After dispatching the gnolls, Gorgin finally directed his attention to the man and the two women.

  The man sported a scruffy beard, his appearance suggesting he was in his thirties.

  In contrast, the two women looked remarkably young, likely in their early twenties.

  Compared to the indigenous humans of this world, the Blue Star arrivals, despite their skin having coarsened somewhat over time, still retained a certain softness.

  One of the women seemed to be a college student, as a faint school logo was visible on her coat.

  Gorgin wasted no time with pleasantries.

  “Do you want to live or die?” he bluntly asked.

  Surrounded by a horde of terrifying ogres, each standing five meters tall, their arms thicker than the trio’s entire bodies and sporting menacing fangs, it was a testament to their mental resilience that they hadn't been reduced to quivering wrecks.

  “Want to live... want to live...” the man stammered, his voice quivering with fear.

  The two women vigorously nodded in agreement.

  Initially, when the ogres had surrounded them, not a single ogre uttered a word.

  Their gazes were filled with ravenous hunger, the kind one reserves for a delicious meal.

  The women had long since become desensitized to the terror.

  When they first encountered this man, they thought they had found a savior, yet within two days, they were captured.

  “Desire to live? No issue. What skills do you possess that could benefit my tribe? If you have something valuable, you can stay alive for the time being,” Gorgin stated matter - of - factly.

  Upon hearing this, the man immediately piped up, “I’m a mage! I’m useful!” As he spoke, he began rubbing his hands together.

  Gorgin watched, intrigued, as three seconds later, a fireball the size of the man’s fist materialized in his palm.

  The man looked at Gorgin with eager, expectant eyes, clearly seeking approval.

  Gorgin simply stared back.

  “And then?”

  The man was taken aback.

  “Huh?” This question caught him off - guard.

  Weren’t mages supposed to be highly sought - after?

  Gorgin’s gaze hardened.

  “Just one measly fireball? Can you cast other spells, like a wall of fire or an explosion spell?”

  The man’s face contorted in confusion.

  “What are those...”

  He had obtained the fireball spell from opening a green chest and knew nothing of more advanced fire - related magic.

  Gorgin eyed the fireball, which to him was no more than a feeble spark.

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  “I have no use for a mage who can’t even best a gnoll. Do you have any other skills?”

  The man was left speechless.

  “What skills?”

  The fireball spell was his only claim to power, the means by which he had dominated the two women and enjoyed a brief period of relative comfort.

  Gorgin’s patience wore thin.

  “I mean, what was your occupation before coming to this world? What are you capable of?”

  The man instinctively replied, “I was a mechanic... Huh?” Realization dawned on all three of them.

  How did this ogre know about his past?

  Gorgin nodded. A mechanic, eh? Useless.

  “Nu.”

  “Roar!”

  “Attack him.”

  “Hah!!”

  Nu, with a gleeful expression, bent down and grabbed the man, casually snuffing out the puny fireball in his hand.

  The man’s shrill cries and desperate struggles were heart - rending.

  The two women were so terrified that they incontinently wet themselves.

  Even Karlov, who was engrossed in his construction work, was drawn over by the commotion.

  Witnessing the man’s fate, Karlov felt an overwhelming sense of relief that his building skills had spared him a similar end.

  As for the idea of keeping this man to assist Karlov, Gorgin hadn’t even entertained it for a moment.

  An inexperienced helper would contribute less than allowing Nu to have his amusement.

  As an ogre born and bred in the endless desert, Gorgin had long shed any semblance of kindness.

  In this harsh world, survival was possible, but to thrive, one had to embrace ruthlessness and discard any vestiges of a “good Samaritan” mindset.

  Only a fool would cling to kindness here.

  Observing the paralyzing fear in the two women, Gorgin’s lips curled into a cruel smile.

  “You two are luckier. I’m giving you two choices. Either be beaten to death by the ogres or become slaves and work in my brothel. Now, choose. Life or death.”

  Gorgin’s cold gaze swept over the women.

  One was of average appearance, while the other had an attractive figure and features.

  Back on Blue Star, she might have commanded a high price.

  Predictably, both women chose life.

  After all, since meeting that man, they had lost everything.

  It was better to endure a wretched existence than to face death.

  At first, they had resisted and been reluctant, but the man had proven to be so inept that their experiences with him had been more tiresome than painful.

  However, they still had to feign enjoyment.

  There were certainly those who could face death bravely, but they were few and far between, especially when it came to the prospect of being pummeled to death by ogres.

  The older woman was named Xiao Ruanhong, and the younger one was He Qingqing.

  Gorgin showed them no mercy.

  “Someone, come and take them away. Teach them the ropes.”

  He called out to the brothel attendants loitering by the door, then turned and walked away.

  They were just two women; there was no need for a fuss.

  With Gorgin’s order, the remaining ogres dispersed.

  They were disappointed that they couldn’t feast on the humans, as the two women looked so tender.

  One by one, they scratched themselves and ambled off.

  Xiao Ruanhong and He Qingqing’s legs buckled, and they collapsed to the ground.

  The man was already lifeless.

  Usually, unless Gorgin specifically requested a beating first, Nu was swift and decisive in his actions.

  Gorgin sat down nearby, watching Karlov work with practiced efficiency.

  “Look, he probably didn’t even feel a thing at Nu’s hands. Maybe he’ll return to his own world in death, spared from this hellhole,” he mused.

  He clicked his tongue. “I’m still too soft - hearted. That won’t do.

  What do you think?” Gorgin looked down at Karlov, who was drenched in sweat.

  “The chief’s decision is the tribe’s will, and we must all obey unconditionally,” Karlov replied.

  Gorgin raised an eyebrow.

  “Even if I tell you to die?”

  Karlov gritted his teeth, forcing himself to maintain his focus.

  “If the chief demands it.”

  Gorgin threw back his head and laughed uproariously, looking every bit the fearsome prehistoric beast.

  “Well said. But no need for such sycophantic words in the future. Just do your job well. You’re still useful.”

  “Given your good sense, I’ll offer you a word of advice. Do your work flawlessly. You won’t get a second chance if you make a mistake.”

  Gorgin gave him a meaningful look, then turned and retreated into the makeshift awning.

  Karlov wiped his face, his entire body soaked in cold sweat.

  He understood this was a clear warning from the ogre chief.

  To be honest, in recent days, he had become somewhat complacent.

  Most of these ogres, save for the chief and his mother, were of limited intelligence.

  With the ability to boss around two ogres in his construction work, he had developed a sense of superiority.

  This came from his education and intelligence, not from any physical prowess.

  Despite the fact that these ogres could crush him with a single finger, he had secretly looked down on them.

  But after witnessing the man being battered into a pulp, he was jolted into reality.

  In this world, intelligence counted for nothing.

  It was a brutal world of survival of the fittest.

  Even on Blue Star, there were countless instances of animals attacking humans.

  In this world, humans held no special status.