Chapter 21: Playing a Role?
After Erwin gave the order, the Survey Corps members split into ten teams and leaped off the wall one after another.
The Survey Corps had about a thousand members, the smallest but strongest fighting force among all the regiments within the walls.
Watching the Survey Corps charge swiftly toward the mindless Titans, a look of longing appeared in Eren’s eyes. His dream was to join the Survey Corps and drive the Titans beyond the walls.
The departure of the Survey Corps from the wall left Armin feeling uneasy. This clever young man had already discerned who was friend and foe.
“Is it really okay to stay here?”
Armin glanced around, and the hostile stares from the Military Police made him even more unsettled.
“It’s fine. Anyone who disrupts the operation is an enemy of humanity.”
Su Xiao sat on the edge of the wall, gazing into the distance at Rose Wall. The sun gradually rose behind Rose Wall, its golden half-light spilling over, illuminating the city in a breathtakingly beautiful scene.
A magnificent view.
Su Xiao lit a cigarette, a smile spreading across his face as he looked at the distant scenery.
“Um… Mr. White Night?”
A jarring voice interrupted—it was Eren.
“What is it?”
Eren hesitated for a moment before speaking:
“Mr. White Night, although I can initially control the power of the Titan, I lose my consciousness when I transform. I’m not sure if I can remember to lift that huge boulder.”
Eren voiced his concern.
“Don’t worry. I’ll help you regain your consciousness when the time comes.”
Su Xiao knew that Eren lost his mind after transforming into a Titan, but he had a way to handle it.
Eren instinctively stepped back.
“Can you tell me what method?”
“You wouldn’t want to know.”
Su Xiao exhaled a puff of blue smoke. Now all they had to do was wait. The Survey Corps below had already begun clearing out the Titans.
Time passed quickly. Two hours flew by, and it was time for action.
“Let’s go.”
Su Xiao led the way, leaping off the wall. Behind him, Eren and the other two followed suit. Their target was that massive boulder.
At this moment, Su Xiao had three signal guns tucked into his belt: red for mission failure, green for success, and yellow for the plan proceeding smoothly as the defense line gradually tightened.
Five minutes later, the four of them arrived near the boulder.
The boulder was pitch-black and oval-shaped, about ten meters in diameter. Its weight was hard to estimate.
Survey Corps members guarded the area around the boulder. As Su Xiao and the others arrived, these soldiers began spreading out to clear the path of wandering Titans.
The reputation of the Survey Corps wasn’t just for show. In just two hours, they had cleared about 70% of the Titans within the walls, though there were casualties—around several dozen had died in the line of duty.
“Good. Now you can transform into a Titan.”
Su Xiao looked at Eren, who stood before the boulder, tilting his head up to gaze at it.
“Can I really lift this rock?”
“Stop wasting time. Just turn into a Titan.”
If Eren messed up at a critical moment, Su Xiao had special methods to force him into transforming.
Eren nodded, raised his hand, and bit down hard on the base of his thumb.
Crack.
Blood trickled from the corner of Eren’s mouth. Nothing happened.
“That hurts.”
Eren’s hand trembled. After a moment of thought, he mustered his courage and bit again.
Crack, crack, crack…
After biting four or five times, Eren’s mouth was covered in blood, but he still hadn’t transformed into a Titan.
“I… I don’t think I can become a Titan anymore.”
Panic flickered in Eren’s eyes as he looked to Su Xiao for help.
“Imagine this: if you can’t become a Titan, Mikasa and Armin will die.”
The Dragon-Slaying Flash appeared in Su Xiao’s hand. Eren needed a little stimulation.
“Huh??”
Eren stared at Su Xiao in shock.
“I’m not joking. The Survey Corps is losing people every second. I’ll give you thirty seconds to try. If you don’t succeed, I’ll help you.”
Eren swallowed hard.
“Wait, I…”
“Forget it. I’ve run out of patience.”
Su Xiao’s lazy demeanor vanished. He suddenly lunged at Mikasa and Armin, who were standing nearby.
Neither of them had even drawn their weapons. Seeing Su Xiao charging at them, Mikasa reacted first, raising her arms to block. Su Xiao was too fast for her to draw her weapon in time.
Bang.
Su Xiao delivered a swift side kick to Mikasa’s abdomen. Mikasa was no weakling; Su Xiao could clearly feel the impact against her abdominal muscles.
Mikasa was a delicate-looking soldier with a six-pack.
Her abdomen suddenly struck, Mikasa’s body involuntarily curled forward.
Su Xiao closed in quickly, grabbing her shoulder with one hand and driving his knee hard into her chest.
Bang.
Mikasa nearly blacked out. A numbing pain spread through her left chest, and her body went limp as she collapsed to the ground.
Armin stood frozen, stunned by the scene, but quickly realized why Su Xiao was attacking them.
He had to run, or he would really die.
Bang, thud, crash—Armin hit the ground.
The scene on the rooftop left Eren, standing before the boulder, dumbfounded.
“What are you doing?! Why are you attacking them?!”
As he spoke, Eren moved to charge up to the rooftop.
“If you move more than three meters away from that boulder, I’ll cut off his head.”
Su Xiao stood on Armin’s chest, the Dragon-Slaying Flash pressed against his neck. Armin understood Su Xiao’s intent: this was a forced way to make Eren transform into a Titan.
If Eren couldn’t become a Titan, he really would lose his head.
Armin’s guess was spot on. If Eren failed, Su Xiao would indeed kill him.
“You have five seconds to become a Titan, or I’ll kill Armin. Next will be Mikasa.”
“Five.”
“Four.”
“Three.”
“Two.”
“One.”
“What a shame.”
With that, Su Xiao raised the Dragon-Slaying Flash, ready to cut off Armin’s head. If that didn’t work, he’d go after Mikasa next.
Time was running out. With the Survey Corps’ large-scale deployment, other contractors would surely notice, and who knew what complications might arise.
The blade descended. Eren’s expression turned fierce.
“No!!”
Boom!
A golden lightning bolt struck from the sky, sending a violent shockwave spreading outward.
The blade stopped just as it touched Armin’s neck. The skin barely made contact with the Dragon-Slaying Flash, leaving a thin trail of blood on Armin’s neck.
“Kid, you’re lucky.”
Su Xiao released Armin, who gasped for air. That man wasn’t acting—he had truly intended to kill him. Armin was certain of it.
Watching Eren, now transformed into a Titan, Su Xiao sighed inwardly. People really were pushed into things. He chuckled bitterly, realizing that statement had a double meaning.
“Alright then, Eren the Titan, hurry up and lift that boulder. This restrained feeling is unbearable.”
Once the defense mission was complete, Su Xiao would be mostly free. He had a big move planned after this.
Roar!
The Titanized Eren let out a deafening roar. His dark green eyes locked onto Su Xiao, and he swung a fist!
Boom.
The house shattered, bricks and tiles flying everywhere. The rooftop Su Xiao was standing on was obliterated by Eren’s punch.
“Not cooperating, huh? Let me clear your head a bit.”
Su Xiao’s gaze turned dangerous as he fixed his eyes on the nape of Eren the Titan’s neck.