The Eccentric Entomologist is Now a Queen's Consort

Chapter 104 Infiltrating The Syndicate (4) Information Gathering

Mikhailis watched through his glasses, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. The interrogation had begun. Rodion, taking the lead, used the chimera ants to create an unsettling environment, one that played on the men's fears and disoriented them.

The ants carved threatening messages into the stone walls—short, ominous phrases like "You cannot escape" and "Your secrets belong to us." The scratching of the ants' mandibles echoed through the room, the sound enough to make the captured men shiver.

Time to get these guys talking.

Rodion's voice was calm, calculated, with a hint of something almost amused.

Mikhailis leaned back, folding his arms as he watched the first syndicate member—a wiry man with a scar across his cheek—being dragged forward by two of the chimera ants. The man's eyes darted around, his breath coming in short, panicked gasps.

Let's see how tough he really is, Mikhailis thought, a grin forming on his lips.

The ants positioned the man in the center of the chamber, their mandibles clicking ominously as they held him in place. Rodion's voice echoed through the chamber, projected through a hidden speaker embedded within the tunnel walls.

The man swallowed hard, his eyes wide as he looked around the room, trying to figure out where the voice was coming from. He shook his head, his voice trembling.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about... I swear, I don't know anything."

Mikhailis rolled his eyes, leaning closer to the holographic display.

Classic response. Let's make this a little more interesting.

The chimera ants moved closer, their mandibles clicking louder as they carved a new message into the wall in front of the man. The message read: "We know who you are. We know your family." The man stared at the message, his eyes widening further, his face paling.

"No, no, please! Leave my family out of this!" His voice cracked, his body trembling.

Bingo, Mikhailis thought, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes.

Now we're getting somewhere.

Rodion's voice remained cold, almost indifferent, though there was a hint of curiosity.

Of course, he's uttering the command that is going to be written by the ants to ask the man.

The man hesitated, his eyes darting between the chimera ants and the message on the wall. Mikhailis could see the fear in his eyes, the way his body shook as he tried to come up with a response. Finally, the man broke, his voice barely a whisper.

"Okay... okay, I'll talk. Just... just don't hurt my family. Please."

He began to speak, his words tumbling out in a frantic rush. He revealed the names of several key figures in the syndicate—men who operated in the shadows, controlling different aspects of the criminal network. He spoke of distribution routes, secret warehouses where contraband was stored, and even mentioned a few safe houses scattered throughout the capital.

Mikhailis listened closely, nodding to himself. This was good—really good. The information could prove invaluable, not just for dismantling the syndicate but for taking control of it from the inside.

Rodion's voice was calm, calculated, as if it had everything under control.

Mikhailis nodded, satisfied. The syndicate members had served their purpose, and now they would continue to be of use in different ways—whether as food, experiments, or tools for leverage. Everything was falling into place.

He was about to turn his attention to something else when Rodion's voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts, a note of urgency in the AI's usually calm tone.

Mikhailis's eyes widened, his heart skipping a beat.

"Wait, what? It's already hatched?"

There was a hint of excitement in Rodion's voice—an excitement that Mikhailis could relate to.

Mikhailis jumped to his feet, his eyes shining with anticipation.

This is it. This is what I've been waiting for. He could barely contain his excitement as he glanced at the holographic display, his mind racing with possibilities.

"Show me. Now."

The display shifted, showing the newly hatched chimera variant. The creature was small, its body covered in faintly glistening scales that shimmered in the dim light. Its eyes glowed with an unnatural light, the same hypnotic energy that the serpent had possessed. It moved with a fluid grace, its gaze locking onto the chimera ants around it, as if testing its newfound abilities.

Mikhailis couldn't help but grin, his excitement palpable.

This is perfect.

A creature with hypnotic abilities, one that could potentially influence others—the possibilities were endless.

Mikhailis nodded, his mind already working through the implications.

"This is exactly what we needed. A game-changer."

He watched as the chimera variant moved, its eyes glowing with power. The syndicate, the Technomancers, the corruption within the capital—all of it could be influenced, controlled, if he played his cards right. This was just the beginning.

Mikhailis clenched his fists, his eyes glinting with determination.

"Rodion, prepare the variant for training. We've got a lot of work to do."

There was a sense of purpose in Rodion's voice, a sense that the AI understood just how important this moment was.

Mikhailis grinned, his excitement bubbling over. This was it—the next step in his plan. With the power of the chimera ants and the hypnotic variant at his disposal, he was ready to take things to the next level.

This world won't know what hit it.