Chapter 190

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Chapter 190: Alterac City

When they set off the next morning, the snowstorm calmed down, and the entire caravan sped up.

Even though the road was more difficult near the foot of the mountain, everyone felt much more at ease.

After finishing lunch, not long after, a black city wall stood tall on a distant cliff. There was a rather frightening crack on the wall, as if it had been blasted out by a bomb.

"Is that Alterac City?" Jesse pointed to the wall and asked Greed beside him.

"It should be. There are no castles or other towns nearby," Greed looked for a while and added, "Have you noticed that crack?"

"I saw it," Jesse replied.

Greed remarked, "Look, there’s no sign of repair on it. No scaffolding, no workers, and no guards on duty."

He was right; Stormwind had been almost completely destroyed in the war, but when Jesse arrived, most of the damaged areas were surrounded by people. Even though there was no ongoing reconstruction, people with various accents were there from time to time, assessing repairs or making plans.

In short, it was a scene of neglect.

However, Alterac City was completely different. Looking at it from afar, those towers, those high walls, seemed no different from the ruins in the game. In the game, Alterac had been completely deserted and occupied by Ogres for over a decade.

Is this the price of betrayal?

In the Orc War story, King Aiden Perenolde of Alterac decided to betray Stormwind and ally with the orc tribe to avoid facing defeat like Stormwind. They planned for the tribe to attack the regions of Eastvale and even Tirisfal through the mountains of Alterac.

After the tribe was defeated, the army of Stromgarde quickly captured Alterac City in the name of quelling a rebellion they had long been in conflict with.

As King Perenolde hoped, the city walls remained untouched by orcs or ogres, but were destroyed by the alliance within a few days.

Following this, no one in the alliance was willing to help the Perenolde family, chosen by King Terenas II, to rebuild the city.

Furthermore, the city was now occupied by Trollbane of Stromgarde, and if not for the support of Lordaeron, the heir chosen, Oryden Perenolde, would have lost his claim to the throne to Stromgarde Kingdom.

The alliance countries did not want to aid the descendants of traitors or assist the geographical heirs of the Arathor Empire in reclaiming Alterac Mountain. It felt like a sort of fate or omen.

Approaching the gates of Alterac City at night, Jesse saw the red flags fluttering on the walls. Stromgarde soldiers in heavy uniforms gathered at the gates, inspecting each incoming caravan and traveler closely.

Jesse also noticed small groups of travelers leaving the city occasionally. Some might have been out for errands, while others may have been leaving for good.

Greed jumped off the cart and stumbled into the snow. Brushing off the snow from his face, he cursed and stood up, exclaiming to Jesse about the cold.

"Are you not living on Aerie Peak?" Jesse asked, "Is there no snow there?"

"Hinterlands is much warmer than here." Greed picked up his luggage and parcels one by one, then put the hammer back on his back, saying, "It’s not only cold here, but also gloomy, it feels like no one lives here!"

As soon as he said this, a group of people looked over here, Jesse whispered to him, "Be careful what you say…"

Even so, what Greed said was not wrong. Jesse looked towards the city gate and felt like there were not many people on the street leading straight to the gate.

Of course, because it’s cold now, and the sky has already darkened, but as the capital of a kingdom, it’s really strange that there are so few people on the main street at the city gate.

Despite being home to the strongest army among the seven kingdoms, Alterac Kingdom has never been a large nation.

Apart from Dalaran, Alterac is the smallest among the other six countries, both in population and territory. Alterac Kingdom is far less wealthy than Dalaran and lacks the same level of influence.

Abandoned after the Orc War, it meant that the decline here has become an established fact.

"Have you heard what travelers on the road are saying?" Jesse leaned in next to Greed and said, "They say there are only old people who can’t move, injured old soldiers, abandoned women and children here. Most people who can walk out of the snow mountains have left. I remember you saying before that it’s not as bad as people imagine here, but look…"

Greed glanced toward the city and said, "I was also tricked. Back in Stormwind, a person from Stromgarde told me to go serve in Alterac City, claiming it’s cool and has good scenery. I thought they had turned it into some kind of resort."

As the two chatted and walked, they suddenly saw a wild wolf dart right in front of them. It looked at the pedestrians on the road, glanced at Jesse, and then ran off boldly into the distance.

Following the direction the wolf was heading, Jesse saw in the distance a blurry mix of burned-down houses and some intact ones, but it was clear that none of them were inhabited.

However, the streets were not completely empty. In corners and alley entrances, some people wearing dark, heavy clothes so thick that it was hard to tell their age or gender, were huddled up, observing the outsiders coming in through the city gates.

Greed and Jesse walked one after the other to the entrance of an inn, ready to enter, when Jesse suddenly realized someone was following close behind.

This person was dressed in thick clothing and walked silently. Greed walked in without a care, but Jesse couldn’t shake him off.

"Hello, sir." Surprisingly, it was a woman.

"Uh, hi."

"Are you from Lordaeron?" The woman approached, and Jesse noticed her face was frozen red.

"Yes."

"Want to try the warmth of Alterac Mountains, just two silver coins."

"Sorry…" Jesse said helplessly.

"One silver coin will do, sir from Tirisfal." The woman opened her collar, revealing a slightly protruding collarbone with purple veins.

It was only then that Jesse could see her skin and features clearly. She didn’t look as old as he had imagined, just her voice sounded hoarse, as if she were aged.

But seeing her so skinny as a result of hunger, who would still have any thoughts in that regard?

Not to mention encountering this kind of people in Stormwind would make him hesitant, let alone here.

Jesse shook his head again and said, "We still have a long way to go, ma’am. I’m not a wealthy man either."

"Can you take me with you?" The woman took another step and said, "I want to go down the mountain and see around. I can do anything… sir. I can read, wash clothes, and even translate a bit of Elvish. I really can."

After she finished speaking, she immediately spoke several sentences in Elvish. Jesse didn’t understand a single word, but it definitely sounded like Elvish.

"Or you could give me some food, please, adult," she whispered. "I’m begging you."

Even though she was asking for help, her tone was incredibly firm.

Jesse glanced at her and saw that she was staring at him intently.

"Alright, come with me, I’ll get a bag," he said.

She nodded and followed Jesse to a corner of the inn.

Jesse opened the package, took out a pastry, and handed it to her. He looked at her fingers, which were as scarred as dried branches, and couldn’t help but take out a silver coin as well.

Just as she put the silver coin in her pocket, she was about to reach for his belt. Jesse quickly grabbed her hand and said, "Don’t… don’t, just stay here for a while, finish eating, then leave."

"You spent money, I won’t take advantage of you for nothing."

"Then hurry up and give me the money," Jesse reached out.

The woman glared at him, then fell silent. She quietly nibbled on a pastry, while her other hand kept rubbing the silver coin.

Jesse stood up, feeling annoyed by the woman’s attitude. He thought it would be better to find a place for her to stay, rather than pretending to be a good person.

Although there were many people in the inn, nobody paid attention to what was happening. Jesse returned to Greed, but the woman had quietly approached him. She lightly kissed Jesse on the forehead before running out of the inn.

Jesse was stunned for a moment, while Greed just sighed, unsure of what to make of the situation.

"She even knows a bit of Elvish," Jesse said. "If she goes to Dalaran, she might find some work. It’s less than a three-day journey, find a caravan and blend in."

"I’m not sure," Greed said. "Maybe she’s afraid of death, just look at the frozen bodies on the road. But it’s hard to say, Jesse, everyone has their own struggles."

Jesse acknowledged Greed’s words. He understood that not everyone knew what he knew, and that what seemed simple to him might not be simple for others. He was mostly just worried for that person.

Continuing, Greed added, "A young woman with no self-defense skills, if it were you, would you dare to wander outside with a group of travelers? She dared to approach you because she saw a good person in you. She’s good at judging people, Jesse. You are just a pure honest person. If she says a few more Orcish words, you might just take her with you."

"Why am I considered an honest person?" Jesse cleared his throat and whispered, "I know so much Black Magic, a truly dangerous individual."

"A dangerous individual who is straightforward." Greed remarked.

After saying that, he leaned in and quietly asked, "Jesse, have you never been kissed by a woman other than your mother?"

"Yes!" Jesse firmly stated.

Greed pinched Jesse’s cheek and said, "I never expected you, with your mischievous appearance, to be so serious inside. Didn’t you mention wanting to play a prank a few days ago, only to be kissed by a human and feel like your face was sizzling like fried meat?"

Jesse quickly pushed away Greed’s hand, saying, "Let go! It’s freezing, not sizzling."

He looked back outside the door, where besides the occasional gust of wind and snow, there was no one in sight.

A man wearing a thick cloak walked to the door, slammed it shut, grumbled something, and then returned to the kitchen behind the inn.