If his scream could have halted the chaos, these goblins wouldn't have been locked in such a fierce brawl.

  "Shut your trap! Since you've been knocked out, you're out of the running. Scram and stay out of sight!"

  Captain Dog, having fully embraced his role as Gorgin's lackey, had accurately gauged Gorgin's mindset.

  He hissed the words at the defeated goblin.

  The goblin immediately clamped his mouth shut, scurrying away in humiliation.

  As goblin after goblin was ejected from the fray, they gradually became aware of the ogres encircling them.

  Had it not been for the battered goblin on the side frantically gesturing, they would have been paralyzed with fear.

  As the number of onlookers grew, the goblin brawl neared its climax.

  Only when two goblins remained, facing off against each other, did they finally take note of their surroundings.

  Instantly, they were so terrified that their knees buckled, ready to plead for mercy.

  "Hey!" Gorgin's voice boomed, filled with irritation.

  "You've reached the final round. Why the hell did you stop? There are only two of you left. Don't you need to determine a clear winner?"

  "Fight! Keep going!"

  Seeing the two goblins cowering in fear, Gorgin was exasperated.

  "This is ridiculous. Are you even a desert - bred race? What are you staring at me for? Attack! Get in there!"

  "Damn it! You two, listen up. Whoever wins will be the leader of the goblins in the Dragon's Lair Tribe and will be promoted straight to the third tier."

  Gorgin was irked by their cowardice.

  The other ogres, too, began voicing their discontent.

  For ogres, nothing—save for the chief and food—could interrupt a good fight.

  With Gorgin's proclamation, the two goblins perked up. Even the other goblins held their breath, their eyes ablaze with envy.

  They cursed themselves for not enduring longer.

  What if they could have become the goblin leader and risen to the third tier?

  Despite their current meager numbers of just over a hundred, goblins were known for their fecundity.

  And a promotion to the third tier meant instant freedom from slavery and the right to move about unhindered.

  Alas, Gorgin had no intention of giving the losers a second chance.

  "Fight. Since neither of you can agree on who's superior, it means your skills are evenly matched. Prove yourself with your fists."

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  Gorgin clapped his hands, signaling for the battle to resume.

  The two goblins locked eyes, their gazes filled with determination.

  With a fierce scream, they lunged at each other.

  The fight reached its crescendo when one goblin doubled over, clutching his crotch in disbelief.

  "Dirty, but I love it!"

  Gorgin roared with laughter. "Hahaha, what's your name? From this moment on, you're the leader of the goblins in the Dragon's Lair Tribe!"

  The victorious goblin shot a triumphant glance at his defeated opponent, then quickly plastered an obsequious smile on his face.

  "Respected and mighty chief, now that I'm part of the Dragon's Lair Tribe, my former self from the Hot Sand Consortium is no more. I am your most loyal servant. Name me as you will."

  "Hmph!" Gorgin sneered.

  "Stupid dog, look at this goblin. His ass - kissing skills are almost as good as yours. Pity it's so insincere."

  Captain Dog bared his teeth at the goblin.

  "Your flattery means nothing in the presence of the great chief! Look at this!"

  He raised his left arm, displaying the branding.

  "This is the true mark of loyalty! What you spout from your mouth is empty words. Everyone in the desert knows how flexible goblins' morals are."

  The goblin nodded vigorously, his posture submissive. "The great chief's wisdom is truly unparalleled!"

  "Fine! From now on, you'll be called Coin."

  Gorgin was too impatient to listen to the goblin's sycophantic ramblings.

  Coin was overjoyed, nearly prostrating himself before Gorgin.

  He had finally ascended to the third tier.

  "You two, follow me. I have tasks for you."

  Gorgin spun on his heel and headed towards his dwelling.

  Spotting his tribesmen gawking at the spectacle, he seethed with anger.

  "What are you all looking at? Your eyes are bulging out like bull's eyes! Do you have nothing better to do? If so, get back to making babies!"

  "Mark my words. Whoever gets pregnant, I'll cook a special meal just for her. And there will be additional rewards!"

  Gorgin rolled his eyes and shooed away his tribesmen.

  It was clear that Gorgin knew exactly how to motivate them.

  A meal personally cooked by him was an irresistible incentive.

  As for why only female ogres were being rewarded...

  Well, female ogres were in short supply in the tribe.

  With so many males around, it was impossible to determine paternity if a female became pregnant.

  As for how Gorgin's father was certain that Gorgin was his offspring...

  Both his father and mother were extremely powerful.

  His father dared not seek other females, and his mother had no interest in other males.

  By some quirk of fate, they had a desert - style monogamous relationship.

  Male ogres could never be sure if they were the father, but female ogres could be certain of their motherhood.

  Thus, male ogres were excluded from this particular reward.

  In a surprising turn of events, the female ogres, usually the victims of male aggression, took the initiative.

  They began sizing up the male ogres, eager to be the one to receive Gorgin's special reward.

  Gorgin paid no heed to the ensuing chaos and made his way back to his abode.

  Captain Dog, Kolber, and Coin trailed behind.

  Captain Dog led the way, with Coin casting a haughty glance at Kolber before following.

  Kolber, wearing a wry smile, brought up the rear. He was still not the designated dwarf leader, merely a fourth - tier member of the Dragon's Lair Tribe.

  After Kolber and Coin entered, Captain Dog obediently lay outside the door, waiting.

  "Get in here too!" Gorgin's command made Captain Dog's tail wag wildly.

  "Kolber, if you don't prove your loyalty and obtain the Branding of the Rock first, once another dwarf beats you to it, you'll be stuck as a slave. Your strength is commendable, but loyalty is paramount to me."

  "Coin, what the devil are you laughing at? Think I'm not talking about you? Your mouth's practically splitting in half! "

  "If another goblin gets the Branding of the Rock before you, you're no longer the goblin leader in the Dragon's Lair Tribe."

  Coin's smile vanished instantly.

  As a race with notoriously flexible morals in the endless desert, only gold could truly buy a goblin's loyalty.

  This was a daunting challenge for him.

  "Alright, let's cut to the chase! "

  "The Dragon's Lair Tribe now controls three oases. I want you two to collaborate and develop a viable transportation system to connect them. "

  "It must be fast and have a large capacity! This is your first task. "

  "Succeed, and you'll be handsomely rewarded. "

  "Fail, and you can imagine the consequences.You all know I'm not one to tolerate failure."