The Unfinished Case

That evening, near the mouth of a secluded cave on the coast, Jorgen saw Dores hiding in the shadow of a pillar, while Elin stood aside. The two seemed to interrogate Dores.

"If you're willing, you can pack up tonight," Jorgen said to Dores. "The day after tomorrow, a ship going back and forth to the Eastern Continent will come here."

"Are you sending me to Stormwind?" Dores said.

"No. In fact, although we will respect your wishes, Stormwind is too complicated and conspicuous a place. We will arrange some hidden but comfortable places for you to choose from. This is what you deserve for your contribution."

"Of course, you'll have a new name and a new identity," Elin said. "In a few years, when you find a new wife, you can live the rest of your life in peace."

"They know I'm a traitor now," Dores muttered.

"No, we can't be sure yet. The only Twilight's Hammer cultist who expressed this idea is now firmly under our control to ensure that the information does not leak out. But not all Twilight's Hammer cultists are unforgivable, as you know better than we do. If it is one of those who will be released who reveals your identity, we cannot prevent it." Jorgen said.

"And," Dores looked at Jorgen, "you won't change your tactics just for my safety."

"Right," Elin said, "you can think of this as a balancing of pros and cons. We'll send you away from this damn place. You forget it all. They'll forget you too. Doesn't that sound good?"

"Let me think about it..."

Dores took a deep breath, clasped his hands over the sides of his nose.

"Of course, we will also provide you with enough money to start a new life," Jorgen added.

"A new life?" Dores said, "I'm fifty-two years old now. Now you want me to leave my hometown after I lied and deceived and captured hundreds of people for you. What kind of new life can I have?"

Jorgen and Elin exchanged glances. Once Dores showed excessive self-blame, or even suicidal behavior, they would not stand by.

They could arrest Dores as an ordinary prisoner immediately, destroy all the evidence that he had once helped the authorities, and let him end his life in a solitary confinement cell. That would be the most resource-efficient approach, but Jorgen and Elin did not want to do so - unless Dores lost control.

"I don't want to leave yet," Dores said two minutes later.

"What do you mean...?"

"The work I did for you is almost over. But I have some personal things to deal with. After I finish them, I will accept your terms and leave."

"What keeps you here?" Jorgen said.

"I can't say."

"That won't work," Elin said. "No secret tricks."

"The Fire Festival," Dores said. "After the Fire Festival ritual, I'll leave immediately. Even if you don't arrange it, I'll leave."

"That will be the day after tomorrow."

"Yes, I only ask for this time."

"We are not negotiating with you. You cannot bargain with Military Intelligence Section 7." Jorgen said.

"No, I don't want any reward or anything. But I beg you, give me this day. This is a personal matter. I won't do anything to cause you trouble."

Dores' slightly bald forehead was marked with a patch of dark brown shadow. His eyelids twitched, but his eyes were unusually clear, looking directly at Jorgen. He knew very well that the decision maker was Jorgen, not Elin, so he cautiously challenged him with his eyes, while also pleading. "Just one day," his calm, hoarse voice recited these three words again, like three hard stones rolling out of the sand pile. "Except for this day, I want nothing."

At this moment, Dores was like a statue. To show a moment in his heart, he had stood for countless days and nights.

"You asked for a day's time. You have it then. If you do anything you shouldn't do..."

"I can't hide it from you."

"You can go now."

Dores walked out of the cave and disappeared on the other side of the beach. He did not express any gratitude, but only nodded to Jorgen.

Jorgen turned around and found Elin deliberately looking at him with a strange expression.

"Didn't expect you to compromise without any leverage. Have you watched too many romantic comedies about sunflowers on the coast? Or is it sympathy between drama fans?" Elin said.

"He's a man with nothing. He can't make any tricks." Jorgen said.

"A man with nothing is the most dangerous - forget it, since we have decided so." Elin shrugged, "Let's think about what to do next."

"We wait. Wait until the Fire Festival is over."

"Maybe he hopes to see the wooden maze he built burned down at the Fire Festival. After all, he is a carpenter, it's like a lifetime achievement award."

Jorgen knew very well that whenever Elin had no clear view of the reasons for something, he would use this kind of casual joke to perfunctorily pass it off. He could not blame Elin, because he himself did make an imprudent compromise.

Just one day. Jorgen believed there was no dishonesty in Dores' plea. This was a personal matter.

They went out and Elin patted him on the shoulder, "Look who's here."

Cannon came up to them. He looked a little uneasy, squeezing the corners of his eyes as if afraid the gray mist would enter his body from his eyes and corrode it.

"What are you doing here? Your work is done?" Elin said.

"I'm not here for you," Cannon said half-hostile words to Elin, then immediately lowered his eyes and turned to Jorgen, "Sandis Windweaver wants to see you now."

Administratively speaking, the night elf Sandis Windweaver was still the highest administrator of Auberdine. Most of his instructions, as long as they did not directly conflict with human interests, had to be carried out by Jorgen. Although Sandis had sufficient Gray Valley Sentinel troops to manage the night elf residential area and did not need human intervention, since Cannon's father retired, the highest security officer position in the human area had been temporarily vacant, and Sandis had become the actual commanding officer.

"He said it's urgent. Please go over as soon as possible."

"Cannon, I have something to ask you," Elin said. "Why does Sandis Windweaver send you to pass messages? And not for the first time."

"Master Sandis trusts me. He has taken good care of our family since my father. It is my duty to do some work for him. This is probably something that mercenaries like you from Military Intelligence Section 7 don't understand. No one has trained me to suspect and hate everyone. "

"Say no more." Jorgen did not want to be involved in Elin and Cannon's verbal battle. "I'll be right over."

At this point, Cannon suddenly seemed embarrassed again. If Jorgen had not been present at the beginning, he would not have dared to say hostile words to Elin. He tried to speak but could not find any excuse, so he turned and left without a word. Elin shrugged.

As usual, Sandis Windweaver stood on the sea-facing platform jutting out from the cliff. Every ship coming and going from Darnassus passed under his eyes. When Jorgen came to the platform, the sky was already dark. The lighthouse burning with purple flames in the distance projected wavy light on the waterway.

"I heard you were looking for me, Master Sandis." Jorgen said.

Sandis turned around. Even among the night elves, he was considered one of the elders. Before taking over Auberdine, he had always been a warrior who had witnessed history - precisely because of this, Jorgen could accept his occasional arrogance.

"You organized a rather effective operation this afternoon," Sandis said.

"Thank you."

"On behalf of all the peoples of Auberdine of all races, I thank you for your contribution to local security over the past two years. Perhaps you humans, especially Military Intelligence Section 7 agents, may find this statement cliche, but this is my sincere view. Without you, Auberdine would be in chaos because of the Twilight's Hammer cultists. "

"You didn't call me here just to say that, did you?"

"I want to talk about the arrangements for the Fire Festival."

"I see. Please speak."

"Let me speak directly. For a night elf like me who has lived through countless years, the Fire Festival is not an important festival. Such festivals, noisy and restless, pose various disturbing possibilities. But we will not oppose it. After all, some of the younger night elves among us, who grew up in an environment of mixed races, are quite fond of this festival. I hope everyone can enjoy themselves at tomorrow's celebration. "

"Do you need me to arrange tighter security?"

"You have always been so keen, Jorgen. In fact, I do not need you to arrange this. I have enough men. I wanted to tell you a decision first: in order to provide a safe recreational environment for everyone, I intend to arrange body searches."

"Body search?" Jorgen frowned. "Is that necessary?"

"I will arrange for guards to search each person entEling the square to attend the festival. For safety, I think this is much more comprehensive and effective than planting spies in the crowd."

"You said you hoped everyone could enjoy themselves. But who can still raise the mood for revelry after being searched?"

"Nothing is more important than ensuring safety. Mood? If life is threatened, what mood is there to speak of?"

"This may be offensive, but I would like to ask: Have you obtained some information about the Twilight's Hammer cultists' unfavorable actions against the Fire Festival and intend to conceal it from me?"

"No, this is just a routine security strategy - made based on the current situation. Jorgen, for such a long time, Gamero Ironhammer's case has made no progress - "

Jorgen understood the real purpose of Sandis calling him over. It was not to arrange anything. It was not to share any information. It was to deter and put pressure.

The dwarf Gamero Ironhammer was the leader of the Explorer's League in Auberdine. He disappeared suddenly a month ago. Everyone believed he was dead. No direct evidence was ever found to point out a suspect. Outsiders seemed to have shelved the case.

"All alliance races live in Auberdine - I barely refused to let those filthy little dwarves in - the various races must live in peace. If we can do it, we can prove that all members of the Alliance across Azeroth can do it. But Gamero's death brought an ominous message. A respected dwarf, he died, but it seemed that no one cared. You know better than I do how much trouble this has caused."

"We are still investigating this case."

"I do not doubt your efforts, but I will not show endless patience to wait - you understand? You see, I can arrange such a search and believe it will improve security. This shows that I will take action. I hope that you humans, investigators from Stormwind, can also take real action. For the death of this lovable dwarf, I am also very sad personally, and hope that the murderer will be punished as soon as possible, and that he cannot continue lurking and endangEling my other people. Do you understand?"

Well said. You don't care about the life and death of dwarves at all.

Jorgen hated this tacit verbal game. Sandis had always hated these Explorer's League dwarves because they always stared at the widely distributed ruins of the night elves. As the leader of the Explorer's League in Auberdine, Gamero had always been hated by the elderly night elves. But Gamero's accidental disappearance brought new troubles - the dwarves naturally turned their spears against the night elves.

The case remained unsolved for one day and the pressure accumulated for one day. Whether night elves or dwarves, they were stable and tenacious races; precisely because of this, once the tight rope between the two broke, it would cause irreparable damage.

In fact, Jorgen was not completely clueless as to who killed Gamero.

But there was a force stopping him from investigating further.

After leaving Sandis, he passed through the central square where the festival was being prepared. Many people were still decorating the venue in the dark of night. The northern and western night elf residential areas were quiet; in the distance to the east, the occasional light of dwarves beating iron tools could be seen. Jorgen stopped and looked at him, then continued with their work. On the way home, Dores' words kept echoing in his mind:

Just one day. Except for this day, I want nothing.