Aiden looked at this goblin amusingly and suggested, "I have an idea, which is to combine the magic technology of Valoran with the magic technology of Azeroth to create a more magnificent magic technology civilization—perhaps even including some Earth technology. How about this, I see you have some skills, why don't you just join my technology laboratory? I can offer you a generous salary." He enticed, "Definitely a much higher salary than you get from peddling protective robots all day!"
Jaxil hesitated, thinking with difficulty: his sales were indeed somewhat unsuccessful. The great cause of buying Hillsbrad Foothills was still far away. He had just invented a goblin defibrillator, but who knew this lord would look down on it—did he want him to go back to Kezan Island and sell it to those goblin tycoons?
He felt that those of his kind were even more hateful than vampires, and he would definitely be squeezed dry by those guys.
"But, I still want to buy Hillsbrad Foothills—if I work for you, who knows if I can realize my wish before I die," Jaxil said with tears in his eyes.
Aiden encouraged, "As a lord, I have always adhered to the policy of 'promoting talent.' I can guarantee that as long as you create significant inventions here, I will give you a corresponding generous reward—as long as you have enough ability, you can even get land that is more vast and fertile than this Hillsbrad Foothills! You can even become the goblin with the highest status in the world!"
"Alright, boss!" Jaxil immediately changed his tune. This cunning goblin immediately realized that his real opportunity had come!
After getting this new job, the goblin stopped selling robots and defibrillators, and immediately prepared to move all his belongings from Southsea Town. Moreover, he also got a task by the way, which was to recruit more goblin experts with real talent for his boss.
In fact, Aiden didn't just have the idea to casually coax Jaxil on a whim, but he himself did have such an idea. Even if Jaxil didn't come to "offer himself", he would look for opportunities to cooperate with gnomes soon.
In any world, the power of technology cannot be underestimated. Even though Azeroth is still ruled by magic, Aiden will never forget how Garrosh, who established the Iron Horde in the future, went against the entire world—in addition to Sha energy, the key to the Iron Horde's rapid rise was goblin technology!
What kind of mecha monsters like Iron War Scorpions, what kind of terror bombs like Iron Stars, these are all armed with technology. As a result, it was necessary to unite the other tribes, the Alliance, and the Pandaren to fight against Garrosh's Iron Horde, which was originally only a small part of the original Horde.
Even when returning to Draenor, technology was still the Iron Horde's most effective weapon. Garrosh relied on an improved version of the Iron Star to severely damage the abyss lord Mannoroth, which created a chance for his father, Grom, to deliver a fatal blow.
—Mannoroth is not a minor character. Even in the Burning Legion, he is one of the top figures. "The Defiler" Archimonde, "The Deceiver" Kil'jaeden, and "The Destroyer" Mannoroth are the three most powerful generals under the Legion's master, Sargeras.
Since weapons like the Iron Star can harm Mannoroth, then more powerful weapons naturally have the possibility of harming or even killing Archimonde.
Moreover, technology has a huge advantage over magic: learning magic requires talent, while mastering technology only requires knowledge.
—Talent is a very nonsense thing, you either have it or you don't. Only one in a hundred people has magical talent, and most of them can't reach the realm of Archmage. Therefore, magic is really difficult to popularize, but anyone with normal intelligence and body can master the use of technological weapons.
Looking at the devices currently revealed by the Titans, almost all of them are related to technology.
Technology is the primary productive force…
...
After humans discovered Northrend, they established a fixed colony in Borean Tundra, which was named "Valiance Keep". However, since the rise of the Lich King, the colonists here have ushered in the most terrifying nightmare—now most of the human civilians have suffered from the Scourge, and even the port fortress was only recently taken back from the undead by the Lordaeron fleet.
After landing, Rhonin and his party separated from the orcs. The orc advance team, according to the instructions, split into two routes to explore: one to the north and one to the west. And it was agreed that no matter how far they went, they would return to Valiance Keep to gather in half a month.
Krasus took Rhonin, Vereesa, and a team of soldiers to Dragonblight—the sacred place of the dragons, where dying dragons would fly to this land to sleep forever.
Queen Alexstrasza the Life-Binder is also usually here.
On the third day after landing, they were almost at their destination.
As night fell, after everyone began to rest, Krasus used magic to create an image of himself to stay in the tent, and then cast an invisibility spell to quietly leave the tent. When he reached a deserted place, he lifted the magic and transformation spell, and instantly transformed into his original image—a huge and strong adult red dragon!
Then he flapped his wings and flew to the sacred place of the red dragon clan.
As a member of the Red Dragonflight, Krasus was very familiar with the temperament of his kind. If he brought Rhonin and Vereesa here directly, they would likely not even get the chance to see Queen Alexstrasza. However, the threat of the Scourge was indeed great, and he believed that the Red Dragonflight had a responsibility to participate in the fight against the Lich King—perhaps even against the Burning Legion behind him.
"Ah, who do I see? Isn't that Korialstrasz?" When they arrived at the Red Dragon Shrine, the red dragon guarding the entrance mocked Krasus upon seeing him. "Or should I call you by your human name—Krasus?"
Korialstrasz was his true name; "Krasus" was the alias he took when he disguised himself as a high elf mage in Dalaran. He said patiently, "I request an audience with Queen Alexstrasza."
Another red dragon sneered, "We thought you'd be happy mixing with those inferior humans, forgetting your roots! What made you think of coming back?"
"Have you finally remembered that you are a red dragon?"
"Take me to see the Queen!" Korialstrasz roared, his narrow pupils fixed on his kin.
The red dragon who was stared at took a few steps back in fright. As gatekeepers, their strength was far inferior to that of the Queen's young consort.
Finally, he was led to the lair of the Red Dragon Queen, Alexstrasza.
The figure he longed for was lying on a pile of dragon eggs, slightly squinting as she incubated them. This was the largest of the red dragons, and also the oldest—she was the Red Dragon Queen, Alexstrasza.
"It's you, Korialstrasz!" The Red Dragon Queen looked at him in surprise. "Come closer, my love, we haven't seen each other in years! Come closer, let me take a good look at you!"
"Alexstrasza, my Queen!" Korialstrasz looked at his beloved dragon with deep affection, moved his dragon claws forward, lowered his head, and gently touched the Red Dragon Queen's neck.
"Let me guess, have you decided to return to us?" Alexstrasza looked expectantly at her most beloved consort. Even she did not want Korialstrasz to constantly associate with humans, because they were, after all, guardian dragons. As protectors of Azeroth, they should not excessively involve themselves in the affairs of mortals.
Especially since the Red Dragonflight had suffered great losses in the previous war against the orcish invasion, and their numbers were very small—staying in the Red Dragon Shrine, laying more dragon eggs together, and raising new dragons was the most important thing!
Korialstrasz felt a pang in his heart, and he couldn't quite face his lover's gaze: "No, I have something more important…"
He slowly recounted the beginning and end of the Scourge, as well as the threat of the Lich King and the Burning Legion behind him, and finally said: "Queen Alexstrasza, we red dragons are guardians of life, and we cannot be indifferent in the face of this disaster for the living. Moreover, there is the support of the Burning Legion behind it. Surely you still remember the disaster these demons brought ten thousand years ago."
"I understand what you're saying, but—" Alexstrasza looked at her lover, "Nozdormu warned me not long ago, telling me not to intervene in this disaster. Because it will not affect the Dragonflights, and ultimately, whether it is the undead Scourge or the Burning Legion, they will not escape failure."
"No, no, my Queen, we cannot think that way." Korialstrasz shook his head. Of course, he knew the great name of the Aspect of Time, Nozdormu, but this Dragon Aspect was becoming increasingly abnormal. The titans gave the Bronze Dragonflight the ability to travel through time, and Nozdormu integrated his scales, imbued with his divine power, into the timeline, observing the operation of the world. But after a long time, he became somewhat insane—he even sent his bronze dragons to collect antiques and all kinds of novelties that interested him from the past and the future. And he paid less and less attention to his duty—guarding the timeline.
This Bronze Dragon Aspect was deeply mired in "fatalism," believing that the future was already predetermined, and any attempt to change it was futile, so he lost interest in everything outside.
Korialstrasz still remembered the last time, ten years ago, when he sent Rhonin to rescue the Red Dragon Queen who had been enslaved by the orcs, he had asked Nozdormu to help deal with the corrupted black dragon Deathwing, Neltharion. But the Aspect of Time had no interest in this—because he saw Deathwing's destruction in the future.
Although he eventually participated in the action against Deathwing, his attitude became more and more strange, more and more negative. Even rescuing Alexstrasza, who was also a Dragon Aspect, was something he was reluctant to do, and afterwards, he gradually became lost in the fantasy of time and fate.
"If we help the mortals, our world will suffer fewer disasters. Isn't this the responsibility of being guardians of life? Perhaps they will still be able to achieve final victory even if we do nothing. But when we can do something within our power—even something we should do—this world will suffer less trauma. Isn't that worth it?"
"…What you said makes sense, Korialstrasz. But we red dragons can't withstand another war—you should know the current situation of our species." Alexstrasza shook her head, her eyes revealing embarrassment and apology, "We are really powerless."
"No, Queen, it's not about us directly participating in the war. They are only here to seek something." Korialstrasz said, "Something that is not a great price for us, but can fight the plague."