Chapter 157: Villain Meets Villain
[In a past life, you played World of Warcraft for a while. If memory serves, both Bazil and Randolph end up as bosses in Stormwind's prison—standard villains. When you first approached Randolph Moloch, he still carried himself with a bit of noble pride. But can a fallen noble still be called a noble? It didn't take long for you to completely win him over. Not only did he provide you with a carriage and manpower, but he also gave you a ready-made identity. You're now an adventurer from the distant East, going by the name Zhou Ning.]
[On February 14th, 2012, after a period of planning and preparation, you launched an assault on Stormwind Bank on Valentine's night. You had Bazil Thredd pry open the bank's main door. After swiftly neutralizing the guards, you successfully looted the bank vault. During your retreat, you planted several bombs on the vault door—set to detonate when opened. Not long after, a series of explosions rang out in the distance. Later, you discovered that you'd accidentally killed a prominent figure in the Kingdom of Stormwind: General Marcus Jonathan. Randolph seemed genuinely concerned about this. Seeing his worried expression, you could only shrug and calmly scare him a little: "Smile. You might see the sun shining on you tomorrow." (Joy +3, Family Status +19)]
[From February to April 2012, Stormwind's SI:7 locked onto you. But with their outdated investigative methods, how could they possibly pin anything on you? After all that effort, they still had no clue who you were. During these two months, you gradually built a reputation in Stormwind's underworld. While your combat prowess wasn't particularly impressive, your sinister charm was more than enough to win over several thugs—Bazil and Randolph included. You even managed to recruit a gnoll named Hogger. He was admittedly dumb, and so far the only Common he could speak was, "Okay, boss!"]
[In this world of supernatural powers, you consulted the relatively knowledgeable Randolph and tried to switch to the rogue class. But you couldn't sense the presence of the Shadow. For someone whose mind is full of negative thoughts, this hit especially hard. Next, you tried switching to a warlock—but that also failed. Seriously? You were pissed.]
[Still, things weren't all bad. Thanks to your considerable wealth, you successfully recruited a master apothecary named Putress. You recognized his name—future head of the Royal Apothecary Society in Undercity, the guy who nearly blew up the Lich King Arthas—a bona fide villain! With his help, you quickly grasped the basics of alchemy in this world and successfully recreated the Joker Toxin. (You've acquired the skill: World of Warcraft Alchemy (Intermediate))]
[In May 2012, with your help, Randolph went from fallen noble to respectable aristocrat once again. You had him deliberately get close to Countess Katrana—who, unbeknownst to others, was actually the black dragon princess Onyxia in disguise. She would become a key figure in your plans. As Deathwing's daughter, she had infiltrated Stormwind's high society by assuming the human form of the alluring Countess Katrana Prestor, acting as an inside agent for her brother Nefarian's invasion of human kingdoms.]
[In June 2012, your heist of Stormwind's largest bank triggered a few butterfly effects. The most noticeable was the kingdom's sudden shortage of gold coins. For you, causing chaos and disrupting order is a form of entertainment. After spreading a few rumors, a long line formed outside the bank that very afternoon. As expected, Stormwind Bank quickly ran out of money to pay out. This small move turned the entire city upside down.]
[But what happened next was unbelievable. Varian Wrynn himself came forward to address the people, declaring that he'd tear down his royal palace if that's what it took to repay everyone's deposits. Even Alonsus Faol, High Priest of the Holy Light, came out in support. Strangely enough, the citizens readily believed them. What was wrong with people these days? Who in their right mind still believed a politician's nonsense? Half amused and half furious, you decided to punish this young king for derailing your plans—as well as the foolish citizens who so easily believed him.]
[In July 2012, the unrest subsided faster than you'd expected. However, the economic turmoil continued. The bank's inability to fulfill withdrawals caused a moderate economic crisis. Lordaeron stepped in to offer aid to Stormwind, but it was little more than a drop in the bucket. You had a hunch that the current situation was like a powder keg—just waiting for you to strike a match and ignite it.]
[At the end of July, you met Countess Katrana for the first time. She had no idea you already knew her true identity. To your surprise, she wasn't as mentally resilient as you'd expected from a black dragon. With just a few words, you pierced her emotional defenses and quickly became a close acquaintance—maybe even a decent partner.]
[Through Katrana, you were introduced to Stormwind's Grand Duke, Bolvar Fordragon, King Varian's mentor. His human weaknesses were painfully obvious. Though he appeared to be a noble paladin, his unwavering righteousness and tendency to trust too easily were precisely what made him vulnerable. So you used the stories of common folks suffering in the economic crisis to amplify his guilt and subtly hypnotized him.]
[In August 2012, the first phase of Stormwind's reconstruction was declared complete. Led by Edwin VanCleef, the Stonemason's Guild demanded their wages from Stormwind's nobles. When the city refused to pay, VanCleef and his men launched a riot to demand payment. With a bit of Joker Toxin in the air, Bolvar Fordragon unknowingly struck down the rioters… killing dozens in the chaos. Once he came to his senses, the guilt overwhelmed him. With that crushing remorse—and your influence—he quickly spiraled into corruption, like Harvey Dent becoming Two-Face. His darker side awakened.]
[In September 2012, following the riot, Edwin VanCleef and his Stonemason's Guild were exiled from Stormwind. Forced to take refuge in Westfall, you and VanCleef hit it off instantly. He and his men joined your ranks. With your support, they reached out to every pirate and thief they could find. Along with former guild members, they formed a new organization called the Joker Gang. They also built a fortress in the Deadmines and began secretly constructing a massive warship. You have acquired the dungeon summoning stone: The Deadmines.]
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