Azeroth: Starting with Eagle Eye in the Necropolis.

Chapter 250 Emperor Denathius Terrifies the Demon King of Fear

Maiev emerged from the shadows, raised one foot, and stomped hard on Balnazzar's twisted demon head, even grinding the sole of her boot into it.

"Finally caught you, you filthy reptile." Maiev's voice was as cold as ice, but if you listened carefully, you could detect a hint of indescribable excitement.

She had waited too long for this moment. Damn it, if only the demon below could be Illidan.

Imagine stepping on Illidan's defiant head and rubbing your feet against it, enjoying the sight of his angry yet helpless gaze... God, just thinking about it is exhilarating.

Rhodes pulled out the Holy Light Judgment that was stuck in the ground to maintain the barrier, smiled and walked up to the Dreadlord who was firmly imprisoned, raising the Holy Light Greatsword that was flowing with light in his hand.

"Thank you for your hard work, Maiev."

Maiev pulled herself out of her reverie and said in a calm tone, "It's not so much hardship as I'd say. Actually, I just hope that one day I can stand on Illidan's head."

Rhodes: "…………"

Sister, what exactly is your attitude towards Illidan? This feels strangely yandere-like.

Rhodes muttered to himself, wisely deciding not to take up the subject. He shook his head and turned his gaze to the Dreadlord at his feet, who was struggling in vain. It was time to send these two cunning bastards back to the Twisting Nether. Their master missed them.

"No! Don't kill us! We can pledge our allegiance to you!" Sensing the destructive aura emanating from the condensed holy light, Desserok was the first to break down, pleading for mercy in a shrill voice.

“We know all the Legion’s intelligence! Kil’jaeden’s plans, the Legion’s troop distribution… If you’re willing to spare our lives, we’re willing to pledge our loyalty to you!” Balnazzar immediately followed suit, his expression incredibly realistic, perfectly portraying a coward who fears death.

The Dreadlords certainly have many cards to play. Feigning death and hiding is the first option; if feigning death fails, begging for mercy and surrendering is the second. They firmly believe that no one can refuse the knowledge and "loyalty" of the Nathrezim.

Unfortunately for them, Rhodes had already seen through their tricks.

"Pfft! Hahaha..." Rhodes seemed to have heard something extremely funny, clutching his stomach and laughing so hard his shoulders were shaking.

"Really, forgive me, you two... Let me laugh for a while. I really didn't expect that the infamous Dreadlord, the elite of Nathrezim, would beg for mercy from me like a stray dog, and so... humble and cowardly."

“Fear is the instinct of all life. No being can remain undisturbed in the face of true annihilation. My lord, we… we just want to live!” Banazar continued his performance, trying to evoke Rhodes’ “pity”.

"So, are you really afraid of 'death'?" Rhodes stopped laughing, his eyes suddenly turning sharp as knives.

“Will you truly perish here after being purified by my holy light? I doubt it. Your core essence will return to the Twisting Nether, awaiting reshaping under Argus’s power. Don’t think I don’t know your little tricks for demonic resurrection.”

Rhodes bluntly exposed the Dreadlord's biggest lie.

You think you can put on an act for me? You're still too green.

Upon hearing this, the pleading expressions on the faces of the two dreadlords froze instantly, replaced by undisguised terror and horror. Like snakes whose tails had been stepped on, they stared intently at Rhodes.

"Don't look at me like that." Rhodes slung the Holy Light Judgment over his shoulder, his tone tinged with a hint of mockery.

"Don't you even consider who stands behind me? It's the Titans of the Pantheon! Your resurrection abilities are nothing more than borrowing the power of Argus, the 'Death Titan' imprisoned by Sargeras? You think you can trick me into sparing your lives so you can stir up trouble in my camp and infiltrate as spies? Don't even think about it!"

What? You're saying that the Titan Guardian behind me isn't much of a threat? Sorry, the Titan Guardian isn't up to par with me now, so I've upgraded. Now, behind me is a Titan from the Pantheon. As for who this mysterious Titan is, you can guess.

Rhodes paused, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes, and continued, "But don't worry, you two, I'm definitely sending you back to the Twisting Nether today. Before I leave, I sincerely ask you two to pass on a message to Kil'jaeden for me, how about it?"

If I don't drive these two dreadlords crazy today, I'll change my surname to yours.

"You...you bastard!" Banazar's face was so dark it was almost dripping with water.

"How did you know about Argus... about the Death Titans? This is top secret of the Burning Legion!" At this moment, he understood that this human would never let them go.

Their feigned death failed, their pleas for mercy were exposed, and all their escape routes were blocked. Endless regret welled up in their hearts. If only they had known, they should have run away at all costs from the very beginning!

"You don't need to worry about that, and I won't tell you." Rhodes chuckled inwardly. Was he supposed to tell you that it was "Blizzard's planner" who told me?

"So, human, what 'message' do you have for Lord Kil'jaeden?" Balnazzar sneered, abandoning his pretense altogether.

Rhodes leaned down and spoke in a voice only the three of them could hear, word by word: "Tell Kil'jaeden—'Emperor Denathrius is currently plotting something big' with the intention of overthrowing the Burning Legion."

"What? You, you!"

"You...how could you...!"

These words were like a thunderclap, exploding in the minds of the two dreadlords!

They were as if struck by an invisible hammer, struggling to get up, their faces filled with extreme shock and disbelief, even a hint of fear from the depths of their souls!

Damn it! How does this guy know about Thénardier?

How could they possibly know their true creators and masters?

This is impossible! Apart from the Nathrezim and the Emperor himself, no one else knows this secret!

Even Sargeras and Kil'jaeden always believed they were pure Void demons! No one knew they were created by Emperor Denathrius.

"What? You two seem quite surprised?" Rhodes smiled as he looked at the two completely panicked Dreadlords, enjoying the thrill of overwhelming them with information.

"Isn't it strange that I know about Emperor Denathrius? I just mentioned it casually. Why are you two so nervous? Relax, don't be so tense, okay?"

"I...I don't understand what you're talking about! Who is Emperor Denathus? What does he have to do with us!" Banazar was still trying to put on a brave face, but the trembling of his soul had already betrayed him.

“I never said it was related to you,” Rod’s smile widened. “Could it be… that you have something to hide? Do you think I don’t know your little secrets?”

"Shut up! Don't even think about getting anything out of us!" Desserlock screamed. They couldn't say another word. Emperor Denathius's plan was a top secret and could not be allowed to fail!

Damn it, this guy has to pass this information on to the other brothers as soon as possible, and then let the other brothers quickly eliminate this dangerous guy. We can't let Emperor Denathrius's secret be leaked.

At this moment, Rhodes was on the Dreadlords' kill list, and indeed, all Dreadlords, including those who had already sided with the Light, or even the Shadows. (The Light Dreadlord from the latest 12.0 version has reappeared, but this time he's on the players' side. Damn, could there really be a Dreadlord turned by the Light? I always thought this Dreadlord was a spy for Emperor Denathrius.)

"No need for platitudes. I know more or less what I need to know. Your little secrets are quite interesting. No wonder you're so good at shadow magic, and no wonder you look so much like vampires."

However, no matter how Rhode tried to get information out of them, or even how he used his ultimate move to taunt the two dreadlords, they remained unmoved. Before, they didn't want to die; now, they just wanted to die quickly.

Rhodes straightened up, his smile vanishing, replaced by a cold, murderous intent.

Without further ado, he raised the radiant Holy Light Judgment high in his hand, and a surge of divine energy gathered like a tsunami.

"Take my words and go back to the Twisting Nether!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the holy light greatsword slashed down from the sky!

The intensely bright light instantly engulfed the phantom souls of Balnazzar and Deselok. Amidst a shrill, distorted scream filled with pain and fear, the shadows and fel energy were utterly annihilated by the pure holy light.

Their consciousness, along with their severely damaged soul essence, was forcibly expelled from Azeroth and thrown back into that chaotic Twisted Realm along the connection between demons and the Twisting Nether.

The holy light barrier that enveloped the palace slowly dissipated, as if taking away the last trace of evil.

Rhodes slammed the Holy Judgment heavily onto the ground, producing a crisp clang. He surveyed his excited soldiers around him, gathered his strength, and his voice, like rolling thunder, resounded throughout the entire palace and even the whole of Lordaeron:

"The Lord of Fear has been defeated!"

"The capital of Lordaeron... has been liberated today!"

Old Mograine was equally excited. He knelt on one knee, stroking Ashbringer, and silently prayed, "We did it, Your Majesty, we're back! I assure you, King Terenas, I will personally sever Arthas's head with my Ashbringer!"

After a brief silence, cheers erupted like a landslide and a tsunami!

"Long live Grand Marshal Rhodes!"

"For Lordaeron!"

"For the Alliance!"

The roar, like a surging tide, rose higher and higher, dispelling the long-standing gloom and deathly silence that had settled over the royal city. The soldiers embraced each other excitedly, pounding their shields and weapons with deafening force, venting the pain and anger that had been suppressed in their hearts for so long.

Old Mograine, Dathrohan, Akama, Jaina, Kael'thas… every leader’s face showed a relieved and proud expression.

Rhodes walked to the cracked and even filthy throne and gazed at it silently for a moment.

This was once the place where the wise King Terenas ruled the kingdom, and it was also the starting point of Arthas's tragic fall. At the same time, it was also the place where Rhodes earned his "first pot of gold" in this world, and where the gears of fate began to turn.

He actually had a good impression of King Terenas. The elder possessed the demeanor and wisdom of a wise ruler. If he had possessed the power he had now, perhaps… Rhodes shook his head, dismissing this useless assumption. History has no "what ifs." What he could do was to grasp the present and the future.

He turned to face all the soldiers immersed in the joy of victory, his voice carrying clearly in all directions:

"We have reclaimed the royal city! But this is only the beginning! Act now to cleanse the city of all remaining undead and demons, purify every inch of the defiled land, and let the Holy Light shine upon Lordaeron once more!"

Rodden paused, then announced the next crucial decision:

"I will write to Princess Galiya now, requesting Lord Uther to personally escort Her Highness back to the Eastern Kingdom and return to her homeland!"

This was all planned in advance; it's time for the princess to become queen.

"At that time, we will hold the coronation ceremony for Princess Calia Menethil here, in this restored royal city! Lordaeron will once again welcome its queen!"

An even louder cheer resounded through the sky once more, and everyone saw the dawn of the kingdom's revival; a brand new era was about to begin.

The recapture of Lordaeron was like a swift storm, sweeping across the entire continent of Lordaeron and even the entire Eastern Kingdom in just a few days, reigniting the flame of hope in the hearts of countless displaced people.

All the displaced people of Lordaeron wept bitterly, unable to believe that this day had truly arrived, that they had finally found hope.

The great regent, Grand Marshal Rhodes of the Alliance, fulfilled his promise and led the army to reclaim their capital.

The cleanup and purification work within the royal city was proceeding at full speed. The chanting of holy light replaced the wails of the dead, and the hammering of craftsmen was the most beautiful melody for rebuilding their homes. Hope shone on everyone's face.

The day after recapturing Lordaeron, Rhodes sent a messenger with a personal letter back to Kalimdor. It was time for Calia to return.

As for who will govern Theramore? Rhodes plans to claim it as his fiefdom later and rule it together with the sorceress. It's also time to face his cheap father-in-law.

Inside a relatively well-preserved side hall of the palace, the temporary command post was bustling with activity. Rhodes sat in the main seat, dealing with a mountain of files; there were many things that required his personal attention as the Grand Marshal.

Old Mograine, Dathrohan, Akama, Jaina, Kael'thas, and others sat on either side, discussing the follow-up matters.

"The undead in the main area of ​​the royal city have been cleared, but complex areas such as the underground catacombs and the sewers of the old city still require a lot of manpower and time to clear them out, to ensure that no one escapes," Old Mograine reported.

Chapter 251 Post-War Reconstruction: Food Problems Can Be Addressed by Druids

“The return of refugees is happening faster than expected,” Gianna said, pointing to several points marked on the map.

"We have set up temporary camps outside the city, but there is a huge shortage of food, medicine and winter supplies."

In just a few days, news of the recapture of Lordaeron had spread, and many refugees or ordinary civilians hiding elsewhere have begun to return home. However, problems have arisen as a result.

Everyone needs to eat. These tens of thousands of soldiers, plus the ordinary human civilians who have returned, all need to eat. This is a big problem. Rhodes also encountered this problem when he set off for Kalimdor. At that time, Rhodes communicated with the goblins.

After exchanging their resources for food with the goblins, humanity finally obtained a food source in Theramore, but now no food has been grown in the capital city of Lordaeron for more than a year.

“We can organize people to hunt or fish in the sea, and as for medicine, we can ask other human nations for help,” said a dwarf general.

“We in Quel’Thalas can provide some magical potions, but as for food, I’m sorry, we really can’t do it,” Kael’thas said, standing to the side.

Although Kael'thas was invaded by the Scourge, he didn't lose his core territory; it was still a magically powerful kingdom, and producing healing medicines was no problem for him.

However, this only applies to providing some medicines; humans still have to solve the food problem themselves, given the sheer volume of food required.

“Rhodes, you have a good relationship with those goblins. Could we try having them send some more food over?” Jaina suddenly thought of something and asked Rhodes.