Chapter 201: Ground Rules
There was a reason why every empire, no matter how strong, eventually crumbled.
It wasn’t always because of enemies or lack of power. Most of the time, it was because they spread themselves too thin. Grew too fast. Reached too far. And when they did, they lost control of the outer edges, the cracks formed, and betrayal seeped through.
Max knew this. And that was exactly what weighed on his mind now.
Sure, the sight of all those students kneeling before him, asking to join the Billion Bloodline, was satisfying. It validated the strength he’d shown. The name he had built.
But that didn’t mean saying yes was simple.
Just accepting anyone into the group was dangerous. Where would their loyalty truly lie when push came to shove?
Would they really be a part of the group in the way Max needed them to be?
If he gave them a direct order, something specific and demanding, would they obey? Would they follow without hesitation? Or would they turn their backs when things got tough?
Maybe he could pay them, offer cash incentives. That would buy short-term loyalty. But that wasn’t sustainable, not for the kind of empire he was trying to build.
He didn’t want mercenaries. He wanted soldiers. Devoted members. People who believed in the group, not just in the perks.
That was the whole point behind the Rangers, the inner circle of the Billion Bloodline. The ones close to him. The ones on the payroll. The ones who had proven themselves.