"Heh, Nicholas, you're quite the joker. The Westfall is fertile and free of the Undead Plague. What nobles would want to go back? And even if they did, where would they find a place? Queen Calia has recently bestowed titles upon quite a few nobles, hasn't she? How much of the old nobles' fiefdoms are left?"
Marcus was far more experienced than Mathias Shaw. With a single, insightful remark, he eased Mathias Shaw's embarrassment and immediately changed the subject, smiling as he said, " Mathias Shaw, Nicholas is here today and wants to ask you for a favor."
Mathias Shaw wasn't stupid. Since Marcus had given him a way out, he naturally took it and asked, "What is it?"
" SI:7 ten times more powerful than the Lordaeron Assassin Corps. Your assassins are spread throughout every corner of Kingdom of Azeroth. I need your help to find someone."
Jiang Jie said, "There's a little boy named Med'an, about 16 years old, who is a mage. His teacher is a reclusive old mage with strong spellcasting abilities and abundant magical power. They live somewhere in the Duskwood, probably... quite far from any village or town, and rarely have contact with others."
Duskwood?
Upon hearing the name, Marcus and Mathias Shaw's expressions instantly darkened, looking rather unpleasant.
Since World War I, Duskwood has been infiltrated and corrupted by evil magical forces. Originally, it was the best forest under Stormwind City's jurisdiction, boasting the largest lumber mill and the best tourist attractions. The Brightwood in the northeast was beautiful and attracted countless tourists.
But now, the place is filled with chaos and sorrow. Locals have left in droves, settling in Elwynn Forest or Redridge Mountains. What used to be more than 50,000 people is now less than 10,000, and most of them are concentrated in Darkshire in the east. The rest of the area is almost deserted.
Like Westfall, Duskwood is a thorn in Stormwind City's side.
In reality, the only place truly under Stormwind City's control right now is Elwynn Forest; even Redridge Mountains isn't under much control.
Duskwood!
Mathias Shaw frowned, then shook his head. "There's not much I can do to help. In fact, that place is no longer under our control."
" Mathias Shaw, what happened?" Marcus sensed something was wrong and quickly asked.
"I haven't had a chance to report this to His Majesty the King yet. In fact, what's giving me the biggest headache isn't the Westfall, but Duskwood."
Mathias Shaw glanced at Jiang Jie again, his voice icy. "Of the 35 agents I planted in Duskwood, 34 are dead. The only one who returned didn't survive past the next day after seeing me. He told me that the Cult of the Damned killed them, and the corpses buried in Raven Hill Cemetery... have come back to life!"
"Corpses? Resurrected? Scourge Plague? Cult of the Damned?" Marcus was shocked.
Raven Hill is a small hill in the western part of Duskwood, and also the second-largest town in Duskwood. It used to have a population of 30,000 and was home to a funeral academy where the world's best embalmers, including those from Lordaeron, studied.
Of course, the population there has dwindled significantly, now numbering less than three thousand.
Now, Undead have appeared there.
According to intelligence brought back by SI:7 agents, the Cult of the Damned attacked Raven Hill, and necromancers resurrected the corpses in the cemetery and the Funeral Home, then slaughtered everyone in Raven Hill, turning it into a haven for the Undead.
Furthermore, because it's a forest, even sending troops to clear it out would be difficult. Besides, how many troops could Stormwind City possibly send?
More importantly, even if His Majesty the King were willing to send troops, would Regent Bolvar agree? Would Countess Katrana Prestor agree?
They are now in control of this country!
"If Windsor were still here..." Marcus shook his head with a wry smile.
During his time in Lordaeron, Stormwind City also underwent dramatic changes.
The Blackrock Orcs of Blackrock Spire were active in the Burning Steppes, and many even came to the Redridge Mountains, threatening Stormwind City's territory. Marshal Windsor personally volunteered to lead troops to the Burning Steppes to deal with the Blackrock Orcs, but was opposed by the Countess.
Ultimately, Marshal Windsor left Stormwind City alone, heading to the Alliance base in the Burning Steppes, without taking a single soldier with him.
The only person in Stormwind City who could rival the Regent is gone. How many people truly care about this country? How many have any real influence? Those nobles won't care about the lives of the people of Duskwood!
" SI:7 operating in Duskwood for so many years, it's impossible that they haven't had any intelligence at all," Jiang Jie suddenly said. " Med'an and his teacher couldn't have really never contacted anyone. As long as there's contact, then I think two unregistered mages would be enough to attract SI:7's attention. Am I right, Mathias Shaw?"
Mathias Shaw gave Jiang Jie a deep look, but said nothing.
"So, the real question is: why should you help me! SI:7 is Stormwind City's SI:7, of course it won't serve the Marquis of Lordaeron." Jiang Jie looked into Mathias Shaw's eyes and said calmly, "What if I had a way to solve the Duskwood's predicament?"
"What? You have a way to solve the Duskwood's predicament?" Marcus couldn't help but exclaim. "At least a dozen court mages have gone to see it, including Archmage Marin! They all believe that the Duskwood's predicament stems from Karazhan in Deadwind Pass! That's the mage tower left behind by Medivh, and even Master Marin can't enter it!"
"Master Mathias Shaw thinks so too?" Jiang Jie ignored Marcus and looked at Mathias Shaw instead.
"There were two Kirin Tor Archmage active near Karazhan. More Kirin Tor mages entered Karazhan, and... they are all dead." Mathias Shaw didn't answer, but he had already given his answer.
Kirin Tor Archmage couldn't do anything, so what makes you think you can?
No matter how Legendary you are, can you really solve the Karazhan problem?
Once you go in, you might never come out again!
"I have my own methods. I've never failed to deliver on a promise I've made."
Jiang Jie said calmly, "You just need to help me find the person I'm looking for, and I will help you solve the problem of the leaking evil magical energy in Karazhan. It's a very worthwhile deal, isn't it?"
Mathias Shaw was silent for a moment, clearly weighing his options.
After about three minutes, he finally looked at Jiang Jie, "Then, deal!"
Recommended reading: "Yuan Zun" by Tiancan Tudou, and "Da Dao Chao Tian" by Mao Ni.