Chapter 51: The Observers (Thanks to Kangmang Bebi Laisigou for the monthly ticket tip)

"The Mother Goddess has not yet abandoned her children! Your Majesty, please grant me a few days' leave!"

The first to react was an elderly Dwarf named Aberuike-Yinzhi, the only Rune Master in Jiliuguan.

This Master was renowned for his skill in inscribing Runes onto War Machines, which was precisely why he and his school of Runes had never been favored by the mainstream Rune Users led by Krag the Grim.

In their view, how could Rune Smiths, the defenders of traditional craft, cooperate with those Engineers who did not know how to respect tradition!

Following closely, one Dwarf leader after another expressed their intention to head to Mountain Lake Fortress. King Thorgin shook his head:

"Then we might as well all go together! Mountain Lake Fortress isn't far, and that is his son after all. Brother Thorgrim will surely go as well, and the two of us haven't seen each other in many years!"

As he spoke, he stood up from his throne. "Everyone go back and pack up! Don't embarrass us from Zhufuba in front of the guys at Everpeak—no, in front of the Ancestor Goddess!"

The scene shifted to Kalake-Duomaer, a Dwarf stronghold located at the westernmost end of the World's Edge Mountains.

It was established with the original intent of controlling Black Fire Pass, the key route to the Empire. There were no rich mineral deposits here; its primary role was to station troops and set up checkpoints to collect tariffs.

Upon learning that one of the messengers was an Eternal Hammer Guard, the lord of Duomaer, Lauren the Punctual, did not dare to delay for a moment and received them in the great hall.

He was the Clan Chief of the second-largest Clan in Karaz-a-Karak, sent by Thorgrim to garrison this place. After reading the letter, this Dwarf in the prime of his life breathed a sigh of relief:

"I was startled just now when I heard the guard's report! I thought it was that young lad Grom who had been surrounded by Greenskins and needed you to break through the encirclement to come to me for reinforcements!"

He said with a smile, "You two have had a hard journey, go drink some beer and get some rest first! I will go to witness the Mother Goddess's miracle and congratulate Grom on the way."

Under the instruction of the three lords, this news spread through the fortress as if it had been strapped to a jet engine, and soon even the Humans in Karaz-a-Karak knew of it.

Over a dozen Human leaders gathered in the Empire's embassy. Due to the treacherous actions of the Emperor Dieter IV, the official ambassador had been expelled, and the ambassadors of various Elector Counts and the heads of merchant guilds had just happened to occupy the place.

"It seems everyone has received the news! That female among the three main Dwarf gods has actually awakened. I intend to go and take a look; what do you all think?"

The speaker was Yisama, the ambassador from the city of Nuln, who sat at the lower left of the vacant head seat.

Nuln was an important city of the Empire of Man, hailed as the jewel of the Ruike region. Many Dwarf craftsmen settled here and, with the convenience of the Reik River, opened casting factories, as oak barges on the river transported a constant supply of ore and coal.

With the help of the Dwarfs, Nuln built the Imperial Gunnery School, which was the most important symbol of Nuln from its impression to its economy.

In those countless casting workshops and refining factories, metal ore from the Qunshan was continuously transported here, to be smelted and forged into Firearms, Pistols, Cannons, or mortars, after which they would be shipped to other provinces and regions to reap huge profits.

The Gunnery School also trained the artillery crews needed by the army and provided advanced courses to cultivate high-level gunners.

Nuln was also a transportation hub and a major trading town. The Dwarf strongholds in the Qunshan continuously shipped various commodities and goods, and wealthy people from southern provinces like the Tilea flocked here to trade.

Therefore, Nuln placed greater importance on the Dwarf kingdoms, and the status of the ambassador stationed at Everpeak was also higher.

"If you ask me, I'm afraid that High King Thorgrim is suffering from hysteria caused by the pressure of Grudges!" another Human spoke up.

"Their Ancestor Gods haven't manifested for who knows how many years; if you want to count, you'd have to go back to the era of Sigmar."

He picked up the coffee on the table, took a sip, and continued, "I'm afraid they were hacked to pieces by the Blood God long ago! The Lord of Pleasure is likely not interested in this sort of thing."

"Shh! Keep your voice down!" Yisama hurriedly stopped the ambassador's foolish act.

"Thanks to that pig, the Dwarfs haven't been too fond of us these days! If they hear you and write this down in the Book of Grudges, no one will be able to save you!"

Hearing this, the other Humans nodded one after another. In this world, most creatures had sufficient respect for the unknown and the gods.

"I also intend to go!" This time, it was a wealthy merchant from Malin-bao who spoke. He was covered in all kinds of gold and jewelry, among which many shimmered with the luster of Runes.

"Even if the authenticity of the Mother Goddess's divine grace is open to question, it is a fact that our Dwarf friends have regained control of Mountain Lake Fortress." His beer belly shook with his words.

"Not to mention the large amount of meteorite iron deposits in Heishui Hu, just the fact that Prince Grom is the eldest son of the High King and a strong contender for the next High King is worth the trip for me!"

"Hahaha, you fat man think far ahead! By the lifespan of our Dwarf friends, let alone you, it would be considered a long life if your grandson could see Prince Grom ascend to the throne!"

This time it was Ruien-Katenni who spoke, a famous Mercenary Group leader in the Empire of Man. He and his Greatswordsmen provided armed protection for any merchant caravan wishing to head to the Dwarf Qunshan or pass through Black Fire Pass, and he had cooperative relationships with everyone present.

"In my opinion, going to see Master Snuo is the real business. That Master-class Flight Rune of his is being spread more and more absurdly by the Dwarfs now, but the actual effect must be quite good! If the price is right, I would really like to get one."

Although the Humans present had different goals, they quickly reached a resolution to go to Mountain Lake Fortress together, and after agreeing to set off tomorrow, they dispersed.

On the third night, looking at the harvest of the Rangers, Snuo smiled very contentedly. Laid out before him were two complete, healthy lambs and one sturdy male Rock Sheep.

Thinking that he would soon not have to rely on his legs to walk, Snuo grinned from ear to ear, but to the surrounding Dwarfs, this Chosen of the Goddess was expressing his satisfaction with the offerings.

Snuo took two hundred gold coins he had scavenged from the corpses of Skaven out of his pocket and rewarded the Ranger Captain. Although he kept saying that serving the Goddess was his honor, the pressures of life still prompted him to accept the money.

Rangers were often Dwarfs without fixed property, and they were relatively more difficult off economically.

At the same time, Dwarfs and Humans coming to observe the ceremony from surrounding strongholds also gradually arrived, and the garrison of the outpost arranged them into the newly built temporary camp.

All of this reached a climax as the Throne of Power, carried on the shoulders of four Dwarfs, appeared at the entrance of the Earth Vein Network. The King of the Mountains had arrived!

Thanks to Bi Shu Zi Zai Ren Xin, book friends, monthly tickets, there will be an extra update tonight.