Alex's plan to dismantle **Golden Fang** wasn't about brute force or flashy shows of power—it was about strategic, **targeted moves** designed to chip away at their influence without triggering an open war. In the shadows, CODE could work subtly, using their growing wealth and reputation to drive a wedge between Golden Fang and their allies.
That afternoon, the team gathered in the **war room** once again. The map of Starter City, now marked with notes and pins, covered the table. Betsy had been busy gathering information on Golden Fang's alliances and business interests, while Drax and Luke had been organizing CODE's new recruits, preparing for the inevitable clash.
"The key to taking down Golden Fang is their **network of alliances**," Betsy said, tapping the map. "They've got deals with several of the **smaller guilds**, and they control a lot of the trade through Starter City. But most of their allies are with them out of fear, not loyalty."
Drax crossed his arms, his grin replaced by a more serious expression. "So we just give them a better offer, right?"
"Not exactly," Alex said, leaning over the map. "We can't just walk in and promise them more gold. We need to show them that **Golden Fang is losing its grip**. If their allies think the Fang is weak, they'll jump ship on their own."
Betsy nodded. "We need to start with the **key guilds** that rely on Golden Fang for protection and business. Once we convince them that CODE can offer better deals—and that we're not afraid of Golden Fang—they'll come to us. And when their allies start falling away, Golden Fang's position will weaken."
"And what about their businesses?" Drax asked. "Golden Fang has their hands in a lot of the **trade routes** through Starter City."
"That's where we hit them," Alex said, his eyes gleaming with the first hints of a strategy. "We start offering **protection** to the merchants they're taxing, undercutting their rates. We offer **security** that Golden Fang can't guarantee anymore, especially after our deal with the dwarves. Once the merchants realize they don't need to pay Golden Fang for protection, the guild will lose a major source of income."
Drax's grin returned. "I like it. So we start taking their gold, and their friends."
Betsy leaned forward, a thoughtful look on her face. "We need to be careful, though. Golden Fang isn't stupid. They'll realize what we're doing sooner or later, and they'll retaliate. We can't afford to provoke them too early."
Alex nodded. "We'll do it quietly. Move slowly, strategically. We'll offer our protection to the merchants one by one, and we'll approach the **smaller guilds** discreetly. We don't want to tip our hand until it's too late for Golden Fang to respond."
Luke, who had been listening in silence, finally spoke. "**Verum**," he said softly, his calm tone a reminder that truth and patience would be their greatest weapons.
---
The team got to work quickly, with each member taking on a critical role in the plan. **Betsy** used her contacts and network to arrange quiet meetings with the guilds that Golden Fang had under its thumb. She wasn't offering open rebellion—yet. Instead, she planted the seeds of **doubt**, suggesting that Golden Fang's power wasn't as unshakable as it seemed, especially now that CODE was growing stronger.
Betsy met with the guild leaders in **quiet corners** of Starter City, using her sharp wit and measured words to push them towards CODE without making it seem like she was recruiting them outright.
"The Fang's grip on Starter City isn't as strong as it used to be," Betsy said during one such meeting, speaking with **Lorna**, the leader of a small guild called **Iron Chain**, which had been paying Golden Fang for protection. "They've been losing ground, especially now that CODE is on the rise. If they fall, do you really think they'll be able to protect you?"
Lorna, a tall woman with a sharp gaze, crossed her arms. "You're asking me to turn my back on Golden Fang? They've kept Iron Chain safe for years. They have more resources than we do."
"For now," Betsy replied smoothly. "But you've seen how fast things are changing. CODE's already secured alliances with the **Dwarven guild**, and we've started undercutting Golden Fang's protection deals. When the merchants stop paying them, Golden Fang will lose their biggest source of income. What happens to their allies when they can't pay for protection anymore?"
Lorna hesitated, the gears in her mind clearly turning. "What are you offering?"
"Not loyalty," Betsy said with a small smile. "Freedom. You won't be under our thumb, just like you don't have to stay under Golden Fang's. But we can offer you something they can't: **stability**. CODE's growing stronger by the day, and we're not looking to dominate—we're looking to **build alliances**."
After a long pause, Lorna finally nodded. "We'll think about it."
That was all Betsy needed—a small crack in Golden Fang's armor.
---
Meanwhile, **Drax** and his team of guild members were working on securing the **trade routes** that Golden Fang had controlled for years. Alex's plan to offer cheaper protection to the merchants was already taking shape, and Drax was more than happy to get his hands dirty ensuring that CODE's reputation as a protector spread through the city.
"Alright, listen up!" Drax called out to a group of merchants gathered at one of the busy trade outposts just outside Starter City's walls. The merchants looked wary at first, but Drax's natural charm—and the **presence of Luke** standing quietly at his side—helped put them at ease.
"We know you've been paying Golden Fang for protection," Drax continued, his voice booming over the marketplace. "But they're **bleeding you dry**. CODE's got a better deal—less gold, more security. And we don't break your legs if you miss a payment."
The merchants exchanged glances, their eyes full of doubt but also curiosity.
"What's the catch?" one of them asked, his arms crossed.
"No catch," Drax replied with a grin. "We're just offering you a way out. Golden Fang's losing its grip, and when they fall, they're not going to be able to protect anyone. You've seen the way CODE's been rising. We've got the resources, the manpower, and the **shades** to keep you safe. All we ask is a small cut of your profits—much less than what Golden Fang takes."
The merchants murmured among themselves, clearly intrigued. Finally, one of them, a grizzled old man with a sharp look in his eyes, stepped forward. "You think CODE can take on Golden Fang? They've been running this city for years."
"Not for long," Drax said confidently. "They're crumbling from the inside, and when they fall, we'll be the ones standing. The only question is: do you want to be with us when that happens, or do you want to go down with them?"
The merchants considered his words, and slowly, one by one, they began to nod.
---
Over the next several days, CODE's strategy began to pay off. More and more merchants started coming to CODE for protection, abandoning Golden Fang's **harsh demands** and excessive fees. The smaller guilds that had once been under Golden Fang's thumb were starting to see the writing on the wall, quietly aligning themselves with CODE in anticipation of a power shift.
But not everything was going smoothly.
One evening, as Alex, Betsy, Drax, and Luke were reviewing their progress in the **war room**, a scout burst through the doors, his face pale.
"**Golden Fang's retaliating**," the scout said breathlessly. "They've sent **raiding parties** to some of the merchants who've switched over to us. They're trying to scare them back into line."
Betsy cursed under her breath. "They're getting desperate."
Alex frowned, his mind racing. "How many merchants were hit?"
"Three so far," the scout replied. "They didn't do too much damage, but they sent a clear message: **work with CODE, and you'll suffer**."
Drax slammed his fist on the table. "We can't let them get away with this."
Alex was silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on the map of Starter City. This was the kind of retaliation he had expected, but it was happening sooner than he'd anticipated. Golden Fang wasn't going to take their losses lying down, and now CODE had to decide how to respond without escalating into an all-out guild war.
"They're testing us," Alex said finally. "They want to see how far they can push us before we push back."
"So what do we do?" Drax asked, his voice tense.
"We send a message of our own," Alex replied, his voice calm but firm. "We'll send out a **small force**—enough to protect the merchants, but not enough to make it look like we're escalating. We don't want to give them an excuse to start a full-scale conflict."
Betsy nodded. "We need to play this carefully. We can't afford to start a war right now."
"I'll take care of it," Drax said, standing up. "We'll make sure the merchants know we've got their backs."
Alex
looked at him. "And Drax—keep it controlled. We're not looking to provoke them."
Drax grinned. "Don't worry. We'll keep it clean."
As Drax left the room to organize the response, Alex turned back to the map, his mind already working through the next steps. Golden Fang was retaliating, but they were also showing their weakness. The more desperate they became, the more mistakes they would make.
Betsy, standing beside him, spoke quietly. "They're starting to crack. It's only a matter of time before the rest of their allies see it."
"And when they do," Alex said, his voice filled with quiet determination, "Golden Fang will fall."