Lord: I can see loyalty.

As dusk painted the desert crimson, Wolf Fang Abad, leading his elite bandits, trudged through the sand back to the city of Shatai, which he had captured.

The scene inside the town was different from other villages occupied by bandits. Livestock were kept in simple but sturdy wooden enclosures, and a figure could be seen bending over and working in the fields. There were even a few people dressed as bandits helping them.

As the city gates were slightly raised, the farmers in the fields straightened up and waved in that direction, as if welcoming a returning army, not a band of bandits.

The heavy iron-clad wooden door was fully opened, and more villagers gathered by the main road. Their clothes were clean and neat, and their faces showed no signs of hunger.

"The leader is back!"

"So many people are missing..."

A concerned whisper came from the crowd. An elderly man with a long white beard, leaning on a cane, strode forward. After scanning the line, he frowned. "Hot water and food are ready. Take the injured brothers directly to Aunt Ella's."

Abad dismounted, his usually muscular face relaxing for once, and softly hummed in agreement, his gaze sweeping over the crowd.

A short boy, about five or six years old, squeezed through the crowd, holding a steaming loaf of bread in his hand, and shouted, "Chief! This bread was made by my mother and saved for you!"

Looking at the boy's innocent eyes and the fragrant bread in his hand, Abad paused for a moment, reached out but did not take it. Instead, he ruffled the boy's blond hair, picked up the bread, and stuffed it into the boy's mouth.

"Keep it for yourself and eat more; you're too thin." His voice was still rough, but it lacked its usual ferocity.

The surrounding villagers relaxed as a result of this interaction, and helped the injured bandits to get treatment.

The white-bearded old man shook his head, watching Abad's retreating figure as he headed towards the Baron's Castle, his thoughts a mix of emotions.

Despite how badly the nobles of Shatai had bullied them in the past, Abad, the leader of these bandits, personally led his men to repair the damaged houses after occupying the town, and even tacitly allowed them to keep most of the harvest.

Perhaps in the eyes of the villagers, he was already the true lord of Shatai City.

Without further hesitation, the old man directed several young men to help take care of the horses.

Inside the Baron's Castle in the city, Abad removed his armor, revealing his well-built muscles, and only then did the anger that had been suppressed in his heart surge up again.

The Bordeaux soldiers weren't exactly well-equipped, but their seamless teamwork and discipline were something you'd never expect from a small village. The young lord named Vio was more than just a skilled swordsman.

He downed a mouthful of strong liquor, sat on the cold baron's chair, a few glints flashing in his eyes as he pondered his next move.

Should he ask the alpha wolf for help? Or should he ask his despised colleagues for help? His face grew increasingly grim; he didn't want to choose either option.

Just then, the heavy wooden door was suddenly pushed open, and a trusted confidant rushed in, kneeling and crawling, his face filled with fear.

"Boss, something terrible has happened!"

"What's the panic!" Abad put down the bottle and said sternly.

"Bordeaux village... Lord Vio, he's personally leading a large number of soldiers towards us!" The confidant gasped for breath. "It looks like they outnumber us by a significant margin!"

Abad suddenly stood up, and the wine bottle on the table crashed to the ground, the cheap liquor slowly spilling out.

He hadn't expected the other side's counterattack to come so quickly!

Inside and outside the city.

A militia force of nearly two hundred men marched in a grand procession toward the city of Shatai, with Vio riding a horse in the middle of the procession.

Beside him rode Gina, also on horseback, and behind them were two strong militiamen carrying the giant axe that Abad had left behind.

The outline of Shatai City soon came into view. There was no fierce resistance as expected, and the city gates were not even closed. After confirming that there was no ambush, Vio ordered his men to enter the city.

The scene inside the city made the militiamen, who were preparing to charge into battle, pause slightly. The simple streets were quite clean, and many civilians could still be seen hiding behind windows, their eyes filled with fear.

This is completely different from other villages and towns that have been completely occupied by bandits.

Vio's eyes remained expressionless as always, and he simply continued to order: "Find Wolf Fang Abad. Those who lay down their weapons will not be killed!"

Scattered resistance came quickly, but it ended in no time; the real battle took place beneath Baron's Castle.

Abad stood still, holding a new axe, as if waiting for Vio to arrive. Vio dismounted, drew his weapon, and slowly stepped forward.

"Lord Vio, let me do it." Gina stopped Vio and drew her longsword. After a moment's thought, Vio also sheathed his sword.

Abad didn't waste any words. He charged forward with his battle axe, leaping high into the air to strike down. Gina didn't take the blow head-on; instead, she began to run at an astonishing speed.

The opponent raised his battle axe and swung it down repeatedly, but it only grazed her iron armor and fell to the ground, stirring up dust.

Gina remained completely calm, maintaining a safe distance from the enemy, her grey-blue eyes scanning for any openings.

Finally, after Abad delivered a heavy blow, she nimbly sped forward, her longsword landing precisely on his palm.

"Thump!" The battle axe slipped from her hand, and Gina spun the sword tip, stopping it just in front of Abad's throat.

Abad was panting heavily. The injuries he had sustained from the militia had left him with no will to fight. His gaze passed over Gina and landed on Vio.

"You win, lord of Bordeaux village." His voice was hoarse. "If you're going to kill, kill me, Abad, but spare my brothers... and the people in the city. They never lay a hand on civilians; they just live off me."

Vio slowly stepped forward, looked down at this unusual bandit leader, and suddenly laughed. His laughter contained not the mockery of a victor, but confusion: "You seem to care a lot about them. If that's the case, why become a bandit and lead them to cower in this small town?"

Abad was taken aback, then looked up and asked in a deep voice, "What do you mean?"

"Submit to me, Abad." Vio's smile faded, and he looked at the people who were slowly gathering around him not far behind.

"Not as a bandit or a loser, but by joining my militia, I will give you land and supplies, so that your men will no longer live as bandits and refugees, but become part of half of the southern territory. Isn't that more meaningful than being a merciful bandit?"

Abad listened intently to Vio's words, his gaze also drifting to his men who had already dropped their weapons and the anxious villagers not far away.

He was among the earliest of the wolves in the Southern Territory.

The alpha wolf had told himself so many grand goals: to overthrow the corrupt royal family, to have a peaceful southern territory, and to ensure that everyone had enough to eat...

But it seems that apart from himself, the other wolves did not think so; they burned, killed, and looted until the rebels were labeled as bandits.

Turning his head to look at the young lord, he suddenly remembered what he looked like when he first arrived in Bordeaux village.

Isn't that exactly the scene he longed for?

Abad's clenched fists finally loosened, and he knelt on one knee, bowing his head in the salute of the desert tribe: "Abad, I am willing to serve you... Lord Vio, my life is yours."

Vio breathed a sigh of relief and nodded in satisfaction: "Bring him his axe."

The giant axe was carried to Abad. He grasped the familiar handle, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke again in a low and solemn voice: "My lord, according to the tradition of my home tribe, those who pledge allegiance to a new chief should receive a new name, just like my current 'Abad'."

Vio was taken aback for a moment, then seemed to realize something, and slightly curled the corners of his mouth: "I will not take away your reputation and past as Abad..."

"From this day forward, your name is Abad Drais. Let this name, along with your battle axe, serve me."

"Abad Drais..." he repeated softly, then clenched his right fist and pounded it heavily on his chest, saying, "Yes, my lord!"

Name: Abad Drais

Race: Human

Age: 36

[Faction: Shatai City under Vio's rule]

[Hobbies: Forging, crafting weapons, and dueling]

【Characteristics: Superhuman strength, speed, bloodlust, strong willpower, great endurance, leadership, robust physique, and rich combat experience】

Loyalty: 69%