They didn't stop that night. Even though everyone was tired, hungry, and aching, no one suggested taking a break.

Although Blackmore was on the verge of turning Dunhold Castle into a large gladiatorial arena, the castle was originally built to oversee orc shelters in the area, and also included the duty of armed suppression in case of emergency. The reason why they were able to escape easily was because the long period of peace had led to a general laxity among the soldiers. At the same time, it was also because no one thought that the three badly injured gladiators would be able to move freely.

But that's about it. Dineen and Thrall's injuries had only recovered to a state where they could not move, while Albert was exhausted from two treatments. If they do go head-to-head with their pursuers, they have no chance of winning.

It wasn't until the morning light appeared in the sky that Dineh motioned for them to stop. This distance was enough to confuse a would-be pursuer for a while. Of course, more importantly, if they don't rest, they probably won't be able to survive.

After receiving Dining's signal, Albert immediately fell on his back to the sky, and collapsed on the grass and did not want to move. Thrall was a little better, and he sat cross-legged with his back against a mossy rock, and sighed tiredly and contentedly. Dineen sat on a broken tree. He rummaged through the package and threw an apple at each of them.

"I'll wait a minute......," Albert didn't pick up, but said vaguely, "I just want to get some sleep now......"

Thrall wasn't as sleepy as he was, and the orcs caught the apple and ate it in two bites. After a night of trekking, he was already hungry.

Dineen was the best of them all. His injuries were okay and he had experienced plenty of sleep. So he simply stood up: "I'll go and see the situation around me." ”

"Okay." Salti Albert replied.

The forests of the hills of Hillsbrad are relatively friendly. Beasts of prey are scarce, trees are sparse, and the climate is mild. Dinen walked around and didn't encounter anything, but was pleasantly surprised to find a small stream. If there is a water source, there are animals to drink, and if you are lucky, you may be able to solve the problem of food temporarily.

Dineen approached the stream to see if there were any fish. But the water was so clear that he could see the sand and gravel underneath. Dinen sighed in disappointment, then noticed his reflection in the water. He stared at himself in silence for a moment, then commented, "It's dirty enough." ”

If he hadn't seen this, he would have forgotten that he hadn't showered in a month. It was evident from the fact that the viscount had left them in the basement that the other party did not pay much attention to these gladiators at all. In his concept, these people only need to eat, rest and train. Even when Dineh's injuries were at their worst, those people didn't even give them ointment and bandages. Taking a bath is even more impossible. Luckily, Dineen's attention was so focused on how to escape that he had completely forgotten about it - he had even forgotten to shave his beard!

Dineen looked at himself with a smile and a smile. Now he looks almost like he is thirty-seven. He patted his head and decided to go back and talk to Sal and come over to take a shower. By the way, you can also wash your clothes, if they show up in any town covered in blood and mud, they will be suspected.

When he returned, he took branches and rattan of various thicknesses with him, and planned to make his own bow and arrows for hunting. It wasn't impossible to throw a weapon, but it was still difficult for him to crouch in the bushes and aim at the neck of his prey through a dozen branches and leaves. If their prey is frightened and flees and can't catch up, they risk losing a weapon for nothing—as if they weren't stretched enough.

Dinen went back with the branch in his arms and told Sal about his discovery. The orc, who had never tried to track down his prey, was eager to try it, with a childlike curiosity and almost a reverent anticipation for the way of life of his people. It was a completely different experience from my life as a child.

In a way he'd heard of, Dineen bent the thicker branches and wrapped them around the sides with vines to hold the shape. An incomparably rough bow is considered a success. Whoever puts this bow in his hand can only get a "garbage" evaluation, but Dinin can't do anything about it. He tried to pull the bowstring twice, then picked up a branch that Thrall had sharpened with a dagger and placed it on top to shoot.

He was aiming for a tree ten paces ahead, but the branch swooped into the bushes next to it, and it was about forty-five degrees off.

They were silent together for a while, and then Sal said, "... At least the strength is passable, right? ”

Dinen glared at him.

He test-fired a few more times to calibrate. Fortunately, control was originally a must for a warrior, and after several attempts, Dineen was finally able to shoot his target in general. By "roughly" I mean the length of his arm. Within this range, the part of the branch that can be shot is random.

The first time I picked up a bow and arrow, I did better than that. Dineen grunted and lowered his bow. He ran out of branches for arrows, and he had to cut some more.

Thrall, who had been watching, took the bow curiously, pointed it ahead in Dining's way, and pulled the bowstring straight - and then they heard a "snap".

“……”

Dinein, who had just taken two steps away, turned sharply and glared at Sal.

The orc looked at the branches that had bounced back into a straight shape because the rattan had broken, and realized that he had put all the efforts of his companion in vain, and his big green face turned red with embarrassment. He drooped his head like a child who had made a mistake, eager to find a hole in the ground to get into.

Dinen was taken aback by his reaction, he still regarded the other party as the chief of the tribe in his consciousness, and only then did he realize that Sal, who would be famous in the future, was only about twenty years old now, and he was no different from Albert in terms of personality. In this way, he was embarrassed to yell at the other party, so he could only wave his hand to indicate that it didn't matter.

"Let's switch guns." Dineen suggested. He was going crazy to be tortured by this inferior weapon.

So this time Dineen brought back a thicker branch, cut off the excess bulges, sharpened the front section, and it was done. It's as short as a dagger, but it's much easier than the bow just now. It's a pity that the quantity is limited, so it must be used sparingly.

But that's not a big deal. Dinen tied up his spear with rattan and went to the stream alone. Originally, Sal planned to go with him, but a certain paladin was still sleeping, and the commotion just now failed to wake him up. It seems that Albert is really tired. Despite his regrets, Thrall decided to stay and guard him, leaving the hunt to Dinin, an experienced man.

Dineen was in ambush by the stream for a long time. He twitched the corners of his mouth, letting go of the mountain lion, the moss-eating spider, and the grizzly bear, and finally harvested a fawn. After dealing with it on the spot, he dragged the harvest back to Sal and asked him to make a fire for a barbecue, while he found a place far away from the hunting spot to take a bath, and took care of his hair and beard by the way.

When Dinen returned to the makeshift camp drenched for a fire, Sal and Albert, who had finally woken up, were startled by him. The strange expressions on the faces of the two made Dineen scratch his head in confusion. He admits that his hair looks like a dog gnawing on it now, but with only a sword in his hand, it's good enough to be able to do that.

"No......" Albert said with a messy face, "I just want to know, Dineh, how old are you?" ”

"Twenty-seven." Dining's inexplicable answer was exchanged for an even more shocked expression from the two people, "What's wrong?" ”

"Ahem." Under his glare, Albert whispered, "...... I always thought you were thirty-five......"

Dineen: "WTF?!" ”

Didn't he just forget to shave for more than a month!

"What, I'm going to take a shower!" Albert dropped this sentence and quickly fled. Leaving Thrall stiff in the face of Dinin's fire-spewing eyes, completely oblivious to the roasted venison on his hands.

In the end, it was Dinin who took over Sal's work for the sake of their lunch. The orcs breathed a sigh of relief.

However, when Albert returned, Dineen was treated in the same way as before.

He stared at the young man in front of him, until Albert almost wanted to run away again, and then asked slowly, "It's golden?" ”

Albert nodded obediently, his still dripping blonde hair reflecting a brilliant light in the sun.

"It's too bright, it hurts your eyes." Dineh's disgusted comment.

The paladin smiled helplessly, knowing that this was his partner's little revenge on him.

Dineen didn't ask Albert why he was pretending. He knew that this young man had many secrets, and why not himself? So it doesn't matter if Albert is a naïve fool, the son of a nobleman, or a paladin, he doesn't care. Dinen respects the allies who fight alongside him, and he will not intervene unless they need his help. The rest of the time, he was more than willing to make trouble for the enemies of the Alliance.

- But I still have to say that Albert hates all three of these attributes. The amazing thing is that he actually recognized the other party in the end, and I have to say that this is probably a trick of fate.

Fortunately, the meat was already roasted by this time, and Sal beckoned them to eat in time. While they hurried to eat, they discussed where to go next.

"Talenmere." Dinen unfolded the map Teresa had given and gestured to the others, "There's a path that leads to the Alterac Mountains, where the Frostwolf Clan operates. Sal, where you can look for your people. ”

The orc nodded earnestly, his eyes full of hope. Seeing his expression, Dinen was silent for a moment, he didn't know if letting Thrall return to the Frostwolf Clan would bring a new problem to the kingdom that was about to fall into crisis, but if he wanted to get rid of him, well, Albert would probably give Dinen a sword as well. Paladins value oaths and glory more than life, but Dinen only thinks it's a problem now.

Let's talk about it then. Dinen sighed and looked at Albert, "What about you, where are you going?" Go home? ”

Without even thinking about it, the young man shook his head resolutely: "No! ”

Looking at the expression on his face, Dineen guessed that this kid would probably be hung up and smoked if he went home. He rolled his eyes: "So where are you going to go?" ”

"Where are you going?"

"Stratholme."

When he said this word, Dineen couldn't help but be in a trance.

The city is still the pride of Lordaeron, but in a few years' time, it will not only represent an unforgettable pain, but also a witness to the hysterical madness of a person.

— but he won't let it happen again.

Dinen vowed to dig up all the Cursed cultists in the city with his own hands and send them to meet the undead one by one. He's going to pull the ghost of that orc shaman off the ridiculous throne and shove it down the throat of his demonic master. He's going to crush all the crumbs that try to subvert the country and jeopardize the interests of the alliance into meat sauce, just like he used to do.

That's the only meaning of his life.

"I'm going to Stratholme," Dinen looked at Albert, "are you sure you want to come with me?" I must say that it wasn't an easy weekend trip – I promise, it was much more exciting than escaping Dunhold. ”

Not knowing how many officials and nobles the Cursed Cultists had corrupted, Dineen was ready to fight alone. But a paladin can undoubtedly be trusted. However, Dineen would not put his allies in danger, and he always respected their choices in this regard.

"Oh." Albert replied briskly, "That's exactly what I want." ”