Spellcasting Gods

Remember, dear Sophia, times have changed. We are not only dealing with the remnants of Stromgarde and the Kingdom of Lordaeron, but also with the undead who call themselves the Forsaken. Therefore, every decision we make must be made with utmost care, and we must not allow any mistakes.

If a fool like Drew were to become the one giving orders, it would only bring endless disaster.

I have high expectations for you, so please don't disappoint me.

Oh, I almost forgot, given your demonstrated loyalty this time, I've decided to entrust the management of Durnholde Castle to you.

After saying that, the man gently patted the woman's shoulder, casually pulled off his mask, straightened his clothes, and walked straight to the front of the wooden house, looking like a debonair nobleman.

Chapter 0014 Duke Facurest

“Good evening, young mage from Dalaran.” The middle-aged man placed one hand on his chest and bowed slightly as he rode his horse. “I imagine you are quite confused and eager to understand our identities and purpose. Don’t worry, I will give you a satisfactory explanation now. Rest assured, I have no hostility towards Dalaran or the Kirin Tor Council. On the contrary, we can form an alliance against those undead who call themselves the Forsaken.”

Looking at this confident guy who seemed to have everything under control, Zhang Cheng suddenly laughed, shaking his head as he laughed: "Confused? No, I'm not confused at all."

You might think I'm bluffing, but in fact I know you even better than you know yourselves.

Syndicate is the name of your organization. Your true identity is that of nobles from the former Kingdom of Alterac. You were collectively exiled for betraying the Alliance during the Second War, and your goal is to reclaim your land.

Of course, you were once just one step away from success, but were interrupted by the Scourge that swept across the entire Kingdom of Lordaeron, which is why you hate the undead so much.

Finally, I can even call you by your name, Your Excellency Duke Facurest…

As the last sentence escaped his lips, the middle-aged man, who had been smiling the whole time, froze on his face, narrowed his eyes, and questioned, "Is the Kirin Tor Council of Dalaran investigating us?"

"If you think it is, then it is; if you think it isn't, then it isn't. But please don't misunderstand, so far the Kirin Tor Council has no plans or actions against you, and if nothing unexpected happens, it won't in the future either. All the mages in Dalaran are busy participating in the construction of a great wonder and simply don't have the energy to deal with anything else." After saying that, Zhang Cheng shrugged mysteriously.

In fact, the reason I was able to call out the other person's name was thanks to that "Otto" I just heard.

He would never forget how many times he had fallen in the dilapidated halls of Stromgarde in the game, and one of the "culprits" was the middle-aged man standing in front of him—Duke Faculest, while the bald, burly man was his fierce bodyguard—Otto.

The only thing that puzzled Zhang Cheng was why Duke Faculest, the Syndicate's main leader in the Arathi Highlands, would suddenly appear in Hillsbrad Foothills.

Keep in mind that even riding a horse from Stromgarde to the cabin would take at least six to seven days, not just ten or twenty minutes as in the game.

This means that the other party had already been lying in ambush nearby, and there is likely some follow-up plan.

Although he cared nothing for the conflicts and grudges between the Alliance, the Forsaken, and the Syndicate, it was better to find out in order to avoid similar situations on his journey to Dalaran.

Duke Fakurester stroked his thick beard, seemingly lost in thought. After a full minute, he looked up and said meaningfully, "Interesting. Young mage, you deliberately revealed some important information. If I'm not mistaken, you're planning to make a deal with me, aren't you?"

“That’s right! What do you think?” Zhang Cheng made no attempt to hide his intentions and readily admitted it.

Perhaps for all factions, the massive magical shield surrounding the ruins of Dalaran is shrouded in mystery, and almost everyone is eager to know what big news the Kirin Tor mages are up to inside.

But for him, who was intimately familiar with the course of Azeroth's history, there were absolutely no secrets.

“Alright! But I need to know your conditions first.” Duke Facurest said, raising his hand to stop his men’s attempts to approach the cabin.

Zhang Cheng slightly turned his head, glancing at the stalking thief with disdain, and without turning back, extended two fingers: "My conditions are simple, just two points. First, return the goods to this poor merchant and guarantee that you will not attack him and his caravan again. Second, tell me your true intentions for being here, and definitely say it's for a mere chest of arcane crystals. Arcane crystals are valuable, but they're not worth someone as important as you making the trip yourself."

Undoubtedly, this ability to spot the thieves' stealth at a glance startled the thieves.

Unbeknownst to them, Risen had actually attached many invisible magical eyes to the wooden stakes around the hut. Once a connection was established with these eyes, not even a fly could escape the mage's detection.

Zhang Cheng was able to see everything happening outside from inside the room, also thanks to these magical eyes.

To outsiders, this cabin in the woods may seem simple and dilapidated, but to the monks, it is a fortress that can protect them.

"Hahaha! Young man, don't you think you're being too greedy? That's a whole chest of arcane crystals, and you want to trade it for a few pieces of information that can't even be confirmed?" Duke Facurest sneered.

"You know best whether I'm greedy or not. Don't you want to know what I meant by the great miracle I just mentioned?" Zhang Cheng asked, shrugging noncommittally.

He wasn't stupid; he knew perfectly well that the other party was haggling and trying to get some useful information out of him.

"A great miracle?" Duke Facurest's eyes lit up slightly.

Zhang Cheng nodded affirmatively: "Yes! A great miracle! Once it is completed, neither the Horde nor the Alliance will be able to threaten Dalaran anymore, and the magical city will be presented to the world in a completely new way."

Duke Facurest turned and whispered a few words to a sorcerer beside him, then quickly returned and said in a slightly threatening tone, "Well, you've successfully piqued my interest. I promise that if the information you provide is valuable enough, I'll let this merchant go and guarantee I'll never rob his caravan again. I'll also tell you the purpose of our trip. But remember, if I discover you're deceiving me, then I'm sorry, these poor people will lose their lives because of you."

"Brief and powerful, I like your way of speaking. No problem, I accept your additional conditions. To show my sincerity, let me first tell you what this so-called great miracle is. It's not the powerful magic or destructive weapon that many people imagine; it's a city, a city that can float in the sky, a city that can teleport to any corner of the world at any time..."

"Wh...what?! A city floating in the sky!!!"

"How is this possible!"

"It's fake! He must be lying!"

……

For a moment, everyone present was greatly shocked by the future Dalaran, and some were even unwilling to believe in the possibility of its existence.

Chapter 0015 Invitation

Compared to the stunned expressions on his subordinates' faces, Duke Facurest was undoubtedly much calmer. He lowered his voice and asked the sorcerer beside him, who was completely shrouded in a cloak and hood, "What do you think, Marez? Is the Kirin Tor Council capable of building a city that flies in the sky?"

"I don't know if the Kirin Tor Council can build a city that flies in the sky, but I can assure you that this mage wasn't lying; everything he just said is true. As for whether he got false information from someone else, that's another story." The warlock subconsciously tucked his large green hand into his sleeve, quickly giving his assessment.

"So, what's your suggestion...?"

"My suggestion is that regardless of whether the city in the sky actually exists, he must know a lot of secrets about Dalaran."

"I understand."

Duke Facurest nodded thoughtfully, then shouted directly at his bodyguards, "Release the caravan and return all the goods to them, including the arcane crystals."

“Yes, Master.” Otto displayed perfect obedience as always.

Although he personally preferred to torture and kill prisoners in extremely cruel ways, he would carry out orders without hesitation as soon as they were given.

Within minutes, old George and his daughter, along with the surviving coachmen of the caravan, were all released.

After surviving the ordeal and regaining their freedom, they immediately rushed to the area directly beneath the wooden house and sought refuge with Zhang Cheng.

Old George didn't even bother to take over the goods from the carriage. Holding a small box full of arcane crystals in one hand and his daughter tightly in the other, ignoring the wound on his head, he bowed deeply and said, "Thank you so much for your help, Your Excellency Mage. I swear on my honor and my life that I will repay this kindness as long as I reach Dalaran safely."

"No need to be so polite, I was just doing what I was supposed to do," Zhang Cheng said with a smile and a wave of his hand.

In fact, if the scroll hadn't given him the quest "The Merchant's Ambition," he wouldn't have bothered with the fate of a group of NPCs.

From the very beginning, he was very clear about his position: a complete outsider. Whether it was the Horde and the Alliance, greedy goblin merchants, or evil organizations like the Syndicate, he would trade with or even cooperate with whoever could bring him benefits.

However, old George was unaware of this and still bowed gratefully before cautiously watching the Syndicate bandits around the cabin.

"Alright, mage, I have fulfilled your conditions. Now, please explain what this so-called floating city is all about?" Duke Fakurester urged impatiently.

It goes without saying that the monks' big movements made him a little nervous.

After all, no one would be happy to think that a city is floating in mid-air and can launch a fierce attack on ground targets at any time.

Moreover, the ruins of Dalaran are located on the shores of Lake Lordamere, adjacent to Hillsbrad Foothills. If the Syndicate wants to rebuild the Kingdom of Alterac Valley, this is an insurmountable obstacle.

In Duke Fakurest's mind, Dalaran was best kept at its current size and state, possessing enough strength to stop the Forsaken's expansion in Silverpine Forest, yet not enough power to worry about anything else.

Zhang Cheng keenly noticed the fleeting anxiety and irritation in the other person's eyes, and comforted him with a half-smile, "Relax, there's no need to be so tense. Haven't I already told you that the Kirin Tor Council doesn't have the time or energy to target you? To be precise, some heavyweight members of the Council are planning to have Dalaran secede from the Alliance and become a neutral organization."

"Leave the alliance? Become neutral?!" Duke Facurest astutely grasped the two key points.

It's important to understand that Dalaran has been the Alliance's most loyal ally and partner since its inception. If Dalaran were to withdraw from the Alliance, it would mean a significant weakening of the Alliance's strength in the northern part of the Eastern Continent. As long as they capture Stromgarde, Refuge Valley, and Southshore, the Syndicate could sweep across the entire region and rebuild the Kingdom of Alterac.

"That's right! So we are not enemies, not now, and not in the future."

By the way, your method of robbing passing caravans to make money is too despicable.

If I were you, I would use a different approach, for example, by taking a one-time protection fee of five to ten percent of the value of the goods.

Even a fool would understand that if there are too many robbers who kill and plunder on a road, there will naturally be fewer merchants, and fewer merchants means less income from robbery.

Conversely, if bandits stopped killing and instead sought to profit in a win-win manner, the number of merchants would naturally increase.

An increase in the number of merchants meant an increase in the income of the bandits, thus creating a virtuous cycle.

Of course, simply collecting protection fees is not enough; it would be best to also be responsible for the safety of the merchants along the way.

In this way, the syndicate will gradually transform from a criminal organization into a service-oriented organization.

This will be of great help to both your reputation and the reconstruction of the Kingdom of Alterac.

Zhang Cheng, who prided himself on being a civilized person, couldn't stand the other party's barbaric and cruel behavior, so he offered a small suggestion.

He was a little confused. As nobles from the former Kingdom of Alterac, how could the Syndicate's higher-ups understand such a basic principle? They were obsessed with plundering wealth all day long. Could long-term exile really lead to a collective intellectual decline?

"Protection fees, huh..." Duke Facurest seemed to have made a connection to something, a strange smile appearing on his face. He immediately followed up with a proposal: "You're really interesting, young man. I now formally invite you to join the Syndicate. As long as you can guarantee your loyalty, I guarantee you'll get everything you want here: power, wealth, authority, and beautiful, charming girls."

"Hehe, thank you for your kindness, but I'm sorry, you can't give me what I want." Zhang Cheng maintained his smile, unmoved.

Join the Syndicate?

He wouldn't have made such a stupid choice unless he'd been squeezed in a door!

Anyone familiar with the history of Azeroth knows how incompetent these guys were; no matter how much they tried, they never managed to rebuild the Kingdom of Alterac.

Zhang Cheng had no desire to disrupt the history of Azeroth or attract the attention of the Bronze Dragon Gate, nor did he want to become a bandit leader. He was merely there to acquire enough power to protect himself, nothing more.

"Don't rush to refuse. Think it over some more. We have plenty of time. Perhaps you'll change your mind by the next time we meet." With that, Duke Facurest winked mysteriously, then led his men and prisoners, slowly disappearing into the distance at the end of the forest path...

Chapter 0016 Seduction

"Your Grace, were you serious just now? Inviting a complete stranger to join us?" About two kilometers away from the cabin in the woods, Sophia finally couldn't help but ask the question that had been on her mind.

As a young woman with no background, she climbed her way up from the bottom to her current position, making enormous sacrifices that are hard for ordinary people to imagine. Therefore, she cannot accept that anyone who joins the organization can be on equal footing with her, or even climb over her and give orders.

Duke Facurest pulled on the reins, bringing his horse to a stop. He stared into the other man's beautiful emerald eyes for a long while before slowly speaking, "Whatever? Is that what you think? Or do you think I've made a foolish mistake?"

"No! That's not what I meant! Please don't misunderstand!" Sophia was clearly startled by the stern tone and hurriedly shook her head frantically.

Ever since witnessing Drew's death, her fear and awe of the leader had reached an unprecedented level, fearing that she might inadvertently anger him and suffer the same fate.

After all, the Syndicate is not a charity organization. If the higher-ups think a member has a problem, the way to deal with it will definitely not be to fire him, but to assign him to a mission where he must die. Even if he is lucky enough not to be killed by the enemy, he will die at the hands of his own people at the last moment.

In fact, Sofia had personally executed at least ten suspected spies and was well aware of what would happen if she aroused the Duke's suspicion.

"Hmph! You idiot woman! You have no idea how important that mage is to us. Once he chooses to join us, we'll have an informant within Dalaran. That alone will give the entire organization a huge intelligence advantage. But you, you're still worrying about the pitiful power you hold in your hands."

Accompanied by merciless sarcasm, the warlock, who had been hiding in the shadows, finally removed her hood, revealing the orc's signature green skin and fangs—or rather, a female orc.

However, unlike most orcs who are robust and brutish, she seemed to be a little thin, and her cunning eyes were constantly scanning the surroundings. Anyone who was looked at by her would involuntarily lower their head.

It would be hard for outsiders to imagine that an orc could achieve such a high position in an organization full of humans.

“I’m concerned about power?! I’m worried about the organization being infiltrated by unknown individuals! Have you forgotten how much damage a spy from Stormwind caused when he infiltrated the organization six months ago?” Sophia argued loudly.