The oasis, abuzz with activity for six straight days, finally fell into its first spell of silence.

  The ogres, who had proven their might by storming the Hot Sand Consortium's headquarters, now stood in hushed formation at the camp's entrance, waiting for their chief.

  When the slaves saw the succubus, once a figure who held their fates in her hands, kneeling at the forefront, they knew that the true arbiter of their lives... had arrived.

  Gorgin stepped out of the vehicle and made his way towards the oasis camp, each step measured. The two attendants from the Pleasure Pavilion trailed closely behind.

  Litte, being a native elf accustomed to diverse races, remained composed.

  In contrast, He Qingqing was visibly frightened.

  The array of strange - looking beings around her— orcs, minotaurs, centaurs, trolls, and more— sent jolts of fear through her.

  Their shared trait of imposing strength made them seem like monsters to He Qingqing, who had led a sheltered life. Even the few humans present were brawny and rough - looking.

  With a quick sweep of her eyes, He Qingqing spotted two men from Blue Star. Their clothing gave them away instantly.

  But there was no room for sentimentality.

  With the constant chatter on the World Channel, she knew all too well that in this world, neither fellow - race members nor compatriots were as reliable as the ogre chief before her.

  After all, he only demanded her tongue in service, and he, in turn, only used his hands.

  Under the overbearing presence of the ogres, these slaves huddled like lambs waiting for the slaughter.

  Karin saw Gorgin approaching and prostrated herself, touching her forehead to the ground. Gorgin paid her no heed and walked directly up to Nu.

  Eyeing the countless scars on Nu's armor and the scabbed wound on his eyelid, Gorgin gave Nu a hearty punch on the chest.

  “Good lad, how on earth did you get your eye hurt?”

  “Hehe~~” Nu grinned, a simple and honest expression on his face, and scratched the back of his head.

  Gorgin patted Nu's shoulder and then surveyed the diverse group of slaves and the work sheds they had erected.

  “Not bad for the speed.”

  “Go fetch my chair from the vehicle.” Gorgin gestured towards the modified tracked vehicle with his thumb.

  Nu trotted over cheerfully, disassembled the chair, and placed it behind Gorgin.

  Gorgin plopped down, and Litte and He Qingqing took their positions on either side behind him.

  “Crawl over here!” Gorgin's face hardened, and he let out a cold snort.

  This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  Karin, still on her knees, inched forward until she reached Gorgin's feet. Gorgin stared down at the kneeling succubus with a cold gaze.

  It was high noon, yet the succubus was drenched in cold sweat, her heart sinking like a stone.

  “I never realized you had such grand ambitions.”

  After a long pause, Gorgin spoke.

  “I told you to lead the team and strike a deal with the dwarves of Giant Sand City. Instead, you incited them to attack the Hot Sand Consortium? ”

  “What were you thinking? Do you think that just because I gave you temporary authority to handle the dwarves, you can run amok? ”

  “A succubus trying to boss around ogres? Have I been too lenient with you?”

  Gorgin's words were sharp, but Karin felt a glimmer of hope.

  Given the chief's temperament, since he hadn't killed her on the spot, there was still a chance for her. And often, the harsher his scolding, the better her prospects.

  “Karin wouldn't dare...” Karin trembled, burying her head deeper into the ground, displaying absolute submission.

  “Wouldn't dare? I might have believed you before, but now... I'm not so sure.” Gorgin sneered.

  “A lowly slave from the Pleasure Pavilion with such audacity. You truly took me by surprise.”

  “Raise your head and look at me!” Gorgin commanded.

  Karin quickly lifted her head but averted her eyes, looking instead at Gorgin's chest.

  “Look, both of you.” Gorgin addressed the two attendants beside him.

  “This is your former companion. Would you have thought that she, a warlock, convinced the accompanying ogres and the dwarves in the deal to bring down the Hot Sand Consortium?”

  The two attendants remained mute, too terrified to speak.

  They didn't possess the Branding of the Rock.

  “You've been hiding your true nature well, succubus. If it weren't for the glaring Branding on your arm, today would have been your last.” Gorgin's tone was laced with a menacing edge.

  “Karin didn't mean to hide. My strength is barely above that of an ordinary person. In the face of your might, Chief, I'm no different from a speck of dust.”

  “ Before this, I served you wholeheartedly, with no ulterior motives. It was only because you gave me this chance that I took the liberty.” Karin kowtowed repeatedly.

  “Hmph!”

  “Get up! I'll deal with you later.” Gorgin didn't press further. After all, he was the one who had bestowed the authority upon her.

  “If you had single - handedly convinced the dwarves to attack the Hot Sand Consortium, I'd give you a thumbs - up and call you amazing. But look at my tribesmen. ”

  “Every one of them is wounded. Using the power of my tribe to bargain with the dwarves isn't a sign of real skill.”

  Gorgin sat regally in the specially made chair.

  “Moreover, I'm not happy with what you did afterward.”

  Gorgin waved his hand, and the two attendants immediately began massaging his calves.

  “Chief, Karin doesn't understand...” Karin stole a glance at the two attendants and, seeing nothing on their left arms, felt a twinge of relief.

  “Since you and that dim - witted dog decided to occupy this oasis, what was your plan? You and the dwarves of Giant Sand City gleefully divided up the spoils of the Hot Sand Consortium. ”

  “But do you realize the message you've sent to those dwarves?”

  “What... what message?” The succubus was clearly confused.

  “You know I always stress keeping one's word, and you fulfilled your promises to the dwarves. Both we and they profited. So, where did I go wrong?”

  “I'm right to emphasize integrity, but that's as a neutral service area. If you were simply conducting business with them, of course, you should keep your word.”

  “ If they had initiated the cooperation to take down the Hot Sand Consortium, that would be understandable. Because we'd be acting as neutral contractors. ”

  “But in reality, you were the one who proposed the alliance. Do you really think the dwarf leader is a fool, willing to risk his entire city of nearly ten thousand people to fight for the Hot Sand Consortium? ”

  “Could a fool have built Giant Sand City into what it is?”

  Karin was left speechless. “This...”

  “It's bad enough that you proposed the alliance. But you and that dim - witted dog also kept a large number of strong slaves and occupied this oasis. ”

  “Believe me, if you were to visit Giant Sand City now, those dwarves would be fortifying their defenses and might even be developing weapons against ogres. ”

  “Since you parted ways, the Dragon's Lair Tribe is no longer the neutral ogre service area it once was. ”

  “Now, tell me, would an expanding ogre tribe overlook a dwarf oasis city just three days' journey away? If you were in their shoes, would you believe it?”