Chapter 437: Ironhand's Envoy

"It is a good thing that you rushed back to report this news to the Slayer King! He said you had other secrets you could only tell me; what exactly are they?"

Sinuoli knew about Tiepi's rebellion, and he also knew that in history, it would return to the area around Black Crag and Gangtieyan to raise a massive Waaagh!, and the toughest Greenskin lads would have to be gathered from the Badlands. This meant that this impact would not cause too much damage to Karak-Kadrin.

"Tsk! If you get hot-headed after hearing what comes next, please slap me hard, but don't take it to heart!"

Ahetanmu smacked its big mouth to prepare Sinuoli, and the Dwarf King waved his hand to signal it to speak boldly without any psychological burden.

"Ironhand, Astragoth Ironhand, have you heard of him?"

"What? In the name of Valaya, you brat, you're something else—you actually went all the way to Zharr-Naggrund? And you even made contact with the head of their Secret Society?"

In a broad sense, the Tower of Zharr can refer to the vast capital city of the Chaos Dwarfs standing in the Dark Lands, while in a narrow sense, the Tower of Zharr is the tallest tower in the city—the seat of the Chaos Dwarf council, which is the political hub.

In Zhendan's data on that region, a Chaos Dwarf's success is defined as having a seat within the tower. Similar to how Dwarf society is managed jointly by clans and guilds, the seats in the Tower of Zharr are divided into three series: sorcery, military, and industry.

These seats are further subdivided into four levels; Zhendan is not very clear on how many there are in the first three levels or what they represent. But the highest level, also known as the Secret Society, clearly only has three positions, and the title of head of the Secret Society belongs to Ironhand in the records; he is recognized as the most powerful sorcerer on the Zharduk Plains.

"I swear I didn't, he was the one who sought me out! Don't be impatient, listen to me explain in detail! Since you have already paid attention to that place, you naturally know their hidden ailment! Serving the Bull Evil God causes petrification, and the Ancestor Gods will not let off turncoats!"

Ahetanmu shouted and swore, and coming to talk to the Ancestor Chosen about Chaos Dwarf matters, it was clear it had made quite a few contingency plans.

"I know, it petrifies gradually from the extremities toward the torso, and once it reaches the internal organs, one reports to the Evil God. Ironhand has been famous for a long time; is he not paralyzed now?"

Sipping slowly from his wine cup, Sinuoli's face showed no joy or anger. This petrification actually had nothing to do with the Ancestor Gods; when the Old Ones created the Dwarfs, they severed their resonance with the Winds of Magic, and the Bull God Hashut forcibly broke this restriction, but limited by his strength, the breaking was not perfect.

"Yes, yes. The more this old codger turns into stone, the less secure his position becomes, and the Greenskin rebellion gave other council members an excuse to take action; he was stripped of his title and exiled from the Zhaer pingyuan."

"Interesting,

interesting. He was driven to the west, and then he ran into your eastward-marching team?"

"You are truly wise! He settled in Wuzikulake at the foot of the Bone Plateau, and after hearing the name of me and the Army of the Ancestors, he came knocking. This old codger is nicknamed Ironhand, but he actually has a pair of iron legs!"

Speaking of this, Ahetanmu's expression twitched slightly; it was obvious that its first meeting with Ironhand was not very harmonious. Sinuoli knew in his heart that even if a tiger falls to the flatlands, a guy who once ruled a clan is not something the Ogre before him could contend with.

"I told him about your deeds and proclaimed the radiance of the Ancestor Gods. Guess what? He repented and wanted to obtain your forgiveness!"

"Heh, heh!"

Ahetanmu felt a bit lacking in confidence by the end, and Sinuoli responded with two dry laughs. A guy who climbed to the peak among Hashut's followers being talked into changing his faith by an Ogre—unless he had been soaked in Bergman's wine cellar and came back out, no one would believe it.

"Let me guess, you brought back a defector acting as an envoy, right? Find a place with no one around and call him out to chat."

If he hadn't just had an encounter with a group of Chaos Dwarfs in the Southlands, Sinuoli wouldn't be as calm as he was now. In fact, they weren't taking the initiative to come to him now, but once he finished dealing with the rats in Eight Peaks and the Old World, Sinuoli planned to find them anyway.

"Ahem, this way. Lads, keep a good watch on the door; if anything slips in, just wait for divine punishment to descend!"

Summoning his personal guard to secure the entrance to the hall, Ahetanmu led Sinuoli to the warehouse. It knocked and looked around the large wine barrels stacked like a small mountain, and finally brought out a barrel without any markings.

Ahetanmu was very clear that this was a high-risk job; once a Dwarf saw the Chaos Dwarf envoy before Sinuoli, either it or the witness would have to be silenced forever.

"Bastard, I was suffocating to death..."

As the wooden barrel was moved, muttering curses came out, and soon, a short figure wearing a hooded cloak crawled out; it took him a moment to adapt to the light in the warehouse.

"Let me introduce you, this is the great Demigod chosen by the Ancestors, the generous King of the Southlands, His Majesty Sinuoli!"

Ahetanmu stood behind Sinuoli and announced loudly; the figure under the hood seemed to want to express some disdain but controlled himself.

"I can give you a chance to speak, but be sure to mind your words."

Sinuoli said, enunciating each word while locking onto him with his aura; as a Demon Smith, his strength was three parts stronger than the one caught in the Southlands, but he was still pressed so hard he couldn't straighten his neck.

"This High-Dwarf should have told you the background; I represent my mentor in seeking cooperation. Before anything else, you should prove to me that, um, you have awakened and have the ability to do everything this guy described."

"Petrification, solve the petrification."

Ahetanmu smiled awkwardly and whispered a reminder in Sinuoli's ear; from the moment it mentioned petrification, Sinuoli had guessed what it had promised Ironhand.

"Please, let me see the situation."

As soon as Sinuoli finished speaking, the visitor impatiently stretched his hand out from his cloak. The first joint of his finger was already completely gray-white stone and was extending toward the second joint; it was certain to cause inconvenience in life.

"I represent the Ancestor Gods, to forgive, partially forgive you."

Changing his words urgently as they reached his lips, Sinuoli cautiously controlled the revival points he invested into the Valaya Ritual; a green orb of light appeared out of thin air and slowly touched the Demon Smith's petrified limb.

"This, this, this!"

The moment they made contact, the petrification began to recede, and Sinuoli cut off the supply when it retreated to the first knuckle. Even though the system originated from the Old Ones, being able to achieve this so easily exceeded his expectations; perhaps Hashut's method of breaking the restriction was too simple and crude, and encountering an official patch, it melted away like ice and snow.

"Put your hand back; do you expect me to cure it completely in one go? You have seen your awakening with your own eyes; it is time to show me your sincerity."

(End of chapter)