Without the chief at the helm and lacking the support and magical enhancements of ogre mages, the ten ogres led by Nu seemed rather ragged.

  Up until now, they had miraculously avoided major injuries, all thanks to the Branding of the Rock emblazoned on their arms.

  Whether it was brute - force physical attacks, explosive blasts, or the occasional magical onslaught from spell - casters among the enemy, the Branding of the Rock deflected the lion's share of the damage.

  Coupled with Nu and three other ogres donning heavy armor, their defensive capabilities were pushed to the limit.

  Eventually, the imposing gates of the Hot Sand Consortium were breached.

  The goblins of the Hot Sand Consortium were in a state of utter disarray, struggling to hold their ground.

  As soon as the mercenaries witnessed the city's defenses crumbling, they panicked and began to flee in all directions.

  The goblin leader shrieked commands, attempting to direct the city's defenses against the invading ogres and dwarf warriors.

  Amid the chaos, the mercenaries seized the opportunity, grabbing as many gold coins as they could and scattering like rats leaving a sinking ship.

  The goblin leader's heart ached as if it were being pierced. However, there was nothing he could do.

  After all, mercenaries were known for their unwavering loyalty to money and their complete lack of principles.

  In this desolate desert, principles were worth less than a pair of tattered underpants.

  Once drawn into the intricate web of close - quarters urban warfare, the goblins, who had already been at a disadvantage, found their situation rapidly deteriorating.

  Their defenses crumbled like a house of cards.

  In particular, the ogres whose eyes had been targeted by the mercenaries flew into a rage.

  The enraged ogres rampaged through the city, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.

  Whether it was houses, factories, or goblin machinery, everything was smashed to pieces.

  When their trusty big bone hammers broke, they simply picked up the massive beams from the goblin buildings.

  They made do with whatever they could lay their hands on as weapons.

  The dwarves, following closely behind the ogres, expertly deployed their battle formation.

  At a distance, they unleashed a hail of gunfire, and in close - combat, they wielded their hammers with deadly force.

  The Ibex Riders, mounted on their sturdy steeds, chased down the fleeing goblins.

  The city descended into complete chaos, a scene that was, in a way, anticipated.

  The goblin leader, clutching his remaining gold coins and accompanied by his most loyal subordinates, made a hasty escape in an armored tracked vehicle.

  He knew that his city was lost.

  But as long as he was alive, his fortune intact, and his loyal followers by his side, he clung to the hope of making a spectacular comeback. Losing three oasis cities was a bitter pill to swallow.

  These were three entire oases!

  Even the mighty ogres had only one oasis to call their own.

  He swore that once he regained his strength, he would lead an even more massive army to wipe out the ogres and dwarves in this region.

  Karin watched the retreating convoy with a cold sneer. They were nothing more than a pack of defeated dogs...

  She was completely unfazed by the goblin leader's escape. Even if he managed to regroup and raise a new army, he would first need to rebuild and then grow in strength.

  In contrast, the Dragon's Lair Tribe had emerged from this battle unscathed and was now in a position to expand its power.

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  If the goblin leader dared to return, he would simply be offering himself up as easy prey.

  In fact, Karin secretly hoped that the goblin leader would come back with an army bent on revenge.

  It would be far better than the chief having to undertake a long and arduous journey to conquer them.

  "Ms. Karin, would it be possible for you to calm those ogres down a bit? If they continue to rampage like this, our spoils of war will be significantly reduced..."

  The dwarf leader sidled up to Karin and made a polite suggestion.

  The Dog Captain let out a malicious chuckle.

  "That's easy for you to say. Why don't you go and try?"

  The dwarf leader forced a weak smile. "These ogres are truly terrifying. I don't have the courage to face them."

  Karin rolled her eyes. "As the leader of the dwarves, you're far more powerful than I am. If you're too scared, what makes you think I would be brave enough?"

  The dwarf leader blinked in thought. "You're right..."

  "But then again, in the face of these ogres, our strength differences pale in comparison. Weren't they following your orders earlier?"

  Karin scoffed. "That was when they were in a rational state. Now, those fools have pushed these killing gods over the edge."

  "Dwarf leader, I suggest you save your breath. Instead, focus on hunting down and eliminating all those fleeing goblins."

  "Oh, and if you come across any goblin craftsmen, set them aside for us. The same goes for the slaves. Don't harm them for now. We have the first right of selection. This was part of our prior agreement."

  The dwarf leader nodded vigorously. "Rest assured. We dwarves hold contracts in the highest regard!"

  "Men!"

  "Get moving and exterminate those sharp - nosed, green - skinned goblins!"

  The dwarf leader brandished his war hammer and clambered onto the steam tank. The dwarves let out fierce battle cries and spread out in groups of three.

  The ogres rampaged through the entire city, and only ceased their destruction when they had fully vented their pent - up rage.

  Nu plopped down on the ground with a thud and gingerly touched his injured eye.

  "It hurts!!!"

  With his teeth bared in a fierce yet somewhat simple - looking expression, Nu no longer resembled the fearsome killing god who had just laid waste to the goblin city.

  Karin approached him.

  "Lord Nu, you are truly extraordinary. Without the chief present, you led just nine of your tribesmen and directly breached the goblins' headquarters.

  What's more, none of your tribesmen were hurt. Your might and this great victory will surely bring great joy to the chief!"

  Karin laid on the flattery thick.

  "Haha!!!"

  Upon hearing this, Nu felt a newfound sense of energy.

  His back no longer ached, his eye seemed to hurt less, and his strength seemed to return. He happily slapped his chest and then gave a thumbs - up.

  "I'll go and pick out some slaves later. These slaves are meant to ensure that the chief and the mighty Lord Nu live in comfort."

  "Lord Nu, you must make sure your tribesmen don't mistake the slaves for snacks."

  Nu looked at her with a hint of confusion.

  Karin quickly added, "I know that, apart from the chief and the chief's mother in the entire tribe, only you, the powerful Lord Nu, have the authority and strength to keep everyone in line! Right?"

  Nu nodded solemnly and cast a stern glance at the other nine ogres.

  "Nu... can... do it!"

  Karin immediately burst into applause. "Lord Nu is truly amazing. I knew you could handle it!"

  "Haha!!!"

  Nu grinned from ear to ear, clearly delighted.

  Karin left, satisfied with the outcome.

  The Dog Captain trailed behind and muttered under his breath, "Aren't you just fooling a simpleton?"

  Karin shot him a sharp look. "But it works. Why don't you give it a try?"

  The Dog Captain immediately cowered.

  "You're the chief's appointed manager of the Pleasure Pavilion, and I'm just a lowly doorman. You have the skills for this. I don't. You're so crafty, woman."

  Karin snorted. "Succubi are demons. Have you ever seen a demon with a heart of gold?"

  "That's true..."

  The dwarves had already identified and separated the surviving goblin craftsmen, while the rest of the goblins were summarily executed.

  Given the intensity of their conflict with the Hot Sand Consortium, showing mercy would have been a sign of weakness. If it hadn't been for Karin's prior instructions, they wouldn't have spared the goblin craftsmen either.

  After all, they were part of the Hot Sand Consortium, and there was always a risk that they might cause trouble down the line.

  There was a large number of slaves belonging to the Hot Sand Consortium.

  The population of goblins in this city was even smaller than that of Giant Sand City, perhaps only around three thousand. However, there were as many as six thousand slaves.

  On average, each goblin had one or two slaves to do their bidding.

  Most of these slaves were humans and orcs, with a smattering of other odd and diverse races.

  One thing they all had in common was that they were male.

  The female slaves had all been sold off by the goblins. These male slaves were kept to perform arduous physical labor.

  Among the thousands of slaves, some managed to escape during the chaos, leaving only about half of them behind.

  Karin selected only three hundred slaves. The majority were orcs, with over a dozen minotaurs among them.

  In Karin's opinion, the ogres were the primary group to be served in the tribe.

  Whatever the ogres required would be large in size and weight. Thus, orcs, who were also known for their strength, were far more suitable than humans.

  In particular, the minotaurs, who were even stronger than orcs, Karin was certain that the chief would be pleased with them.

  Karin gathered all the craftsmen, along with their tools, and loaded them into a tracked vehicle. The slaves had their hands bound with ropes and were herded together in a long line.

  "The rest is up to you."

  Karin waved her hand nonchalantly.

  The dwarves were overjoyed and immediately set about ransacking the city, taking anything of value from the goblins.

  They collected materials, tools, minerals, gunpowder, and machinery, carrying away everything they could lay their hands on.

  "What about the remaining slaves?"

  The dwarf leader inquired.

  "Don't you want them? If not, just kill them."

  The succubus waved her hand casually, her tone cold and detached.

  "I have an idea, though it's still in the early stages..."

  "Er... would you like to hear it?"

  The Dog Captain quietly tugged at Karin's clothing.

  Karin:?