Thirteen looked at the young lady sleeping in his arms tenderly. It was impossible for him to not care about Sherry, who had been by his side for the past few years of his life. In their time together, the young lady in his arms never failed to show how much she loved him. After they were done dealing with the wolves in Runestone City, he received a report from Athena about the Insect Nests, filled with tens of thousands of Blister and Bombardier Beetles, amassing to attack Terracotta City. This report also included one personal piece of information. The mercenary group led by Sherry's parents was also inside the city, duty-bound to defend it. After hearing the entirety of Athena's report, Thirteen ordered Tiona, and Rocky to head to the city ahead of them. His soldiers were worn out from the long journey, and the recent battle had only drained them further. It would not be in his best interest to send the already exhausted soldiers to fight another battle, especially against the Blister and Bombardier Beetles, whose blood had corrosive properties. Sending his already exhausted soldiers into another battle, especially against the Blister and Bombardier Beetles, whose blood was highly corrosive, would not be in his best interest. Thirteen was sure Sherry's parents already knew their daughter was in the Cygni Continent. After all, they were always together, and Zion made a high-profile entrance. And yet, they didn't call her to ask for help, likely worried she would get hurt in a battle she wasn't supposed to fight. 'My in-laws sure have a soft spot for their daughter,' Thirteen mused as he kissed the sleeping girl on the forehead before hugging her a bit tighter. 'Don't worry. I'll make sure your parents and their mercenary group will not get hurt in the ongoing battle.' Thirteen continuously received live updates through Athena as the ongoing battle between the beetles and the Defenders was underway. Rocky already arrived at the battlefield an hour before the battle started, taking shortcuts underground. However, he didn't make an appearance. Thirteen only ordered Rocky and Tiona to protect Sherry's parents, as well as their mercenary group. Rocky was a Rank 8 Sovereign, and his sudden appearance would just send panic to the people. As such, Rocky's role would be to forcefully drag them inside his Mobile Fortress as a last resort. Until then, Tiona and her subordinates, as well as Blacky, would protect Sherry's parents from harm. ***** Terracotta City… The sound of explosions reverberated in the surroundings as the battle between the Wanderers and the insect army intensified. The firing of artillery and machine guns could be heard everywhere, paired with the screams of Wanderers who got bitten by the insects that had managed to reach their locations. Bombardier Beetles rained down blobs of acid balls inside the city, which were corrosive enough to melt concrete. They were also very flammable, so fires were now widespread in the city. Meanwhile, the Blister Beetles, afraid of fire, only attacked the areas fires had yet to reach. Given the intensity of the situation, everyone focused on doing their best to survive. Every time the Wanderers thought they were about to die, they'd find themselves being helped by shadowy presences that moved around the battlefield like ghosts. They would kill the Beetles that had cornered the Wanderers, with some of them even dragging the injured people to safety. Sherry's parents, Luke and Jacqueline, alongside their mercenary group, protected their post from being overrun by monsters. Tiona's clone was coiled around Jacqueline's neck, while Blacky was standing guard beside Luke. As soon as they noticed the black snake, the clone talked to them through telepathy and told them Zion had sent them to help. Although surprised that the snake could communicate with them, they decided to believe it since they were already familiar with Tiona. Not to mention, having Blacky, a Rank 6 Sovereign, to protect them gave them a sense of security. From underground, Rocky observed the battle, paying close attention to the deaths of the Wanderers in the city. They did their best to help, but in the end, the manpower they currently possessed was too limited—only a little over three hundred. With Rocky unable to personally take action, the Wanderers were really on the verge of being wiped out. As an alternative, Thirteen ordered the Hellfire Bal-Boa to intimidate the insects, forcing them to halt their attacks against the humans. Sensing the aura of a Rank 8 Sovereign, the beetles inside the city all shuddered in fear before flying away in a hurry. Rocky then traveled underground, heading to the Bombardier Beetles to intimidate them as well. The plan worked, and the insects soon returned to their nests in fear because they weren't expecting that such a powerful monster was hiding within the city. If Rocky wasn't a fire-type Monster, they might have still risked fighting it. But on top of intimidating them with a Rank 8 Sovereign's aura, the Hellfire Bal-Boa also made sure to unleash pillars of fire from underground, incinerating dozens of Bombardier Beetles. This caused them all to flee in haste, leaving the survivors wondering what just happened. Everything happened so quickly, they didn't know how to react. But when they finally realized what happened, some collapsed in relief, while others broke down to cry for the loss of their comrades. Some prayed and thanked whatever Gods they believed in for being spared from death. Among all of them, only the Legionnaires Mercenary Group had an idea who helped drive away the monsters that were so close to annihilating them just an hour ago. Once they were certain the coast was clear, Tiona and Blacky bid their goodbyes and vanished like ghosts. If not for the fact that the Mercenary Group had seen them from start to finish, they might just have thought that they were just imagining things. Suddenly, Luke heard a notification sound from his communicator, prompting him to glance at it. "We'll be there before lunch tomorrow," Luke muttered as he read Zion's message. "I'm sure Sherry will be happy to see the two of you." He then glanced at his wife, who was looking at him with moist eyes. Both of them were going to live to see another day, and it was all thanks to their son-in-law, who sent reinforcements at the right moment to help them. "Our daughter really chose the right man to marry," Jacqueline said before holding her husband's hand. "Aye," Luke replied. "I just hope he doesn't bully her in the future." Jacqueline smiled faintly, believing Zion wasn't that kind of person. If she were being honest, she originally thought the teenage boy seemed a bit cold and lacked empathy. And yet, she still felt he cared for Sherry in his own way. "The city has somewhat turned into ruins. By tomorrow, we might be ordered to leave this city," Luke said. "Maybe we should just follow our son-in-law as he takes a stroll in the countryside." "Sounds like a plan," Jacqueline replied. "I'm in. I want to meet Sherry too, so it's hitting two birds with one stone." Luke nodded before looking at the still-ablaze city. An hour ago, he truly thought he would not be able to survive the night. The first thing he thought was… he would not see his children anymore. It was then that he realized how frail the human life was. It was like a candlelight in the dark that could go out at any time. "Say, after this war is over, should we stop being mercenaries?" Luke asked his wife, who had a surprised expression on her face after hearing his question. Jacqueline didn't reply right away and simply squeezed her husband's hand with her own. "Let's survive first," Jacqueline replied after a minute had passed. "As long as we are alive, we can always do what we want." Luke nodded because his wife was right. They only wished to live peaceful lives, but the world didn't allow them to have their way. It wasn't that they wanted to be mercenaries. They only formed one out of necessity, knowing there were people who needed their services. Perhaps, once the world was no longer threatened of being ravaged by the Jinns, they could finally lay down their arms and peacefully live the days ahead, watching over their future grandchildren, who would bring new meaning to the rest of their lives.