Nightbane flew south for a full day and night, finally arriving at Stromgarde. (◢随*梦*小◢.1a)
Standing atop a mountain peak west of Stromgarde, Jiang Jie gazed at the ancient city not far away, filled with emotion.
Stromgarde is the oldest city in human history, the capital of the Empire of Arathor, and a witness to three thousand years of human glory.
However, with the fragmentation of the Empire of Arathor and the rise of the Seven Kingdoms, Stromgarde lost its former glory and became the only city in the Kingdom of Stromgarde.
Stromgarde, a kingdom renowned for its cavalry, was on par with the Stormwind Brotherhood of the Horse and the Brotherhood of the Iron Horse in the south. However, during World War II, when the Orcs marched from the south to the north and arrived on the Lordaeron, this oldest nation was among the first to suffer heavy casualties, losing more than half of its forces. It made an indelible and enormous contribution to the victory of World War II.
Stromgarde never recovered and didn't even get the fruits of victory it deserved: the Kingdom of Thoradin wanted the eastern region of the Kingdom of Alterac, but the entire Kingdom of Alterac was annexed by Lordaeron. No one knows what exactly happened. Terenas's behavior was exceptionally ugly.
During World War II, the Orcs brought many Ogres from Draenor, some of whom were " Boulderfist Ogres." After the war, they remained at " Boulderfist Outpost " in the north of Stromgarde, constantly threatening the safety of Stromgarde and directly causing the " Northfold Manor " in the north to be abandoned. It has now fallen into the hands of the Syndicate.
Two years ago, during numerous Orcs rescue operations, Warchief Orgrim was killed in an Orcs concentration camp in the east and buried on the spot. Some Orcs voluntarily stayed behind and built an Orcs town Hammerfall, and recently, they occupied Go'Shek Farm.
The native inhabitants of this land, the Witherbark Trolls, have occupied the southeastern region since ancient times, and strangers are forbidden from entering.
Although the entire Arathi Highlands are nominally Stromgarde's territory, Stromgarde actually controls less than a third of it, and its land area is even smaller than that of the once small mountain kingdom of Alterac.
The Orcs and Witherbark Trolls in the east frequently raid the farms there, putting great pressure on Stromgarde. Stromgarde's few remaining elite troops had to detach a portion of their forces to be stationed in the central " Refuge Pointe " to ensure the safety of the nearby farms.
Stromgarde, which already had few troops, was even weaker defensively and had no ability to wipe out the Boulderfist Ogres and Syndicate in the north. Instead, it was frequently harassed and attacked by the Ogres and Syndicate.
The entire Stromgarde was in chaos, and the people were disheartened. As a result, more and more people left the city, crossed the Thoradin's Wall, and headed to Hillsbrad Foothills to survive.
Before World War II, Stromgarde had 100,000 residents, but now it has less than 30,000, not even as many as Tarren Mill.
This is the current state of this ancient city; it's a pitiful sight.
Thoradin was one of the most powerful human Warrior and bravest military commanders during World War II, almost on par with Marshal Lothar, but he was not a competent king and was clearly incapable of governing the country.
Prince Galin wasn't a capable prince either; otherwise, how could he have been controlled by the Dreadlord Detheroc and killed his own father?
Stromgarde is now in imminent danger.
The only way to break this deadlock is to find a way to force Detheroc to reveal his true identity, then kill him, so that everyone in Stromgarde knows that King Thoradin is dead and that Prince Galin has committed patricide.
Then, unite all the people of Stromgarde, eliminate the Syndicate, defend against external enemies, and then gradually eliminate the Boulderfist Ogres, the Witherbark Trolls, and the Hammerfall Orcs, completely resolving the hidden dangers.
However, this is not easy.
Jiang Jie couldn't possibly rush in directly to deal with Detheroc; that would be too foolish.
He must first understand the specific situation of the city and the current political climate.
Therefore, he must first find someone.
After a simple disguise,
Jiang Jie infiltrated Stromgarde and quickly located the high-ranking member of the Assassins' Order of Lordaeron Assassin Corps, Carlos the Merchant, using the Assassins' special markings. "What? King Thoradin was killed by Prince Galin? And the current King Thoradin is the Dreadlord Detheroc in disguise?"
Carlos was clearly unaware of this detail and looked surprised.
But soon, he slapped his forehead, remembering something. "My lord, three nights ago, I saw Prince Galin secretly come to the royal underground cemetery in the northeast, dismiss everyone, and stay inside for a full hour before running out in a panic, his face full of fear, as if he had seen something terrifying. I wanted to sneak in and take a look, but there was very strong magic protecting it, and I couldn't get in."
Royal Underground Cemetery?
Jiang Jie's heart stirred, and he remembered something.
In Jiang Jie's memory, although there was no Detheroc's instigation, Prince Galin still killed King Thoradin King Thoradin and buried him in the Royal Underground Cemetery, along with " Trol'kalar," the legendary sword of Ignatius Trollbane.
To enter the underground cemetery, one had to collect four runes: the Sigil of Thoradin, the Sigil of Arathor, the Sigil of Trollbane, and the Sigil of Ignaeus. Only by combining these four runes into one complete rune could one break through the protective magical barrier of the tomb and retrieve Trol'kalar.
Jiang Jie had once heard Patriarch Alexei mention that the underground cemetery here was not only the final resting place of members of the Trollbane Family, but also members of the ancient Empire of Arathor's royal family. Apart from Emperor Thoradin, all the emperors of Arathor throughout history were buried here, so it was quite normal that it was protected by powerful magic.
Of course, those four talismans should now be in Prince Galin's hands, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to enter the underground cemetery.
What was he doing at the cemetery so late at night?
Was he feeling guilty and going to King Thoradin to repent? To repent for killing his own father?
Does such a person still feel remorse?
So it seems that King Thoradin's body was actually buried in the underground cemetery and was not desecrated by Detheroc?
If that's really the case, then Prince Galin doesn't seem to have completely fallen; at least he preserved King Thoradin's body!
Was it guilt, perhaps fear, or perhaps a lingering sense of conscience and familial affection, like Arthas's, that remained deep within his heart?
"If King Thoradin's body were still alive..."
Jiang Jie's eyes lit up. " Carlos, take me to the cemetery, we're going to see King Thoradin!"