This time, the Survey Corps did their best to remain quiet as they set out, avoiding any disturbance to the citizens.
Publicly, it was announced as a routine exercise, so Lock did not see any crowds seeing them off, which was a departure from the original story.
Lock rode his horse with a bundle of Thunder Spears on his back, watching the sunset gradually sink below the horizon, his heart filled with peace.
He wondered how many Intelligent Titans Marley would send this time.
Besides Reiner and Bertholdt, War Chief Zeke should also be there; after all, the Survey Corps had already confirmed his arrival.
Recalling that person's terrifying abilities from Annie's memories, Lock knew he would be the greatest threat to the Survey Corps in this operation.
Of course, that fellow Bertholdt was as well.
If Lock truly wanted to reduce the Survey Corps' losses, he should have revealed what he knew to the Corps.
But... [Don't do it]
"Tsk!" Lock cursed inwardly.
The sun finally vanished from the horizon, and darkness descended upon the world.
Lock took out a lantern and opened the front cover, and a beam of light shot straight out.
These lamps, made from the Glowing Stones of the Reiss Family's Underground Palace, could provide illumination for a long time without needing any energy source.
The New Government had sent these lamps to every household within the walls, and the Leon Family was no exception.
Since the quota was only one per household, Ash had even spent money to purchase a batch from the government to make the entire manor brighter at night.
It was indeed more useful than light bulbs...
Along the way, the team had not yet encountered any Titans.
The Survey Corps had cleared the paths about a month in advance, and they had specifically chosen to set out on a new moon night to avoid fighting Titans as much as possible before reaching their destination.
Marching, a silent march.
Night marching is the ultimate test of an army's quality, and clearly, the Survey Corps did not need to worry about that.
Except for a few Recruits falling off their horses, the speed of the team remained unchanged.
Lock stepped forward and, along with Marlo, helped a Recruit back onto their horse.
Marlo offered a word of thanks.
Lock advised, "Be careful, there's still a long way to go."
Marlo rode alongside Lock: "The paths are still relatively wide now, but the mountain roads later will definitely be harder to traverse."
Seeing his serious expression, Lock smiled and said, "Marlo, I ran into Hitch again when I went to the Royal Capital last time; she's still livid at you."
Marlo frowned: "I wasn't wrong. If she is livid, then let her be livid; we aren't the same kind of people anyway."
Lock clicked his tongue; this guy was indeed comparable to Eren.
"Hitch said that because she's worried about something happening to you."
Marlo said seriously, "I was prepared for sacrifice when I chose to join the Survey Corps; I should have already told her that."
Lock shook his head, losing interest in continuing the conversation...
After some time, an order from the commander came from ahead.
"All personnel dismount and proceed on foot! Put on your hoods!"
Lock knew they were entering the mountains; if all went well, after crossing two or three peaks ahead, they would likely reach the Shiganshina District by dawn.
The weeds beneath their feet were knee-deep, and the entire team walked with extra caution.
Five years had passed, and the paths that could once accommodate carriages had long been eroded by nature.
Fortunately, for some reason, there weren't many poisonous insects on this island, so there was no need to worry about casualties from such things.
The destination was getting closer, and Lock could hear many people on the team talking in low voices to ease their nervous tension.
The closer they got to Wall Maria, the closer they were to the enemy.
They had to remain vigilant at all times, prepared for the enemy to charge out of the surrounding darkness.
Suddenly, Jean's loud warning came from ahead: "Titan spotted on the left!"
"All units stop advancing! Illuminate the surroundings immediately!"
Lock stopped the horse beside him; some of the nearby Soldiers had already drawn their blades.
After a moment, Hange said from the front, "All clear! It's sleeping soundly, leave it alone."
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Just then, Lock suddenly turned his head to the other side; he heard some unusual movement!
Bang!
Lock immediately used his Omni-Directional Mobility Gear to climb to the top of a tree!
"Lock! What are you doing?"
Lock ignored the question, taking his searchlight and shining it toward the opposite hilltop.
The distance was too great for the searchlight to illuminate clearly, but Lock still saw a figure flash through the light.
It was massive, with pale skin and no hair on its surface... It was a Titan... and it had quickly hidden and retreated the moment the light hit it.
It's an Intelligent Titan!
Who is it?
It clearly wasn't Reiner, Bertholdt, or Zeke... It could only be the Cart Titan or the Jaw Titan... and since the Jaw Titan hadn't been inherited for long, Marley wouldn't have let him join the battle so soon; plus, the Jaw Titan specialized in surprise attacks and wasn't suited for long-term reconnaissance.
It can only be the Cart Titan!
Pieck Finger! The one with the best intellect!
Lock dropped down from the tree and said seriously to the crowd gathering around, "We've been spotted!"
After hearing Lock's description, Erwin frowned.
Levi asked, "Erwin, what should we do? The enemy knows we're here."
"For all we know, the Colossal Titan might drop right on our heads any second."
Erwin shook his head: "Not that fast. That was just an enemy scout; their main force should still be waiting for us at Wall Maria."
"And so?"
Erwin said calmly, "Since they've already discovered us, there's no need to be stealthy anymore. Entire team, advance at full speed!"
...Just as dawn broke, the heavy sound of hoofbeats shattered the silence.
The Survey Corps charged onto the dilapidated streets outside the Shiganshina District.
Leading the way, Erwin glanced at the morning light and shouted, "The sun is rising! Immediately dive into the shadows and stay alert for Titans!"
"The Recovery Operation officially begins now! Everyone, switch to Omni-Directional Mobility Gear!"
Lock leaped from his horse's back, his grappling hooks striking the wall, and he flew straight into the air.
Along with countless Soldiers, he ascended Wall Maria, which had been taken by the Titans five years ago.
The panoramic view of the Shiganshina District came into view for everyone.
There were no Titans in sight.
"Lock! You're with me to escort Eren to the Outer Gate!" Levi ordered Lock.
"Understood!"
Lock followed Eren and Mikasa, heading straight for the Outer Gate.
He kept scanning the surroundings, trying to find any trace of the Marleyan Warriors.
But even after flying near the Outer Gate, Lock found nothing.
Lock watched as Eren ascended high into the air, scaled the high wall, and then transformed into a bolt of golden lightning, landing in the large hole that had been kicked open by Bertholdt five years ago.
As the light gradually dissipated, a fully crystallized Titan and countless branches could be seen completely plugging the gap.
After the Soldiers on both sides of the gate confirmed the gap was sealed, they fired their Signal Flares one after another.
Mikasa brought Eren from below up onto the wall.
"Did it work?" Eren was still a bit dazed.
Lock said, "Quick, check if your equipment is okay. We need to get to the Inner Gate as soon as possible."
Eren immediately crouched to check: "The Omni-Directional Mobility Gear is intact, but my cloak is gone."
Mikasa was about to pull off her own cloak, but Lock stopped her.
He draped his own cloak over Eren's shoulders.
Lock smiled at Mikasa and said, "It's not like they don't know who you are; they'll definitely guess that Eren is right next to you."
---
A/N: 40+ Advance Chapter Has Been Uploaded.
Support: patreon.com/Narrator_San