In the past, the Highborne could rely on the infinite energy of the Well of Eternity to create countless automated products driven by Arcane power. However, with the explosion of the Well of Eternity, Tyrande and Malfurion placed strict limitations on the use of the new Well.
The once-flourishing Arcane civilization showed signs of gradual decay, with only the Highborne residing in a corner of Astranaar still insisting on its use. Moonshadow's Rest did not possess an inexhaustible energy source like the new Well of Eternity, so Andreas had to find other ways to solve the problem of public transportation.
As a transmigrator, while Andreas couldn't claim to remember every single detail of Azeroth, he still retained vivid memories of some of its more prominent features. For instance, the most useful beast of burden: the Kodo.
Kodos are massive quadrupedal animals that reside in large numbers throughout the Barrens and the plains of Mulgore. Although their size is somewhat intimidating, they are actually quite mild-tempered herbivores, making them relatively easy to domesticate.
To ensure Moonshadow's Rest's caravans could set out fully loaded with goods, Andreas personally led a team of Druids deep into the Barrens last year. They discovered traces of Kodos near the oases in the northwestern part of the region.
While wild Kodos are not inherently ferocious, they instinctively become wary when approached by hostile creatures. However, for Druids possessing the ability to soothe animals, taming these naturally gentle giants was a simple task.
On the return journey to Moonshadow's Rest, the herd of Kodos traveling by land drew astonished stares from the residents of Astranaar. They had no idea what their neighbors in Moonshadow's Rest planned to do with these massive creatures.
Soon, however, the purpose of the Kodos became clear. With their immense load-bearing capacity, Kodos could easily pull heavy wagons. The merchants traveling to Astranaar to trade goods demonstrated the superior qualities of these beasts of burden to their neighboring kin without reservation.
Of course, no creature in the world is perfect, and Kodos naturally have their drawbacks. While their endurance and weight-carrying capacity are exceptional, they lack explosive power.
Kodos are perfectly fine for hauling cargo or passengers; due to their massive size, they maintain a decent speed when running at a steady pace. However, because they lack bursts of speed, they are not particularly suitable as primary mounts for cavalry.
Andreas had a clear role for the Kodos: their main job was to serve as beasts of burden, and their incredible strength and endurance were also needed to pull plows when reclaiming fields. As for the battlefield, it was not their ideal domain.
Perhaps in specific circumstances, Kodos could be used to break enemy lines, but considering their excessive height—which made it difficult for Night Elves to attack enemies from the saddle—it was unlikely to become a standard tactic. There is a saying on the battlefield: "Speed is the soul of war." The Kodos' poor explosive power made it difficult for them to undertake the responsibilities of a cavalry charge.
Considering daily travel for the public and cavalry units for wartime, Andreas also arranged for the Druids to tame a large number of the conventional mounts used by Night Elves for generations—the Nightsabers.
Compared to Kodos, the weight-carrying capacity of Nightsabers is pitifully low, and their endurance is also poor, preventing them from running for long periods like a Kodo. In exchange, however, Nightsabers possess terrifying explosive ability; they can reach their maximum speed in the shortest time possible, plunging into enemy ranks before the foe has a chance to react. Furthermore, as long as they aren't pushed to full speed, Nightsabers do not tire easily, allowing the public to use these traditional Night Elf mounts for daily travel.
Aside from Leticia, who preferred to take the path less traveled, the key generals of Moonshadow's Rest—including Nawaz, Nasar, and Delier—had all tamed their own dedicated Nightsabers.
Speaking of Leticia, Andreas rubbed his forehead with a headache. "I almost forgot, I still need to go check on Aku'mai. I really don't know how that girl developed a taste for such a strange mount..."
Shandris looked at Leticia, who was sprawled limply on the sofa, unwilling to move a muscle, and shook her head with a chuckle. "Young people always like to use things that differ from the norm to show off their individuality."
Andreas gave Shandris a peculiar look. "Young people... You and I aren't even 500 years old yet; that's not exactly old, right? Why are you speaking with such an air of seniority?"
Shandris paused, then said with a wry smile, "...Perhaps after witnessing so many life-and-death partings during the war, I've subconsciously moved myself out of the category of 'young people.'"
Andreas smiled and gave Shandris a quick kiss on the forehead. "Cheer up. As an immortal race, our future days are still very long. Don't push yourself too hard; take a rest and enjoy life once in a while."
Shandris looked at her boyfriend with a look of disdain. "Are you even qualified to say that to me? Your workload is much busier than mine."
"Uh... I think it's fine. Watching Moonshadow's Rest develop bit by bit makes me feel happy, at least."
It's like playing a real-life version of a management simulation game, Azeroth: Cities Skylines...
...
Shandris's stay in Moonshadow's Rest during this period was a rare opportunity for relaxation. Aside from strictly supervising the training of a soul-weary Leticia, she didn't have to carry any official duties here; everything was handled by Andreas and his team of civil officials.
On the fourteenth day after Feron led his team out, Andreas finally sorted through the many things that had happened during the six months he was away and found the time to perform a deep check on Aku'mai.
"Hmm... strange, truly strange." Xal'atath's voice was delivered directly into Andreas's mind as usual. "Although there is a tiny residual mental imprint of N'Zoth in this big fellow's brain, that guy hiding in the deep sea is not exercising direct control over it."
Andreas, who was currently soothing Aku'mai, raised an eyebrow. The creature seemed to be very fond of the pure Shadow aura radiating from Andreas's body, instinctively trying to lean closer to him.
"You mean N'Zoth doesn't actually care about the success or failure of Aku'mai's actions?"
"That's likely the case. If he really wanted Aku'mai to be a vanguard behind enemy lines, the mental imprint N'Zoth left would not be this shallow; he might even be monitoring its situation at all times."
"Hmm..." Andreas fell into thought for a moment. "Then what exactly was the purpose of the Naga led by Vashj sneaking into Blackfathom Deeps?"
"Who knows?" Xal'atath said nonchalantly. "Maybe it was just N'Zoth training and testing his newly recruited subordinates, or maybe that Naga leader named Vashj has her own plans behind N'Zoth's back. I'll leave that for you to judge."
N'Zoth's transformation of the Naga was certainly not something that could be completed overnight. Even as an Old God, he couldn't transform the over one hundred thousand people of Zin-Azshari who fell into the sea all at once; it was destined to be a long process.
The words Andreas had used to comfort Leticia previously were not just talk; her mother, Felice, might truly still be alive, just in a different life form—having changed from a Night Elf into a Naga.
Andreas recalled his past interactions with Queen Azshara, and his heart grew even more suspicious. Queen Azshara was absolutely not the type of person who would easily kneel in submission to N'Zoth; perhaps they were only cooperating within a limited scope, each with their own objectives.
If considered from this angle, Vashj's actions were worth pondering. Sneaking into Blackfathom Deeps with a group of rookie recruits who had just completed their transformation, ostensibly to let Aku'mai spread its dark power... yet aside from building a statue of Queen Azshara, they had basically taken no action.
"A statue... huh?"
To powerful beings in the world of Azeroth, a statue might not be just a statue; to some extent, it might also serve as a vessel for a portion of their power.
It seems I should find time to set up a statue of Elune, but...
Speaking of the statue of Elune, Andreas felt a throb of pain in his head. "How exactly am I supposed to carve Elune's face? I'm not really going to follow the Sisterhood of Elune and carve an incredibly blurry face, am I?"