Spellcasting Gods

He couldn't believe that he would so soon witness the savior of the human world of Azeroth, the hailed as the most outstanding magical genius in centuries, the ex-girlfriend of the Lich King Arthas, and the heroine who captivated the Blood Elf Prince Kael'thas Sunstrider, Jaina Proudmoore.

For a moment, he forgot what he was supposed to say and stood there stunned.

However, Jaina seemed to be used to such situations. She crossed her hands and rested her chin on them, teasing in a slightly playful tone, "What, have you forgotten how to speak Common? No problem, you can speak Darnassus, the language of the High Elves. You know, I'm fluent in nine languages."

"Hehe, you're really joking. I'm just a little surprised that Jin would actually appear in Dalaran." Coming back to his senses, Zhang Cheng quickly smiled and bowed.

“There’s no other way. In order to maintain the fragile peace between the Horde and the Alliance, I have to travel frequently between the eastern and western continents.” Jaina shrugged helplessly, then her expression suddenly turned serious. “By the way, I heard you discovered that the Forsaken are experimenting on living people with a new plague. Is that true?”

“It’s true! I even brought back samples. They’re using Tarren Mill as their base and are constantly launching raids on farms in the surrounding area, even trying to cut off the farms’ connections with the outside world. If you don’t believe me, you can go and see for yourself.” Zhang Cheng gave an affirmative answer without hesitation.

"Damn it! How could this happen? How could Thrall allow this to happen!" Jaina suddenly stood up and slammed her fist on the table.

"Your Excellency Proudmoore, please forgive my bluntness, but Warchief Thrall may not be aware of the research into the new plague, and even if he were, he couldn't control the Forsaken's actions. In fact, you've never truly understood the Horde..."

Chapter 0034 Rebuttal

"Oh? I once fought alongside the Horde against the Burning Legion's invasion, and now you're saying I don't understand them?" Jaina raised an eyebrow, a hint of displeasure in her eyes.

After all, ever since she joined forces with the orcs to kill her father, Admiral Daelin, her lifelong wish has been to maintain peace between the Horde and the Alliance. Now that someone has told her to her face that she doesn't understand the Horde at all, she is naturally not happy.

Zhang Cheng shrugged dismissively and calmly retorted, "You think you understand the tribe? Then let me ask you, do you know the tribe's social structure? Do you understand their economic situation? Do you know what the orcs, who are the main component of the tribe, desire most in their hearts?"

"I……"

Jaina suddenly realized that she couldn't answer even one question, and frowned, speechless.

"Look, although you fight alongside the Horde, you haven't truly gained a deep understanding of them. In reality, what you truly understand is only Warchief Thrall. But please don't forget, Warchief Thrall was raised by humans, educated and instilled with human values. Even his aesthetic sense leans more towards humans than the rugged orcs. In some ways, he possesses more wisdom and humanity than many humans," Zhang Cheng said eloquently, standing in the center of the round table.

Just seconds before, he finally realized why Ansrem Ruinvivor had summoned him in such a hurry.

Simply put, the Archmage and Jaina represent two opposing attitudes within the Kirin Tor Council.

The former insisted that Dalaran was part of the Alliance and should assist the Alliance in fighting the Horde, while the latter hoped that Dalaran could remain neutral and not add fuel to the already tense situation.

Since neither side could convince the other, evidence became extremely important.

Ansrem Ruinvivor hoped to undermine Jaina's confidence and force her to abandon her unrealistic fantasies by using the Forsaken's creation of a new plague.

Zhang Cheng never minded being used as a pawn, as long as he received sufficient compensation afterward.

Moreover, Jaina isn't the kind of person who holds grudges, so the risk of arguing with her is almost negligible.

It's a win-win situation with no risks; anyone with a modicum of common sense knows how to choose.

"So what are you trying to say?" Jaina urged, a little impatiently.

Zhang Cheng smiled slightly and quickly replied, "What I'm trying to say is that Thrall doesn't represent the real orcs, much less the entire Horde."

As I just mentioned, to understand a tribe, you need to delve into their social structure, economic situation, and deep-seated desires.

Firstly, in terms of social structure, tribes are typically independent entities, with each clan possessing relatively independent political and military rights, and even the chieftain cannot interfere arbitrarily.

This means that if one or two clan chieftains want to start a war, they can completely ignore Orgrimmar's orders and launch an attack with their own tribes.

Secondly, as you probably know, the orcs still maintain a primitive and barbaric system of slavery. They force some of their people who are not good at fighting to become laborers, responsible for physical labor such as logging, obtaining food, and building fortifications.

If they treat their own compatriots this way, they are even more cruel and ruthless towards outsiders.

They even demanded that foreign slaves fight each other in the arena, satisfying their inner craving for blood and violence through naked death.

If such a race lost the leadership of Warchief Thrall and was replaced by someone who grew up entirely in the orc tribe, do you think he would be willing to maintain peace?

Finally, and most importantly, every orc subconsciously possesses two crucial things: power and honor.

The current Warchief Thrall is guiding them toward the path of glory, but what would happen if a Warchief who worships power were replaced?

Please never forget that Gul'dan, the founder of the Shadow Council, was an orc who revered strength.

Similarly, Grom'gol Hellscream, who drank the blood of demons, was also an orc who revered strength.

Think about it, what did the orcs do under their leadership?

After saying this, Zhang Cheng patiently stood still, waiting for the other party to slowly digest what he had said.

In his view, Jaina, who was hailed as the savior of mankind, was essentially no different from Arthas, and even their experiences were surprisingly similar. One killed her own father with her own hands, and the other watched as the orcs killed her father. No wonder they both ended up in tragedy.

He simply couldn't comprehend how high a person's "enlightenment" would have to be to allow someone else to kill their own father...

Ansrem Ruinvivor was clearly pleased with the views expressed in the speech, his face showing undisguised approval. He stood up and, in front of Jaina, hung a pendant with a mesmerizing glow around Zhang Cheng's neck: "Well said, young man. You are not like some people who have forgotten their origins and race. Remember, Dalaran will always be a member of the Alliance, and no one can change that."

"This is... an arcane crystal?!" Zhang Cheng stared wide-eyed in surprise as he felt the power contained within the pendant.

“That’s right! The purpose of arcane crystals is to serve mages, isn’t it?” Ansrem Ruinvivor winked subtly.

"Thank you for your generosity!" Zhang Cheng quickly bowed and expressed his gratitude.

Through the archmage's hint, he immediately realized that the pendant hanging around his neck was the reward for protecting Old George's box of arcane crystals, so he put it away without any qualms.

While the two were talking, Jaina fell into unprecedented agitation and unease.

Because she knew very well that everything Zhang Cheng said was true. Especially after recalling Grom'gol Hellscream's insane behavior, she felt even more that the orcs were not as easy to get along with as she had previously thought, and she couldn't guarantee that once Thrall was gone, the new chieftain would choose to continue to maintain peace.

After all, even a fool knows how warlike orcs are at heart, and they never showed the slightest fear even when facing the endless hordes of demons.

For orcs, dying in battle is the most glorious way to die, while dying of illness in bed is a disgrace and a tragedy.

For a moment, Jaina found herself in a contradictory situation.

A full minute passed before she raised her head and questioned, "Isn't there any possibility of peaceful coexistence between the Alliance and the Horde? Must one side completely annihilate the other?"

“No, Ms. Proudmoore, until now, you still haven’t figured out what the most crucial conflict between the Horde and the Alliance is. It’s not about land, not about wealth, and certainly not about resources. Azeroth is vast enough to accommodate both sides. The real conflict between the Horde and the Alliance is that they each hold their own ground and have never considered things from the other’s perspective…”

Chapter 0035 The Curtain of an Era Slowly Rises

"Position? Could you explain in more detail?" Jaina finally put away her previous disdain and adopted a rather sincere attitude.

After the conversation, she finally realized that the young man standing in front of her was not the kind of academic mage who locked himself in a tower all day, but a mature person with unique insights into the current situation.

She never hesitates to humbly learn from such people.

Clearly, when a powerful and renowned beautiful woman like her voluntarily lowers her pride, it often gives men a feeling that is indescribable.

Zhang Cheng felt his self-esteem was greatly satisfied, and explained with a smile: "Standpoint, simply put, is the perspective from which you look at things."

The conflict between the Alliance and the Horde is essentially a conflict between humans and orcs.

From a human perspective, orcs are invaders from another world, minions of the Burning Legion, and executioners who killed their own family and friends. Therefore, there is no need to hate them, and if possible, it is best to exterminate them without leaving any future troubles.

From the orcs' perspective, they see themselves as victims. They were first deceived by the demons into launching a wrong war, and then their homeland, on which they depended for survival, was destroyed. Therefore, they need a piece of land to start a new life, but the Alliance sees them as monsters, interferes with them at every turn, and even tries to lock them up in internment camps as slaves.

Because both sides stand on their own ground and never try to put themselves in each other's shoes, deep-rooted prejudice and hatred have gradually formed over time.

Humans perceive orcs as rude, ugly, brutal, and bloodthirsty;

The orcs thought humans were despicable, cunning, cowardly, and only relied on their numerical superiority.

A wise man once said that some doors in the world, once opened, can never be closed again, and hatred and prejudice are among them.

Perhaps your intentions are good, hoping that the Alliance and the Horde can live in peace. However, due to the existence of hatred and prejudice, neither side will truly trust the other. When a sensitive event occurs at a sensitive time, the potential conflicts will instantly erupt and escalate into war.

Although it may be impolite to say this, I must say that your approach is a bit too idealistic.

Despite being contradicted to her face, Jaina wasn't angry at all. Instead, she tossed her long golden hair, stood up gracefully, and gave a curt bow: "Thank you very much for your novel perspective. I now finally understand what the problem is that is troubling the Horde and the Alliance. I also believe that as long as we persevere, hatred will eventually dissolve with the passage of time. Whether it's humans, dwarves, gnomes, elves, or orcs, trolls, or tauren, they can all live together on this land."

Whether intentionally or unintentionally, she deliberately excluded the Forgotten from the list.

However, the observant Zhang Cheng noticed this and asked meaningfully, "What about the Forgotten Ones?"

"I don't know much about the Forsaken, only that they are led by Sylvanas, the former Ranger-General of Silvermoon City and a hero who resisted the Scourge invasion, so I don't want to comment further. But if they are indeed secretly researching magical plagues, I swear I will not stand idly by." With that, Jaina grabbed her cloak from the empty chair beside her, pushed open the door, and walked down the long corridor covered with a red carpet.

Ansrem Ruinvivor called out to her retreating figure, "Proudmoore! Are you heading to Stormwind?"

“Yes! I want to talk to Varian, and if circumstances allow, I also plan to arrange for him to meet Thrall. I believe that such great leaders will become friends, not enemies, after meeting.” Jaina stated her plan without turning her head.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Cheng was instantly frozen in place, as if struck by a spell.

Because he suddenly realized that what was about to happen was the famous disappearance of the King of Stormwind.

King Varian Wrynn will be split into two distinct personalities under the manipulation of a mastermind, and after enduring numerous hardships, he will eventually reclaim his throne.

Watching Jaina's figure gradually disappear into the distance, he couldn't help but sigh softly, "It's unbelievable that I've actually happened to catch the beginning of an era..."

“What are you muttering about?” Ansrem Ruinvivor tapped the ground lightly with his staff.

"No, it's nothing. I'm just a little saddened that Lady Proudmoore, a heroine who resisted the Burning Legion, is such an idealist who can't see the bigger picture." Zhang Cheng sighed, feigning regret.

"It's more than just idealism! She's almost forgotten that she's human! It wasn't the orcs who raised her and taught her to be a mage, but the Alliance."

The archmage's anger flared up at the mere mention of Jaina.

But he quickly regained his temper, turned around and tossed a slightly worn notebook over: "Here, take it. This is a book that records techniques for summoning and controlling elements. Remember to return it to the library in three days."

"Summoning and controlling elements?" Zhang Cheng's eyes lit up slightly, and he quickly opened the document and flipped through it.

From the moment he entered Dalaran, he noticed that many mages possessed the ability to summon and control elements.

Although the Summon Water Elemental talent wasn't unlocked in the game until level 70, in the real world, summoning and controlling elements was already an open secret for mages. However, to learn the relevant skills, one had to make certain contributions to the Kirin Tor Council.

"Alright, go back and study it slowly. We don't need you here anymore." Ansrem Ruinvivor waved his hand, instantly opening a portal.

Before Zhang Cheng could react, he was back on the street in front of the hotel.

Passersby seemed to have long been accustomed to the monks' sudden appearances and disappearances, nodding and smiling in acknowledgment before continuing with their own business.

Since it was already evening, all the magical light sources inside the protective shield were lit up, creating a dazzling array of colors that made people feel as if they were in a dream.

However, Zhang Cheng's mind was completely occupied by the notebook in his arms, and he had no mind to appreciate the scenery. After quickly identifying the direction, he walked straight towards the address marked on the property deed.

He couldn't wait to try summoning an elemental creature and making it obey his will.

After all, mages and shamans are different. The latter ask the elements for help as friends, while the former command the elements as masters.

This means that when mages summon elementals, it is often more dangerous, as they may be backfired by the violent elementals at any time, and they need to try repeatedly before they can apply it in actual combat...

Chapter 0036 Busy

Three days is neither a long nor a short time.

In order to fully master the ability to summon and control elements within the allotted time, Zhang Cheng once again entered a state of unprecedented focus.

Not eating, not drinking, not sleeping...