Building An Empire Starting From The Labor Camp In Exile-Chapter 286: Meeting I

Helena hissed like a cat. Of course, she expected that Atrox would mete out punishment, but she didn’t think it was going to be that hard. By taking half of her force, he was basically cutting her power in half.

Together with making Eamon a High Chief, he was basically saying that he didn’t want them to hold much power. She gritted her teeth because the time she could have complained was long gone.

Now she could only listen to orders.

Unexpectedly, the person that spoke up was none other than Chief Morwen Voss of the Voss clan. He was in his thirties, bald but with sharp eyes. "I’m sorry, my lord, but I don’t understand."

"What do you not understand, Chief Voss?" Atrox asked immediately.

"Why are you imposing such rules on me? Not only that, why do you put a High Chief to rule over me? I have done no wrong, compared with the others."

Atrox smiled. "Oh? But you did commit a crime, and a grievous one at that."

"What is it?" he asked immediately.

Everyone was also looking at Atrox to know what he would say. After all, they all knew the Voss clan was indeed neutral in all the mess.

Atrox leaned forward. "Chief Morwen Voss, do you really expect me to look over the fact that the Clan Leader of the Soryu Clan called you to war, and you refused?" 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

From the papers scattered on the table, Atrox picked up one. "This is a copy of the orders that Clan Leader Thrain Soryu used to call all chiefs, and you refused."

Everyone was stunned. They had never looked at it that way. Even Voss’s expression crumbled, and a vein throbbed on his forehead. "Are you saying you are going to punish me because I did not answer the call of..."

"The previous Clan Leader," Atrox cut him off. "Since my father named no heir, then it was indeed the truth that both my brother and I had the right to the Clan Leader’s seat. You didn’t come to me or him. It is a crime. I’m wondering if I should add cowardice to it?"

Chief Morwen Voss sucked in a sharp breath, and his eyes began to glow like a wolf.

Calling a Knight a coward might just be the same as throwing sand in their face. It’s something any Knight would fight and defend against bitterly.

But Voss knew how he behaved during the war, and it was indeed akin to cowardice. He gritted his teeth. "I only did what I did because I did not want to add to the escalating mess. It would have been over quickly had I joined!"

Atrox narrowed his eyes. "You are right. But I guess we can never know, because you did not join. I have made the rules. I won’t change my mind for now."

Voss inclined his head while Helena sighed. She had thought if Voss was able to do something, then she’d find a way to sneak herself in, but reality was far from that. Atrox wouldn’t even move an inch.

After a few beats, Atrox continued. "The biggest borderland in the Clan has been cleared away. Unfortunately, a bulk of the resources were also lost. There is nothing that can be done about that. But the fact remains that the land of the borderland remains unclaimed, and it’s a very big one."

As he said that, Atrox saw greed flash in the chiefs’ eyes. Even the newly appointed High Chief looked as if he had an idea or two, especially since his territory was close to the place, and he just had the right to expand.

But Atrox was ready to pour cold water on his idea. "I have asked Takoda and Pomora what they wanted. Two separate, different things. Takoda was the first Master Knight to follow me, and he did so by putting in his all and never looking back. For that, I recognize his title as Chief.

"And in the future, should he expand and develop his land, then he will be the fifth Chief of the Soryu Clan. And I will make a declaration that any citizen of the Soryu who wants to settle down permanently in the borderland will be compensated."

Takoda’s face flushed as he stood and bowed. He knew about it, of course, since Atrox had already told him, but it was another thing entirely for the Clan Leader to make it official.

"Thank you, my lord," Takoda said solemnly. It had been his dream to truly build his Tribe, and it was being given to him just as Atrox promised.

"Pomora," Atrox smiled. Pomora had finished healing from the technique she used on Vorath. "She didn’t ask for much. She asked to be left alone, but I can’t grant her that wish for now. She will be my advisor on things relating to war. And she’ll be the overseer of the Eastern Army. Take note, Commander Petel."

Petel stood and saluted the two of them. Pomora gave the impression of a cat bullied into doing something.

The atmosphere in the room wasn’t as tension-filled as before, because Atrox had just demonstrated something very important to them. Every good deed done to him would be rewarded, and the bad would be swiftly returned in kind.

"Very well then. Does anyone have anything to report about the Clan? This is the time to tell me now."

The Chiefs kept quiet, mostly because there wasn’t really anything to say, but also because they did not like the Clan Leader to interfere in their internal local politics.

And Atrox left them be. He had no intentions of interfering, as long as it did not collide with his own policies.

Commander Petel cleared her throat and stood. "There was an increase in activities at the border."

The Eastern Army guarded the mountain pass that led to the Akatsuki Desert, where the Akatsuki Clan had their territory.

Atrox sat up. "Oh? So it’s going to come from there?"

The Akatsuki Clan was one of the most troublesome clans for the Soryu Clan. They had always been in conflict because the Akatsuki’s lands were mainly desert, and they wanted the Soryu’s territory.

No way they were going to miss the chance.