Chapter 374: Smaug
[Once again, your seemingly casual actions have altered the course of this world's history. From this day forward, all future chronicles will record this moment — countless dwarves wearing yellow scarves rushed out of their homes and flooded toward the royal palace. If nothing had changed, the great dragon Smaug would have entered the Lonely Mountain four years later, destroying the Dwarven Kingdom entirely and forcing King Thrór to flee. But now… it seems he'll have to run much sooner than that.]
[This uprising broke out so suddenly that the guards of the Erebor Kingdom didn't even have time to react. A vast number of dwarven rebels, their heads wrapped in yellow scarves, surged to the palace gates. Facing the tightly shut doors, you drew your staff without hesitation and unleashed a bolt of lightning, summoning thunder from the heavens.]
[Of course, you still shouted those words: "I, Daoist Zhou Ning, summon the Dwarven King to his death!" Amid the rumbling thunder, you saw the face of King Thrór turn deathly pale with fear.]
[Soon, the raging lightning engulfed the entire palace, even splitting open the city gates. This divine miracle ignited the dwarves' fighting spirit. Under the joint command of General of the Earth, Briviv Stonefist, and General of the People, Bix, they stormed the royal palace in one decisive strike. King Thrór I, his son Thráin, and his grandson Thorin were all captured.]
[According to public demand, you executed King Thrór I, while Thráin and Thorin were exiled as commoners. Although in the original storyline Thorin would have become quite powerful, a dwarf with nothing but brute courage hardly deserves to be your opponent.]
[After dealing with the royal family, you naturally became the new monarch and personally placed the royal crown upon your own head. The Yellow Turban Faith was established as the state religion. Possessing both royal and religious authority, you became the undisputed ruler of the entire kingdom — and obtained the legendary gemstone said to influence the hearts of men. (You have acquired the Epic Item: Arkenstone.)]
[The Arkenstone is the symbol of the Durin dynasty's royal authority, representing the divine sanctity of the dwarven king's rule — an object before which all must bow. A peerless treasure indeed. Yet you felt no temptation. Instead, you embedded it atop your staff, and every time you cast a spell now, dazzling light bursts forth — quite a lovely toy, if nothing else.]
[In the following period, you made appropriate adjustments to the Yellow Turban Faith's doctrine, softening its tone and reducing its aggressiveness, making it far easier to spread throughout the world.]
[Next, you abolished numerous harsh taxes and levies left over from King Thrór I's era and began encouraging industrial and commercial development. With a portal linking to Azeroth in your possession, you deliberately shifted the kingdom's industrial focus and began organizing caravans for large-scale interworld trade.]
[In September of 2071, through your exceptional intellect, you once again invented the steam engine — marking the dawn of Erebor's industrial revolution. Soon after, you developed spinning machines and lathes, greatly boosting the kingdom's productivity. Massive quantities of textiles and fabrics were produced and exported, though this rapid growth left you short of labor — severely short. (Wealth +115)]
[As domestic prosperity surged, your influence in Azeroth also grew steadily. The followers of the Yellow Turban Faith were no longer limited to Ironforge — they had spread alongside your caravans into gnomish and human kingdoms. Even within goblin society, believers of the Yellow Turban Faith could now be found.]
[Furthermore, you hired numerous brilliant scientists from the goblins and gnomes at great expense and brought them back to Iron Mountain City. With wealth and a cadre of extraordinary minds, nothing could stand in the way of technological progress.]
[Under your leadership, Erebor underwent a massive scientific leap forward. A host of steam-powered machines were invented — including firearms. The goblins and gnomes had brought the art of gunmaking from Azeroth into Middle-earth. True firearms were now being forged by dwarven craftsmen, equipping both the army and even ordinary adventurers.]
[You also recruited many adventurers from Ironforge and the human kingdoms — warriors, hunters, rogues, mages, and priests — introducing their professions to Erebor. Though no dwarven mage had yet succeeded in changing class, the first three professions were relatively easy to adopt, and countless dwarves became warriors, hunters, or rogues. A very small number showed aptitude for becoming priests — the perfect candidates for Yellow Turban clergy.]
[In short, the Erebor Kingdom was now not only the wealthiest nation but had also veered completely off the conventional technological path of Middle-earth. You almost wanted to shout to the other races: "The times have changed, my friends!"]
[In April 2073, perhaps some beings truly do not fear death — the mighty dragon Smaug descended upon the Lonely Mountain as in the original history, unleashing his fiery breath upon Iron Mountain City. As the last winged fire-dragon of Middle-earth, his body stretched 141 meters long, covered entirely in gemstones and gold, exuding arrogant majesty.]
[But he had come to the wrong place. According to General of the Earth, Briviv Stonefist, this dragon wasn't even as powerful as those in Azeroth — what right did it have to act so high and mighty?]
[After only a few rounds of coordinated gunfire, Smaug was blasted from the sky, crashing down with a thunderous boom that sent dust billowing everywhere. The paladin Briviv Stonefist leapt onto the dragon's back and delivered a mighty blow. Had you not taken pity on its pitiful cries and spared its life, the dragons of Middle-earth might have gone extinct that day.]
[As compensation, the once-proud Smaug became Erebor's guardian beast — occasionally even serving as your mount.]
[Following Smaug's trail, you discovered his hoard. In modern terms, his treasure once topped Forbes' list of fictional billionaires, valued at $62 billion — far surpassing Scrooge McDuck in second place. Though not quite as vast now, it still boosted your wealth considerably. (Wealth +155)]
[Near Smaug's treasure hoard, you also made an unexpected discovery — silicon. Thus, one night in December 2074, you successfully passed a magnet through a closed circuit, generating the first spark of electric current. The first generator in Middle-earth's history was born.]
[At that very moment, you finally received your second Revelation — the latter half of "Heaven is dead; the Yellow Heaven shall rise": eight new words — "The flesh is frail; ascend through machinery." They say the end of science is theology… but could it be that the end of theology is also science?]
[You vaguely remembered that, in World of Warcraft's lore, dwarves were descendants of the Titans — earthen constructs who evolved after being cursed by the Old Gods' flesh. With your scientific prowess, if you could reach a Titan ruin, you might uncover something truly extraordinary.]