty superiority.

It was precisely because of this arrogance that one had to wonder if the Zandalari would even permit Zul'Aman to acquire such knowledge. After all, if Zul'Aman were to reform itself through newfound wisdom, it would inevitably trigger a shift in the balance of power, which might threaten the status of the Zandalari.

"Kal'ma's apprentice, the concern you raise is quite valid. I once discussed this very issue with Zul'jin, but I have already devised a solution," Malacrass said, nodding slightly.

"As expected of our Hex Lord. Would you mind sharing your solution with me?" Tian Sang watched the haughty Malacrass and couldn't help but offer a bit of flattery.

"I had no idea that Kal'ma's apprentice was capable of such sycophancy." A smile tugged at the corner of Malacrass's mouth.

"No, no, this isn't flattery, honored Malacrass. When I was still pondering the problem, you had already prepared the solution. Shouldn't such brilliance be praised?" Tian Sang shook his head in denial, watching the tusks at the corners of the old troll's mouth curl upward.

"Enough. I will tell you: the Zandalari Trolls are indeed arrogant, but if we humble ourselves, we can still learn their techniques. Furthermore, I did not come here empty-handed this time." Malacrass twitched his tusks, cutting off Tian Sang's words while explaining his method.

"I don't seem to have seen anyone loading treasure onto the ship," Tian Sang remarked, his mind racing as he ventured a guess with a smile.

"Keep your narrow-mindedness to yourself. Although the arrogant attitude of those Zandalari fellows is detestable, you must understand that the reason the Zandalari stand tall and unyielding is because they possess knowledge." Malacrass pulled a stern face, reprimanding him without a shred of mercy.

"..." Tian Sang stared at the old troll who was scolding him so ruthlessly. The smile on his face froze, and blood rushed to his cheeks, beyond his control.

"Zul'ra, you are still young. You must broaden your way of thinking," Malacrass said, his tone softening as he looked at the young man whose skin was flushed with color.

"That is why I am asking for your guidance. I know almost nothing about the Zandalari," Tian Sang replied, his face dark as he looked at Malacrass, who now spoke with the light tone of an elder.

"Then you should simply act as a listener." Malacrass made his demeanor appear natural.

"I am listening," Tian Sang said, barely suppressing his anger as he looked at the dismissive old troll.

"But I have already finished." Malacrass spread his hands wide.

"Then I have finished listening. Goodbye." Tian Sang stood up and turned to leave.

"Hmph, young man." Malacrass watched the youth walk out of the cabin with a straight back and a display of youthful vigor, a sneer curling his lips.

"Old bastard." Once outside the cabin, Tian Sang slanted his eyes and suppressed his irritation. His face remained expressionless, but he felt a weary ache in his heart. Am I overthinking things again?

Because he harbored ulterior motives, Tian Sang deliberately manipulated his attitude toward everyone, performing his emotions and inner thoughts like a character in a palace drama. At first, it was fine, but as time went on, he felt he was thinking too much, yet he couldn't stop himself.

"Ugh!" Tian Sang rubbed his forehead and sighed. He didn't want to live a mediocre life, nor did he want to be helpless against everything. Only by enduring this momentary frustration could he see the vast, open sea ahead.

Back in his own cabin, Tian Sang calmed his mind, cleared away distracting thoughts, and began to meditate while waiting for the ship to reach Zandalar.

The ship sailed for several days, the daylight hours growing longer with each passing day. On a clear morning, after passing several isolated islands, land finally appeared on the distant horizon. The seasoned sailors steered the ship along the coastline, successfully finding Zandalar Port.

Inside Zandalar Port, the first thing Tian Sang saw was the Zandalari military might. There were massive warships, mostly single-masted vessels. Their prows were wrapped and decorated in what appeared to be gold, with two enormous tusk-shaped rams lashed beneath the bow. There were also dark, hollow openings on the hulls, though it was impossible to tell what kind of weapons were housed within.

Regardless of the weaponry, the sheer number of these warships proved that the Zandalari held hegemony over the seas. Tian Sang felt a pang of resentment. Resentment for what? His lack of plot knowledge!

He truly didn't know much about the Zandalari. Kal'ma hadn't told him much, and in the World of Warcraft lore from his past life, the Zandalari had always played the role of minor characters or bosses. Damn the writers. (Since not many fanfictions had covered the 8.0 era yet, the protagonist was unaware of those plot points.)

The world was vast, and relying solely on plot knowledge was clearly insufficient. Without the plot, Tian Sang could only rely on his own exploration. Once the ship docked, he jumped ashore and looked around, seeing trolls of every color.

At Zandalar Port, Tian Sang identified Jungle Trolls with blue to purple skin, Desert Trolls with gold to yellow skin, Ice Trolls with white to blue skin, and some Forest Trolls who had washed the moss from their bodies to reveal their natural hues. Most eye-catching of all were the Zandalari Trolls.

The Zandalari Trolls were unique among all their kind and could be identified at a glance because they stood tall and straight. This made them stand out like cranes in a flock of chickens among the hunched-over trolls, which came as a surprise to Tian Sang—it turned out he wasn't the first troll to correct his posture.

Beyond their straight, sturdy frames, the Zandalari Trolls had skin ranging from blue to gray. Their eyes glowed with light, and their chests and shoulders were covered in thick, horny plates that looked incredibly durable.

After observing the living, Tian Sang toured the sights of Zandalar Port. Setting aside the distant mountains and pyramids, a gentle sea breeze blew through the unique architecture. Rows of tents stood in the port, with trolls standing beside some of them, buying fish and selling goods. Some merchants even had dinosaur pack beasts with them.

"They even have merchants." Tian Sang's eyes flickered as he watched the trolls buying fish. Commercial activity meant that Zandalar's productivity was high enough to meet demand, and society had already achieved a degree of privatization. Zul'Aman, by contrast, was still stuck in a semi-foraging, primitive society; they barely had enough food to fill their bellies, let alone surplus production to build a commercial system.

Thinking of Zul'Aman, Tian Sang felt a sense of displacement. He felt like a bumpkin from the deep mountains who had walked into a bustling city. The memory of Zul'Aman was almost too painful to look at—that low, winding ancient city with moss growing thick on its steps.

"I am a modern person. I am a transmigrator, not a bumpkin. Not a bumpkin." Tian Sang closed his eyes, hypnotizing himself. He was a transmigrator; how could he be a bumpkin? He thought of the skyscrapers and the infrastructure-obsessed motherland of his past.

"What the..." Tian Sang reopened his eyes, intending to regain his confidence, but when he saw a Zandalari Troll walking by in the distance, his eyes widened. Gold. He was looking at a human-shaped piece of gold.