Light's Dawn of Azeroth

Chapter 331, Section 21: Blackmore's Choice - Why Does Such a Good Kid Look Like This? - Bonus Chapter [35]

(Bonus chapter for "Huo Zheng Ting Hao" [3/5])
As dawn broke over the fertile western plains, the exiles from northern Xinjiang, residing in "refugee camps," began their day's work.

Although it's called a refugee camp, it was actually a farm before. It was recently reclaimed from the Greenskins by the Mag'har orcs and human warriors from Westfall Fortress. Most of the residents here are civilians who were sent from the ruins of Dalaran to the Western Wilderness. There are quite a few refugee camps like this in the Western Wilderness, but this one is the closest to the front line of the battle between the two armies.

For this reason, Sir Uther specifically assigned a lieutenant to lead a poor militia to protect them.

But to be honest, it's just symbolic.

The exiles from the northern frontier have only just completed their initial registration. The Stormwind city leadership doesn't have enough space to accommodate them, so they're being housed in the western wilderness for now. Although the area has been ravaged by orcs, Westfall Keep can at least provide enough food to fill their stomachs. The rough warehouses and shacks will allow them to avoid the elements.

Moreover, the exiles in the northern frontier had little to complain about.

They had witnessed demons descending from the sky and the battles of Lordaeron; they knew all too well that staying there would only mean death.

Although the Stormwind Kingdom also has its wars, no one with eyes would think that green-skinned orcs are more dangerous than demons. However, Lieutenant Edras Blackmore, who was assigned to protect this refugee camp, has not been very happy these past few days.

There are many reasons why he is in a bad mood.

Firstly, his previous request to remain in Lordaeron to serve the king was rejected.

Although Sir Uther explained some of the reasons to him, the lieutenant knew that it was because his "dishonorable" family background caused him to be distrusted by the army of the Kingdom of Lordaeron.

His father, Elendron Blackmore, was a high-ranking general with fiefdoms and castles, but when the lieutenant was young, he was involved in a serious military leak that directly led to the failure of the Kingdom of Lordaeron's secret attack on Silverpine Forest.

His father was stripped of his reputation and wealth, and ultimately ended his miserable life as a disgraceful alcoholic.

As the "son of a traitor," Lieutenant Blackmore's childhood and youth in the Kingdom of Lordaeron were undoubtedly difficult. He was an idealist who joined the army to wash away his family's shame.

Despite years of dedicated service and working harder than my colleagues, I am still not trusted.

This made him feel very unfair.

He was willing to risk his life for the king, but the king wouldn't even give him that opportunity. So when he arrived in Stormwind Kingdom, he was in a very confused state and drank heavily for several days but still couldn't recover.

Secondly, although the lieutenant was only a low-ranking commander, his father had been a general, so he had a family background and his command ability far exceeded that of ordinary soldiers.

He knew that this refugee camp, to put it nicely, was flat and had a wide view, but in reality, it was just a synonym for "indefensible".

The most critical issue is that this place is very close to the area where the Mag'har orcs and the Greenskins are fighting. This means that if the Greenskins send a small force to detour, he and the hundreds of exiles in this refugee camp will become victims of the conflict in a short period of time.

The lieutenant has twice requested reinforcements from Sir Uther, but both requests have been ignored.

"Now we can only hope that the Holy Light will grant us mercy and make those brown-skinned orcs stronger so that we can push the front line further north, take over the Morson Farm area, and then take over key places like Sentinel Ridge to form a new front line."

"Alas, the brown-skinned orcs are indeed brave in battle, but they don't know how to coordinate with the dwarves' steam tanks. The green-skinned wolf riders are swift and elusive. How long will this constant fighting in the western wilderness go on?"

He was, after all, a fallen nobleman.

He knew that Sir Uther was not coldly watching the common people in danger. He could imagine Sir Uther's awkward position in the Stormwind Kingdom at this time. The knights under his command had to protect the prince and princess. Where would he find extra soldiers to send here?

While complaining, the lieutenant finished writing the third letter requesting assistance.

He knew that sending the letter would not change the outcome, but writing it did not guarantee support, while not writing it meant there was no hope at all.

"If I were in charge of this situation, I would try to integrate into the upper echelons of Stormwind Kingdom first. The very elegant Princess Calia would be a good choice, and Prince Arthas could be a mascot."

If they can secure alliances with a few local nobles, the exiles' lives in the country will be much better.

Unfortunately, Sir Uther, while brave and devout, was not particularly adept at social interaction.

The lieutenant sighed, feeling stifled. He sealed the letter, then put on his sword and shield adorned with the black falcon crest and left the room, intending to take a stroll around the camp and deliver the letter along the way.

He had only a few veterans and a group of militiamen under his command to maintain order. These people couldn't fight, but at least they could serve as a deterrent.

As a soldier, he liked everything to go according to plan, but today the camp was in chaos. It was barely dawn when the civilians gathered together, talking about something.

They seemed to be gesturing and pointing at something, and this unprovoked gathering displeased the lieutenant. Blackmore strode over to them and coldly rebuked them:

"Is the firewood ready? Is the wooden wall around the farm built? Who has time to gather here and chat? Do you know that the green-skinned soldiers could come at any time! Without those walls, how are we going to defend ourselves against those dangerous butchers?"

Get to work!

The lieutenant's reprimand immediately sent the civilians scattering. He still held considerable authority here, but the next moment, the lieutenant noticed something strange.

"Lady Krania, what's that thing in your arms?"

The lieutenant recognized the plump woman in front of him as the wife of his clerk, Tamis Foxton, a devout and hardworking believer. He also knew that his clerk and this woman had a lovely daughter.

Although it sounds absurd that Edlas Blackmore, a mere lieutenant, would have a "private scribe," it is understandable given that he is, after all, a nobleman who, despite his family's decline, still needs to maintain a certain level of decorum.

Moreover, although he was called a clerk, he was more like a servant who also served as a scribe; it was just a superficial act to embellish his identity.

The aristocratic lineage in the northern frontier has its own set of rules.

However, Lieutenant Blackmore was quite good to his servants, and he even took the Foxton family with him during the retreat, which made Tamis and Clania very grateful to him.

Faced with the lieutenant's questioning, Lady Crania quickly explained:
“It’s a baby! Lord Blackmore, my daughter Taresa found it this morning when she went to the river to fetch water. He was placed in a broken basket and floated down the river to the nearby bank.”

Taresa said it was fortunate she got there quickly, otherwise the little guy might have been captured and eaten by the local ferocious merfolk.

but.
But this isn't a human baby; look, he's brown-skinned!

The lieutenant craned his neck to take a look and instantly recognized the boy as a Maghar orc child. He had seen the Maghar warriors riding dire wolves a few days ago when he was patrolling around the farm.

"Those orcs may be a bit barbaric, but surely they wouldn't be so outrageous as to bring babies to the battlefield?"

The lieutenant frowned and asked:

"Does he have any items on him that can prove his identity?"

"Yes, there was half a blanket and some leather swaddles, but they were all soaked from being in the water for too long, so I changed him into dry clothes."

Lady Crania quickly called her daughter, Taresa, to bring over the leather blankets. The lieutenant took the leather and immediately knew something was wrong.

His noble lineage allowed him to determine that these leathers were extremely rare and of superior quality, including wolf fangs polished like works of art. These were certainly not luxurious items that ordinary orcs could afford. However, he couldn't make heads or tails of the half-carpet with the peculiar emblem.

The lieutenant had just arrived in Stormwind Kingdom and knew nothing about orc culture.

But a secret joy rose in the lieutenant's squinting eyes.

Looking at the weak orc baby in front of him, he felt that after so many years of bad luck, he had finally had a stroke of good fortune.

The Mag'har orcs are allies of Stormwind Kingdom from another dimension. Marshal Lothar and Brigadier General Windsor of Westfall Fortress value them highly. Now, this orc baby, who is suspected to be of noble status, has been rescued by his servant. If he returns the baby to Mag'har, he will be able to achieve a minor but significant merit.

Although it's probably just a tiny bit of credit, it's still much better than staying on this farm and just coasting along.

Why didn't he cry?

The lieutenant quickly went through the plan in his mind, then said in surprise:

"Aren't babies this big usually very noisy?"

“He might be hungry, or he might be sick. The poor little guy has been in the water for at least half a day.” Taresa Foxton, with her cute little braids, stood beside her mother, tiptoeing to look at the “brown-skinned boy” in her mother’s arms. She said:

"Perhaps we should get him some milk."

"Where are we going to find a cow for this little guy in this chaos? We don't even have enough to eat ourselves."

The lieutenant shook his head, but Tamis, the "scribe" who had rushed over upon receiving the news, quickly came up with a plan. He advised his master:
“There are women with babies in the camp. Perhaps they could breastfeed this little orc, but I’m afraid they wouldn’t be willing. After all, it’s hard for ordinary people to distinguish between green-skinned orcs and brown-skinned orcs, and the child has fangs, which might frighten them.”

"But the Holy Light teaches us not to turn a blind eye to lives in need, especially since it's just a child. How dangerous could it be?"

Blackmore stroked the luxurious animal hide in his hand, and he quickly made up his mind.

He was determined to seize this opportunity that could change his utterly miserable life, so he drew a triangular emblem on his chest and declared righteously:

"Tamis, my scribe, take this baby to the camp immediately. Lady Krania will persuade the women to breastfeed the little orc. I remember there is also an apothecary in the camp. In short, you must ensure his survival."

This is a diplomatic issue concerning humanity and its allies from another world, and it cannot be taken lightly.

I'll send someone to contact the nearby Mag'har orcs and have them send someone to pick up the child.

After saying that, the lieutenant took out a bottle of precious healing potion from his body, twisted off the cap with some heartache, fed a few sips to the weak little orc, and then turned around and hurriedly went to find someone to deliver the message.

Lady Crania was somewhat reluctant to accept the order, but Mr. Tamis, having attended several minor noble banquets with Lieutenant Blackmore, was astute enough to guess his host's intentions. He whispered to his wife:

“Those animal hides! I’m not an expert, but I don’t think any of the furs I’ve seen at the Barov family’s estate have been this luxurious. And those wolf tooth pendants, though they look barbaric, are made with excellent craftsmanship.”

Our Taresa may have accidentally picked up a 'little noble from another race'.

So, we'll listen to the lieutenant. It won't do our family any harm. Look at the chaos right now; we need to find a way to leave this camp that doesn't even have a guard. Moving to Stormwind because of this would be ideal.

"Yes, this little guy is amazing."

Four-year-old Taresa couldn't understand those complicated things. She would wave her fist and say mysteriously to her parents:
"When I found him by the river, I could see the river water surrounding him, as if it was actively supporting him. There must have been fishmen in the water at that time. I could smell the fishy smell, but the fishmen didn't dare to hurt this little guy!"
I think he might possess some strange power. The veterans under the lieutenant mentioned that orcs have shamans; maybe this baby is one.

"nonsense."

Mr. Tamis patted his imaginative daughter's head helplessly and shook his head, saying:
"This is just a baby, probably not even a month old. No matter how outrageous an orc's physique is, it's impossible for him to become a shaman at such a young age. Let's go, we need to take good care of this little guy."

On the other side, Lieutenant Blackmore folded up the half blanket, tied the wolf fang pendant to it as a token, and handed it to one of his veterans, instructing him to ride his warhorse and hurry to the nearby brown-skinned orcs to report the news.

Although the lieutenant longed for merit, he was, after all, an officer, and he knew he could not abandon his post without permission, otherwise he would be caught with a stain on his record and it would be difficult for him to be promoted.

Watching the veteran depart, Blackmore breathed a sigh of relief. Looking at the lush, green fields of the west, he couldn't help but pray to the Holy Light.

"Just give me a chance!"

He thought to himself:
“I don’t need you to bestow wealth and power upon me; I know that’s unrealistic. So all I need is a chance to get ahead! As for the rest of what I desire, I will acquire it with my own hands.”

Holy Light, please grant my humble request; I would rather abstain from alcohol from this day forward!
Yes, this is the only offering I, in my current state of destitution, can give you.

------

"puff"

The spinning battle axe accurately struck down the panicked veteran, who fell from his horse without a sound. The well-trained warhorse tried to retaliate, but was forced to flee back the way it came by several dire wolves.

Several green-skinned wolf riders, riding dire wolves, arrived at the side of the slain old soldier. Upon realizing that this man was not a human messenger, they immediately cursed in disappointment. But soon, one of the orcs discovered the rolled-up leather and wolf tooth pendant in the old soldier's arms.

"Isn't this the emblem of the Frostwolf Clan?"

The green-skinned man with the scar on his face shouted:
"What on earth is that bastard Durotan up to?"

“You idiot, these aren’t emblems, they’re swaddling clothes for babies, and these wolf tooth pendants are shamanic elemental tools.”

The wolf rider captain examined the small items carefully.

Lieutenant Blackmore couldn't understand the symbols in orc culture, but the greenskins were very familiar with them. The captain quickly deciphered the important meaning, narrowed his eyes, and said:
"You lot, follow that runaway warhorse and see where it goes! I need to take these things back to the chief. Don't move around, wait for my orders."

After saying that, he rode his dire wolf swiftly toward the hills north of the Western Fertile Lands. The locals called that hill "Sentinel Ridge," where the front-line command post of the green-skinned orcs of the Western Fertile Lands was located.

They have two command posts here, Sentinel Hill and further back in Moonbrook. The local greenskins are no longer led by the Blackhand Brothers. Those two were transferred to the Burning Steppes last month for their "meritorious service in transporting grain," and they have been replaced by Drakthul, the chieftain of the newly reorganized Raider Clan.

A warlock of the Shadow Council, and one of Gul'dan's many disciples.

Judging from this identity, one can probably guess that this warlock must have gone through Zul'hild's connections to become a "lord" of a region.

Drak'Thul was not a very talented orc warlock, so in the face of the fierce attack of the Mag'har orcs led by Durotan, the local greenskins had lost a third of their occupied territory in less than a week. Fortunately, the strict warlord Varok Saurfang was also transferred away, so no one would reprimand him for his incompetence.

When the wolf rider captain arrived at Sentinel Hill with those items, Drakthul had just completed a sacrifice.

He offered the human slaves who were not working properly and wanted to escape to the demons, in exchange for a squad of demon guards who descended to the vicinity of the position to assist in the defense.

"The crafting of these wolf tooth ornaments is a unique technique of the Frostwolf Clan. They are tokens taken from the loyal dire wolves that have died of old age, and the shamans will make them into amulets."

Although Gul'dan's disciples each had their own vices, they were indeed very knowledgeable. Drak'thul held the jade wolf fangs in his hand, examining them carefully, listening to them with his ear and smelling them under his nostrils.

After a moment, he concluded:
"An infant! A noble Maghar baby was found stranded in the Westfall by local humans, who are trying to contact the Maghar orcs to retrieve the baby using these personal belongings."

Heh heh, judging by the excellent materials of these leathers and amulets, that baby must be Durotan's youngest son!
do you remember?
When we were forced to leave Draenor, Durotan's wife, Lady Draka, the orc heroine, was already unable to go to war due to her pregnancy.

If you calculate the time, it's exactly the time that child was born!
OK!

"This is truly a mercy from the Black Wolf God."

The sorcerer grinned maliciously, waved his hand, and said to the wolf rider captain beside him:

"Go and gather the men! I will personally lead the team to that human settlement and make sure to bring our esteemed Frostwolf 'Young Chieftain' back to his people."

I've heard that the Frostwolf Clan is the orc clan that values ​​relationships the most. Let's see what choice High Chieftain Durotan of Mag'har will make when faced with victory and his newborn son!

The orcs quickly swarmed out.

The commotion caused the human slaves around them, who were wearing shackles and toiling under the whips of orc overseers, to whisper among themselves.

They were all locals who had been unfortunately captured by the orcs. The people of the Western Wilderness were fierce and brave, and there had been many escape attempts since they were captured.

Previously, when the Blackhand Brothers were in charge here, they would turn a blind eye, but now that Drak'thul has taken over, the living conditions of the human slaves have immediately switched to "hell mode".

Among the group of human slaves who were muttering curses that the orcs would die a horrible death, a boy who looked to be only a teenager shrank back and stared intently at the direction in which the orc chieftain had left under the protection of elite wolf riders.

The sharp-eyed boy frowned, thinking to himself that Sentinel Ridge was the front line of the conflict between the two sides. The green-skinned orcs had been almost crushed by the brown-skinned orcs with high morale these past few days. Why was their warlock chieftain not here to oversee things, but running towards the sea?
Are they trying to escape?

No!

I need to go and see for myself!

His strict grandmother sent him here to use the orc warlord's head as proof of completing the Shadow Trial, but he had already wasted too much time, and now he had to take a gamble.

(End of this chapter)