System's POV
chapter-322-2

"Everyone, thank you for coming here today," Thirteen said as he stood on an elevated platform, overlooking the countless Wanderers who had answered the Central Government's recruitment call.

"Unfortunately, I am only allowed to recruit two hundred people among all of you."

Thirteen's declaration was met with shouts of disappointment and booing. With only two hundred slots available, the atmosphere suddenly became tense.

Seeing that everyone was eyeing each other as if they were each other's rivals, Thirteen decided to break the ice with an announcement.

"The recruitment process will be divided into two stages," Thirteen declared. "The first one hundred recruits will be tested for their adaptability. The next one hundred will be tested for their deep pockets—errr, deep passion for joining my team."

Cristopher, and Colbert, who were standing behind Thirteen, did their best to retain the calm expressions on their faces.

They knew that their Young Master was up to something, and after hearing his declaration, both of them had an idea about what the teenage boy had in mind.

"I will tell this beforehand, even if I wish to recruit all of you, it is currently not possible," Thirteen stated. "So, if you are not chosen. Don't lose hope. It just meant that something greater is waiting for all of you."

Thirteen paused as he scanned the countless faces that were looking in his direction.

"Although I would like to start with the first stage of the recruitment, I've decided to jump to the Second Stage first," Thirteen said. "So, without further delay, I will tell you the mechanics I will use to choose the first one hundred recruits for my battalion."

The Field Marshal, the Grand Marshal, the High-Ranking Officers, as well as the Wanderers, all remained silent, so that they could better hear the teenage boy's words.

"The first One Hundred Slots will be up for bidding!" Thirteen declared, which made everyone's eyes widen in shock.

"I know it's surprising, but the Central Government is stingy. They only gave us XXX Gold Coins for the upkeep of my Battalion. Because of this, I have no choice but to resort to this method. Um, Cristopher, is that Camera working? Are we currently Live?

"Yes, Young Master," Cristopher replied. "We have been Live since you started your speech."

"Very good." Thirteen nodded with a smile, not caring that the High-Ranking Officers in the background were looking at him with bloodshot eyes, wishing that they could rip him to shreds, eat his flesh, and drink his blood.

Although there were times when they felt that the budget given to them by their superiors was unfair, none of them complained out loud, and did their best to make do with what they had.

However, the teenage boy, who had just joined their Ranks, not only said that the Central Government was stingy, he also decided to broadcast it live, so that the people of the Aldebaran Continent could watch it.

The Field Marshal, who was Rianna's Father, averted his gaze and pretended that he didn't hear the boy's words.

"Where was I? Oh yeah, the Central Government is stingy, so I have no choice but to use this method in order to raise funds for my army," Thirteen smiled. "So, let's start the bidding with 1,000 Gold Coins, with an increment of 500 gold coins per bid. Bidding starts now!"

"1,000!"

"2,000!"

"5,000!"

"25,000!"

Thirteen laughed internally because he knew that the "Whales" would soon make their presence known.

Fortunately, he didn't have to wait long before a firm and loud voice silenced everyone who was bidding for the first spot in Thirteen's Army.

"Five Million."

Cristopher and Colbert looked at the young man, who seemed to be in his late teens and had short blonde hair and gray eyes.

"Five Million," Thirteen stated. "Going once, going twice… sold to Mr…?"

"Alexis Mcknight," the blonde teenage boy replied.

"Congratulations Alexis." Thirteen clapped his hands together. "I will assign you as the Third Captain of my Battalion. But first, please Transfer the funds to my account. My account number is XXXXXXXXX."

Alexis nodded, and didn't bat an eye as he typed Thirteen's Bank Account number in his cellphone.

A few seconds later, the younger boy received a notification, telling him that he just received five million gold coins in his account.

"Come up the stage, Alexis," Thirteen said with a smile.

Alexis nodded and climbed the stage and stood right beside Cristopher, who served as Thirteen's right-hand man.

The High-Ranking Officers almost coughed out blood when they saw this scene. They had a lot of complaints that they wanted to hurl at the boy, but seeing that this was a live broadcast, they didn't dare to say anything.

Meanwhile, Arthur, who was watching the live broadcast from his residence, couldn't help but facepalm.

Lady Callista, who was seated by his side, giggled because she found her grandson's antics quite endearing.

"I almost pity the Central Government for taking Zion in," Michael commented as he fixed the glasses on his face. "Almost."

Hans, on the other hand, could only shake his head helplessly.

He believed that after this bidding war ended, the people of Pangea, as well as the Central Government would have a different impression of the boy, who was now filling up the slots of his small army.

With each bid surpassing a million gold coins at a time, the High-Ranking Officers, who were also short on funds, were seriously considering using Thirteen's methods for recruitment.

However, after careful thought, they believed that Zion was only able to make it work because he was popular enough.

What they didn't know was that this was Thirteen's way of filtering out the people who had been sent by the Monarch Clans, as well as the Prestigious Families to spy on him.

Since they were desperate to become part of the two hundred people that would join Thirteen's Battalion, they decided that buying their way in was easier than competing with thousands of other Wanderers for the available slots.

After more than an hour of bidding, the first one hundred recruits were finalized.

Cristopher and Colbert were looking at their Young Master with sparkling eyes because they managed to easily earn over two-

hundred-million gold coins.

Even those who were watching the broadcast from their homes were looking at Thirteen with complicated looks on their faces.

They didn't know if they should praise the teenage boy for his genius, or praise him for being thick-skinned.

Rianna's Father wanted to leave the scene, but the Grand Marshal's hand held his shoulder in a vice grip.

"Where are you going?" the Grand Marshal chuckled. "Do you Rianna's Father wanted to leave the scene, but the Grand Marshal's hand held his shoulder in a vice grip.

really think you can just walk away like this? Since this was your idea, you'd better stay until the end, understood?"

The Field Marshal could only smile bitterly because he knew that there was no way out for him.

In the end, he decided to have a private talk with Zion after his recruitment was over.

A second later, Thirteen's voice once again spread in the surroundings, announcing the start of the next stage of recruitment.

"Are you all excited to hear the conditions for the next batch of recruits?" Thirteen asked with a smile. "Don't worry, I promise that this time, you will not need to spend anything."

The Wanderers all breathed a collective sigh of relief after hearing Thirteen's words.

Some of them were dirt poor, so it was impossible for them to fight for a spot using their wealth.

"This is the condition that you must clear in order to become part of the last one hundred recruits that will join my Battalion," Thirteen declared. "All of you will run until you reach the Star Kingdom, which is a theme park that belongs to the Leventis Family.

"Those who use other methods of travel aside from running will be disqualified. The first one hundred people who will reach the Gates of Star Kingdom will become my subordinates. So, all of you, start running!"

When the Wanderers heard Thirteen's declaration, they couldn't help but gasp in shock.

Even if they ran with everything they had, they would only be able to reach Star Kingdom after running for half a day.

At first, they thought that Thirteen was joking, but when the boy confirmed that he was serious, the Wanderers started running.

This made those who bought their way in, winning the bidding wars, sigh in relief because it meant that they did not have to suffer such a torturous recruitment process.

Cristopher and Colbert, on the other hand, knew that this test was the true test.

They believed that many of the Wanderers would quit within the first few hours of running.

Only those who were determined enough to reach the goal that their Young Master had set, would receive the rewards, which he had prepared for them.

"Cristopher, Colbert, start running as well," Thirteen ordered. "If you don't become part of the first one hundred to reach the gate, I will make you undergo a hellish training regimen."

Instead of being afraid, the two boys simply smirked and jumped off the stage in order to join the other Wanderers.

They had known their Young Master long enough to know that he wasn't joking, so they ran with the intention of showing everyone that they were Zion Leventis' left, and right hands, which would never lose to anyone.

Alexis McKnight, who was now one of Thirteen's Captain, narrowed his eyes when he saw Cristopher and Colbert follow Thirteen's orders, despite the fact that they were already his officers.

He could see no hesitation in their faces, and even felt that the two were competing with each other.

For them to do such a thankless thing showed how loyal they were to the teenage boy, who was standing in front of him.

Meanwhile, the Grand Marshal arched an eyebrow when he saw the sudden change in the recruitment process.

'This boy is truly unpredictable,' The Grand Marshal thought. 'I wonder just what is going on inside his head.'

The Field Marshal, who had been released from his father's vice grip, scratched his head because this was the weirdest recruitment that he had seen in his life.

However, he was also looking forward to what kind of changes would happen in the Central Government after Thirteen and his recruits officially joined their ranks.