CHAPTER 781: SITUATION

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"Damn. I know that Travis confirmed this, but this is wild. It’s really here," Patricia muttered to herself, but she was heard by her fellow councillors.

They are now at the same settlement as Travis and his group, still under disguise and this close to the budding portal. From here, they could see it clearly, and it filled them with various emotions, ranging from excitement to solemnity.

"Should we start doing something?" Urek asked, geared and ready to move whenever his comrades were ready.

"Install surveillance first. Now that we’re here, we have to make sure that it is us, humans, who touch the doors first. We can’t let any other creature, especially bugs, touch it first. Although I’m sure we weren’t followed, it’s better to be safe than sorry," Nicholas stated.

"Leave that to me," Gibson volunteered. "Pat, watch over Travis’ men. I don’t want to suspect them, but we have to be extra sure."

"No need to tell me twice; I’m already on it."

Patricia was already observing the behavior of Travis’ men even before their ship docked in the port of the Rising Sun Domain. Even the slightest twitch of their fingers wouldn’t escape her watch.

That said, if there truly were traitors among them, there was a chance that it’s already too late. Some time has passed since they arrived here; after all, they could’ve already informed others before they, the councillors, arrived here.

As for suspecting the Sector Lord and his men? Well, there’s merit in that, but Travis vouched for him, and his bodyguards wouldn’t dare. Therefore, they don’t need too much surveillance.

Gibson did his thing. He summoned machines smaller than the naked eye could see. They scattered like mist, disappearing before everybody’s senses. Only the councillors themselves could spot them, and even they had to strain their senses to see them.

These little machines have scattered all over the space where the portal was opening. They not only serve as Gibson’s eyes and ears, but they also serve as a net or a trap. Once they’re there, nothing could come close to that place without him knowing. And he meant ’’nothing’—dead or alive, visible or invisible, nothing will pass without these machines knowing.

The other councillors are also busy doing their thing. They have their own ways of helping their comrades secure the location.

Berk scattered his pets all over the place. Ones that evade the senses and were linked to him. Urek began seeding the area, shrouding it with illusions that could befuddle anybody that came close.

And Nicholas was just standing there, peering over the location. He doesn’t appear to be doing anything special, but he’s certainly not idle. His actions were just a mystery.

Nicholas did feel a little bad, though. Because technically, they’re taking action without asking for Cedric’s permission. This was his territory, all things considered. Yes, the portal was technically outside of his domain, but it also falls under his area of responsibility.

Even though they’re the councillors of the Human Council, what they’re doing is rude and disrespectful.

Alas, they had to do this, even at the cost of offending him.

The matter about the Unstable Heavenly Domain was beyond Cedric’s grasp. This was something that all species would fight tooth and nail for. Whether he likes it or not, he has to swallow this. Otherwise, things will definitely be worse than this.

’Don’t worry, kid. We’ll make sure that your domain and your people are safe from all of this. That much we can guarantee,’ Nicholas said to himself.

Then, he suddenly remembered something and turned to Berk.

"Berk, any updates on your pets?"

"My children!" Berk protested with a huff, but he did report the progress anyway. "They’re doing their thing. They’re already making their way to the opposite side of the realm and have been gaining attention. Let’s just hope that the fools take the bait."

Nicholas nodded. Then, he returned to whatever it is that he’s doing.

**

Outside the calm and relatively peaceful domain of the Heavenly Star Chaos Realm, in a warped and very chaotic area, a group of shadowy and non-human silhouettes could be seen.

As light revealed their appearances, you’d be greeted by their grotesque visage. Carapaces, bulbous growths, tentacles, multiple eyes, and rows of jagged teeth...either one or multiple of these features could appear in one of these creatures.

However, despite their varying sizes, shapes, and features, they were all connected through the same blood and hive mind. They’re members of the Horde.

A buzz collectively rang in their heads. Their connection to the hive mind stirred to life, making them alert. Once this connection was established, a presence from the other side, one that was much bigger and extremely suppressive, made itself known to them.

"Do you have anything to tell me, hmm?" The presence from the other side asked with a chilling but curious tone.

"Yes, Sir. We’ve received reports about the movements of the Human Sovereigns. Although we haven’t confirmed it yet, we are assuming that this was about the Unstable Heavenly Domain."

"Is that so? Tell me more; don’t hold back."

"Yes. According to what he discovered, they’ve been sending scouts over to the west side of Heavenly Star Chaos Realm. Our spies and sleeper agents have also reported that there had been multiple sightings of spatial disturbances over in that location."

"We haven’t confirmed if any of these were actually manifesting to be the doors leading to the Unstable Heavenly Domain. Our spies told us that this might just be spatial storms, but it could also be some fake news that the humans deliberately spread around to hide the truth."

"Mn, indeed, humans are cunning just like that." The voice on the other side sounded contemplative. "And how are your operations, by the way? Have you figured out a way to infiltrate Heavenly Star?"

The creatures looked at each other in dismay. Then, the speaker, perhaps in agony, decided to tell the truth.

"Forgive us, Sir. The Space Marines have gone crazy, especially after they discovered that the doors to the Unstable Heavenly Domain will appear within their territory."

"They’ve deployed the ’Eye of Annihilation’; every nest we sent has been vaporized to nothingness by it."

The group of bugs in the same room wilted like plants that have been drained of all their life. They lowered their heads and waited for their verdict.

"My, that’s too bad, isn’t it?" The speaker on the other side sounded playful. But his voice has definitely gone several degrees colder.

His presence became even more pronounced. And the suppressive force brought forth by his innate superiority over them pressed down even harder, almost pinning them to the ground.

This caused the bugs in this room to begin smelling the threat of death.

"As far as I remember, you told me that there was one group that managed to bypass earlier. They were sent east of the Heavenly Star, weren’t they? Have you not heard from them ever since?"

Once again, the speaker bit the bullet and decided to report the truth.

"They’ve gone silent, Sir," the speaker said in a pressured and defeated tone. "I have personally used all kinds of communication attempts to confirm their status, but I’ve never gotten a reply. I, therefore, assumed that they’ve been compromised."

The presence on the other side pressed down on them even further. The bugs in the room felt this weight pressing on them so hard that their bones, joints, and carapaces were creaking ominously on the verge of giving way to the pressure.

Then, out of nowhere, the weight disappeared, and so did the foreboding sense of irresistible crisis.

"Hmph! Consider yourselves lucky that, despite your incompetence, you’ve chosen to report the truth to me. Had you lied or given me false promises, I would’ve devoured you where you stand."

The bugs in the room wisely stayed silent. They didn’t even dare to think about their grievances right now; they were just happy that they’re still alive after all this.

"Don’t worry about this anymore. Your new task is to keep the Space Marines occupied. Make sure that they become so busy that they wouldn’t even have the energy or men to spare."

"I’m giving you permission to mobilize more nests and hatch more children. Send them all to the frontlines; harass the Space Marines until they can no longer differentiate between ally and foe."

"This is your duty from now on, and it must be done even at the cost of your own lives."

"Don’t concern yourselves about the Unstable Heavenly Domain anymore. You’ve missed your chance. Just focus on your new task, and maybe, just maybe, you’d do a sufficient job that the elders will allow you to be reborn."

And just like that, the presence on the other side disappeared after handing out his verdict to them.

After a while, all the bugs in the room collapsed in both relief and reluctance.

"Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. What miserable fucking existences we are." One of the bugs complained helplessly on the floor.

They failed one mission, and suddenly, they turned from assets to sacrificial lambs.

Such is the fate of being a member of the Horde.