Chapter 306: Thorek Ironbrow

Belegar Ironhammer spoke passionately for a long time, only to find that no one reacted to him at all. In fact, he had visited many leaders in advance before the formal meeting, and it was only after failing to receive any decent support that he brought it up at the council.

Sinuoli had been busy forging armor in the guild workshop, which was one reason, but wanting to avoid Belegar after hearing of his arrival was another.

Regarding the Angrund Clan's reclamation of their ancestral home, all Dwarfs should logically support it. But emotionally, these stubborn fellows had already achieved "phased success"—or to put it bluntly, failed—countless times.

Every organization in the Dwarf Realms had been bled dry by them more than once, and the once-great clan was now reduced to a single seedling. The vast majority of Dwarfs understood that Belegar could not retake Eight Peaks, and they were unwilling to throw precious manpower and resources into this bottomless pit.

"Hmm, I see. Let's discuss it later."

Thorgrim scanned the room from his throne, and after finding no one to take up the thread, he skipped the topic directly. Belegar sat down with a thud, the scars on his face twisting; he was clearly trying hard to endure something.

He was just starting out now, not yet the master of Eight Peaks who would maneuver between Queek and Skarsnik, whose combat skills were second only to Agelimu, and whose underground warfare capabilities were peerless in the Dwarf Realms. Ande his political performance was even more immature than his military one.

Before sitting down, Belegar looked toward Sinuoli, and the King of the Southlands was forced to look away. Possessing immense prestige and serving as a chosen one of the Ancestor Gods, his attitude could sway the Qunshan, and in this hall, he was considered the person who should most support Belegar.

"I can't hide forever. How can I delay it further? To win more development time for the Southlands and increase the possibilities for retaking Eight Peaks." Sinuoli fell into deep thought.

Watching Sinuoli's performance, the seated Belegar was also thinking. He recalled the previous night, when a chieftain of a clan that once belonged to Eight Peaks had snuck into the inn where he was staying to tell him that Thorgrim was in contact with his aunt.

At the time, Belegar had felt a strange sensation, that this might not be a bad thing. He had never seen the splendor of the fortress clusters of the legendary Golden Age, and his obsession with the place came from the name of the Angrund Clan and the cries around him: "The throne of Eight Peaks belongs to you, it is your right!"

The young Dwarf knew a thing or two about whether he could retake Eight Peaks. Although he had summoned the four Ancestral Spirits, his own abilities were no greater than his ancestors', he had no more power at his disposal, and the enemies he faced were no weaker than theirs.

Having witnessed the cruelty of the battlefield and experienced the passing of loved ones, this last bloodline of the Angrund Clan was a bit shaken. Beyond substantive help, what he needed more urgently was some spiritual support, and Sinuoli, who held the final interpretation of faith, was his only straw to clutch.

The Grudge Council was a long process. After all organizations finished their reports, Thorgrim presided over the discussion. He finally organized several major grudges, cut his finger, and wrote them into the Great Book of Grudges with his blood.

After the main meeting ended, it was time for private networking. Agelimu rose to leave; he had serious business to attend to on this trip. Sinuoli's success had inspired the Slayer King, and he planned to send troops to Red Eye Mountain again.

Sinuoli was intercepted. He exchanged pleasantries with one person in charge after another, listening to their praise while offering them blessings. Only after finally breaking away did he have time to find the person he had an appointment with.

"Master Tiemei, I have long admired your name. The journey must have been exhausting!" Looking at the Dwarf who had been waiting in the reception room for a long time, Sinuoli greeted him.

"It was indeed not easy. To fight my way out of the Badlands, my anvil was hammered until it turned red-hot. But it is a great honor to come to the Everpeak to pay respects to the High King of the Qunshan, especially since you and the respected Krag Master are here as well."

The speaker raised his head; his most prominent feature was that pair of exceptionally thick eyebrows. Thorek was very strict at work and had a habit of knitting his brows, which became the source of his nickname.

Thorek Ironbrow, the Rune Master of Tiefengbao. Like all Rune Masters, he was highly skilled and powerful, but the difference was that Ironbrow was more active.

He was willing to step onto the battlefield to provide help for the army, and he was also willing to organize expeditions deep into lost fortresses to find lost techniques. Sinuoli's Artifact Treasury System also belonged to him in the original game.

"Indeed, we have known each other in spirit for a long time, and only today do we finally meet!" Sinuoli sighed. The peer in front of him could be said to be the catalyst for his transmigration. However, Ironbrow thought Sinuoli was referring to the fact that both sides had maintained communication since the reclamation of the Southlands.

"To make a long story short, what are your thoughts on opening the route between Red Cloud Mountain and Tiefengbao?" Ironbrow brought up the topic he cared about most. There were many reasons he could risk this trip, but this was the most critical one.

"Establishing a connection with your land is an important task for the second phase of my territory's development. I swear by the Ancestor Gods that as soon as the Nan Shijie Bianyuan Shanmai achieves full food self-sufficiency, I will start implementing it." Sinuoli smiled and gave his promise.

"This, this is truly wonderful!" Ironbrow's eyebrows relaxed. "Ever since the last fall of Dragon Kelage, Karak-Azul has been fighting alone for over a thousand years! Since the time of His Majesty Kazador, every axe in Tiefengbao has been willing to serve the cause of connecting to the Southlands!"

Karag-Longya Castle was destroyed by a Dragon three thousand years ago, and it took fifteen hundred years for a Dragon Slayer to emerge, slay it, rebuild the castle, and declare himself king.

But good times did not last. Without the deterrence of the Dragon, the Greenskins attacked again. Because the original defensive facilities had been completely destroyed, the castle had no natural defenses, and the Dwarfs were forced to abandon the city.

"This may be a long process; we must proceed step by step." Sinuoli muttered. He suddenly thought of Belegar again. Because Tiefengbao was closest to Eight Peaks, it had always been an important supporter of the Angrund Clan's reclamation plan, but if they shifted their forces to the south, Belegar would have even less power.

Ironbrow left in a hurry; he was rushing to visit Krag Master. There was no Rune Master who did not want to receive guidance from that Demigod, even if the guidance was mixed with nitpicking and complaints.

"Belegar Ironhammer wants to see you!" As soon as Ironbrow went out, Gotrek flashed in. The young powerhouse's face was filled with unconcealable pride; the status of Flag Bearer to the King of the Southlands was enough to bring glory to his family.

"Invite him in!" Sinuoli sighed.

--------------------Author's Note--------------------

Thank you all for your support. I have my thesis defense at the end of the month. After the defense, I will strive to update every day in June.