"Shouldn't you still be controlling a lot of Schmidt's hardcore supporters over there?" After thinking about it, Josh quickly turned to Ophelia.
"Of course! Quite a few, but not all," Ophelia nodded.
During the coup in Austria, not all of Schmidt's Hydra subordinates were involved. Many hardcore supporters and opponents of the coup were still in the dark when the events unfolded and ended up as prisoners.
Currently, most of these people were still under the control of the Austrian-Bavarian faction to which Ophelia belonged and had not yet been turned over to the Allied Forces.
But it was only a matter of time.
After all, someone had to take the blame for what happened in the future.
Take the concentration camps, for example.
Whether it was Hitler's or Schmidt's occupied territories, almost every country had more or less established such camps.
Austria was no exception.
Such things often involved a wide range of people. Even those who switched sides during the coup were involved to varying degrees.
However, with the victory of Operation Eagle's Nest, these individuals had conveniently switched to the side of justice.
Clearly, they wouldn't be held accountable anymore.
But these grave crimes against humanity needed someone to take responsibility.
And no doubt the blame would fall entirely on Schmidt's captured hardcore supporters.
This kind of postwar scapegoating wasn't uncommon. Even clearly guilty figures like Japan's emperor and some collaborators managed to escape justice, let alone these intertwined European elites.
"Pick two people for me, preferably high-ranking and connected to scientific research," Josh ordered.
"What do you need these people for?" Ophelia frowned, confused.
"Don't ask unnecessary questions. How did you even graduate from the Hydra Academy without understanding this basic principle?" Josh looked at her.
"So you're giving me orders now?" Ophelia finally understood and stared at Josh in disbelief.
"What do you mean?" Josh leaned back in his big chair and looked at her with a mocking look.
"Hah! What makes you think you can order me around? Just because of this little collar?" Ophelia said, laughing angrily.
"Isn't that enough?" Josh shrugged.
"You promised me that you'd remove that collar as soon as our cooperation was over! Now that Operation Eagle's Nest is over, isn't it time to keep your promise? Otherwise, I'm sure the Allied leaders will give me justice!" Ophelia said, clearly upset.
"You're not wrong!" Hearing her words, Josh nodded seriously and then reached for a switch.
"Wait, don't! I'll agree to whatever you want!" Seeing Josh's movement, Ophelia panicked and screamed hurriedly.
But Josh ignored her and hit the switch.
Ophelia immediately closed her eyes and braced herself for the electric shock.
But the expected shock never came. Instead, she heard a faint click and soon felt the restricting sensation on her neck disappear, leaving her feeling light and free.
Then came the soft thud of the collar falling to the carpeted floor.
Opening her eyes in disbelief, Ophelia stared at the collar on the floor, her hands instinctively touching her slender, snow-white neck. A mixture of disbelief and relief washed over her.
The wretched thing was finally gone.
But... why did she feel a tiny pang of emptiness?
Could it be that I...?
A stray, uncomfortable thought flashed through her mind. Ophelia shuddered and shook her head vigorously to dispel the thought.
"Hmph! Don't think I'm going to thank you just because you removed that thing. If you want me to work for you, you'd better offer some real benefits!" Ophelia lifted her head proudly.
But while she waited, Josh said nothing, just stared at her with a mocking expression.
"What's with that look? Let me remind you—you're the one who asked for my help!" Ophelia snapped angrily.
Before she could finish her rant, she became dizzy. When she woke up, she found herself collapsed on the floor, her body completely unresponsive.
Though her mind was clear, Ophelia quickly realized that she had no control over her limbs.
"What have you done to me?" she asked, panic creeping into her voice.
"Take a guess," Josh said as he stood up and walked over to her. He crouched down and grabbed her chin as he amusedly looked at her face.
"Mr. Kahn, I'm sorry. I was wrong. Please forgive me!" Sensing danger, Ophelia begged. The sensation of total paralysis frightened her far more than any electric shock.
"What do you think would happen if I sent you to District 11 like this?" Josh said quietly, stroking her cheek.
The brain is truly a mysterious realm. All Yuri had done was implant a tiny chip-based bomb into Ophelia's brain.
Not only could it end her life at any moment, but it could also render her defenseless.
This spoke volumes about Yuri's deep understanding of the human brain.
"No! Please don't! Mr. Kahn, I beg you, spare me! I'll do anything you want!" Ophelia cried, her eyes wide with fear.
District 11? That was the notorious slum of Paris.
Even in the 21st century, it was still a hellish place.
A beautiful, defenseless woman abandoned there? The very thought was horrifying.
Seeing that she'd reached her breaking point, Josh finally returned to his chair and pressed another button.
Ophelia immediately regained control of her body, frantically feeling herself to confirm that she was back to normal, her heart still racing from the ordeal.
That loss of control had been utterly horrifying.
But... what on earth had caused it?
She couldn't figure it out.
In the 1940s, the study of modern biology was still in its infancy, let alone the intricate mysteries of the brain.
Unaware that something had been implanted in her head, Ophelia was at a loss.
"Mr. Kahn, I was wrong before. From now on, I'll do whatever you ask, even if it costs me my life!" she declared, now completely submissive.
"Good. But you're right about one thing: to encourage loyalty, rewards are necessary. Here, this is for you," Josh said, taking a small box from a drawer and placing it on the table. (TL/N: Bro is giving her Stockholm)
"No, that's okay! Mr. Kahn, I'll do anything for you, even without a reward!" Ophelia replied like a frightened bird.
"What? Do you think I'm a miser who demands work without offering compensation?" Josh asked with a raised eyebrow.
"No, no, that's not what I meant!" she stammered.
"Then take it," Josh said firmly.
After confirming Josh's sincerity, Ophelia cautiously approached the box, now genuinely afraid of him.
"Open it," Josh ordered when she didn't.
Inside were four metal syringes—two filled with green liquid and the other two with red.
"The green ones are the Beastification Serum you've seen before - the one Aldo used. The red ones are enhanced versions of BrightLight. Don't underestimate them; they can greatly enhance your psychic control abilities. However, they do have side effects, such as mild addiction. But rest assured, as long as you serve me, these will always be available to you," Josh explained.
"Thank you, Mr. Kahn!" Ophelia's eyes lit up. She immediately understood the importance of these serums.
Armed with them and her own abilities, she could storm Red Skull's base if necessary!
Although Josh was harsh, she admitted that as long as he provided such resources, it wasn't a bad deal to serve him.
"All right, go now. Bring me the people I mentioned earlier as soon as possible," Josh ordered, waving her away.
He needed them as witnesses to convince the Allied leaders that Red Skull was working on superweapons.
Whether these people actually knew anything didn't matter. Josh didn't care about inconsistencies.
With Yuri's brainwashing techniques, even the witnesses would fully believe their fabricated testimony.
"Yes, right away!" Ophelia replied, standing at attention like a proper subordinate.
As she turned to leave, her eyes caught the discarded collar on the floor.
After a moment's hesitation, she picked it up and walked back to Josh.
Kneeling before him, she presented the collar.
"My master, would you... please put it back on me?" she asked, her dewy eyes fixed on his.
Josh's mind went blank.
This woman is dangerous!
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