Retreat was the best option

Katrana was playing a clever balancing game, betting on both sides and winning from both, then leaving the guild and the kingdom's army to destroy each other.

First, if the guild and the army exchanged fire in the capital, Windsor and VanCleef might still remain rational and restrained. They would try to communicate, clear up the misunderstanding, and ultimately reach an understanding.

As long as both sides agreed to wait for Bolvar or Varian to return, Katrana's plan would fail. After all, the army was loyal to the king, not to her.

That was why Katrana had decided to have the army and the guild's armed men clash first in Goldshire, where information did not travel freely.

For Jack, as long as Marshal Dughan really did bring his men to surround the guild's headquarters, that would be enough to prove the mysterious stranger had told the truth-the Goldshire garrison was going to wipe them out!

For Dughan, as long as the guild had prepared to resist, that would also be enough to prove the Council of Nobles' claims were correct-the Stonemasons' Guild was ready to launch a full-scale rebellion.

What more was there to say, then?

Having received orders from above, Black Jack and Marshal Dughan had no authority to conduct patient, detailed negotiations with the other side the way VanCleef and Windsor could. They would simply start fighting.

Then the conflict would escalate across the board.

Because both sides were prepared, both would pay a heavy price. Then, along with news of the bloody clash, the cycle of hatred would spread from the local area back to Stormwind City, ultimately leading to an all-out confrontation between the army and the guild in the capital.

By that point, there would no longer be any question of a "misunderstanding." The two sides could only fight to the death. Anyone who proposed negotiating with the other side would be considered a traitor to their own side or a spy sent by the enemy.

After all, anything less than absolute loyalty was absolute disloyalty.

-That was Katrana's scheme.

Felix could not help marveling once again at Lady Katrana's brilliant mind, holding this distinguished lady in the highest regard. At the same time, he secretly resolved that if he was fortunate enough to capture Onyxia, he would tear her into ten thousand pieces-after all, the highest respect one could pay an enemy was to wipe them out completely.

As for the present, the best solution was, of course-to retreat.

If it were those two idiots, Jack and Dughan, they would certainly jump straight into the pit Katrana had dug. But now that Felix was here instead, he could not let Onyxia's plot succeed so easily.

Then how should he persuade these people to retreat without hesitation?

These nearly one hundred men were all core members of the Stonemasons' Brotherhood. Many were even veterans who had fought bloody battles against the orcs under VanCleef during the First and Second Wars, then been demobilized after the wars ended and returned to their homes in Elwynn Forest.

It was only in peacetime that they had followed their former commander to the Stonemasons' Guild to earn a living.

Losing courage before a battle was no honor for a veteran.

If Felix simply said, "We can't beat them, let's run," it would certainly not work. These brothers, brimming with martial spirit, might even take him for an enemy agent or spy sent to undermine morale and slaughter him as a sacrifice before battle.

After thinking for a moment, Felix suddenly remembered why he had come to Goldshire. Hadn't he come to rescue Vanessa so VanCleef would have nothing to worry about back home?

"Jack, the Goldshire garrison is very strong. If we get caught in a melee with them here, it'll be very difficult to keep little Vanessa safe. If anything happens to her, the guildmaster will be devastated."

After saying this, Felix noticed that everyone there was looking at him calmly, without any dissatisfaction or suspicion in their eyes. He knew this approach had worked.

"So I hope you can lead the brothers and take Vanessa to Moonbrook in Westfall immediately. Stormwind City has very little influence in that region. She'll be safer there."

"Morgan, what do you think?" Jack glanced to one side. Although he personally would have preferred to follow the mysterious stranger's advice and test himself against the garrison, he had to admit that Felix made a very good point.

"Brother Felix is right," Morgan said succinctly.

"Then why don't you take Vanessa and retreat southwest at once?" Black Jack's eyes were already filled with murderous intent. "I'll stay here with the other brothers to cover your retreat."

Cover our retreat? What kind of joke is that? Wouldn't that still mean an armed clash?

"No." Felix rejected the idea firmly. "Jack, the more people escorting Vanessa, the safer she'll be."

Noticing the flash of dissatisfaction and anger in Jack's eyes, Felix hastily added, "I hope you won't be tempted to stay and fight. That would only cause trouble for the guildmaster."

Sure enough, at the mention of the "guildmaster," Jack immediately grew solemn with respect, then answered, "Yes, we'll get to Moonbrook as quickly as possible."

"Brothers," Morgan addressed the others, "the original plan is canceled. Pack your things. We're leaving immediately with our weapons and food."

After the others began packing, Felix followed Jack and Morgan into the innermost room of the guild's headquarters. It held the only soft, springy little bed in the entire guild, which the brothers in Goldshire had pooled their own money to buy without telling VanCleef.

At that moment, an adorable baby girl was sleeping soundly on the little bed.

Jack carefully picked up the baby girl, gently laid her in the swaddling blanket beside the bed, then wrapped her body and bottom with delicate care. It was hard to imagine that such a fierce-looking man, with a scar on his face, could have such a gentle side.

Half an hour later, they had nearly finished packing.

"Brothers, let's retreat, quickly." At Morgan's command, everyone left the small building as fast as they could. Gently holding the Stonemasons' Guild's little princess in his arms, Jack followed the others and disappeared from Felix's sight.

Felix knew that he, too, should sneak back to Stormwind City.

When he reached the junction outside Goldshire, he found that his old friend Vladimir had only just ambled over.

"Felix, what happened? Have they already-"

"It's all right now, Vladimir. The brothers here have already withdrawn with Vanessa. Joseph alone might not be enough to handle everything. Let's hurry back to Stormwind City too. If we get back too late, things might turn very ugly."

"Then doesn't that mean I came all this way for nothing?"

Once the rebellion officially starts, you'll have a lot more walking to do.

At that thought, Felix smiled. "Of course not. You got some exercise. How could that count as wasted effort?"

The two walked briskly toward the northwest.

An hour later, a carriage bearing no markings came speeding toward them, raced past, and headed for Goldshire.