Hidden Dangers Within

As evening approached, the chill had seeped into the boots of the scout captain, Elisia. With each step, she could feel the cold creeping from her heels to her toes, like a peeling knife scraping across the soles of her feet.

The other soldiers weren't faring much better, hurrying forward as dusk fell. But the Blood Knights Legion leading the way remained unperturbed. Their gait had been impeccably proud since the start of their campaign.

And they weren't riding horses, Elisia thought. The Blood Knights Legion indeed formidable; even though the Regent had ordered everyone to walk to conceal their tracks, they were still incredibly fast.

Elisia noticed two people behind the Blood Knights: Regent Alleria was one of them, and the other was Orcs.

"Halduron?"

The Ranger-Captain heard the Female Elf's voice and looked at her with a puzzled expression.

Who is that person next to the Regent?

Halduron seemed reluctant to speak, especially since Elisia's question was the last thing he wanted to answer. The Ranger-Captain Warchief High Warlord Krum'ash, sent by the tribal chief to 'protect' the Regent."

Protection? Overseer? Elisia blinked, instantly understanding what Halduron meant. These two words conveyed only one meaning: surveillance. A pair of watchful eyes, to ensure that Regent Alleria's actions wouldn't be hesitant or cumbersome.

"Grommash doesn't trust us at all."

"Shut up," Halduron warned. "Watch your words, madam. Grommash's eyes and ears are everywhere."

"I'm telling the truth."

"The truth that everyone knows is just empty talk." The Ranger-Captain stared intently at Krumsh's retreating figure. "The Regent will handle everything."

"Our forces will soon cross the Thondroril River and enter the Western Plaguelands, where we will establish a camp at Gahrron's Withering and then capture the Wailing Mansion as a forward outpost. The Crimson Crusade and the Undead of Scholomance are already at war. Now is the perfect time to solidify our position. What do you think, Overlord?" Alleria glanced at the tall Orcs beside her. Recently, more and more Mag'han Orcs had been promoted to high positions within the Horde, and Krumsh was one of them. Alleria had never spoken of this Orcs before, let alone mentioned any contributions he had made to the Horde.

Krumsh stared straight ahead, his face expressionless, and replied, "The chieftain's task for me is to ensure your safety, Regent. You don't need to tell me your plans."

"Oh? Is that so? I thought the chief would want to know what was going on here all the time, so I wouldn't hide anything from you."

"I'm not blind," Cromsh said. "I can see everything here."

Alleria's expression tightened. The High Overlord's words reminded her of the warnings that Grommash often uttered, "Grommash's eyes are on you."

Indeed, everyone could sense that the Warchief's spies were everywhere. Some of them on the surface—like the Krumsh—were manageable once we knew they were the Eye of Garrosh, but what about those who were deeply hidden in the shadows?

"The chief has great faith in you, Regent. He says you have experience dealing with the Crimson Crusade."

At first, Alleria didn't understand Krumsh's words, but after taking a few steps, a strong unease almost made her cry out. As the Regent of Quel'Thalas, she had almost never been an enemy of humans, nor had she ever proactively attacked Crusaders territory. There was only one instance she remembered clearly: shortly after becoming Regent, she led a squad of elite Ranger to the Eastern Plaguelands on a secret mission—to hunt down her husband, who had become Undead. Before the decisive battle at Marius Farm, the Blood Elf inevitably clashed with the Crimson Crusade entrenched there. Her people wiped out several patrolling Crusaders sentries.

Why did Garrosh find out about what was originally just a minor incident?

This is not the biggest hidden danger.

She wasn't the only one at Marius Farm at the time; Mathias Shaw, the leader of SI:7 from Stormwind City, was also there. That was the last time the Blood Elf and Stormwind City cooperated. If Grommash knew about what happened back then, does that mean he also knew about the cooperation between Alleria and Stormwind City? What would he do?

Instantly, the Regent felt a thorn in her side. Although she knew that Quel'Thalas hadn't yet joined the Horde at that time, and such an action wouldn't be considered betrayal, Grommash would surely have a preconceived notion. He would no longer trust the Blood Elf, regardless of whether the Sin'dorei's actions in the Eastern Kingdoms would succeed.

"Then I will not betray the Great Chief's trust," Alleria replied calmly. Who was it? This question jumbled through her memories. That operation should have been top secret; she personally led the team, all of them Ranger from the Windrunner family.

Could it be a conspiracy by the Alliance? Alleria thought it was impossible. If Shaw was behind this, he could have simply revealed the truth of what happened back then. Why would he need to spread such indirect rumors?

"Yes, he also said you wouldn't," the high-ranking warlord said.

"What else did the chief say?" the regent asked.

Krumsh cast his gaze toward a small hill not far to the northwest. Moonlight shimmered on something crystalline. The High Overlord didn't immediately answer Alleria, but the Female Elf's heart was already pounding with anxiety. The Orcs was looking directly toward Marius Farm.

He said you know this place better than anyone else.

Alleria nodded casually. "I came here many times during the Second War."

"And then there was the Scourge's invasion of Quel'Thalas," Kromsh reminded her. He didn't notice the fleeting flash of anger in Alleria's eyes. "Have you forgotten, Regent?"

"I can't possibly remember everything, Overseer."

The Orcs chuckled softly, saying with a hint of meaning, "Is that so? The chieftain once praised the Elf, saying that their memories were the best among the Horde's members, even better than those of the Orcs."

After that, neither of them made a sound. Krumsh's repeated references to Grommash made Alleria feel as if Garrosh were truly there. That suffocating sense of oppression... The Regent wasn't afraid of the Orcs, but his methods and aggressive demeanor always revealed a strange danger. He might do something to harm the Sin'dorei, and that was Alleria's greatest fear.

However, there's a way to resolve all the hidden dangers. Someone must have revealed what happened back then to Grommash, and that person must be from within Quel'Thalas.

I don't know if everyone has been affected by the typhoon, but my area is flooded. Power outages are so unbearable!