Chapter 149: On The News

?Even though he had already analyzed the vessel’s technical specifications, seeing the technology in action was an entirely different experience.

A starship capable of vanishing so completely from high-tier sensors would be an invaluable asset for deep-space reconnaissance and infiltration.

?He could only hope Silas and the unit would make good use of it.

?Just as Cassian was considering his next move, his communicator vibrated.

?The caller ID flashed across the interface.

?Louis Ferdinand

?Cassian accepted the call.

?The Overseer’s holographic projection flickered to life almost immediately, his sharp eyes carrying an unmistakable hint of curiosity.

?"Cassian, I just detected a high-grade starship leaving your exact coordinates. It accelerated toward orbit before completely vanishing from my perception."

?Louis paused, searching the young Lord’s face for a reaction.

?"Would you happen to know anything about that?"

?Cassian remained perfectly composed. "Those were my troops. I sent them out to handle a long-term assignment, so there’s no need to worry."

?Louis blinked.

?"Your... troops?"

?"That’s right."

?For a brief moment, the Overseer looked as though he were contemplating pressing for details. Ultimately, he thought better of it.

?After everything that had transpired over the past few hours, he had quickly learned that probing into Cassian’s methods usually led to far more headaches than answers.

?Besides, the young Lord had already proven himself capable of handling situations that would leave veteran Ascendant Lords speechless.

?"Oh." Louis nodded slowly, giving a weary exhale. "All right, then. I’ll leave you to it."

?The projection flickered and vanished.

?Cassian lowered his wrist and returned his gaze to the sky.

?The Nova Seeker was long gone, leaving zero evidence of its departure.

Somewhere out in the dark void, Silas and his unit were embarking on a journey toward an alien empire that had no idea its dead operatives were returning as an undercover legion.

?A faint smile touched Cassian’s lips.

?He hoped the mission would yield vital intelligence. If everything went according to plan, his newly forged High-Race undead would give him an unbeatable foothold inside the Arachnid Empire.

?For now, however, his work on Planet Roca was complete.

?Cassian turned toward Nyxara. "We’re done here. Let’s go home."

?Nyxara gave a firm nod, casting one last glance at the sky where the ship had vanished.

?"As you wish, my Lord."

....

Cassian and Nyxara emerged from the underground complex, leaving behind the subterranean facility that had housed the Arachnids’ final operation on Planet Roca.

?The moment they reached the surface, Cassian pulled out his communicator and sent Louis a brief message requesting extraction.

?A few moments later, spatial energy enveloped them.

?When the distortion subsided, Cassian found himself standing inside his living room.

?He released a long, heavy breath.

?Finally, home.

?It had been an eventful day. He had gone from dealing with a terrorist attack to confronting an alien operative, neutralizing a planet-destroying device, and discovering a potential exploit to cultivate multiple High Races.

He had even managed to launch an undercover infiltration team directly towards the Arachnid Empire.

?All things considered, it had been a productive afternoon.

?Still, nothing compared to the simple comfort of returning home.

?Cassian glanced toward the couch, where Seraphina and Ruby were sitting together, watching the television.

?His mother noticed his arrival first. She turned toward him, her long, striking red-and-white hair cascading over her shoulder as a warm smile illuminated her features.

?"Welcome back, honey. Well done on completing your mission."

?Cassian nodded. "Thanks, Mom."

?He walked over and sank onto the couch, letting his body relax against the soft cushions.

Nyxara remained standing nearby, taking in the familiar surroundings with a quiet sense of relief.

?Seraphina studied her son for a brief moment, apparently satisfied that he was completely unharmed, before returning her attention to the broadcast.

She hadn’t intervened in the operation on Planet Roca; there had been no need when Cassian and Louis had matters well in hand.

Besides, her son was more than capable of handling his own affairs, and she had no intention of hovering.

?Ruby, however, had something else on her mind.

?She turned toward Cassian, her green eyes shining with excitement. "Dad, they’re talking about you on the news!"

?Cassian raised an eyebrow. "They are?"

?"Yes! Look!" She pointed eagerly at the screen.

?Cassian followed her gesture, focusing on the broadcast.

?A male news anchor sat behind a sleek desk, his expression unusually grave.

On the display panel behind him, a rotating series of images showed Planet Roca, damaged skyscrapers, emergency response teams, and heavy military cruisers hovering above the cloud layer.

?A bold title card stretched across the bottom of the screen:

?[BREAKING NEWS: TERRORIST ATTACK ON PLANET ROCA FOILED — OVERSEER AND MYSTERIOUS LORD SAVE BILLIONS]

?The anchor straightened his posture before addressing the camera.

?"Good evening. We begin the segment with breaking news from Planet Roca, an outer-band world within the Astral Dominion that came under a massive, coordinated terrorist assault earlier today."

?The footage shifted to display the red-and-black crest of the Crimson Reckoning.

?"According to official reports, the terrorist organization known as the Crimson Reckoning seized control of hundreds of thousands of civilian nodes across the planet, taking hostages and engaging local security forces in simultaneous assaults. The attackers included heavily armed mercenaries equipped with illegal high-tier military gear."

?Images of fractured streets and urgent evacuation efforts flashed across the screen.

?"Planetary authorities, supported by regional enforcement, attempted to contain the breach. However, the sheer scale of the attack initially overwhelmed local defenses. Fortunately, the trajectory of the crisis changed dramatically following the personal intervention of Louis Ferdinand, Overseer of the Astral Dominion."

?The footage transitioned to clips of Dominion strike teams advancing through liberated sectors, followed by rescued civilians being escorted to medical transports.

?"Witnesses and newly declassified military telemetry indicate that the Overseer personally intervened, eliminating vast numbers of hostile combatants and stabilizing planetary security within a remarkably short window."

?Ruby leaned forward, watching with rapt attention.

?Cassian remained silent. He had expected Louis to receive public recognition, the Overseer had stepped in personally, and his contribution was far too grand to hide.

?However, the report wasn’t over.

?The news anchor’s tone dropped an octave, growing far more serious.

?"Unfortunately, the crisis extended far beyond a standard hostage situation. Subsequent investigations reveal that the terrorists activated a forbidden weapon identified by preliminary analysts as a Worldbreaker Core."