latelenovela Chapter 701 The Sand Nu Tribe's Conspiracy
Chapter 701 The Sand Nu Tribe's Conspiracy
At the same time, deep in the northwestern part of the Tanaris Desert, in Zulfarak.
In stark contrast to the scorching, bright desert outside, the interior of this ancient troll city is shrouded in an eerie atmosphere filled with decay and spices.
The pyramids and temples, built of rough, massive stones, stand side by side, many of them collapsed or cracked, covered with vines and moss from the years.
At the top of the tallest pyramid in the city center, the torchlight cast flickering shadows on the walls, illuminating the murals depicting the Loa trolls and bloody sacrifices in a bizarre and fantastical way.
At one end of the hall, on the throne, sat Ukz Shaddon, the chieftain of the Zul'Farrak Sandfury tribe.
He was an extremely tall and robust desert troll, with gray skin like leather worn by wind and sand, covered with deep wrinkles and ancient tattoos.
He wore a magnificent crown made of dried skull, colorful feathers, and heavy gold ornaments, and his bare upper body was muscular. He was draped in a heavy cloak of animal skins inlaid with metal plates.
His eyes were sharp as an eagle's, filled with the majesty of someone who had long held a high position. He toyed with a ceremonial dagger inlaid with a huge emerald in his hand, his gaze fixed on the enormous figure shrouded in a heavy cloak in the center of the hall.
"So,"
Ukz Shading's voice was deep and hoarse, like two pieces of frosted rock rubbing together.
"Guest from afar, are you satisfied with the transactions so far?"
The enormous figure—even draped in a wide cloak, its size was still clearly much larger than the strongest troll warrior—let out a low, eerie laugh that seemed to have two overlapping tones, creating the illusion of hallucination.
“Very satisfied, Chief Ukz Shaddin.”
The sound came from under the cloak, echoing twice.
"The learning ability and practical enthusiasm of your Sandfury troll tribe are impressive. Our cooperation so far has been perfect. I believe the future will be even more...pleasant."
Ukz Shading narrowed his eyes, his massive fangs gleaming coldly in the torchlight: "Enjoyable? I'm curious, what benefit do you get from so 'enthusiastically' teaching us the forbidden knowledge of summoning and commanding the dead from across the ocean? I don't believe in gifts without a reason, especially not from... another world."
His words were blunt and cautionary. As a chief who had survived the harsh desert and tribal struggles, he knew all too well that there was no such thing as a free lunch in this world.
The figure beneath the cloak seemed unsurprised by this question.
He leaned forward slightly, making the shadow of his cloak even deeper.
"Benefits? Of course, esteemed chief."
The dual voices now took on a friendly tone.
"First of all, we are allies with a common enemy. I once traveled to the Eastern Continent and formed an alliance with the Amani troll tribes in the forests there. I deeply admire your troll race's indomitable will, your glorious ancient civilization, and... your deep-seated hatred for the enemies who invaded your land."
He paused, as if recalling something: "I especially admire the legendary Zul'jin. Everything he did for the restoration and glory of Amani was truly moving. Although we are separated by oceans, I believe that the desert trolls, who share the same ancient blood, are also towering troll heroes! Are you content to be squeezed into this barren corner of the desert by humans and night elves, losing your former glory?"
These words struck a chord with Ukorz Sandtop and the troll advisor standing beside him—Luzru—deepest in their pride and pain.
Luzru, a relatively thin troll with shifty eyes who appeared shrewd and obsequious, bowed at the opportune moment and interjected, "Great Chieftain! This esteemed ally is absolutely right! Our Sandfury tribe once ruled this oasis, and our gods enjoyed abundant offerings! It was those outsiders..."
Ukz Shadeng raised his hand to stop Luzru's impassioned speech, but his eyes had become sharper and his breathing had become slightly heavier.
The other person mentioned Zul'jin, and the glory and hatred of the trolls, which indeed resonated strongly with him.
"A shared hatred has brought us together."
The voice from beneath the cloak concluded, carrying a seductive power.
"I will help you regain your strength, and you will help me... restrain some annoying bugs. We will all get what we need."
At this moment, Luzru stepped forward and respectfully reported to Uk'z Shaddon: "Great Chieftain! Good news! Our wisest witch doctor, Zul'mu'ran, has fully mastered the dark spell bestowed upon us by our allies to awaken and stabilize the undead! Now, the remains of our valiant warriors, and those prisoners, can all become our loyal and fearless soldiers! Combined with the sandstorm summoned and controlled by the Shadow Priest Sethesir, which disrupts the enemy's vision and corrodes their equipment, the power of our Sandfury tribe is growing stronger than ever before! Taking over all of Tanaris and restoring the glory of Zul'Farrak is just around the corner!"
As Ukz Shadow listened to Luzru's report and looked at the troll zombies standing motionless like countless grains of sand in the plaza at the foot of the pyramid, a burning fire of ambition finally ignited in his eyes.
He slammed his hand on the armrest of the throne, making a dull thud.
"it is good!"
He growled, looking at the cloaked figure.
"Dear ally, the Sandfu tribe will forever remember your help. So, besides the previously agreed-upon restraint, what else do you require in return? More gold? Ancient relics?"
"Those things don't mean much to me."
The two voices beneath the cloak laughed, this time the laughter even more sinister.
"All I need is for you to help me hold off one person, a human who might come here and try to sabotage our good thing."
“Humans?” Ukzsha frowned. “What kind of humans are worth your serious attention?”
"A traveler, a priest, a... meddlesome fellow."
The cloaked figure spoke slowly, the killing intent in his voice gradually solidifying.
"He should have already arrived in Tanaris. If you find him, do your best to keep him occupied and wear him down. If you have the chance..." The voice suddenly turned incredibly chilling.
“If you help me kill him, that would be even better. I will pay you an extra ‘reward’ to your satisfaction.”
A human priest?
They don't sound like a particularly formidable opponent.
Simply harassing or killing such a target in exchange for further dark knowledge or resources from the other party seems like a very worthwhile deal.
"can."
Ukz Shadeng finally nodded.
“We’ll keep an eye on this person. What are his distinguishing features?”
Just then, a cold, drafty wind, which seemed to have entered from some crack in the temple, suddenly swept through.
The torch swayed violently, its light dancing wildly.
The wind was light, but it just right to lift the edge of the heavy hood of the cloak of the huge figure in the center of the hall.
The hood slipped down a bit.
In the flickering firelight, in a fleeting glimpse, Uk'z Sandtop, Luzru, and several troll guards around them all clearly saw the true face beneath the hood—
They were two huge, ugly heads pressed tightly together!
The hood was quickly pulled back up, concealing the unsettling true form.
But that one glance was enough.
The hooded man let out a low laugh, as if the "accident" just now was insignificant: "Features? Humans all look pretty much the same to me... He carries a strange staff and is always surrounded by women... Most importantly, the stench of holy light emanating from him can be smelled from a mile away. Find him, deal with him. Our cooperation can then enter a completely new and more 'in-depth' phase."
He bowed slightly, and the shadows seemed to deepen with his movement.
"We look forward to your good news, warriors of the Sandfu tribe."
Inside the hall, the torchlight seemed to have dimmed slightly, leaving only the heavy breathing of the trolls and an ominous, dark atmosphere. Meanwhile, Elwin, completely unaware of this, was driving his goblin motorcycle step by step towards this evil lair.