System's POV

374  Adding Salt To the Wound [Part 2] n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

When they arrived at the Aircraft Carrier where the members of the Valkyries were staying, Marion immediately called them all to gather for an important announcement. The moment she told them about the news that they would become Thirteen's temporary subordinates, the Valkyries looked at the teenage boy with conflicted expressions on their faces.

They recognize Thirteen's leadership, as well as his contribution in the battle that happened a few days ago.

However, they still believe that their Commander, Marion, whom they had fought several campaigns with, should continue to be their commanding officer.

Viola, who had finally made her appearance, looked at Thirteen with a calm expression on her face.

She was no longer as confident as she used to be. In fact, she was even relieved that someone else would have to take responsibility for giving orders to their division.

After all, if something bad happens, the one who would be at fault wouldn't be her anymore.

While she was thinking along these lines, Zion's calm yet firm voice reached her ears.

"I know what you girls are thinking," Thirteen stated. "And frankly, I don't really care. However, since I am now your commanding officer, all of you will take orders from me. "I'll only ask you to not defy my orders. Even if you do, the one who will suffer will not be me, but your sisters who might die a dog's death, thanks to your stupidity."

Immediately, all the girls glared at the boy for mentioning their Division's fresh wound that has yet to heal.

Shana looked at Zion anxiously because she could tell that her sisters were now starting to hate him.

Thirteen didn't bat an eye after seeing their reaction. What he needed were soldiers that would listen to his orders.

He didn't mind adding salt to their wounds if it would remind them that insubordination would lead to the deaths of their comrades.

"I don't care what you think of me behind closed doors or whenever I am not around," Thirteen declared. "But if you follow me, I will give you one thing that you need the most and that is, redemption."

Thirteen scanned the faces of the girls standing in front of him before sneering.

"Do you know how many people died a few days ago?" Thirteen asked. "Over a thousand people died, and hundreds of your sisters were part of them. And it all happened because some of you cannot follow the simplest of orders."

Viola lowered her head as her body shook from time to time.

She could feel the stares that were being directed in her direction by her sisters.

Viola bore the greatest sin of all because she was their commanding officer.

She didn't plan to shy away from her sin, but being called out like this made her feel like breaking down into tears.

"Viola Anderson, raise your head," Thirteen ordered. "This is an order."

Viola's eyes were already moist, but she still raised her head and looked at the teenage boy with gritted teeth.

"Do you want to atonement?" Thirteen asked.

"Yes," Viola replied firmly.

"Then, I will give you a mission," Thirteen stated. "The one who would kill the Brain Beetle will be none other than you."

Marion and the rest of the Valkyries looked at the teenage boy as if he was mad.

However, Viola, who had been told that she would be the one to kill the Rank 8 Sovereign, only gritted her teeth before nodding her head.

"Yes, Sir," Viola replied.

If this was the only way to atone for her sins, then she would gladly do it.

She didn't care if she would have to face the Brain Beetle alone.

Viola would not hesitate to lay down her life if it meant redeeming herself from the mistake—one that led to the incident a few days ago, resulting in the loss of the lives of over a thousand people.

Thirteen looked at the young lady who was looking at him through her tears.

He had thought of ways on how to counter the Brain Beetle's mind control abilities, and it all boiled one to one thing.

He would need an individual or individuals who weren't afraid of dying.

They would be the key to defeat the Brain Beetle who specialized in manipulating the emotions of others.

However, what Evuvug didn't know was that Thirteen was also an excellent manipulator.

Although he didn't have mind controlling abilities, he excelled in another field, and that was brainwashing.

He would brainwash the team he was planning to form into solely focusing on one thing and one thing only—kill the Death Beetle. With that, no matter how many times that bug attempted to take over their minds, it would be useless.

But Thirteen would not send these individuals alone to fight the Death Beetle on their own.

No. He was going to come with them and make sure that the only one his suicide squad would listen to would be no one else but him and him alone.

Of course, in order to deal with the Brain Beetle, he would need the power of his 69th Battalion, the Valkyries Division, his two superiors, and the Leventis Family's Elite Forces.

He was sure that the Brain Beetle would be hiding behind a horde of monsters, so he needed reinforcements to thin the wall of monsters first. Only then would he tackle the most dangerous monster in the Rigel Continent head on.

'Bring it on, Evuvug,' Thirteen smiled internally. 'Let's see which is more effective. Your mind control or my brainwashing. I can't wait to see which of us will emerge victorious at the end.'

This wasn't the first time that Thirteen had faced beings with mind control powers.

Several of his hosts had fallen into the hands of such individuals and had been ordered to do things that broke their hearts.

This time, he would use that knowledge to counter the Brain Beetle's abilities, and make it understand that no matter how weak and fragile human minds were, they still had the potential to overcome anything as long as they put their mind to it.