Chapter 547: Birth Control Plan

"Birth control—it's our essential state policy!" proclaimed Duke.

Anduin is a warrior, and Llane, though more comprehensive, is also not well-versed in internal affairs. Neither of them saw through Duke's craftiness—oh no, his wisdom.

At the end of the day, this isn't the future era of Azeroth, where dark technology fills the sky. Upon encountering the Draenei and absorbing the technology emanating from the Pantheon, Azeroth began to spawn all sorts of crazy things. Especially when the Burning Legion entered the scene in later eras, even floating cosmic fleets arrived.

Now, it's still an era dominated by cold weapons.

In the age of cold weapons, what matters most is manpower.

Without followers, even if Thrall becomes incredibly formidable in the future, could he really defeat the Alliance, numbering in the millions, with just the Sparta's three hundred red shorts?

How was the New Horde formed?

In the end, it was because the Alliance overplayed their hand, leaving too many orcs behind.

Even though they enslaved some, using part of the orcs as gladiators to be consumed, they ultimately failed to control the orc population and didn't notice the resurgence of the remaining orcs. The Frostwolf and Warsong clans, hiding in the shadows, rose once more, rescuing the imprisoned orcs and escaping the Alliance's pursuit, crossing the Endless Sea to the continent of Kalimdor.

So, after Duke frightened Llane and Anduin, the soul of the Shadow Emperor descended.

"It's foreseeable that the threat of the Horde will persist for decades, even centuries. If we don't handle it well, it will plague the entire Wrynn family and the subjects of Stormwind," Duke's words made Llane's heart ache.

Anduin clenched his fist, asking, "Isn't there a better way, Duke? For the sake of human kindness?"

Anduin didn't mention the Light because mages don't put much faith in it.

Shadow Emperor Duke, gazing forty-five degrees upwards, lost focus, seemingly looking beyond the tent into the sky. "Alright, since you insist on righteousness and knightly spirit, I'll make a small concession. Let me think..."

Five minutes later, Duke began to write, occasionally making amendments, and then took about ten more minutes to draft a rough birth control policy:

1. In principle, do not kill prisoners.

2. Each adult female orc is allowed only one child, and must be sterilized after giving birth.

3. All orc husbands must fight for the Alliance, clearing resistant orcs or trolls. Each year, they must present at least one head of a Frostwolf or Warsong clan orc, or their captive female orc and child will be punished at varying levels.

4. Collective punishment. Any orc daring to escape will be punished by clan; one escapee leads to ten deaths, ten escapees lead to a hundred deaths, a hundred escapees lead to the extermination of the entire clan.

After writing, Duke exhaled.

As a traveler from another world, he knew very well how formidable Thrall would become later. He could easily use his power to strangle Thrall's rise, and even if he failed, the Horde's resurgence would take much more time without a solid population base.

Then it would depend on how much vitality the Alliance could preserve during the Third Dark Portal War.

Duke's compromise allowed Llane and Anduin to breathe a sigh of relief. Seen as the future core of Stormwind, they certainly didn't want a fundamental conflict with Duke over this matter.

Llane reviewed the plan and nodded, "Alright, if it's like this, I think other nations will find it easier to accept."

At that moment, Duke brought up another matter: "Anduin, is your sword only capable of attacking those without noble character?"

Anduin's brow furrowed, uncertain what Duke meant: "Yes, that's correct. My sword will never point at the virtuous."

"What if... I'm saying if. If the Warchief of the Horde, Orgrim, is a noble soul entirely for the Horde's sake? What would happen if your [Sword of Kings] clashed with his demigod artifact [Doomhammer]?"

Anduin's eyebrows tightened, failing to understand why Duke would bring up such a hypothetical.

When he pressed further, Duke merely brushed it off with a laugh.

Anduin could only bury his doubt.

Setting aside this small diversion, Anduin finally focused all his energy on the decisive battle ahead.

Originally, if Stormwind could break through the Redridge Mountains' Three Corners and cut off the orcs' reinforcements from the Dark Portal to Blackrock Spire, the battle would be much easier.

But the Horde was alert.

They had begun building tunnels in Redridge Mountains, filled with countless interconnecting passages, even placing large boulders inside to prevent flooding or fire attacks, sealing them off if necessary. In the narrow tunnels, orc warriors could fight at their peak.

Attempting to pass Three Corners? You'd have to engage the orcs in tunnel warfare, which would be a losing battle without enough dwarves or gnomes.

Blackrock Spire was similar; Duke had initially had the Red Dragonflight clear a wave of orcs outside. After losing thousands, Orgrim ordered almost all orcs into Blackrock Fortress within Blackrock Mountain.

The fortress wasn't built for dragons; it was once the domain of the Dark Iron dwarves.

Two hundred thirty years ago, after the War of the Three Hammers, the defeated Dark Irons were exiled to Redridge. Later, Emperor Thaurissan of the Dark Irons and his witch-wife led a failed attack on Ironforge's Bronzebeard dwarves and the Wildhammer dwarves in Grim Batol, only to be defeated again.

In desperation, they summoned the banished Firelord Ragnaros, only to become enslaved. The resulting rift in the elemental plane caused significant disasters in Azeroth.

The land changed rapidly, splitting the larger Redridge Mountains, creating the Burning Steppes between Searing Gorge and Redridge, and forming the massive lava volcano—Blackrock Mountain.