Luke rose from his throne, his crimson eyes fixed on the Infernal Magistrates. He paced slowly, the silence stretching with every measured step. Stopping in the center of the hall, he glanced at each Magistrate in turn, his expression unreadable.

  “I can see you all accomplished quite a bit in my absence. Not bad,” Luke said, his tone slow and deliberate. “However…”

  He continued, “I do not appreciate the fact that you ran our resources dry. That was a foolish move on your part, and I’m surprised none of the council members stopped you from making such a decision. But we’ll remedy that right now.”

  He turned to Infernal Magistrate One. “Do we need to pay for recruits from the charm-focused training ground or the regular training ground?”

  Magistrate One replied, “No, my lord. We are allowed two recruits daily from the charm-focused training ground—one of each type—and three from the normal training ground, also one of each type.”

  Luke nodded and opened the Hall of Deception panel, selecting "Summon Courtesan" and "Summon Shadow Agent" as his choices.

  Moments later, the summoned figures entered the hall, bowing low. “Greetings, my lord,” they said in unison.

  Luke turned to Infernal Magistrate Two and instructed, “Go and quickly recruit another Courtesan and Shadow Agent from the charm-focused training ground.”

  Returning his attention to the recruits, he said, “Welcome, my people. I have a task for you both. Head south and locate a wealthy native territory. I want you to ensure every single merchant in that territory becomes my subject. Can you do that?”

  Infernal Magistrate One gasped at his lord’s audacity but nodded in approval, his thoughts aligning with the style of his master. The Courtesan and Shadow Agent responded confidently, “It can be done, my lord.”

  Luke opened his Hall of Deception panel again and summoned the Void Stalker who had previously scouted the southern territories. Within moments, the Void Stalker entered the hall.

  “Take these two to the south,” Luke commanded. “Keep watch over them and ensure their success. They have a task to complete.”

  The Void Stalker inclined his head in acknowledgment. “As you command, my lord.”

  Luke dismissed them, watching as they exited the hall. Moments later, Infernal Magistrate Two entered with the newly recruited Courtesan and Shadow Agent. The two bowed deeply before speaking.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, my lord,” they said.

  Luke nodded. “I have a task for you as well. Head northeast and infiltrate an otherworlder territory. Your mission is to covertly convert every individual in that territory into my subject—everyone except for their lord. Do you understand?”

  They responded in unison, “Yes, my lord.”

  He remembered seeing two other optional quests that could be done immediately. He turned to Infernal Magistrate One and asked, “Do we have any Whisper Brokers in the territory right now?”

  Infernal Magistrate One responded, “No, my lord.”

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  Luke hummed thoughtfully, then turned to Infernal Magistrate Two. “Head to the Obsidian Nexus and recruit two Whisper Brokers and one Subjugator.”

  He looked back at Infernal Magistrate One. “Do we have enough resources to recruit these three?”

  Infernal Magistrate One replied, “Yes, my lord. Tier 1 recruits now cost 5 Soul Energy and 5 Gold.”

  Luke nodded and instructed Infernal Magistrate Two, “Recruit them and bring them here.”

  While waiting for the recruitment to be completed, Luke turned to Infernal Magistrate Three. “I love the governing rules you’ve created so far. I approve.”

  Magistrate Three allowed a mild smile to grace his face, stood, and said, “Thank you, my lord.”

  Luke continued, “Head to the Town Center and recruit today’s population for me. Bring me a report of their skills.”

  Magistrate Three responded promptly, “Yes, my lord,” before heading out.

  Not long after Magistrate Three left, Magistrate Two returned with the newly recruited Whisper Brokers and Subjugator. Luke opened the Hall of Deception panel and assigned:

  Quest 1: Whispers in the Dark

  Objective: Assign Whisper Brokers through the Hall of Deception for sabotage missions.

  Disrupt one enemy production cycle or steal 10 resources.

  Reward: +5 Espionage Points, +10 Stolen Resources (random type).

  Quest 2: Veil of Temptation

  Objective: Deploy Whisper Brokers to neighboring territories to manipulate trade agreements or siphon resources subtly.

  Success increases gold generation through covert economic influence.

  Reward: +20–40 Gold, based on success.

  Development Impact: Boosts diplomatic presence and strengthens territorial influence by spreading corruption and charm.

  Luke assigned these tasks to the newly recruited Whisper Brokers, 5 and 6.

  He then addressed the Subjugator. “Head to the territory the Dominion Enforcer is stationed at and assist him with management there.”

  Turning to Whisper Brokers 5 and 6, he asked, “Did you receive the quest?”

  They both nodded in confirmation. Luke nodded back and said, “You are all dismissed.”

  Magistrate Three returned with a report to his lord. “Eight families were recruited along with 10 single units from Level 2 and six single units from Level 1, my lord. In total, 64 adults and 20 children have joined us.”

  Luke raised his hand, flabbergasted. “What?”

  Magistrate Three calmly continued his report. “Of the 64 adults, 48 came from the eight families, while 16 came from the single-unit recruits. We have recruited 12 farmers, six builders, four laborers, eight artisans, and five administrators. Additionally, we gained four Courtesans, four Gloom Adepts, and five Nightblades from the families. As for the 16 single-unit adults, they consist of six soldiers, three artisans, three charm specialists, and four laborers.”

  Luke nodded in amazement, processing the sheer numbers. “That is a lot of people. Thankfully, we have builders and laborers who can work together to expand what we need.”

  He then turned to the three Infernal Magistrates and declared, “I will now assign your roles moving forward.”

  Looking at Infernal Magistrate One, Luke continued, “You will remain in charge of overall administration. We’ve just gained five more administrators, bringing the total to six. You will assign two of them as assistants to each of you Magistrates to help with your tasks. However, they will not have access to the system panels, so you must delegate accordingly. Ensure all tasks are reported and streamlined. You will also report directly to me.”

  Turning to Infernal Magistrate Two, he said, “You remain in charge of everything related to the town center. This includes recruitment and delivering reports on the recruits to Infernal Magistrate One. Magistrate One will then assign their roles and ensure everyone is properly placed. Make sure you keep communication clear and efficient.”

  Finally, addressing Infernal Magistrate Three, Luke said, “I value the governance rules you’ve established, so you will continue overseeing that. Additionally, you will manage resource output from the Harvest Pit and the Obsidian Nexus. Coordination is key. Keep us balanced between growth and sustainability.”

  Luke’s gaze swept across the three. “Infernal Magistrate One, since you oversee everything, it is your responsibility to ensure we always have sufficient resources, daily quests are completed—mandatory quests first, and optional quests if manpower allows. Do you all understand your tasks?”

  The three Infernal Magistrates stood, bowed in unison, and replied, “Yes, my lord.”

  Luke nodded, his tone firm. “Good. Use the administrative tent for all operations moving forward. This Hall of Deception is now reserved solely for myself and the council members.”