Diggy Diggy Hole Chapter 37 (Patreon)

There was a long moment of tension as Miao Ying stared between me and Ungrim Ironfist before she said more bluntly.

"Would I be correct in assuming you will not agree to come back to Grand Cathay with me? Even if I pay the price to repay the grievance." 

And without a moment of hesitation, I said firmly. "Correct. I am with my own people and I now have to take care of our own shared interests."

Granted my new clan that was made up of apprentices and people who wanted to expand into a newly growing clan under a talented Runesmith, was small. As most in my hold were still beholden and loyal to Ungrim.

But they were still MY people. I was a dwarf, and we didn't fuck each other over period. Besides the chaos dwarves, but they weren't even dwarves either at that point.

Still, I refocused on Miao Ying, who looked... Genuinely pissed off as lightning crackled within her clenched fist for a brief moment before she relaxed and said formally.

"Very well then. The payment to repay in recompense for the slight against you will come in a month. Will it be possible for you to continue the production of those automatons with a supply of ore I would guarantee the quality of?"

I gave Miao Ying a look before I said with a snort. "No. I am not going to make a contract with someone whose kin have no bounds to their greed. Your generals, your people can't help themselves at the sight of automaton soldiers who would follow their orders without question. At the chance of taking wealth from a foreigner, they don't answer to and skimming off the top."

I shrugged and said rather bluntly. "My kin do not betray our contracts and word. Short-changing us has led to wars between man and dawi before. I rather... Just not lead your men into temptation."

Miao Ying's expression was harsh as she realized that I was no longer the fury-driven dwarf that came and agreed to a heavily unbalanced deal.

I had the mother fucking Slayer King behind me who was making sure I, as an obvious future Rune Lord, didn't die early or wasn't an arrogant little shit, seeing as I didn't have my own clan's elders to guide me.

There was a pause as Miao Ying glanced to her soldiers behind her. Clearly considering her options.

Obviously, force was not an option at this point.

She coudn't force me to return to Grand Cathay for a laundry list of options. But I could also tell the arrogant first born of the Dragon Emperor was pissed that she was just stuck here in this situation.

So with that, I said firmly. "With that payment of ore, our grievance is henceforth cleared. And merchants may come to my hold to trade for dwarven tools, weapons, and my magical ale. I wish that your future business will be productive, Miao Ying." 

I turned around even as I heard lightning crackle from behind me. Miao Ying clearly insulted at me dismissing her as I strode back towards Ungrim who just fucking laughed from his belly as he said loudly.

"Aye! A good resolution, even though I would be happy to drink from a winning battle. Let's get home den and drink to the battles another day!"

The Slayers roared in agreement as they knew. They knew my ale was the best fucking ale in the world due to it's magical enhancement effects. To say nothing of its delightful full taste and endless quantity.

Because I was smart. And made assembly lines out of redstone and minecarts that would distribute the materials to make the ale. And the ale itself being magically aged at an accelerated rate.

So the Slayer's weren't that 'disappointed' at not being able to throw themselves into a glorious death. Fighting the Grand Cathayan army for no damned good reason but pride.

Once we got away from Miao Ying and past the lines of frontal dwarves. Ungrim patted my shoulder and said gruffly. "You did good lad. You didn't let the Drak lure ye with greed. Nor did you force your kin into battle that was unnecessary to smooth over a grievance."

I grunted in agreement as I said bluntly. "Aye. Miao Ying is a good leader for her own people. She is strong, so there is no point in drawing blood between us. I got other monsters that I will draw plenty blood from after all."

Ungrim grunted in agreement as well before he said more quietly. "Lad, that Nether Realm ye got. I will be using it from Karak Kadrin to make a tunnel to Karak Eight Peaks. I will call a Kings Moot with the Dawi using your portals to send a great army within instantly to purge the Skaven and Green Skins that have taken our kind's greatest hold." 

My mind filled with the honor, the history of the dwarven ancestors that had lived within the hold. The very Ancestral Goddess Valaya was the one who founded that Hold. But it had been lost to the Skaven and Orcs.

So with a firm nod I said gruffly. "Your kin build the tunnel to the hold. When we get back. I will triple the production of Automatons. We can use the automatons as the initial wave to clear out the Skaven and Orcs before we make a fortified zone around the Nether Portal that will form in Karak Eight Peaks."

Yeah, let's see a bunch of Skaven break through five layers of obsidian that had layers of lava behind each layer of obsidian. You can't throw enough bodies to drown out Minecraft lava after all!