"This place is all wasteland; there's no usable timber at all!"
After leading the Warsong Clan around this crimson land, Grommash's expression was not very good. For orcs, even under harsh natural conditions, survival was not impossible.
But they at least needed timber to build cities and dwellings. After a round of reconnaissance, Grommash learned that although there were no large biological settlements here, some indigenous creatures still occupied many territories.
These were things Grommash had never seen before: pig-headed men covered in thorns, and bird-men who looked quite similar to humans but had wings instead of hands.
These guys caused some trouble for the Warsong Clan, but they were all eventually dealt with by Grommash using his battle-axe, Bloodhowl.
After traveling around such a large area, Grommash realized that the biggest obstacle for orcs to survive on this continent was the scarcity of timber resources. Relying solely on stone could not meet the living needs of all orcs.
Fortunately, when they reached the border of this region, they discovered that beyond the endless crimson land and mountains, there existed forests even more dense and flourishing than any area in the Eastern Kingdoms.
Grommash originally intended to enter this ancient forest to explore, but his intuition as a top warrior told him that there would be extreme danger if he ventured in rashly.
Grommash, cautious for once, finally chose to return with the Warsong Clan to the center of the wasteland after completing his reconnaissance. This time, luck favored them, and they happened to meet Thrall's forces.
"Grommash! I'm so happy to see you're alright." Thrall rushed forward with a joyful expression, giving Grommash a bear hug, then punched Grommash's steel-hard pectoral muscle. "Didn't we say to gather by the coast? I thought you capsized!"
"I waited for you for a long time. After seeing no signs of your arrival, I decided to take the Warsong Clan to check out the surroundings first." Grommash smiled. "This is a very vast land, Thrall."
"Is that so? We've been ashore for a long time, and besides some wild animals and Murlocs, we haven't encountered any threats. This place looks very suitable as our new home!" Thrall was a bit excited. Hadn't he led his clan across the ocean at great risk precisely for such an outcome?
A world without threats, where orcs could live freely.
However, Grommash was not very satisfied with the ecological environment of this place. "Wait, Thrall, I think we should choose a better territory to live in—although this place is vast, the environment is not as good as the inland forests and grasslands."
Thrall gave a bitter smile. How could he not want to secure better territory, but the fatigue on the faces of the orcs behind him was impossible to hide.
"Grommash, my friend, look at our kin. They suffered greatly in human internment camps, and then scattered across the Eastern Kingdoms, constantly on the run. Coupled with this journey across the sea, we are too tired. We need to rest and recuperate."
Thrall pulled Grommash, showing him the situation of this land. "On the way here, we already saw it. Although the conditions here are a bit harsh, the advantage is that there are no humans competing with us. The Spirits of Nature warned me that venturing deep inland would carry great risks."
Grommash looked back, meeting the tired expressions of the orcs, and sighed deeply. "You're right, we need to rest for a while—Phew…"
"I'm glad you understand me… Wait, Grommash?" Thrall noticed that the powerful warrior in front of him had an unnatural expression and breathing. His veins clearly bulged, and his muscles began to tremble uncontrollably, as if he was trying desperately to control something.
"It's nothing… Just an old problem acting up," Grommash replied, feigning nonchalance with his astonishing willpower, but his trembling muscles still indicated that his condition was not good.
At this moment, Thrall noticed the bloodstains on Grommash's axe blade. He immediately understood something, raised his hand to summon the aid of the elements. A gentle breeze and cool mist helped Grommash suppress the bloodlust within him.
"Did you just finish a big battle?" The shaman's expression was solemn, carefully manipulating natural energy to help Grommash control his state.
With Thrall's help, Grommash finally recovered from that terrifying delirium. He rubbed his head, "Damn demon blood… Damn warlocks…"
"You should reduce the number of battles." Thrall withdrew his hand, advising Grommash.
"Reduce the number of battles? No, impossible. My kin, my clan still need me to lead them to fight for survival. You know it's impossible for me not to wield an axe." Grommash rejected Thrall's suggestion without even thinking. "Besides, this isn't a big problem. As long as I kill enough enemies, I won't have this trouble."
"That will destroy you. You should know the consequences of succumbing to the after-effects of demon blood." Thrall's tone was serious. "We have already lost countless noble warriors because of it."
Grommash grinned, placing his large hand on Thrall's shoulder plate. "Don't worry, I am the Chieftain of the Warsong Clan; I won't die easily."
Despite Grommash's assurance, Thrall remained deeply concerned for his safety. Grommash was among the first orcs to drink demon blood. The Abyssal Lord's corrupted blood polluted their lineage, and even after the war failed and the effects of demon blood faded, the entire orcs clan inevitably suffered the pain brought by the after-effects of demon blood.
orcs who drank the Abyssal Lord's blood would become violent and warlike. Under the influence of demon blood, their physiques would be astonishingly strengthened, and their reaction to pain would become dulled. Under the combined effect of these factors, the orcs' combat power would achieve a qualitative leap.
However, demon blood was not without its flaws. It would bring orcs an uncontrollable craving for bloodlust, and it would strip them of their ability to think in a berserk state, a fact from which even the strongest orcs warriors could not be exempt.
Why was Ogrim able to lead the Horde to repeatedly defeat the Alliance using strategic means after becoming Warchief? It was because this Warchief had never drunk a single drop of demon blood.
He always maintained the most rational and clear-headed state, unlike orcs such as Grommash and Blackhand, whose minds were twisted by demon blood, and who mostly lost their consideration for strategy and tactics.
However, Thrall had no good solution for the after-effects of demon blood on orcs. The shamans' elemental power could somewhat suppress the after-effects of demon blood, but they had only recently recovered their shamanistic ways, and most of their kin were still enduring it through sheer willpower.
But one thing Thrall was certain of was that reducing the number of killings and battles could effectively prevent the onset of this after-effect, and being in a place with abundant natural energy also had a healing and suppressive effect.
And the natural power of the ancient forest in the northwest was almost as bright as a beacon in the night, so Thrall quickly thought of a very suitable position for Grommash.