Spellcasting Gods

However, how could Zhang Cheng allow a sparrow to hurt him, even a mutated sparrow?

Without hesitation, he forcefully flung the sparrow away, then unleashed an ice spike spell. Under the terrifying crushing force of the shattered ice, the sparrow had no chance to resist and fell to the ground dead with a thud.

Old George, who had survived the Scourge invasion, stared in horror at the mangled bird carcass, trembling as he exclaimed, "Holy...Holy Light above! This...this is..."

"Ah, that's right, it's a plague, a brand new magical plague. It seems the Forsaken are more dangerous and more ruthless than expected," Zhang Cheng confirmed with a grave expression.

"Damn it! I have to get this news to the mayor right away! Master, could you come with me? I think the town might need your help. Of course, in return, we're willing to offer you a generous reward." The young man extended the invitation with a sincere expression.

“Alright, we just happen to be going to town to rest for a bit. I’m sure you won’t mind, Mr. George?” Zhang Cheng turned to ask the caravan owner for his opinion.

Old George quickly replied with a wry smile, "No, of course I don't mind. You saved our lives. Whatever you want to do, just do it. I'll follow your orders completely. Also, please don't call me 'sir,' just call me Old George."

Seeing that the other party was so sensible, Zhang Cheng nodded in satisfaction and continued to say to the young man, "In that case, please lead the way. I can't wait to talk to your mayor. You know, the magical plague is no small matter."

“I understand, sir, I understand. My uncle was a victim of the Stratholme massacre; his entire family of four perished in the terrible plague. Come, I will take you to see Mayor Burnside and Clerk Horace Whitestead.”

After saying this, the young man shouldered his spoils and strode forward along the uneven dirt road.

He didn't notice at all that Zhang Cheng, who had returned to the carriage, was now staring intently at a parchment scroll, muttering to himself in a voice only he could hear as he wiped the floor: "Sure enough! As long as I make contact with the natives of this world, you will issue corresponding missions. The higher the danger, the richer the reward."

The parchment scroll read: "Quest - The New Plague: Assist in investigating the new plague developed by the Forsaken. Rewards will be given according to contribution: one bottle of Sunwell water (which can be used to create a small eternal energy source), special ability - Disguise (you can change the appearance of magical items without causing any damage), and five bottles of high-quality mana potions..."

Chapter 0019 Town

After passing through endless golden wheat fields, the convoy soon arrived at a small town surrounded by a wooden fence. Although it looked somewhat rudimentary on the surface, the towering arrow towers and numerous patrolling militia proved that this was not a rural town where people could be easily bullied, but an armed fortress.

Of course, due to limitations in funding and metal smelting technology, most militia members were not well-equipped, mostly wearing leather armor and inlaid armor, and their weapons were mainly spears and bows and arrows, with only a very small number of elites equipped with metal armor and longswords.

However, as the defending side, such strength is enough to give the Forsaken a headache. At least until they assemble a large army, they don't have a good way to deal with this place.

After all, once they begin to amass troops, the alliance will not turn a blind eye, and the result will be a large-scale war.

Neither Thrall, the Warchief of the Horde, known for his wisdom, nor Sylvanas, the Dark Queen, whose mind was filled with thoughts of revenge against the Lich King, would allow such a situation to occur.

Perhaps the best course of action for the forgotten is to continue harassing and ambushing, creating an atmosphere of tension and panic so that the local residents will flee on their own.

"Halt! Please identify yourself!"

As soon as the carriage arrived at the gate, the guards standing on high ground raised their bows and arrows and shouted to stop it.

"Hey! Frank! Relax! It's me!" The young man in the lead looked up and waved vigorously.

"Garrick? Weren't you out on patrol? Good heavens! How did you get injured? Wait, where did you get those weapons and armor on your shoulder?" The guard quickly signaled to his companion to open the door, then crawled down the ladder and ran over as fast as he could.

The young man called Garrick casually tossed his spoils on the ground, opened his arms and gave the other man a warm hug, then laughed and replied, "Thank the Holy Light! You might not believe it, but I ran into two damned undead today. Look, this is a memento they left me. If it weren't for this kind mage, I probably wouldn't be back alive."

"Two undead?! Let me see!" Frank snatched the armor and weapons, carefully examining the emblems and patterns on them.

After about a minute or two, he stood up and said in a very serious tone, "That's right! It's members of the Tarren Mill commando team. This is the fourth attack this week. It seems the mayor was right. They really do want to target our food reserves."

“No! That’s not all! This mage told me that those bastards are using us to test a new magical plague.” Garrick said angrily, revealing the truth he had only recently learned.

He simply couldn't imagine the terrible consequences if a plague like the one in Stratholme broke out in the town.

At that time, one's relatives, friends, and companions will all be infected by the plague and lose control, and one will eventually have to kill them with one's own hands. There is nothing more tragic in the world than this.

For a moment, the young man seemed to understand how much pain and torment Prince Arthas felt when he issued the order to massacre the city.

No wonder he ultimately chose to fall into darkness and kill the dreadlord Mal'Ganis; only in this way could he give himself closure and give closure to his tragically deceased relatives and friends...

"Plague?! You mean the undead are throwing magical plague at us?!" Frank's mouth dropped open in astonishment.

"Yes! Plague! I'm not entirely sure of the specifics, so let this monk explain it to the mayor. He just conducted a test, letting a sparrow inhale a little green mist. As a result, the sparrow's body swelled to twice its size and became extremely aggressive. Imagine what would happen if our people or livestock accidentally ate contaminated food?"

To make his companions realize the seriousness of the problem, Garrick told them everything he knew without reservation.

“In that case, let’s go see the mayor. Finally, thank you for saving my friend, esteemed mage. This magic ring is a trophy I obtained by chance when I killed a severely wounded necromancer, and I present it to you as a token of my gratitude.” Frank said, pulling a ring that shimmered with a purple glow from his inner pocket.

Despite the ring's surface being covered with scratches due to improper maintenance, the gemstone remained bright.

Zhang Cheng took it in his hand and examined it briefly. He discovered that it was a Violet Ring, a reward awarded by the Kirin Tor Council to its official members, and also a proof of their identity.

Its function is to increase the wearer's intelligence and mana recovery speed. There was one among Risen's relics, and this one makes a perfect pair.

Clearly, the necromancer who died must have been a member of the Kirin Tor Council in life, but was forcibly awakened after death.

Without any hesitation, Zhang Cheng put the second Violet Ring on the index finger of his right hand. Feeling the magical energy gathering around him even faster than before, a look of joy appeared on his face. He placed one hand on his chest and bowed slightly: "Thank you very much. This ring is very useful to me."

“Don’t mention it, you deserve it. Oh, I almost forgot, Mayor Burnside is currently holding a council meeting in the town hall to discuss how to deal with the increasingly frequent attacks. You’d better announce this bad news to everyone before the council ends, so that some guys won’t say we’re making a fuss.”

“No problem, that’s one of the two reasons I came to town. As for the other one, it’s naturally hot food and a soft bed,” Zhang Cheng joked.

"Hahaha! I guarantee you'll get the best food and bed later, and maybe even a passionate and beautiful girl in bed." Frank laughed heartily along with him.

After a brief farewell, the group, led by Garrick, headed straight for the tallest building in town.

After entrusting the caravan to a driver, old George followed closely behind with his young daughter and a small box full of arcane crystals. Having experienced the fright of the previous night, he secretly resolved to follow Zhang Cheng wherever he went.

It is estimated that in his subconscious, only powerful magic can protect his life and property.

Zhang Cheng keenly noticed this, but said nothing and let the other party follow.

Just as he arrived at the entrance of the town hall, he suddenly heard a loud argument coming from inside.

"You bastard! What did you just say? Repeat it again!"

“So be it! I’m just stating the facts. You, Burnside, have been blinded by hatred. Our priority right now isn’t the undead, it’s the harvest. If you keep recruiting militia, we won’t have enough manpower to harvest the food.”

"Are you blind? Can't you see the undead attacks? Let me tell you! Since last month, their attacks have been increasing, and now they even dare to roam around in broad daylight. Do you think food is more important than life?"

"My eyes aren't blind! But if we can't store enough food in the fall, how will we survive next year? Eat air?"

……

Chapter 0020 Warning

"It seems quite lively inside?" Zhang Cheng stopped and asked with a smile.

Garrick shrugged with a wry smile, explaining with a helpless expression, "Yes, it's been going on for a whole month. As you know, since Marshal Garithos's last elite force was annihilated by the Dark Queen, most of the nobles have either died in battle or fled to the Stormwind Kingdom further south. So we don't have a legitimate leader or ruler right now. The only thing we can do is unite and govern ourselves, form a provisional council, and discuss how to deal with our common threat."

"Parliament? Can you tell me how this so-called parliament works?" Zhang Cheng stroked his chin with interest.

According to his understanding, the human society on the continent of Azeroth should be a typical aristocratic feudal system. Whether it is the Kingdom of Lordaeron that has been destroyed, the Kingdom of Stormwind that is currently in deep trouble, or Theramore in Kalimdor, their top rulers all originated from the ancient empire of mankind - the Thoradin Empire.

In other words, people here are more inclined to believe in noble bloodlines than in ability; theoretically, only nobles who have been granted titles by the king have legitimate right to rule.

But now, an interesting phenomenon has emerged: with the destruction of the last remaining military force of the Kingdom of Lordaeron, a rare power vacuum has appeared in the northern region.

The Stormwind Kingdom, preoccupied with its own problems, was temporarily unable to extend its reach, and the already dilapidated Stromgarde was equally unable to protect these farmers. Therefore, in order to protect themselves, they had no choice but to form a small alliance to try to solve various troubles.

Zhang Cheng was eager to know how an organization with neither a clear leader nor strong constraints managed to survive.

“Ha! It’s very simple! Each farm and village that voluntarily chooses to join will elect a representative to become a councilor, responsible for the decision-making of the entire council. Each of them has the right to vote, and when there are disagreements, they will vote under the supervision of the clerk. If more than half agree, it will be passed and implemented. Of course, since each farm and village has its own position and ideas, the meetings are always spent in constant arguments.” As he spoke, Garrick sighed helplessly.

It's unclear whether he was lamenting the future of parliament or the selfish nature of humanity.

"Don't worry, things will get better. Trust me, once they know the truth, they will definitely stop arguing and reunite." Zhang Cheng patted the other person's shoulder reassuringly, pushed open the door, and stepped over the threshold to go inside.

"I hope so..." the young man muttered to himself as he hurried to catch up.

As soon as the two entered the hall, they attracted the attention of many people. One elderly man, who was leaning on a cane and panting, shouted rudely, "Who let you in? Get out!"

"Who is this barking old dog? Has no one taught it what manners and upbringing are?" Zhang Cheng said with a cold laugh, showing no mercy in his sarcasm.

He's not the kind of person who would swallow his anger when insulted, much less allow a jerk who takes advantage of his age to shit on his head.

"Your Excellency, please calm down. This is Thors, a representative from Lakeside Farm. His son was killed by an undead attack just two days ago, so it's understandable that he's a little out of control." Having witnessed the power of magic firsthand, Garrick was afraid of any bloodshed and quickly stepped forward to dissuade him.

“Alright, I forgive him this time. But remember, this is the first and the last time. If I hear similar insults again, I won’t hesitate to freeze his mouth shut with frost.” With that, Zhang Cheng suddenly waved his right hand, creating a gust of biting wind mixed with snowflakes.

He knew very well that if he didn't take some threatening action, he couldn't expect to attract attention, let alone gain a voice.

When the cold snowflakes landed on the skin of everyone present, they instantly realized that the young man in front of them was no ordinary person, but a master of arcane power, a mage who could shape fire and frost into all sorts of terrifying forms.

For a moment, the once noisy parliament hall fell silent, and even the two sides arguing chose to shut up.

Looking into those wary and awe-inspiring eyes, Zhang Cheng nodded in satisfaction, secretly glad that he had chosen the mage class instead of the rogue who lived in the shadows; otherwise, he would be facing a completely different situation now.

"Gentlemen, I imagine you are all eager to know who I am and what my purpose is in barging in here. In fact, I am here to issue a warning. As you may already know, the Forsaken are continuously injecting a dark green potion into your barns and wheat fields."

As Zhang Cheng spoke, he walked to the center of the hall and held up a test tube about the thickness of a finger, trying to make sure everyone could see it clearly.

"But what you don't know is that its effects are not just to make food rot, but also to make any person or animal that has ingested it become frenzied and irrational, attacking all living things around it. Simply put, this is a new magical plague that is being developed, and you are the test subjects of the plague."

"What?! Plague? Those damned undead are experimenting on us?" A slightly balding middle-aged man suddenly stood up from his chair, his face showing a mixture of shock and anger.

"you are?"

"I am the mayor of this town, Bernside. Sir, is what you just said true? What evidence do you have?" the middle-aged man asked impatiently.

Upon learning the other party's identity, Zhang Cheng immediately turned around and waved to Garrick: "Come here, take out the sparrow's carcass and let our mayor and the councilors see it."

"Alright!" Garrick said without a word, throwing the blood-soaked corpse onto the table.

boom!

“My Holy Light! This…this is a sparrow?” Burnside stared wide-eyed, hardly believing what he was seeing.

After all, a normal sparrow could never grow sharp teeth and eerie blood-red eyes. As for its pair of black, glowing claws, they clearly showed signs of being corrupted by shadow energy.

"Yes, this is a sparrow. To be precise, before it ingested that dark green plague, it was just an ordinary sparrow. If you don't want the tragedy of Stratholme to repeat itself here, you'd better stop arguing and unite to deal with the crisis."

Bernside nodded vigorously: "I understand what you mean. Please tell me, what do you need us to do?"

Seeing that his goal had been achieved, Zhang Cheng made a direct request: "It's simple. First, strengthen vigilance and don't give the Forsaken any opportunity. If possible, capture one or two living prisoners. Second, send someone to Southshore to see if there's any intelligence we can share. Finally, prepare a few fast horses. I need to rest for the night and set off for Dalaran early tomorrow morning to deliver these plagues to the Kirin Tor Council and see if the archmages can decipher their secrets."

“No problem! Garrick, take this mage to get something to eat first, and while you're at it, tell the stables to prepare a few good horses…”

Chapter 0021 The Gift

Driven by a profound sense of crisis, this loosely organized council swiftly passed a series of decisions, including continuing to recruit and train militia, expanding patrol areas, and sending messengers to Southsea Town.

There was no bickering, no arguments, and no passing the buck; everyone took on their own responsibilities and obligations.

Because they all knew very well what the term "magical plague" meant: once precious lives were lost, wealth, power, and beauty would all become meaningless.

Of course, none of this had much to do with Zhang Cheng. He just wanted to use the town's resources to maximize his contribution to the mission and try to get the best reward.

In fact, the focus of the "New Plague" mission was not here from the beginning, but in Dalaran.

Only if the Kirin Tor Council takes it seriously and becomes vigilant will there be any possibility of the plague being contained.