Stormsong Valley

"General, someone spotted a black-haired boy and a girl who looked like a young lady at an inn in Freehold. This is the detailed report we've just put together."

Cyrus walked in from outside the cabin and handed Daelin the latest intelligence report.

Daelin Proudmoore read the military report word by word. The expression on his face gradually relaxed as his eyes moved down the page. Ever since he'd heard that Jaina had gone missing, a fire had burned inside him. Though he knew she'd been taken by someone she knew, he'd still been worried sick. This was the first time he'd truly felt at ease.

The Proudmoore Admiralty was highly efficient. As soon as Daelin learned that Jaina had disappeared, he contacted Antonidas in Dalaran through a special channel and learned Liam's identity from him. He hadn't been sure before, but now, based on the description gathered by the intelligence department, Daelin was completely certain Liam was the unimpressive little prince of Gilneas who was always hiding behind Genn Greymane.

"He left the Alliance, and now he's got his eye on my daughter. Genn, you old dog—you really haven't given up, have you?"

Kul Tiras was a multiethnic kingdom, and many of its people had Gilnean blood. The two kingdoms were close, so they should have had a good relationship. Unfortunately, Kul Tiras jealously guarded its own faith and refused to share it freely, much to the displeasure of King Genn, who was struggling with the threat posed by the Biting Reef. On top of that, Daelin and Genn had clashed bitterly over the succession to Alterac Kingdom's territory after the Second War, leading to the two families' present-day estrangement.

As for Liam, he was simply paying for his father's sins, and the admiral had immediately classified him as "hostile." Then there was all the unsavory stuff Antonidas had imagined. Jaina's fiercely protective father naturally took Liam for a spoiled "pig"—and that pig had actually dared covet his freshly grown "tender cabbage." Unforgivable!

"Take a team of people you trust and bring Jaina back. Make sure the news doesn't get out," Daelin ordered Cyrus, setting down the report. "And take Tandred with you. Tell the girl I said she's to come home immediately. As for that boy, expel him from the country. He's never to set foot on Kul Tiras again."

Daelin's words were harsh, but Cyrus understood the unspoken message: Daelin was clearly telling him not to hurt the "kidnapper." That only made Cyrus even more curious about Liam. But as a subordinate, he knew better than to ask questions. He quickly accepted the order and prepared to head out.

"Before you go, have someone draft an official notice. Tell that so-called 'Freehold' that the Proudmoore Admiralty is blockading the port, effective immediately. They won't put to sea again until they hand over the culprit who attacked Jaina!"

A murderous glint shone in Daelin's eyes. Knowing his daughter was safe did nothing to quell his fury. If anything, it only strengthened the resolve of the usually forceful commander to crush the pirates.

"Ah... I wonder how this is going to end..."

Cyrus thought to himself as he saluted Daelin behind the desk. He knew that once his superior made up his mind, nothing would change it. He could only accept his orders and leave to do what a soldier was supposed to do.

Two days later, in Stormsong Valley, northwest of Brennadam.

Standing beneath a tree on the lakeshore, Liam stared blankly at the vast lake glittering before him, a thousand curses on the tip of his tongue.

"So this is Deadwash... It's clearly a huge lake!"

Liam felt so miserable he could have spat blood. Searching for a cave in a muddy swamp and searching at the bottom of a lake were two completely different things.

The treasure he'd expected to find with ease was now going to take far longer than he'd planned.

Liam had sensed something was off as soon as he entered Stormsong Valley. The thorny brambles and jagged fissures dug by the Quillboar, once scattered across the southern hills, had vanished. In their place were lush farms and streams fed by melting snow.

And while he was staying in Brennadam, someone had even asked whether he wanted to take a boat to Daelin's Gate.

Just as he'd expected, not long after leaving Brennadam, Liam came upon a vast lake. The boundless waters stretched a hundred miles into the distance, linking Daelin's Gate on the west coast with the inland town of Brennadam. It confirmed his ominous suspicion.

Liam's earlier assumption had been a little too simplistic. If the lake hadn't hidden this treasure, someone would have found it long ago. Only the massive geological disaster Deathwing caused later could have so drastically changed the terrain. The lake water had flowed into the Quillboar's underground home, driving them up to the surface. The natural lake and a large swath of farmland had both become enormous swamps stretching for a hundred miles.

"Ah... This is a good thing, too. At least it means the treasure hasn't caught the attention of all those treasure hunters. Once I find the exact spot, digging it up shouldn't be hard."

Liam could only do his best to console himself before turning around and throwing himself into the search.

Fortunately, he clearly remembered that the treasure was in a cave on a small hill in the future. There were no small hills here yet, but there happened to be two little islands in the lake.

Liam guessed that the island to the west was where the treasure hunters would gather—the town named after Deadwash. The island to the east, on the other hand, was almost certainly where the treasure lay.

So Liam, Jaina, and Flynn, his two "bratty little kids," built a simple tent on the eastern island and settled in.

Liam's method of searching for treasure was quite simple. He just had to spot a likely location, toss a card down, and wait for news.

Over the years, Liam had amassed a great many cards. Cards of the same grade as [Zola the Gorgon], which he'd used last time, were rare because they exceeded his strength limit. He only had two, and he'd already spent one as a "ferry."

By contrast, cards of the lowest grade, like [Sir Finley Mrrgglton], were astonishingly abundant. Liam had at least forty of them now. He didn't mind tossing out a few. They could be used for scouting, which was a fine purpose for such a pitiful weakling.