The Ironhoof Tribe was poor to this extent, aside from pelts, what else could they offer that was worth him fighting for at all costs?
So, all things considered, the benefits outweighed the risks. Since the alliance was initiated by the centaurs, it imposed far more constraints on them than on him.
To Sam, however, forming an alliance with Li De was a deeply sacred act. The Centaur God was the faith of all centaurs, and swearing an oath in the name of that god made the alliance utterly unbreakable in his eyes.
"Sam, in the name of the City Lord of Dawn City, I accept the alliance with the Ironhoof Tribe. We shall be loyal to one another and never betray."
Li De thumped his chest with a loud thud.
With his capabilities, if he truly wanted to take down the centaur tribe, he wouldn't even need to break the alliance openly. He had countless ways to collapse the tribe from within.
After Li De gave his word, the way Sam looked at him immediately became even more cordial.
As if recalling something, Sam turned around and loudly addressed the 800 fully-armored centaur warriors before him.
"People of the Ironhoof Tribe, from this day forth, our tribe and Dawn City are allies! The great Lord Kachar shall be the most honored ally of the Ironhoof Tribe!
And from now on, I declare Lord Kachar to be the Ironhoof Tribe's Hand of Glory!"
The centaurs below immediately grew solemn. In unison, they thumped their right fists to their chests in salute to Li De.
"Welcome back, glory of the ancients."
What the hell??
Hand of Glory??
Li De was momentarily baffled by what he heard.
First the alliance, now this Hand of Glory? What exactly was Sam trying to pull?
"Lord Kachar, this is an inherited tradition of the Ironhoof Tribe," Sam began explaining, seemingly having noticed Li De's confusion.
"The title Hand of Glory is only ever bestowed upon the strongest warrior within the Ironhoof Tribe.
And you, you have enslaved a dragon!!"
The corner of Li De's mouth twitched slightly. That's my fault now?
"Do I even get a say in this?"
Sam's expression was solemn. "Of course. As an ally of the Ironhoof Tribe, you have full rights within the tribe."
At these words, Li De's eyes narrowed slightly.
Something about this didn't sit right, everything today felt like it had been arranged in advance.
Who forms an alliance so easily, and then immediately bestows a ceremonial title like Hand of Glory? How could a centaur tribe with thousands of warriors decide something like this on impulse?
Even the timid and cautious goblins wouldn't make such rash decisions.
"Sam, you had this alliance planned in advance, didn't you? Why?"
Li De cut straight to the point, not bothering with small talk.
Sam didn't show the slightest embarrassment. Instead, he nodded solemnly.
"Yes, Lord Kachar. We discussed this beforehand. If you truly came as promised, we would form an alliance with you."
Li De glanced thoughtfully at the Level 15 centaur Patriarch.
"Why? Aren't you worried I might have ulterior motives? From your perspective, this trade seems profitable, but I stand to gain even more."
Sam's eyes gleamed with clarity. "No, this is a trade between you and the Ironhoof Tribe. How much you profit is none of our concern, as long as it's fair in our eyes.
Moreover, we believe that someone capable of enslaving a dragon, someone who could've destroyed the Ironhoof Tribe three days ago without effort, would not turn on us so easily now.
The Ironhoof Tribe needs the armor you provide, and you need a bulwark here in the Dwarven Hills, a centaur-formed barrier.
That is the foundation of our cooperation. I believe that the Ironhoof Tribe growing stronger will only benefit you, not harm you."
These words made Li De reassess this Patriarch, who at first glance seemed to be all brawn and no brain.
Sure enough, no race that survived on this land could be considered simple. They might appear honest and thick-headed, but beneath the surface could be a cunning fox.
But Li De didn't mind. He had never hidden his intentions. He was here for the resources of the Dwarven Hills.
With Dawn City already stretched thin, it wasn't feasible to build a new power base from scratch. Having a powerful tribe here as an ally was certainly a time-saving and efficient solution.
"Very good, Sam. I enjoy dealing with smart people.
Now that we're allies, there will be much more cooperation in the future." Li De's smile remained unchanged.
Sam finally let out a breath of relief when he heard that, his heart just beginning to lighten, only for Li De's next words to send a chill down his spine.
"But I hope something like this won't happen a second time. There's more than one centaur tribe in the Dwarven Hills.
But there is only one Dawn City."
With a mix of warmth and warning, Li De didn't hold back at all. He struck while the iron was hot.
Though this incident hadn't caused him any loss, the Ironhoof Tribe's little schemes had left a bad taste in his mouth.
And right now, he held the absolute upper hand. The Ironhoof Tribe was not irreplaceable, he could easily find another substitute.
Sam instantly broke out in a cold sweat at those words, his expression turning solemn.
"Please rest assured. The Ironhoof Tribe will defend the honor and interests of our ally with our lives."
Li De gave Sam a long, deep look but didn't continue the topic.
So many little schemes... Hah. Kid, you've just been marked in my little black book.
"Have the human nobles been picked out?"
Seeing Li De's expression ease, Sam quietly let out a breath. Li De's earlier coldness had placed immense psychological pressure on him.
He had been terrified that one glare from Li De would bring the Bone Dragon down on them.