Continue.

“Excellent, this gentleman speaks wisely—a market must have a strong and capable ruler!” Karen applauded, leading her undead forces into the market.

Though she had come seeking vengeance, Karen couldn’t help but admire Dorn at this moment. Just look at how well Dorn had established his power here, thoughtfully laying the groundwork for Karen’s own strong control over the market, saving her much effort.

As Karen clapped with obvious admiration, Dorn spotted her as well. It was a bit odd not to see his three goblin assassins alongside her, but seeing Karen’s flattering smile, he instinctively believed his men had succeeded—otherwise, how could she wear such a ‘fawning’ expression?

“Well done. You’ve arrived just in time. As the market’s guardian officer, you should acquaint yourself with the merchants here and, more importantly, let them witness the strength you hold as their protector,” Dorn said coldly, hands clasped behind his back. He then gestured toward the merchants. “Show them the might of the undead legion you’ve brought!”

Karen’s eyes gleamed. He knew Dorn had misunderstood something, but he was more than willing to play along.

“As you wish, my lord. Behind me stands an undead legion of eleven thousand one hundred and five in total. Among them are ten thousand first-tier undead, one thousand second-tier, and one hundred third-tier. Additionally, within the first-tier ranks, five hundred are equipped with bows matching second-tier power, unleashing ranged attacks comparable to the second tier. Every second-tier undead is outfitted with finely crafted spears, shields, and armor, which, with their enhanced equipment, allows two or three of them to stand against—or even slay—a third-tier foe. Fourth-tier opponents pose more of a challenge, but dozens of second-tier undead working together can easily handle them.”

As Karen spoke, the undead behind him continued to stir outside the market. At the forefront, second-tier undead waved their Bone Spears and Bone Shields with utmost vigor, striving to exhibit their might and presence.

Unlike merchants in Karen’s previous world, those here existed within a brutal survival-of-the-fittest realm, where even traders possessed considerable strength. Many gathered had third-tier abilities themselves, so combined with the undead show, they clearly perceived the formidable power behind Karen’s legion.

The strength displayed rivaled that of a city’s standing army. Though the merchants had prior knowledge of Karen through various channels, witnessing this display still left them stunned.

Yet, despite their awe, they pitied Karen, who bore such power and controlled the market but had been swiftly subdued and reduced to a mere pawn. They glanced at Dorn with newfound respect. To have conquered someone of Karen’s caliber, Dorn and his allies must possess terrifying strength indeed.

Their lingering doubts evaporated instantly. Opposing Dorn was beyond their means, and the burdens the market’s ruler would face were far greater than they could bear. It was wiser to focus on their trade and profit quietly.

Dorn, pleased by their reaction, waved dismissively at Karen, signaling, “Enough posturing. Take your undead legion and leave.” He then withdrew a document he and Wenkari had drafted concerning the market’s operations.

“You already know the situation. I trust you have no further objections to my control over this market. Now, I shall announce the new rules and regulations. Some provisions may seem perplexing or even unacceptable, but no matter. The Silver Hand is a parliamentary nation, and I am a reasonable man. If you have differing opinions, you may voice them. Whether I listen is another matter, but rest assured, I will address anyone who raises issues. After all, with such differences, how could we possibly cooperate?”

The merchants, seasoned and worldly-wise, nodded in acceptance, their heads bowed in acquiescence.

Seeing their submission, Dorn smiled with satisfaction and unfolded the paper to declare the new rules. Yet suddenly, he noticed Karen had not left as instructed but stood nearby, watching with a curious expression—as if eagerly awaiting the proclamation. Upon seeing Dorn hesitate, Karen’s displeasure grew.

“What’re you waiting for? Read it already!” Karen urged.

Dorn wanted to comply but found himself unable to continue. He sensed Karen’s disapproval, and the undead by Karen’s side—his spectral shadow leopard, the little black one, Dark Iron, and the steward—were visibly displeased. Fourth-tier undead were formidable, emanating an overwhelming aura of fighting spirit and a dark, terrifying presence.

“Fourth… fourth-tier undead…” The merchants collectively froze. Even Dorn, usually brimming with confidence, swallowed hard.

Something was amiss. Karen’s displayed strength starkly contradicted their intelligence reports.

“Behave yourselves. I still want to hear what rules they’ve prepared,” Karen said calmly, patting his shadow leopard and the others on their heads to settle them. Then he turned to the stunned Ogoren, whose face shifted from pale to flushed and then utterly bewildered. “Ogoren, listen carefully. We have much to learn in this area.”

Seeing Karen’s encouraging demeanor and Dorn’s ghostly expression of shock, Ogoren finally understood who truly held the upper hand.

Yet, instead of joy, Ogoren clutched his chest, realizing how heavily following Karen weighed on his heart. Today, he truly comprehended the burden Karen’s leadership imposed.