Chapter 36: Gathering Information

Cassian turned to the Mothkin.

​"Step forward."

​The Special Elite didn’t hesitate. She glided forward with uncanny grace and bowed deeply. "Yes, my Lord."

​Cassian nodded as he issued his inquiry. "How confident are you in gathering information?"

​The Mothkin raised her head, her glowing violet eyes meeting his with absolute calm. "As long as it is a command from my Lord, I can accomplish it."

​Cassian observed her for a beat, reading the cold intelligence behind those eyes, before nodding. "Good."

​He then turned his gaze toward the Giant Bone Worm. "What about you? How far can your telepathy reach?"

​The massive segmented monstrosity shifted, making a movement that resembled a bow before raising its head, or its maw, Cassian wasn’t entirely sure which, to stare back at him.

​At that moment, static buzzed lightly in Cassian’s mind before a voice cut through the noise.

It sounded surprisingly like a young male child, clear and direct:

​’My Lord, my telepathy naturally covers a radius of ten kilometers. However, for longer distances, as long as a unit remains in close proximity to one of my spawn, the range is functionally endless.’

​Cassian rubbed his chin as he processed the mechanic. "I see."

​He turned back to the Umbral Mothkin. "You will cooperate with the Bone Worm and carry one of its spawn with you on your scouting missions."

​"As you wish, my Lord," the Mothkin replied smoothly. "Where shall I head first?"

​Cassian smiled softly. "You will be heading north... to the Kragmar Dominion."

​His gaze swept over both the Umbral Mothkin and the Giant Bone Worm, his expression darkening into cold focus.

​"Your objective is not battle. It is pure information."

​"I want exact enemy numbers, the strongest among them, their leaders, their patrol routes, their settlements, their resources, and every location of strategic importance."

​"Avoid unnecessary combat at all costs," Cassian warned, his eyes narrowing. "If discovered, retreat immediately. Do not risk yourselves for insignificant findings, a living scout is worth far more to me than a dead hero."

​He pointed toward the northern horizon beyond the protective barrier of Lord’s Hollow, where the grim silhouette of the Graveshade Expanse stretched into the dark mist.

​"Map the terrain. Identify choke points, hidden paths, and ideal ambush zones. I want to know where the enemy is strongest and where they are weakest."

​His gaze fell back upon the Giant Bone Worm. "Deploy your [Swarm Division] across the region. Any information gathered by your miniature units will be relayed directly back to me through your telepathy."

​The worm lowered its massive, bone-plated head in silent acknowledgment.

​Cassian then turned his focus back to the Umbral Mothkin. "You will be responsible for tactical analysis. Observe their habits, determine their chain of command, and uncover anything unusual."

​A cold, expectant smile touched his lips.

​"If they possess Champions, I want to know who they are. If they possess Commanders, I want to know where they sleep. And if they possess something capable of threatening my territory..." His eyes gleamed with razor-sharp intent. "...I want to know about it before it ever has the chance."

​The Umbral Mothkin bowed gracefully, her dark wings folding tighter against her back.

​Cassian folded his arms behind his waist, looking down at his newly minted intelligence team.

​"You have three simple priorities."

​"First: remain unseen."

​"Second: gather complete intelligence."

​"Third..." A dangerous grin spread across his face. "...make the enemy reveal as much of themselves as possible without ever realizing they are being watched."

​For a long moment, complete silence settled over Lord’s Hollow.

​Then, Cassian delivered the final command.

​"Go."

​"By the time I march on the Kragmar Dominion, I want its secrets laid bare before me."

....

Cassian watched the two Special Elites depart after he had given them his final instructions.

​The Giant Bone Worm’s enormous body rippled violently before splitting apart. One became ten, ten became a hundred, and a hundred became a thousand.

Within moments, the massive creature transformed into a surging tide of smaller Bone Worms spreading rapidly across the territory.

​One of the miniature worms climbed onto the Umbral Mothkin’s shoulder, wrapping its segmented body around her neck like a living scarf.

​’I will be in your care, Big Sis,’ the child-like voice echoed telepathically.

​The Umbral Mothkin turned her glowing violet eyes toward the tiny worm. For several seconds, she simply stared at it in silence, before giving a small, subtle nod.

​The tiny Bone Worm visibly relaxed, settling comfortably onto her shoulder.

​Meanwhile, the rest of the subterranean swarm surged out of Lord’s Hollow, disappearing into the dark earth and every corner of the surrounding wilderness.

​Cassian could already picture hundreds of tiny scouts burrowing beneath the dirt, slipping through rock fissures, and blanketing the Kragmar Dominion.

It was a terrifyingly stealthy intelligence network, one that most enemies would never detect until it was far too late.

​The Umbral Mothkin turned toward Cassian, her dark wings folding behind her back as she lowered her head in a graceful bow.

​"My Lord."

​Cassian nodded calmly. "Return safely."

​The Mothkin straightened, and the next moment, a sudden vortex of wind erupted around her frame.

Her dark wings unfurled to their full span, generating a shockwave that kicked up dust and loose gravel across the courtyard.

​BOOM!

​A dark streak shot toward the clouds as Cassian watched her ascend past the protective boundary of Lord’s Hollow. Moments later, she vanished into the northern horizon.

​That concluded his immediate reconnaissance setup. For now, all he could do was wait for the data to pour in.

​The Kragmar Dominion remained a dangerous unknown, but hopefully, that would change soon.

​After watching the empty sky for a few more beats, Cassian withdrew his gaze.

​The remaining Special Elites still stood nearby, alongside his support units, the Death Chanters and the Master-Class Death Speaker, as well as his eight administrative workers.

All silently awaited his next command.

​Cassian decided to leave the combat and support summons on standby for the moment. Instead, his attention shifted entirely toward the SSS-Grade Overseer.

​The tall, immaculate summon stood quietly among the workers. Unlike the rest, deep calculation burned within its soul flames; it looked less like a mindlessly loyal summon and more like a high-ranking corporate administrator awaiting a project brief.

​Cassian nodded. "You and the workers follow me."

​The Overseer bowed instantly. "As you command, my Lord."

​The seven other workers fell in line behind it without a sound.

​Cassian led the administrative team deeper into his territory, weaving past rows of silent tombstones and weathered graves. Before long, the dark silhouette of the Graveyard Fields materialized through the pale mist.

​Countless plots of rich, dark soil stretched across the landscape, the fertile ground that would cultivate the crops, herbs, and resources to form the baseline economy of his domain.

​Cassian’s eyes swept over the silent acreage.

​A territory could never thrive on brute combat power alone. Resources, infrastructure, and sustainable production were equally vital to long-term survival.

​And now that he possessed worker units with such absurd, compressed potential, it was time to build a real foundation.