Diggy Diggy Hole Chapter 11 (Patreon)

"Mongoth... I won't forget you." I said solemnly as I took back the helmet multi-tool I made for him and then I took his stomach and lungs from his chest which I could use for my crafting.

With that, I climbed off of Mongoth's corpse as Shaggit had finished tearing apart and sampling the corrupted giant spider monster he was previously messing with. "About time ya little stuntie. I was getting ungry waiting for ye." Shaggit said.

I nodded silently for a moment as I watched the leader of the tribe take an oversized odachi off his back and cut off one of Mongoth's arms before digging into it with steam leaving the Ogre's mouth.

As Mongoth's blood still was boiling hot even if the blessing of the Firemaw had been taken into myself and his blood wasn't like molten stone anymore.

After a few minutes, I had to pull my eyes away as Shaggit was casually ripping Mongoth's guts out and shoveling it into his greasy steamy maw. "Wez be not but a day from da wall of Cathy. You ready to get dere?" Shaggit called out to me after he had eaten his 'fill'.

"Yes." I said simply with Shaggit nodding and he looked over at the rest of his Ogre tribe that was eating the hob goblins and drakes we had massacred.

"Oi lads! Time for us to get ta da wall!" Shaggit roared with the Ogre's cheering knowing all too well that they would be able to get more food there when they picked up a contract to escort some merchants or something.

I got back onto Azulback's back and I was glad that I still got some leather and bones from the drakes that went into my inventory though I didn't plan to use their remains so openly when I entered Cathay... Because displaying 'dragon' parts in the kingdom ran by dragons was an especially poor idea frankly.

The sounds of walking titans filled the air as the dozens of Ogre's in the Goldtooth Tribe began marching further East. To finish this grand march and arrive at Grand Cathay.

The trip to the City of Nan-Gau however from this point forward was... Uneventful for better or worse.

We had already entered the lands patrolled by Grand Cathay's large armies and their armies of flying balloon weapons. But Nan-Gau was a city that appealed to my dwarven senses even if it's architecture was off shoddy Umgi's hands.

The massive Wall of Cathay, even if I was a dwarf. I had no choice but to pay respect to the massive wall that spanned most of the land and blocked off countless terrible armies of Greenskins and the darkness.

Nan-Gau itself was a massive city which made sense with how it was the military production capital of Grand Cathay. And even it's name translated from the local tongue to mean 'City of Smoke.' Which earned it's name from the great number of foundries within the city.

We reached the gates of the city of Nan-Gau, a massive.... Utterly massive metal and stone gate more than a hundred meters tall and twenty meters thick that served as the entrance to the walled-in city and then Grand Cathay itself.

"Alright little Kharn, if we see ya again I hope you have more food for us haha!" Shaggit said happily with him striding over towards a large guard tower with a sign that read. [Ogre Warriors come here for job that pays in food!]

Literally the simplest and most fucking blatant sign possible to get the Ogre's attention but that made sense as you didn't want to leave Ogre's with idle hands... That results in someone elses hands getting eaten. Or more likely their horses eaten.

I took a deep breath and I made my way towards the massive opened gate leading into Nan-Gau and all too soon once I reached the gate. I was quickly questioned. "And what manner of being are you? Are you a halfling or gnome from the Western Empire?" The guard asked guardedly.

I shook my head and said calmly. "No, I am a dwarf. I am Kharn Barruk of Clan Barruk. I come to work the foundries of Nan-Gau and to work my trade."

There was a pause before the guard said in confusion. "Where be your beard then? Aren't all dwarves supposed to have great long beards?" 

And I just stared at him before I said flatly. "And aren't all men from Cathay supposed to have small pricks? I am but thirteen winters old. My face is still clean of the whisps of manhood Umgi."

The female guard besides the questioning male scoffed at my speech before they both seemingly refocused as even though the male guard was looking a bit pissy. He still asked with some concern. "Where be your family, or your clan young dwarf?"

To which I stated bluntly. "They are dead, my clan destroyed by the ratkin. My home despoiled, and myself in exile as I plot the downfall of the wretches who orphaned me of blood and clan kin."

The guards shared a look with the woman muttering. "This is an intense dwarf..." Then she took a deep breath and spoke more seriously. "So how will you support yourself young dwarf?"

With a stolid expression I said bluntly. "I am one of the great Runesmiths of my people. I will sell and loan my works of my craft to the great warriors of Grand Cathay in return for a living and favors." 

Saying that I carefully pulled my one-handed axe that was sheathed on my side and for a moment the guards tensed. But then their eyes widened at seeing the glowing runes across the axe.

"Wait... I heard about Runesmith dwarves. Aren't your kind like the oldest and most wise of your people? So wise and stubborn that they are just too stubborn to get old and die at some point?" The male spoke as though he knew my people and I couldn't help a flash of irritation... And pain as my nose burned at the memory of master Snorlot.

I was silent for a moment before I said quietly. "I am but an apprentice... My master was slain by the Thaggoraki I have sworn a blood debt towards. Now, may I be allowed entry into the city of Nan-Gau?" I asked bluntly.

The two adults, male and female shared a look before the male said with a bit of thought. "Young dwarf, perhaps you should go meet with the Forge and Artisan Masters. At least you should show off your wares to the Matriarch, Lady Miao Ying to see if they are valuable."

I snorted and said with utter certainty. "I am a Runesmith of some talent, if she has ever held a dwarven weapon then she will know its value to say nothing of whether it was properly enchanted with runes."

I looked at the gate guards before shrugging. "If you can lead me to someone important in the city to which I can meet to discuss some business. I will pay you for the favor." I said bluntly, knowing all too well the need to grease palms in the Umgi world.

The male guard smiled and held a hand out to me in silent demand. So I reached into my cloak that covered much of my form and summoned a small ingot of silver into my hand that I dropped into his hand.

He inspected the silver ingot for a moment before nodding and saying. "Xue Li, you hold the post for a moment. I am going for my lunch break." 

And the woman snorted and said flatly. "You better cut at least a quarter of that silver ingot off for me Yang Liu." 

The man nodded with a wry smile and he twitched his head towards the large gate with him walking at a slow pace so I could keep up. "Alright young dwarf, in return for the silver bar. I will bite the bolt and take you my uncle who is a guard captain." Yang Liu explained.

I nodded in understanding before asking bluntly. "Is he someone I can buy property from? Or is there a special organization of buying land within the city?" 

I couldn't see his expression or head movements with how we were walking next to one another but he said simply. "Correct, the Celestial Empire is proud of being the strongest and best Empire in the world. So yes, you will need to speak to agents of the Dragon Lord's to buy some of their land."

My lips twitched at the reminder that nobility and lords rules much of the city that wasn't in direct control and supervision of the Dragon Matriarch Miao Ying who was basically the equilvalent of a Primarch from Warhammer 40k with how all the dragons of the Celestial Empire were the sons and daughters of the Dragon Emperor.