After dismissing the knights, Michael allowed himself a moment of reprieve. He glanced at Marcus, who slyly pocketed a few jewels from the stash. Pretending not to notice, Michael focused on refining his strategies.
His thoughts were interrupted when his squire, Alex, entered hurriedly.
"Sir, Lady Miaomia and the gargoyles have returned."
Michael's elite reconnaissance team, composed of the shapeshifting Miaomia and the gargoyles, had been scouting the plains. Their versatility made them ideal for the task.
Miaomia, upon entering, immediately flopped onto the floor in a show of exaggerated exhaustion.
"Did the mission go well?" Michael asked, hiding his amusement.
[Exhausted. They're faster than I expected. But as you suspected, they're moving in tribal units. I've marked their general locations. We focused on tracking supply routes, as you requested.]