I, the Supreme Overlord, Start by Enslaving the Zerg Queen

From the top floor of the castle in the very center of the trading town, Zarathustra stood on the balcony, gazing down upon the entire settlement.

As a general of the Serpent Empire, Zarathustra was originally supposed to be engaged in battles against other races that posed a threat to the Serpent Empire. However, he had already abandoned his post at the Empire's border.

Several months ago, Zarathustra brought all his subordinates to this small town.

Subsequently, he rapidly expanded his influence, using the trading town as his base of operations.

Zarathustra was acutely aware that his remaining time was limited.

If he wished to gain eligibility for the Serpent Emperor's throne, he needed to swiftly seize control of more territories.

Zarathustra's current major concern was the Serpent Empire's guards stationed at the nearby Rock Fortress.

The guards at Rock Fortress remained loyal to the Serpent Emperor, and thus, they were always wary of Zarathustra. Moreover, they had even sent envoys to warn Zarathustra.

They cautioned Zarathustra not to attempt to win over the Serpent people within Rock Fortress.

Reflecting on these vexing issues, Zarathustra sighed deeply.

"It seems that achieving great things still requires more prolonged preparation."

He muttered to himself in a tone of resignation.

At that moment, the door to Zarathustra's room was suddenly thrust open. A servant entered, accompanied by two Serpent knights.

"General, did you summon us?"

One of the Serpent knights, a towering and muscular figure, spoke while gripping a massive war hammer in his hand.

The other Serpent knight, though not as imposing in stature, had eyes as sharp as an eagle's, seemingly capable of discerning an enemy's weakness at a glance.

Zarathustra slowly turned around.

Upon seeing the two Serpent knights, a faint smile finally appeared on Zarathustra's face.

"Yes, it was I who called for you."

"Is there something you need from us? If it's not exceedingly urgent, we must continue hunting the monsters in the surrounding desert!

Recently, for some unknown reason, a large number of creatures have gathered around the town.

If we don't eliminate these monsters entirely, the trading town will face a significant threat. Even if they don't launch an attack on the town, they will sever the routes between the trading town and other towns under our control."

The towering Serpent knight spoke in a booming voice.

It was evident that he was a Serpent knight who had a great passion for hunting.

Zarathustra nodded, agreeing with the knight's statement.

"You are correct. The creatures outside the town do pose a certain threat to us. However, I believe that the more pressing concern is not those monsters, but our fellow Serpent people."

Zarathustra's words caused the atmosphere in the room to become slightly tense and peculiar.

The towering Serpent knight cast a sidelong glance at his companion.

"Are you suggesting that you plan to take action against Rock Fortress? But aren't the Serpent Empire's guards there quite numerous? Can we really defeat them at this point?"

The towering Serpent knight lowered his voice as he questioned Zarathustra.

"I heard that just a few days ago, all the prisoners in Rock Fortress suddenly escaped. Doesn't this indicate that the defenses there are extremely lax?

I think the Serpent Empire's guards at Rock Fortress have already exhausted their resources. They likely no longer have the strength to continue fighting us.

If we march our entire army to the outskirts of Rock Fortress, they will likely surrender to us directly. At that point, we can take control of the entire southern part of the Desert of Sands."

The expressions on the faces of the two Serpent knights showed a hint of hesitation in response to Zarathustra's statement.

They had followed Zarathustra for a long time, so they were well aware of his ambitions.

Once Zarathustra controlled the entire southern region of the Desert of Sands, he would undoubtedly launch further offensives into other parts of the desert. What would happen then was anyone's guess.

The two Serpent knights still felt that Zarathustra should act with more prudence.

At the very least, until they had amassed sufficient strength, they should not take hasty actions.

"General, we understand your intentions. However, if we proceed with such actions and encounter failure, we will find ourselves in an irretrievably dire situation.

Therefore, I think we should remain calm. Perhaps it would be better for me to take a few men and scout the situation at Rock Fortress. If their defenses are indeed lax, you can then lead the others to attack Rock Fortress."

The other Serpent knight, who had been silent until now, finally voiced his thoughts in one breath.

Zarathustra nodded.

"You are right, perhaps I have been too hasty. Let's proceed according to your plan. You will lead a squad of guards to Rock Fortress.

You do not need to launch an actual attack on Rock Fortress, you only need to reconnoiter their defenses. If their defenses are truly lax, return immediately and inform me."

Having finished his words, Zarathustra stood up immediately.

The two Serpent knights naturally followed suit, rising to their feet.

"You two have followed me for a long time, and I have great confidence in your loyalty. So, you only need to proceed without hesitation, do not concern yourselves with others' opinions."

Hearing Zarathustra's statement, the two Serpent knights felt deeply moved.

However, they were also acutely aware that should they suffer a devastating failure in their mission, Zarathustra might not be so forgiving.

"Alright, you may proceed with your tasks. I hope you will bring me good news promptly."

Having said this, Zarathustra dismissed the two Serpent knights directly.

Shortly after the two knights departed, a vague figure materialized in Zarathustra's room.

With his back to the indistinct figure, Zarathustra spoke slowly, "Do you believe those two are truly trustworthy? Will they really exert themselves to the utmost for my plan?"

"I don't understand why you are asking me this now. If you don't trust those two, then who can you trust?"

The vague figure questioned in a voice that was both raspy and sharp.

It was quite apparent that his remarks were a veiled critique, suggesting that Zarathustra was being overly suspicious.

Upon hearing these words, Zarathustra turned around and faced the vague figure.

"The reason I find myself in this predicament—is it not because of you? You told me this was an opportune moment to become the Serpent Emperor.

If it weren't for the intelligence you provided, I would never have dared to lead my followers from the border back to the Desert of Sands and seize the trading town. Nor would I have reached the brink of betraying the Serpent Empire.

You should be well aware that many guards of the Serpent Empire are highly dissatisfied with my actions. They just haven't yet found an opportunity to betray me."

As Zarathustra spoke, his tone was exceedingly agitated.

Although Zarathustra harbored some ambition, under normal circumstances, he would not easily betray the Serpent Empire.

The vague figure had furnished him with a crucial piece of information: if Zarathustra chose to rebel now, there was a significant chance of success.

If Zarathustra did not choose to rebel, he would forever miss this golden opportunity.

Upon hearing Zarathustra's complaints, the vague figure retorted with sarcasm.

"The reason you find yourself in this predicament is entirely your own doing. Not only did I provide you with the relevant intelligence, but I also furnished many other Serpent generals with the same information.

Some of them chose to rebel, while many more opted to remain passive. Have you not pondered why you didn't choose to remain passive like the majority of Serpent generals?"

"Your accusations against me are utterly meaningless at this point. I am, in fact, the only ally you can still count on. If you decide to burn bridges with me, you will truly be left all alone."

After delivering these words, the vague figure adopted a more conciliatory tone and advised.

"Though your situation is quite dire, the power you have amassed is formidable. If you can successfully win over the Serpent guards within Rock Fortress to your side, you will have a chance to turn the tables."

"Instead of blaming me, you should be contemplating the next course of action. Do you really have so little faith in yourself? Have you already abandoned all hope?"

After finishing these words, the vague figure vanished without a trace.

The room was once again empty, leaving Zarathustra alone. Massaging his temples in frustration, Zarathustra muttered to himself.

"Given the current circumstances, there's no turning back now. I have no choice but to proceed according to the original plan. I hope I can swiftly seize control of Rock Fortress and that its defenses are indeed lax."

After saying these words, Zarathustra exited the room.

Although everyone in the trading town feared Zarathustra, his own situation was far from ideal. Beyond continuing to bolster his own power, there was nothing else he could do.

Even if Zarathustra chose to surrender to the Serpent Empire now, the other Serpent generals would not accept him.

Some Serpent generals were even plotting to attack Zarathustra. He was completely out of options.