Warcraft: When NPCs Have Player Panels

"Don't you think all of this is strange?"

"William, think about it carefully. In Azeroth, mercenaries, or rather adventurers, have to meet all sorts of strange and unusual demands from their employers. They risk their lives in ruins or fight to the death against wild monsters in order to obtain some necessities that don't even match the lives they have to sacrifice."

"Perhaps you'll say, 'That was their own choice.' But have you ever considered this? If these adventurers had a choice, why would they choose this profession?"

"Did they have a choice?"

"Take someone like you, a child from a well-off working-class family, who has received a systematic education. How many career options do you have?"

"Become a soldier? Become a clerk in the city hall? Become a knight's squire? Become a clergyman in the Church of the Holy Light? People like you who join the Crusades also have to make due contributions to the Scarlet Crusade as a whole to receive rewards."

"Such as patrolling, maintaining order, and defending the front lines against the Scourge's invasion, etc."

"Everyone here," the stranger said, spreading his hands to indicate the people in William's tavern, "is either carrying timber or stones all day long, or working as day laborers. They've tried everything to survive, to live a decent life."

"Even though they've tried their best, they still often go hungry."

"Is this kind of life fair to them?"

The stranger's words seemed to possess a magical quality, constantly compelling William to think.

His first thought was that the first time he felt it was unfair was when he had been paying five copper coins to buy a cherry from a traveling merchant.

"But look at the nobles in this city. Take Count Karen, who oppressed you today, for example," the stranger said eloquently.

"He lives in a magnificent manor, where any dish on the table could feed everyone here for days. He wears embroidered gold silk, and he doesn't have to do any work. All he needs to do is for his servants to sweat for him, and he will have everything."

"And what does he have to give in return? Just enough wages to keep them from starving. That's completely disproportionate to the hard work the servants do."

Chung Jen-min didn't say anything more, but gave William time to react.

William frowned deeply and remained silent for a long time. Some things he found strange, but he had never considered why they were the way they were. And hadn't it always been this way?

So he spoke in a low voice: "This is a rule that has been passed down for a long time. Nobles are born noble, and commoners are born to work and serve nobles. It has always been like this."

He had heard these words since childhood; they were the guiding principle of the entire Lordaeron, and he had never doubted them in the slightest.

"Rules? Just because it's always been this way doesn't mean it's right!" Zhong Renmin scoffed, his tone dripping with undisguised mockery. "What kind of bullshit rules are these? They were clearly made up by those noble lords themselves!"

"They claim they were born noble and commoners are born lowly, but that's just a way to make the commoners willingly be exploited and used for their own extravagant pleasures!"

He paused, picked up the black bread on the table, pointed to the slums outside the window, and his tone turned somber.

"Do you remember Grandma Martha from the slums? I know you helped her. But think about it, that old woman stayed up all night mending clothes and worked as a laundry worker every day, working for a month to earn just half a bag of grain. How many of these dark breads could she buy in a day?"

"At her age, she barely scraped by, working herself to the bone. Yet Earl Karen's carriage was laden with chests of gold coins and all sorts of rare gems. Even the oats he fed his horses were far superior to the rations of ordinary people!"

William sighed inwardly and lowered his head.

He wanted to say something, but swallowed it back—what the stranger said was true. But the education he received from childhood made it impossible for him to easily deny the principle that "nobles are born noble and commoners are born lowly."

The kingdom of Lordaeron, and indeed the world, is built upon this principle.

“And there’s something even more ridiculous,” Zhong Renmin continued, his tone tinged with amusement, “that this world has convenient forms of energy like magic.”

"Look at us strangers, we can all use magic to create all sorts of strange spells in Azeroth."

"Some of them can be used to promote the growth of crops, while others can be used to treat diseases."

"There are so many ways to ensure everyone has enough to eat and doesn't suffer. But look at this world, how many people are willing to use those resources on ordinary people?"

"Do you know why? Because these powers are all in the hands of the beneficiaries of this world and those nobles."

"They use holy light to heal their minor injuries and pains, and magic to protect their mansions and wealth, but they never give a single penny to the starving common people below."

As he spoke, the stranger raised his hand, and a faint flame gathered at his fingertips. The flame danced on his fingertips, warm enough to illuminate his face.

"Look at this little flame. It can cook food and keep you warm in winter. It has many other uses and can be used to accelerate societal development. But the worst thing it can do is use it in the wild or when fighting with other people."

"This is clearly a very convenient and important way to improve productivity."

"But those nobles who possess powerful magic would rather let their magic go to waste, and rather watch the common people shiver in the cold winter and struggle with hunger."

"They're afraid. They're afraid that if the common people are well-fed, they won't willingly submit to their oppression. They're afraid that if the common people gain power, they will rise up and rebel against their rule!"

William stared at the flame at Zhong Renmin's fingertips, his mind a jumble of thoughts, a flood of memories of things he had seen and heard before.

A strange feeling grew stronger in his heart, as if something was gradually shattering his long-held beliefs.

"In our world of strangers, there have been days like this too," Zhong Renmin said, his voice softening as he extinguished the flames, as if recounting a past event. "There was once a place just like yours. There was a distinction between nobles and commoners. Nobles oppressed commoners, and the rich bullied the poor. The poor were so poor that they had to share a single pair of pants with their families when they went out; whoever went out wore the pants."

"Later, a group of people stood up. They told everyone that all men are created equal, no one is born noble, and no one is born base."

"Those so-called distinctions of rank and status are nothing but lies fabricated by the ruling class, with the aim of consolidating their power and exploiting ordinary people at the bottom."

"Like the serfs of Lordaeron," Zhong Renmin paused, then added, "they were bound to their lord's land, toiling away their entire lives, yet they might never even have eaten the grain they grew themselves."

"To live with the one you love, you must get the lord's approval. After your death, all your possessions will be taken by the lord, not even the rabbits that come to eat your crops. Because those rabbits are all considered the lord's property."

"They live worse than animals, not because they're lazy, but because of the lord's oppression and those damned rules that bind them tightly to the ground!"

William's breath hitched slightly. What Zhong Renmin said was exactly the same as the plight of the serfs in Lordaeron that he knew.

He had always thought this was perfectly normal. The reason those people were like this was because they hadn't tried hard enough. If they had tried hard enough, how could their lives have turned out like this?

But now, Zhong Renmin's words were like a heavy hammer, shattering his long-held beliefs and causing a surge of bitterness to well up in his heart. Things didn't seem to be like that?

"Have you ever thought about this," Zhong Renmin looked at him, his eyes incredibly serious, "why those nobles were able to possess so much food and wealth?"

"It's not because they work harder than ordinary people, but because they own most of the land and resources. They control the means of production and exploit the fruits of the labor of ordinary people to live a life of luxury."

"The wealth that the common people created through their hard work and toil was almost entirely plundered by the nobles. All that was left for them was barely enough food to survive, and they even had to sing hymns of praise to their noble lords for it."

"But magic..." William finally spoke, his voice a little hoarse, "Isn't magic supposed to create wealth? Why can't we use magic to feed everyone?"

"Because the nobles won't allow it!" Chung Yen-min said firmly, slamming his fist on the table, causing the wooden cup to shake slightly.

"What they want is not for everyone to have enough to eat, but for the obedience of the common people and their own privileges!"

"If everyone could have enough to eat, and own their own land and wealth, who would willingly serve them? Who would be exploited by them?"

He picked up his glass, took another sip of ale, calmed his tone, and continued.

"In our world, there is a concept..." Zhong Renmin paused, pondered for a moment, and continued, "Simply put, all wealth and resources should belong to everyone, not be occupied by a few."

"People work together and create wealth together. They can take whatever they want to eat or desire. No one is oppressed, no one goes hungry, everyone can live with dignity, and everyone can enjoy everything equally."

"Like those ancient tribes," Chung Yen-min softened his tone, trying to make it easier for him to understand, "there were no nobles, no distinction between superiors and inferiors. Everyone hunted and gathered together, and shared the harvest. No one took more than their share, and no one took less than their share."

"When we encounter difficulties, we all shoulder them together. No one is abandoned or exploited. At that time, there is no hunger, no oppression, and everyone lives an equal and secure life."

"Although this beautiful idea hasn't been realized in our world... we've been working towards it. Our yearning for this kind of life has made our lives alright."

William listened quietly, Zhong Renmin's words echoing repeatedly in his mind.

He thought of the hungry children in the slums, the old people being whipped by nobles, and the arrogant face of Count Cullen.

"Why are you telling me all this?" William couldn't help but ask. "I'm just an ordinary person. I can't change what you're saying, and it's not something a nobody like me should be concerned with."

"Are you so sure I only told you?" This made the stranger across from me laugh. He fumbled for the wine glass in his hand and said calmly, "Like a seed, it's buried in the soil, and it will eventually sprout. It's better than doing nothing."

"A single spark can start a prairie fire. The world of Azeroth has potential, and its future is limitless. It has immense value, and you, as a native, are among the best in it."

"The world shouldn't be like this; it deserves a better future."

"William, you may not understand, and may find it hard to accept what I'm saying today. But you can keep it in your heart, and look with your heart and with your eyes," the stranger looked at him solemnly, "In this world, extraordinary power and the power of the people can coexist."

"But this injustice makes the world look like a cripple..."

Yes, it's unfair... Where in this world is there any justice to be found?

Just like what he saw on the main street outside the slums today, that street was like a dividing line. The nobles were inside, and they were outside. Between them, there seemed to be a chasm that could never be crossed.

If we follow the words of this stranger, to break this situation...

Only by breaking the oppression of the nobility and allowing people to own their own land and wealth, so that everyone can equally enjoy the produce of the land, can the common people truly live a good life and can this suffering truly end.

this....

He can't.

"This is class, this is class oppression!" Zhong Renmin said with a serious expression. "If this problem can be solved, you Azerothians may be able to reach a higher level in this dimension."

"But..." William gave a bitter smile. He hesitated, his mind clearer than ever before.

Although the Kingdom of Lordaeron has been destroyed, the nobles of this land still exist.

They control the dissemination of knowledge, the military force to protect their property, and the channels to voice their opinions. If anyone poses a threat to the noble group, they will seek help from other human kingdoms.

How could something like what this stranger is talking about be so simple?

Moreover... William shook his head. He sympathized with the lower classes, but that didn't mean he wanted to overthrow the aristocracy, because he was also a beneficiary in the eyes of the outsiders.

The Scarlet Crusade is the armed order of the Church of the Holy Light. As a member of the Crusade, he is exempt from taxes. He receives a fixed monthly salary and income, as well as various hidden benefits.

...

"If you unite, civilians and conscientious soldiers like you, together resist this oppression and break these unreasonable rules, you can build a world where everyone is equal and there is no oppression."

"If you can unite these forces, no oppression is insurmountable, and no equality is unattainable!"

Seeing the stranger talking so eloquently, William had to interrupt him.

"Thank you for telling me all this, I think I understand."

The stranger noticed William's somewhat evasive gaze and understood.

He smiled and said, "It's alright, not everyone has that kind of determination. I went to a lot of trouble to see you, and maybe we'll never see each other again."

"The reason you disagree with what I'm saying now is because the whip in the hands of the nobles hasn't yet lashed you."

"I didn't make you feel what I was going through."

"Alright, let's not talk about these heavy topics anymore."

"Let me teach you something else; you'll thank me."