Chapter 318: Arrival at Keladeluomen

"Keep an eye out for any powerful Stormvermin among them; report immediately if you spot any," Sinuoli instructed. He was not entirely certain to what extent Clan Mors had developed by now, but he was sure that there must be something fishy behind these minor clans.

"What about you, Gotrek?"

Sinuoli finally looked toward the young powerhouse; he still wasn't quite used to seeing him with such a thick head of hair. For the past few years, he had been tasked with the armed escort of Belegar's logistics and supplies, traveling back and forth between Red Cloud Mountain and Keladeluomen.

"Hm, my work has been going smoothly enough. Keladeluomen guards the main thoroughfares, and the Earth Vein Network is tangled and complex. As long as I avoid the large Greenskin hordes and hack down the odd blind fool, it's easy enough to get there."

Gotrek shrugged. In his view, such tasks were far too simple; in his opinion, the best way would be to mobilize the entire army and twist off the heads of all the Orc leaders.

"Then how is the situation with the Angrund Clan?" Sinuoli took a sip of wine and looked at Ailike of the Heerhaiyin Clan; Gotrek could not give him the answers he wanted for such complex issues.

"To be honest, the challenges King Belegar faces are arduous, but fortunately, he is not as, er, useless as the rumors suggest." This young man had received his opportunity after being recommended by Master Nathan, and he was currently responsible for coordinating with Belegar on all fronts.

The Angrund Clan's persistence in reclaiming their ancestral lands had earned the respect of their kin, but their repeated failures had solidified the fact that their leadership was subpar. Especially with Sinuoli's one-fell-swoop reclamation of the Southlands as a contrast, their inability to take Eight Peaks in thousands of years made them look even more incompetent.

"After you delivered the oracle, Belegar spent a year retreating and regrouping, then broke into Keladeluomen two years ago. But that fortress had fallen for too long, and the damage was too severe. When I first arrived, I could barely make out its outline, and that was only because they had urgently repaired it a little," Ailike gestured with his hands.

"Fighting against the teeming masses of Greenskins in front, while having to rush repairs on the fortifications and deal with enemies bursting out of unknown tunnels in the back. The resilience of King Belegar and his subordinates is unimaginable."

"Hm, they have truly seen some major battles," Sinuoli nodded, which caused quite a few attendees to show surprised expressions.

The praise for Belegar caused Ailike to receive no small amount of criticism among his peers. In the eyes of Sinuoli's followers, only a 'Little Beard' who joined later, never participated in the expedition, and never witnessed the divine grace would think that the 'General of Constant Defeat' had any capability.

"After a long tug-of-war, they have finally controlled the entire fortress and started trying to restore production. But there hasn't been much effect in the short term, and most of it still relies on support from us and Tiefengbao."

"Not bad. Belegar has plenty of gold, which just happens to provide a nearby buyer for our goods."

"Hmph, that spendthrift is certainly handy at burning through his ancestors' wealth!" Master Nathan suddenly muttered. "He gives far too much! There are hundreds of lads from Red Cloud Mountain who have run off to him!"

"Indeed, I'd like to see what other nonsense he can get up to!"

"Didn't you also sell him a few of your prized masterpieces?"

"How dare you say that! You were just one step away from dismantling the Red Cloud Mountain defense cannons to sell them!"

Sinuoli smiled and began to soothe his bickering subordinates. During the time he had been in seclusion, due to the lack of strong leadership, resistance to changes outside of 'routine matters' in the territory was inevitable; this was a characteristic of Dwarfs.

"After gaining a firm foothold, King Belegar set about moving the clan's old, weak, women, and children over. Now, Keladeluomen already has over three thousand people," Ailike was very excited by Sinuoli's approval as he reported the latest situation.

"Old, weak, women, and children? It seems he did listen to my advice after all." The King of the Southlands stroked his beard with satisfaction; Belegar was, at least, not beyond saving.

"Your Majesty, it just so happens that there are about a hundred immigrants in the next convoy. Could I borrow some of your troops? Those clansmen don't have much ability to protect themselves against danger," Gotrek cut in. It was easy for him to hack people to pieces, but protecting others couldn't be done with just an axe.

"It's fine. I heard from Balin that Red Cloud Mountain's strength is indeed stretched thin, so isn't that why I brought reinforcements? Seven hundred and fifty full-time soldiers should be able to ease the pressure."

"By the way, what day does the convoy depart?" After handling a few more internal affairs, Sinuoli asked as the meeting was about to disperse.

"Two days from now, why?" Gotrek replied hurriedly.

"That's perfect. I'll go take a look as well. Belegar came following the decree of the Ancestor Gods; it wouldn't be right if I didn't go. Add two more wagons of fine wine; a generous man should never arrive empty-handed."

On the day of departure, seeing the sudden appearance of the Ancestor Chosen and his majestic guard, the immigrants were pleasantly surprised. Having just left their homes, receiving double protection for both body and soul left the entire convoy surrounded by the sounds of pious prayers.

The Earth Vein Network north of Red Cloud Mountain was severely damaged, and it was even worse after crossing the Jinliu River. Fortunately, with Gotrek carrying his great axe to hack through the thorns and brambles in the lead, there were no major issues.

As Greenskins gradually appeared, Sinuoli knew he had entered the range of the Mist Mountain. The Greenskins here were still in a state of chaotic infighting; for this warlike race, producing a Warboss capable of suppressing all the tough guys and launching a sufficient Waaagh! was no easy task.

Bypassing the main strongholds in the Mist Mountain, the convoy finally entered the Badlands. This could be called a vast ocean of Greenskins. According to Gotrek, there were many more appearing this time than in the past; fortunately, there was extra strength, otherwise the consequences would have been unthinkable.

By the tenth day, a fortress carved into a steep cliff finally appeared in their line of sight. The entire convoy breathed a sigh of relief; having been on edge the whole way, they could finally relax.

With Rune telegraphs to maintain contact, Belegar Ironhammer had long since received news of Sinuoli's arrival. He opened the city gates and led his own guard to welcome the honored guest.

"Three years, and you've changed quite a bit!" Sinuoli gave Belegar a hug. Now, the last bloodline of the Angrund Clan was filled with hope; having received guidance, he was no longer lost.

"The return of the Gods to the Mortal World is truly a great fortune for our race!" Before Sinuoli could ask again, four Ancestral Spirits walked up. The one in the lead, wearing a crown, bowed deeply and spoke.

"King Luen, I presume?" Sinuoli turned to look at these spiritual elders. He was used to seeing and using them in the game, so he was fine, but for the people behind the convoy, seeing these heroic spirits that only existed in legends for the first time, exclamations of awe and surprise erupted.

"Indeed. As a king, I could not defend the land or protect the people; I have no words to face the Gods and the kings of old. I beg your forgiveness."