The office erupted into another noisy argument. This time, though, it was mainly over the distribution of magical accessories, and Yu Lin Bloodhawk no longer cared.
He reckoned that even if he submitted the report, there was a very good chance his proposal to use Giant Bloodfang Boars as Battle Pets would be rejected. But there was no helping it. He had already bought the boars, and figuring out where to put them was giving him a headache.
He had yet to acquire Shalandis Isle. Otherwise, he could have built an enclosure there to keep them in. The problem was that it was still in Murloc hands. What could he do? He had the will, but not the means. Releasing them wherever he pleased was out of the question, too! These creatures were far more destructive than lynxes, especially when it came to vegetation.
If he really released them, the High Elves would probably issue an extermination order before long. His only options were to keep them or kill them. He could not bear to kill them, but he had nowhere to keep them. All he could do was pin his hopes on the Military Department.
Two days after submitting the report, Yu Lin Bloodhawk had still heard nothing. He thought that was perfectly normal. How could a decision come so quickly?
So he opened the personnel lists submitted by his officers. He could leave the others alone, but he could not ignore his original subordinates.
One glance had him cursing furiously. Relying on their status as his original subordinates, and the fact that they had captured most of the lynxes, these fellows had actually claimed thirty slots in the lynx battalion. Every Ranger with intermediate magic or higher had taken one. He immediately sent for his former deputy company commander and gave him a thorough dressing-down in his office.
After Yu Lin Bloodhawk had been promoted to unit commander, this fellow had risen along with him to company commander. The current deputy unit commander had been assigned directly by the Military Department, and Yu Lin Bloodhawk got along with him fairly well.
Yu Lin Bloodhawk was not angry because the deputy unit commander had discreetly told him that the other squads resented the First Squad's behavior. He was angry because these idiots had no sense. He had already told them that lynxes were weak in combat, yet they had refused to listen and insisted on grabbing them.
They had only thirty Rangers with intermediate magic or higher, and every last one wanted a lynx? What kind of force was the lynx unit supposed to be? A reconnaissance force! If all their officers joined it, who would lead the rest of the company? After his dressing-down, the company commander trudged out dejectedly with his new orders.
The orders were simple. Neither the company commander nor his deputy could choose a lynx. Of the squad leaders and their deputies, only one could choose a lynx. Among the Rangers with intermediate magic or higher who held no officer rank, only eight could choose lynxes. They would have ten slots in total, forming a single reconnaissance squad.
Everyone else would be assigned Wild Bears. If a squad leader did not want a Wild Bear, a shipment of Dire Wolves would arrive later, but each squad could have only one. This order did not apply to everyone, only to the hundred-man company that had originally served under him.
In less than half a day, news of the unit commander's furious reprimand of the First Squad had spread throughout the camp. Many newly arrived officers and soldiers admired his impartiality. It was generally understandable for an officer to favor the men who had served under him before. This one, however, not only refused to favor them, but came down harder on them than on anyone else.
The First Squad commander had initially been unconvinced. But after Yu Lin Bloodhawk jabbed a finger at his head, he came to his senses and left with the orders, fully persuaded.
After jabbing him, Yu Lin Bloodhawk had scolded, "Are you an idiot? Can your First Squad compare with the others? You have 127 men; they have 244. How can you compare? If you and all your company and squad officers join the reconnaissance force, what happens to the men left behind? Who leads them? What is an officer's duty? To lead his troops! If you had 244 men like the others, I could give you enough slots for two squads. But you have 127. You can spare one squad at most, or the whole company will fall apart. Lynxes have limited use in a head-on battle. What do you need so many for? For a hundred-odd men, one squad is enough! You need to understand that although the other companies belong to us now, once they become combat-ready, they'll still have to return to their parent units. I don't care about the others, but your company is my core force. You must form a complete combat unit."
A week later, just as he was growing impatient enough to go ask for news, the Military Department's decision finally arrived. As he had expected, it rejected his proposal to use Giant Bloodfang Boars as Battle Pets. However, since the boars had already been purchased and the money spent, the department decided to allocate another sum for him to buy Wild Bears, while the Giant Bloodfang Boars would be kept temporarily as reserves.
Reading the document put him even more at ease. He had genuinely feared that the Military Department would order all the Giant Bloodfang Boars slaughtered to supplement the troops' meals or feed the lynxes. To his delight, there was even an additional allocation for buying lynxes, which made him happier still.
When he reached the quartermaster's office and collected the money, he almost fainted with happiness. Wasn't this like taking a budget based on American labor costs to China to buy cheap knockoffs? Apparently, they had calculated it using the cost of capturing lynxes in Quel'Thalas: Dragonhawks, over a hundred troops working day and night, and people who were not particularly professional at it, either. How could the cost not be high?
Besides, labor costs in Quel'Thalas were already extremely high. Three hundred Wild Bears meant six hundred gold coins. After collecting the money, he returned to camp in high spirits and wrote a letter to the innkeeper in Westfall.
The letter read: the prices for Giant Bloodfang Boars and Wild Bears would remain unchanged, and he would buy as many as could be supplied. He also told the innkeeper that farther south, beyond Duskwood, there were tigers in Stranglethorn Vale. If they could capture them, he would pay ten silver coins per tiger, five per cub, and seven per Black Panther. There was a white tiger there called King Bangalash. If they could capture him, he would pay six gold coins. Northeast of the tiger king, near the edge of the Troll Highlands, there was a very large Shadow Cheetah. He would pay six gold coins for that one as well.
He found a map of Stranglethorn Vale and spent some time copying it, drawing a circle around the approximate roaming grounds of King Bangalash and another around those of the Elite Shadow Prowler. He put the copied map and letter into an envelope, then found Sylvanas and handed it to her.
He asked her to help receive the beasts when the shipment from Westfall arrived. The Dire Wolves were to be sent straight to Shalandis Isle, and the bears and boars directly to the camp. He also stressed that she must give the letter to whoever came along to collect the outstanding payment, so that person could deliver it to Tom, the innkeeper.
After thinking it over, he took out thirty gold coins and offered them to Sylvanas. "Give him this money and tell him it's a deposit for the next shipment." Sylvanas nodded in agreement but did not take the money. She asked whether he was going out to buy Battle Pets. Yu Lin Bloodhawk did not hide anything from her and also told her that the Military Department had allocated funds for the purchase.
Sylvanas asked how many gold coins the Military Department had given him. When Yu Lin Bloodhawk told her, she said angrily, "They're bullying you like this? Only two gold coins per beast? What good is that? Let them catch the beasts themselves!"
Yu Lin Bloodhawk felt awkward about explaining too much, so he simply said that it was actually enough to buy them. To his surprise, Sylvanas shot him a fierce glare and said, "Since you say that, can you buy some for me, too?"
Bewildered, Yu Lin Bloodhawk asked what she wanted to buy. Sylvanas huffed that she wanted Wild Bears and lynxes.
Yu Lin Bloodhawk told her that lynxes might be a little
difficult, but there was a beast somewhere between a lynx and a tiger called a Mountain Lion, and it was quite good. It was stronger than a lynx and slightly weaker than a tiger, but it could not climb trees.
Sylvanas widened her eyes. "How much stronger than a lynx?"
Yu Lin Bloodhawk thought for a moment and said that, at any rate, two lynxes could not beat one Mountain Lion. Without another word, Sylvanas walked out. Before long, she returned with a large bag of gold coins and tossed it to him. "Here are one thousand Quel'Thalas gold coins. I want three hundred Mountain Lions and two hundred Wild Bears. Go buy them. If the money isn't enough, cover the difference yourself! You're the one who said it was enough, so don't blame me."
The dumbfounded look on Yu Lin Bloodhawk's face was a sight to behold. He grabbed the gold and fled in disarray. Goddamn it, does having money mean you can be this unreasonable?
Of course, before making off with the money, he asked Sylvanas to establish an office at Sunsail Archorage to receive the Battle Pets and pay part of the purchase costs and shipping fees on his behalf. He left another two hundred gold coins with her.
Back at camp, Yu Lin Bloodhawk summoned the deputy unit commander to discuss training. He also told him about the matters he had discussed with Sylvanas, including how to establish tactical maneuvers for the Battle Pets and train them, and instructed him to cooperate closely with her.
After they spent another long while discussing problems within the unit, he told the deputy unit commander that he would soon be leaving to buy Battle Pets. He hoped the deputy would manage the troops' training well during his absence. Anything he could not decide should be discussed and settled jointly with the company commanders.
The deputy unit commander was a veteran officer, not a novice like Yu Lin Bloodhawk. He understood immediately and thumped his chest, assuring him that he could leave everything in his hands.
After the deputy unit commander left, he summoned the First Squad commander and gave him some instructions as well. Only then did he feel at ease. The next day, he rode a Dragonhawk to Sunsail Archorage and boarded a ship bound for the Kingdom of Lordaeron.
After five days at sea, he finally arrived at a northern port in the Kingdom of Lordaeron. Drawing on his experience in Westfall, he went straight to the local innkeeper and chatted with him over a meal in the inn's tavern.
Unexpectedly, their conversation caught the attention of a human noble at the next table. Wineglass in hand, he approached Yu Lin Bloodhawk's table with a smile. "Esteemed High Elf, your business interests me greatly. I wonder whether I might join you for a share of the ale?"
"And you are...?" Yu Lin Bloodhawk asked, looking at him in puzzlement.
"This is Marquis Diritis. Nothing could be better than having his help with your business." The innkeeper was clearly familiar with Diritis and rather afraid of him. After introducing the two, he very tactfully explained that he had other guests to attend to and walked away with a regretful expression.
Marquis Diritis nodded, watching the innkeeper leave with a look of contempt, then smiled. "Master Elf, might I ask what you intend to do with so many Wild Bears?"
Yu Lin Bloodhawk lowered his head and said quietly, "Would you be willing to discuss this in my room upstairs, my lord?"
Inwardly, however, he cursed. You bastard, what the hell does it matter to you what I buy them for? Since you love prying so much, I happen to enjoy making up stories. We're doing business. Money paid, goods delivered-that should be enough. Aren't you sticking your nose a little too far into my affairs?
Before you continue