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Chapter 4 - Chapter 4:Step into the wilderness

When Alpha awoke, an hour had passed. Feeling the soreness throughout his body, he let out a bitter chuckle and reflected, "I've nearly met my end before even setting foot in the wilderness. If I were to venture into it, wouldn't that be a near-certain death? Not a wise gamble at all." Glancing at his right hand, where the blood had long coagulated, he laughed again bitterly and cast a Rejuvenation spell, hoping for a swift recovery. However, looking at the gnoll beside him, he considered himself fortunate, at least he was alive.

With the sun's rays as his companion, Alpha shouldered Hogger's corpse and returned to Westfall Keep. Under the astonished gaze of the soldiers, he heaved Hogger's body down heavily beneath the bounty poster and said, "Now I can go to Westfall, right? By the way, where do I collect the 10 gold bounty?" "Please drag the body over here, and once we confirm the identity, you can claim your reward," the soldier, after a brief shock, quickly regained his composure and hurriedly said, rushing to Alpha's side to ascertain the gnoll's identity.

With a "bang" of the gate closing behind him, Alpha walked, jingling his pouch; "10 gold acquired, but I've made it through. Now let me take in the sights of Westfall." After a while, the sound of rushing water approached. As Alpha drew closer, the sound grew louder. A broad river lay before him, its source and destination unseen, only that it divided Elwynn Forest and Westfall, connected only by a stone bridge.

Crossing the stone bridge, Alpha realized the stream not only separated the two lands but created two distinct worlds. The sky, still the same and as azure as ever, arched over Elwynn Forest, surrounded by greenery and abundance. Yet, in Westfall, as far as the eye could see was desolation—yellow sands and withered straw, devoid of human life. Occasionally, the howls of coyotes echoed from afar. "How can a place be so desolate, even more so than the lands ravaged by the Scourge," Alpha muttered to himself. If there were people here, it would be a miracle.

"Traveler, yes, you there, could you come over? I need your assistance," a cry rang out from the distance. "Of all the times to encounter trouble, in broad daylight," Alpha muttered, a look of exasperation crossing his face. Nevertheless, he dutifully approached and saw a carriage by the roadside, with a gentleman dressed in a black tailcoat standing beside it, and a figure lying on the ground.

"How may I be of service?" Alpha inquired cautiously. "Allow me to introduce myself first. I am Adonar, the lord of Sentinel Hill, currently on a tour of the surrounding villages. I've stumbled upon a murder, and I find myself overwhelmed. Could you assist me in investigating this without revealing my identity? You will be generously rewarded," the gentleman in black hastily explained.

This was a fortuitous turn of events, as Alpha was in need of a cover to probe the local situation. He responded with feigned solemnity, "My name is Alpha. It is an honor to serve you, my lord. Allow me to examine the body first." With that, he squatted down to inspect the corpse, which was dressed in coarse linen, the hands calloused, and the shoes caked with dirt. The body was covered in wounds, making it impossible to determine the fatal injury, but it was clear the victim was a farmer. Upon closer inspection, Alpha carefully extracted a few strands of hair from the farmer's fingernail crevices. "Ah, these are gnoll hairs," he realized and immediately reported back to Lord Adonar.

"Gnolls! There is a gnoll encampment not far to the east; there might be clues there. Check it out," Adonar instructed, pointing in a direction for Alpha.

After walking for a while, Alpha spotted two or three gnolls gathered together. He couldn't fathom why these creatures always congregated. With a sigh, he charged at them. Seeing as no one was around, Alpha swiftly transformed into a worgen to expedite the battle. Relying on his robust physique, agile movements, and sharp claws, he swiftly ended the skirmish. On one of the gnolls, Alpha not only found shreds of the farmer's clothes but also a red silk fabric—silk, indeed. "Well, well, silk, it seems this farmer's death is not as straightforward as it seems. I'd better inquire with the lord about this," Alpha thought.

When Alpha returned to the carriage, Lord Adonar had already been joined by his subordinates. Upon seeing the red silk in Alpha's hand, he exclaimed, "Isn't this the scarf of the innkeeper's wife from Falnan Farm? How did it end up here? This matter is not as simple as it appears. Alpha, I have urgent matters that require my immediate return to Sentinel Hill. I entrust this matter entirely to you. See it through to the end, and then come to Sentinel Hill to find me. Here is my token." Handing over the token, he led his followers and left, leaving Alpha alone, somewhat bewildered in the wind.

"Hey, why do these people trust me so readily? Aren't they afraid I might be a fugitive?" At that moment, Alpha couldn't fathom that it was Prince Anduin's assistance at play.

Rewinding to several days prior, after Prince Anduin and King Varian had consulted, Anduin penned a letter to Lord Adonar of Sentinel Hill, requesting that the lord extend some aid to Alpha and instructing that Alpha should remain unaware of this arrangement. Thus, the events of today unfolded, and this was the reason Lord Adonar had faith in Alpha.

Returning to Alpha, due to the terrain, he had left his highland horse at Westfall Keep, forcing him to continue on foot. Fortunately, his physique had improved; otherwise, it would have been quite taxing. Gazing at the farm before him and feeling the sun's caress, Alpha, drenched in sweat, wished for a cup of cool well water to revive him.

"Have you heard? Another farmer vanished recently?" said Farmer A. "I've heard about it, from a nearby area too. Word is, they worked at Falnan Farm," replied Farmer B. Farmer C interjected, "Falnan Farm? Weren't they hiring recently? Who would want to go there after something like this happened?"

"Excuse me, could I trouble you for a cup of water? Also, could you direct me to Falnan Farm?" Alpha inquired suddenly. The farmers turned to look at him, their eyes filled with discontent and fear. Nevertheless, they fetched a bucket of water from the well and handed it to Alpha, saying, "It's a few kilometers to the south, but I advise against going. As you 'overheard' in our conversation, if I were you, I wouldn't go." Alpha took the bucket and immediately drank deeply. After quenching his thirst, he said, "Is that farm dangerous? I've just arrived and am not familiar with the situation here." With that, he offered a silver coin.

The farmers' faces lit up with joy, and they accepted the coin without hesitation, saying, "Actually, Falnan Farm has had its share of misfortune. A few months ago, the male host died suddenly, supposedly killed by kobolds in the mine. Who knows why he was in the mine? There's only the hostess and her three children left. Without the money the male host left behind, it would be questionable whether the hostess and the children could survive. There were no issues initially, until one day the hostess hired four burly men to work on the farm, and that's when the deaths began."

The mine! It seems I need to pay a visit to Falnan Farm, Alpha decided after a moment of contemplation. Before leaving, he also filled his water skin, humming to himself, "This wolf's silver isn't that easy to earn."

At that moment, Alpha was unaware that what awaited him in the wilderness was not just an investigation, but a conspiracy of immense proportions. But even if he had known, Alpha could not refuse, for it was not only for his own sake, but also for Gilneas...

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