Erlan and Corrine were filled with astonishment and fear.
To this moment, both had been struck by spells, yet neither had detected where the caster was hiding. In their understanding, the only possibility was that the caster's power and rank far exceeded their own, allowing them to use this almost playful method to warn them away from the net cafe.
A panicked Corrine desperately patted the Holy Fire on her body, trying to extinguish it while her mind raced for a way to help Erlan snap out of the Fear spell. According to SI:7 protocols, once an operation was exposed, agents were to retreat in different directions immediately to avoid being captured together.
But Corrine didn't want to abandon this respected veteran agent. She drew her dagger, preparing to stab Erlan. Although certain dispelling magics could remove Fear, as a Rogue who couldn't use magic, her only option was to inflict physical pain to shock Erlan back to his senses. The Fear spell would break upon taking damage; this was her only resort.
Rumor had it that Master-level Rogues could learn a skill called "Cloak of Shadows" to resist and remove harmful spells, but as mid-tier Rogues, they possessed no such ability.
At that moment, Wayne, hearing the screams from inside, rushed out.
Beside the dim blacksmith shop, Wayne confronted a woman on fire and a one-eyed man running around in circles under the influence of Fear. The woman, desperate to help the man, chased him with a dagger. After finally catching up, she stabbed him in the buttock. One stab didn't wake him, so she stabbed the other cheek!
The man snapped out of it!
The two figures in black—one patting out embers, the other clutching his backside—looked at Wayne with the kind of dread usually reserved for vengeful gods. Without looking back, they bolted into the woods, merging with the darkness until they vanished.
The three onlookers were stunned. They looked at each other and then approached Wayne with trepidation, eyeing him from head to toe.
Farley, the owner of the Lion's Pride Inn, and Emma, the stable master, also walked over.
Farley asked, "What are you doing? It's the middle of the night. What happened?"
The two thugs, Raymond and Bronn, were still trembling. "Boss... Wayne... he's a Warlock! A terrifying Warlock! He didn't even move, and he set that thief on fire and turned that one-eyed guy into a lunatic with Fear!"
Wayne thought to himself, Uh...
Dughan was also terrified. "Wayne, I knew you weren't ordinary since you have those goggles. But I never imagined you knew magic... and that it was..."
Fear wasn't a high-end spell; low-tier Warlocks could learn it after basic training. One occasionally heard of hiding Warlocks playing pranks on drunks or livestock, leaving a mess in their wake.
Although the trend of Mages turning to Demon and Shadow magic to become Warlocks was unstoppable—and most used that eerie power to fight evil—these dark arts still made nobles and commoners alike uneasy. Their power source was the Void and demons, and those too obsessed often became pawns of the Legion.
Nevertheless, under the threat of war, the Warlock profession was tacitly permitted by both the Alliance and the Horde, existing in a contradictory state of unofficial recognition and quiet development. However, most were heavily monitored to prevent demonic infiltration.
Wayne swallowed and didn't want to waste words on Dughan's overactive imagination. "Right, I'm a Warlock... if you need one, I can make you a staff."
Over there, Farley heard the description of Wayne's "powers" from his thugs. This shocked him but also made him depressed. The rise of the net cafe had already annoyed him. Usually, officers from Stormwind, Westbrook, or Northshire would stop at his inn for a drink or a meal. Now, Wayne's place was siphoning them off.
While the net cafe hadn't taken many customers in terms of raw numbers, it had snatched these "high-net-worth" regulars in just a few days. One of their spending sessions equaled several ordinary patrons. Farley had been wondering if he could trick Wayne out of his goggles and screens to bring the business back to the inn, but hearing his thugs' report, he realized his folly.
The "foolish boy" who had lived in Goldshire for twenty years was a master of disguise! Not only did he possess miraculous devices, but he could also take on two intruders alone and send them fleeing in terror.
This solidified the rumors—there was a story behind the miraculous net cafe, and there was certainly a story behind Wayne. Farley loved money, but the old residents of Goldshire were fundamentally simple people. Given the situation, he dropped the idea of stealing customers back. Money or your life? That wasn't a hard choice for him.
He feigned a polite concern for Wayne, sighed inwardly, muttered "Can't touch him, can't touch him," and returned to his inn.
Wayne went back into the shop. One good thing, one bad thing.
The good thing was that the defense system he spent 20 gold to activate was working. He hadn't mastered the mechanics yet, but it seemed to cast different spells instantly based on the target. As a veteran World of Warcraft player, he recognized Holy Fire and Fear immediately. This meant he didn't have to worry about thugs anymore.
The bad thing was that the defense only worked for the net cafe. Once he left, he was still a combat-incapable weakling. Also, he still didn't know who Corrine's backers were. The world after transmigrating wasn't like the game; people didn't have names floating over their heads, and enemies weren't marked in red.
In the dark, he hadn't seen the one-eyed man's face clearly, only the eyepatch over his right eye and his black hair parted down the middle. But that shouldn't be hard to track; someone with those features shouldn't be hard to find.
Trouble at the door meant Wayne had to speed up his own combat training. However, there was only one set of equipment. During the day, customers used it, and he had to answer their questions. At night, after the customers left, he was often too exhausted to play.
If I can't play myself to death, then I'll play until I'm dead.
Wayne never expected that the dream of every internet-addicted teenager back on Earth would become his grueling survival reality after transmigrating.
"Brother, you dragged us out of the barracks early in the morning for this crummy shop?"
Before noon, two officers led by Verdan arrived at the "Goldshire Gaming Club." Verdan had ridden like the wind the whole way, ignoring his companions' shouts to slow down.
Verdan wasn't thinking about being in a rush to die; today was his day to play, and he was terrified someone would take the seat before him. He had set out from Westbrook Garrison at the crack of dawn.
The two he brought were Hicks and Hudson, as ordered by Rainier. Hicks was a Sergeant like him, while Hudson was a rank higher, a Sergeant Major. Unlike Verdan, these two had no noble background; they had earned their ranks through years of diligent service.
In this world, officers led from the front. With heroes like the "Lion of Azeroth," Anduin Lothar, as role models, human officers were never cowards. They weren't surprised by the order to face Hogger; the Westbrook troops were bound to clash with the Gnolls sooner or later. They had imagined charging Hogger by Rainier's side a thousand times.
But no amount of imagination could have prepared them for an order to go play games at some net cafe in Goldshire before the final battle.
The older Hudson shook his head helplessly. "It's fine if you mess around, but you actually got the Commander to order us to mess around with you."
Unlike the mature Hudson, Hicks had a fiery temper. He had rushed here thinking it was a new martial arts training hall or a high-level combat trainer from a distant land. Seeing an empty "Net Cafe" made him explode.
Hicks fumed, "Dammit... I'm really fed up. What was Rainier... what was the Commander thinking? I'll set up a fire right now..."
Wayne walked over, rolled his eyes, and said, "Why does someone want to burn my shop every single day?"
Facing such a blunt greeting, Wayne only had one response: "Who's first?"
Verdan pointed at the loudest one, Hicks. "Him. He's got the loudest voice. Let him go first."
Hicks: "Fine! Dammit, I'm first! And I'll be the first one to start the fire later, too!"
Wayne didn't even look at him. "Save that energy for running your corpse later."
The three officers froze. What? A corpse can run?
Dughan, standing nearby, broke into a cold sweat. Running corpses? Not only can he cast Fear, but he can also manipulate the dead?! Does he really have the surname Menethil?!
The more he thought, the more he feared Wayne, and the more he kept his promise not to speak of last night.
Hicks might have a temper, but he wasn't stupid. He knew the Commander, who was obsessed with wiping out the Gnolls, wouldn't order them to waste time here for no reason. He entered the room, paid his 6 gold, and followed Wayne's instructions. He sat in the chair, put on the goggles, and entered the game.
Five minutes later.
"This is... this is... Hudson, you absolutely have to try this!"
Hicks, who hadn't even seen the Velocidrome yet and was busy killing two flying insects, shouted repeatedly. Hudson was also stunned and paid his 5 gold membership fee in advance. They finally understood why Rainier had sent them here for combat training.
Hicks kept telling Hudson to try it, but his backside was glued to the chair; he had no intention of moving. Wayne could tell from his style that Hicks was a Fury Warrior who specialized in dual-wielding one-handed swords. His style was somewhat like Corrine's dual daggers, but with more raw power and less finesse.
But playing like this wasn't sustainable; Verdan and Hudson couldn't just stand there watching. Besides, with games, the more you watch, the more your hands itch. At Wayne's suggestion, the three started a rotation: one life per person. If you died and boarded the "Cat Cart," it was the next person's turn.
Even though their accounts and progress were separate, it was a fair compromise. It was like playing old-school console games with friends. They compared notes, offered advice, hoped their friends would succeed under their guidance, but secretly hoped they'd die quickly so they could have their turn.
An hour passed. Verdan paid another 7 gold—covered by the military budget—and booked the rest of the day.
Seeing the four men shouting and arguing, Wayne realized they didn't need him anymore. He closed the door and stepped outside, just as Dughan arrived with a bald, middle-aged man in Stormwind armor.
The bald man had an aura far stronger than Dughan's. Behind him was a squad of fully armed guards and two assistants, a man and a woman. Older residents of Goldshire showed signs of profound respect as he passed.
Dughan saw Wayne and called out, "Quick, little Wayne, open the door!"
Wayne thought this must be a big shot, so he opened the door. The four men inside were too engrossed to notice. Dughan led the way, smiling and gesturing for the bald man to enter the net cafe.
Dughan poked Verdan and Hicks, who were still immersed in the game. Hicks turned around and immediately snapped to attention. Verdan grumbled as he took off his goggles, but once he saw the visitor, he scrambled to his feet.
The four shouted in unison: "Salute to you, Marshal McBride!"
Marshal McBride nodded kindly and gave the standard response of a superior: "For the Alliance."
They usually said "For the King's Honor," but with the King missing, the phrasing had shifted)
Wayne was shocked. A Marshal?! This ordinary-looking bald guy is a Marshal?
Seeing everyone's reverence, Wayne had to believe it. While they were greeting each other, Dughan pulled Wayne aside and whispered, "I brought you your members. We're even now."
"Oh..."
Wayne picked up the goggles and let Verdan continue. Verdan, now behaving like a mouse before a cat, sat down cautiously only after McBride gave permission. As he fought monsters, Wayne explained the mechanics while the others watched the screen. McBride watched with intense focus.
Under the pressure, Verdan's performance was atrocious. Within two minutes, he was blasted to death by a sand pillar from the Cephadrome. With sweaty palms, he handed the goggles to Hudson. Hudson was more composed; though nervous, he managed to kill a minor boss under his superior's watchful eye.
McBride nodded and looked at the woman behind him. She immediately handed a pouch of gold to Wayne.
"This is the membership fee for three members from the Northshire Abbey."