Shane smiled as he thought about the three private messages he had just read.
Vex, Ellen, Orla... each one sounded sincere, but sincerity meant little in this world.
Strength was the only truth, and loyalty was currency rarer than gold. In this Apocalypse, there was no way he would just trust their words.
That was when a thought stirred in him...
His Territory Lord Talent.
Anyone who lived under the protection of his shelters, anyone who set down here even for a single night, would slowly give him Loyalty Points. To be exact, a whole day would give him Two Loyalty Points...
Half a day would be just a single point, and that was already impressive.
Two points sounded small, laughable even, but time was the true multiplier.
Thirty days inside? That was sixty points.
And if they already carried some loyalty beforehand, say ten, twenty, or more, then the number climbed into the seventies, maybe eighties.
Enough to shift someone from "hesitant ally" into "fierce loyalist."
And Shane didnât even have to force it.
His shelters werenât barren fortresses like the ones most Clans cobbled together.
They were thriving hives of civilization.
Eclipse Domain had a large market where exotic goods could be seen daily. There were even several cars here because they were literally making fuel here.
New Genesis was also shielded by Warden Units and even Mech Frames that patrolled like true guardians.
Just their presence alone would make many survivors truly loyal to him...
Springriver Manor also had the largest number of taverns because it was Bartâs main base. It overflowed with good wine, roasted meats, and others. Aside from that, many elves could be seen here as well because of the nature and the river they were protecting.
Finally, the Silver Mine Camp, with its sturdy defenses and bustling trade in ores and weapons, may not be the most attractive shelter, but Diana was slowly making it a busy hub.
And above them all, the awe-inspiring Floating Fortress. Once they learned that they would have a chance to be part of the crew of this Fortress, it wouldnât be surprising if they would add some Loyalty Points to him.
Survivors who came here didnât just survive the Zombies... They
lived.
Every cup of coffee in his shops, every glass of ale in his taverns, every night spent in safety behind his barriers would harden their loyalty to him without them even realizing.
That was why he considered the thirty-day condition.
It wasnât about testing their patience. It was about placing them into his net.
It may seem like it was an unethical decision, but there was no one he could really trust in this situation.
By the time those thirty days ended, they wouldnât just want to be in his allianceâtheyâd feel as if they already belonged to him.
But Shane didnât answer them. Not yet.
Instead, he summoned the two people whose voices mattered most to him right now.
"I at least have to let them know." He muttered.
***
The following morning, Shane completed his breakfast and waited for his visitors.
Raze arrived first... She was wearing comfortable clothes. No armor or weapons even. Just casual clothes with a t-shirt and jeans.
Roan had also changed its size to that of a cat and perched on her shoulders.
As Shaneâs Vice Clan Leader and Rank 8 on the Survivor Leaderboard, Raze carried many responsibilities within the Clan.
Asad followed not long after. The Necromancer may not be in his full Magician Set, but he was wearing all black...
A black jacket, black pants, black shoes, and a black cap, which he removed upon entering.
He was new to the Clan, but Shane valued his opinion. After all, Asad was still Rank 2 in the world, and it wasnât just a title.
Shane leaned forward as the two settled. "Youâve both seen the Chat Messages. Survivor Pact is forming, and Lancelotâs Lord Alliance seems to be getting a momentum... and now Clans are reaching out to us directly."
He then showed the messages that came from Vex, Ellen, and Orla...
"I havenât answered. Not because I donât want them, but because I want us to decide first. Do we form our own alliance?"
Raze was the first to speak. She had actually thought about this before.
They were already getting stronger, and soon, they wouldnât have to fear the Zombies again.
She believed that they must be careful with humans instead.
"We should. Survivor Pact will look strong, but I think Natalie would have difficulty controlling its direction. There are too many leaders, too many voices. Theyâll probably waste time arguing. Lancelot has numbers, but his strength lies in quantity, not quality. Heâs also ruling with an iron fist..." Raze explained.
"To be fair, the four other Clans that Natalie mentioned last night were all her allies. It means that if the Survivor Pact only had 10 members, half of it was already under her control." Shane explained, which surprised the two.
However, now that Shane said it, it certainly made sense. After all, the New Haven Clan had a good reputation with the presence of her Archbishop.
Asad gently nodded after hearing. "Then, I guess sheâll be successful controlling this coalition... Anyway, an alliance sounds inevitable. If we stay as Eclipse Revenant alone, smaller Clans will either be swallowed by Natalieâs Pact or Lancelotâs Alliance. But..." He paused for a moment and gave a suggestion.
"We donât need everyone. Only those close to our strongholds. Proximity means control."
Shane nodded. "Thatâs what I was thinking. We have four shelters right now...Eclipse Domain and New Genesis in Sector 20, Springriver Manor in Sector 1, and Silver Mine Camp in Sector 13. If Clans want to join us, they must be near one of these locations."
Raze agreed... "Smart. If theyâre nearby, transactions or defending each other would be a lot easier. They may even depend on us for trade, protection, and expansion. Theyâll become part of our ecosystem."
Shane smiled faintly. "Exactly. We donât need to rush. But I thought of testing them first... Weâll invite their leaders or representatives to have a vacation for a few weeks in our shelter..."