From what Rex gathered, the Grey Realm is similar to the Cavity.
Both are considered a farm realm. Both have divine sources. And both have their own workers.
Perhaps the only difference between them was their scale of operation—the Cavity has countless divine sources in it, while the Grey Realm has only three, based on the markers on the map. And this invasion happened because High Lord Rashal’s forces lost a bastion realm.
Rex didn’t know what it ant for sure; this was his first ti hearing it.
But based on its na, it should be a fortified realm in case of an attack like this.
An attack from another High Lord.
Alexander referred to the Grey Realm as an important farm realm, but Rex couldn’t help but sense more to it. If he had to guess, the realm must be connected to even more important realms, or even connected to a cluster of other farm lands.
It was probably why this assignnt is incredibly important.
Right now, their forces have two options.
First option is to secure the Divine Sources inside the Grey Realm. Now that Rex was aware of the role of a Divine Source, fertilizing the land to produce divine strands through the Baby-blue Periwinkles—for the Overseer, he also understood the importance of protecting them.
Each Divine Source was connected to another realm that acted as fuel for it.
Back in the Cavity, the Divine Source he inspected was connected to the Spirit Realm.
Having the Divine Sources be taken by the enemies ant sacrificing the realms connected to them and also uprooting the Baby-blue Periwinkles. Both outcos are catastrophic, which is why Alexander planned to secure them first.
If the enemies also thought of attacking the Divine Sources first, then the clash would co sooner.
And based on how problematic Manvac’s power was, at least one would be taken.
Either way, a third of the Baby-blue Periwinkles would be stolen.
But if the enemies were to focus on sowing chaos and taking out the inhabitants, then they’d most likely succeed, as the Red Skull Elite Force would place the inhabitants as second-priority. Once wiped out, the realm wouldn’t fall; however, High Lord Rashal would need to send workers to the Grey Realm to keep the farm realm operational.
As for the second option, it was to prioritize the inhabitants first.
Sure, they would most likely lose more Divine Sources, but even if one Divine Source survived, there would be no need for sending in workers. All the High Lord needed to do was fortify the Grey Realm, and that was much easier to do.
However, this option risks losing all Divine Sources.
And if all Divine Sources are lost, then the Grey Realm is basically no longer a farm realm
One option risks thinning the High Lord’s number, and the other risks losing a farm realm.
Lose and lose.
"Is there no additional intel? Do we need to take on these risks?" Rex asked with an elaborate frown.
Instead of making a guess, they should find out the exact target that the enemies would strike. That way, they could prepare the plan to stop them appropriately. But it seed against an equally strong force; getting these things is hard.
"Unfortunately, we cannot. Even realizing they were coming was luck for our side," Alexander sighed deeply, understanding fully that this was a bad situation. "But the good news is, the enemies aren’t aware that we knew they were coming."
"Is there a way to locate them when we arrive?"
"Yes, there’s a tool to detect divinity. But it’s not that accurate."
"When you say secure the Divine Sources, what are you doing with it exactly?"
"We’ll extract the core and harvest the Baby-blue Periwinkles. It’ll be a day or two for us to do that."
"And how long do we have until the invasion starts?"
"Scouts are already in the Grey Realm by now, but the main force should arrive in approximately one to two days in the realm’s ti."
"Okay, let suggest this to you," Rex stepped forward—and looked down at the map of the entire Grey Realm. "It’s obvious that I will need to get involved. So, let’s have most of your squadron quickly secure the Divine Source at the center."
Rex took the marker and started writing a number at each marked point.
It was the number of soldiers that he suggested sending.
"Around ninety percent should drop there instantly and begin securing the Divine Source." Rex’s hand then moved across the map and circled the two other Divine Sources. "And the remaining soldiers would be split into two to scout and guard the area around the other two Divine Sources."
"Ninety percent? What for?"
"We’re going to quickly secure the Divine Source at the center since it’s the nearest to the big factions— and could serve as another target if they really attacked the big factions. And once it was done, the main group would split into two groups and make their way to the other two Divine Sources."
"That’s over fifty thousand kiloters to cross in either direction. It’ll take half a day. By then, we’ll be on a race against ti, as that’s enough ti for the enemy to sow chaos and then go to our location. It won’t work."
"Don’t worry about that. I will be handling the big factions, making sure they can stall."
"I won’t ask your thod. I’ll trust you."
"And as for you," Rex lifted his gaze to look at Alexander. "Can you—"
Before he could finish his words, the space right beside them suddenly contorted.
Almost instantly, Rex was on guard, thinking that it might be the enemies making their move.
But it wasn’t.
Alexander gestured for him to stand down as the distortion began to take shape.
’Did he really sense the portal being open even before it made a physical distortion?’
He glanced at Rex, frowning openly at sothing he caught. As one of the realm’s owners, he was quite certain that only he—and the other High Millinars could sense the faintest distortion in the dinsional fabric of this realm.
And yet, Rex had moved before the distortion even manifested.
Reacted before even Alexander noticed the change.
Such acute senses are unheard of, even among the entire Red Skull Elite Force.
Under normal circumstances, Alexander would be right.
Rex couldn’t sense this phenonon, but the System could. Set to constantly scan his surroundings like an in-built radar, it caught the distortion the instant it began to form, and Rex moved without hesitation, thinking that an enemy had breached the realm.
He wasn’t about to let his guard down.
Not after everything that had happened in the Spirit Realm.
Swish...
A sudden breeze swept the room as the air to the right of the table began to shiver.
It started as a faint shimr, a heat-haze without heat, and then slowly, it deepened into sothing solid. The center of the distortion turned translucent, a mbrane of light stretched thin between two realms, and within it, an image began to form.
Rex watched in silence as the portal took shape.
Its edges bled faint light before settling into a perfect, hovering, steady window.
He was curious as to who was forming this.
But considering Alexander’s expression right now, this person must be soone important.
And soon enough, Rex saw the person on the other side—High Lord Rashal.
He sat in shadow. Around him, the room was little more than a cubicle cell—cold stone walls slick with condensation. A dim, pale light source hovered sowhere out of fra, casting enough illumination to reveal the ragged table before him.
It wasn’t the polished table of his office, not the symbol of power that he attained as the High Lord.
This was rough-hewn wood, scarred and splintered; the kind found in a forgotten underground chamber.
A dungeon table.
Once the portal ford properly, even the tapping of High Lord Rashal’s finger against the rough table reached Alexander and Rex, a smile blood on his face. Broad and unexpected. He spread both his arms wide, almost like he was welcoming them.
"Ah," He purred in excitent. "Would you look at that? Two of my favourite people in the sa room."
"High Lord," Alexander saluted.
Rex followed the High Millinar’s lead, placing his right fist firmly against his left chest, "High Lord."
"How is the assignnt going?"
"Reporting: the squadron is preparing to depart right now. Rex and I are finishing our plan."
"Good. Good..." High Lord Rashal nodded his head repeatedly, pleased by the sight. "I ca right on ti, then."
Just as Alexander was about to ask a question, the sound of heavy breathing stopped him.
Alexander glanced at Rex and t his eyes. The sound didn’t co from either of them, and it certainly wasn’t the High Lord. They looked around, searching for where this rough breathing ca from. But other than the two of them, there’s nobody around.
It was then that Rex caught a glimpse of a figure in the shadows at the High Lord’s back.
And that figure seed to be bound to a chair.
"Right, I forgot to ntion—I am currently using soone to entertain myself. My apologies for the strange sounds." High Lord Rashal shifted to the side, revealing the man bound behind him. The figure was tied to an ordinary chair, blood and drool mingling as they dripped from his slack mouth. Grotesque green veins webbed across his skin like poison seeking roots.
All four of his limbs had been severed.
Only his neck was strapped to the chair, keeping him upright.
Calling it brutal was an understatent.
"One of my oldest and finest lieutenants," High Lord Rashal introduced—jerking a thumb toward the mutilated figure. "Soone slipped in through the West Cavity, and to determine whether this intruder was a troubleso person or not, he sent Vadyn to investigate. For a man with such..." He clenched his hand into a fist, almost like it was a sha just to think about what the lieutenant did. "Experience and intelligence, he made such a bad decision."
Rex choked on his saliva and coughed.
He was expecting a prisoner, or an enemy, but this limbless man was actually a lieutenant?
Now that’s unexpected.
"Vadyn is quite rciful, she said that he has good intentions in mind," High Lord Rashal forced out a smile, shaking his head. "Unfortunately, I’m not that rciful. After all, for sending my cousin to such a dangerous place, it can only be because he looked down on , no?"
"Yes, High Lord," Alexander replied without hesitation.
Rex also followed, "Yes, High Lord."
Just then, High Lord Rashal’s eyes were fixated on Rex. There was intent behind those eyes.
One that Rex doesn’t quite get whether it was a bad intent or not.
Since the System sensed no killing intent, he assud it wasn’t anything bad.
And he was right.
"It seed soone has also viewed less favorably by going behind my back," High Lord Rashal said; his predatory eyes narrowing to a squint. The eyes made Rex’s heart pound for a second. "Going behind my back to ss with you, I an."
Almost instantly, Liebert flashed inside Rex’s mind.
He was the one who went behind High Lord Rashal’s back to intercept Pale Defender Zev.
"Not to worry," High Lord Rashal waved his hand. "He’s been dealt with. And as an apology, you will find that what you wanted is already at your penthouse."
Rex’s eyes widened slightly.
The Permit...? Or did he give the location of a Cluster Custodian? But I hadn’t even done anything.
For a second, Rex was thinking of abandoning this assignnt entirely if he had already gotten what he wanted. But then he rembered who he was dealing with. He was certain High Lord Rashal would not give what he wanted away as easily as this.
There’s a catch.
So, either way, better for him to finish the assignnt first.
"I hope you can forgive my subordinate for acting out like this. It’s unsightly..."
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