Chapter 151: The Deserter’s Fate
The data was linked to every soldier who had been implanted with a chip. Scott could monitor their movements, analyze their behavior, and, if necessary, activate the chip's self-destruct function with a mere thought. "This... this is terrifying," Scott muttered, his heart pounding. Only now did he fully grasp the power of the microchips. Even with secondary control, the authority to wield this kind of power chilled him to the core.
"I'll manage the Capital base diligently, Sir! I swear there will be no second thoughts!" Scott dropped to one knee, his tone resolute.
"Get up. Stop kneeling," Zack replied, waving his hand dismissively. He could see the fear in Scott's eyes—fear that stemmed from realizing just how little control he truly had. After a pause, Zack's gaze sharpened. "Wait... weren't there more than 1,300 soldiers who survived? Why didn't you gather them all?"
"Yes, Sir," Scott began, nodding. "Most of the 1,300 are survivors who joined the fight. Less than 300 were part of the original city defense force or the security team. The rest... well, they're deserters."
"Ah, I see. They ran while others fought," Zack said coldly, his eyes narrowing.
"That's right. These deserters may still be called soldiers, but they're nothing compared to the survivors who stood their ground. Injecting them would've been a waste of chips," Scott admitted bluntly.
Zack smirked faintly. "I remember them. A group of them tried defying my orders when I commanded the battlefield cleanup. That didn't last long after I dealt with their leader. How many of them are there?" Zack asked, his tone icy.
"More than 1,500," Scott replied, clenching his fists. The contrast was stark—only 1 in 10 soldiers had the courage to fight the tide of corpses, yet nearly all the deserters had survived.
"Leader, I don't believe implanting chips will fix them. Their cowardice and lack of loyalty run too deep," Scott added.