Josef left, carrying a face full of pain and shame. He had arrived full of passion, yet left in utter disgrace.
Tens of thousands of Eldians witnessed everything that had just happened. Each gunshot fired by those Marleyans struck like a thunderclap, shaking every Eldian to their core.
Even through their clothes, the armbands on their shoulders no longer felt like symbols of honor or peace, but instead a deep, suffocating shame.
After the Eldians dispersed, the ground was littered with torn fragments of armbands. Yago watched his departing compatriots, hoping that their long-subjugated hearts could rise once more.
After dealing with this troublesome matter, Yago gave a few more instructions before quickly running off. If he delayed any longer, he was certain Annie Leonhart's pale blue eyes would burn him alive.
As the unrest within the Liberio internment zone subsided, the Marleyan capital gradually fell silent. Civilians hid in their homes, cautiously peeking out of their windows.
Overall, it appeared peaceful. However, while the Marleyan capital had quieted down, the rest of the world was in complete uproar.
Nations across the globe frantically transmitted news of everything that had happened in the Marleyan capital—Titan battles, Eldians, Paradis Island. With the power of technology, this information rapidly spread worldwide. Governments of various countries almost all convened top-level meetings on the same day, feverishly discussing the sudden appearance of people from Paradis Island in the Marleyan capital.
At the same time, news of Marley's Ebson creating artificial Titan warriors spread like wildfire, attracting the attention of countless interested parties. Privately, nations began dispatching personnel to search for Ebson's whereabouts—their intentions were obvious.
...
Mid-East region.
A land of ice and snow. Due to its unique geographical location, nearly half the year here was consumed by biting winter.
Barren land and difficult resource extraction resulted in a sparse population. The few nations that existed here were nearly invisible on the world stage. To survive, they formed alliances with one another.
However, the master of this Mid-Eastern alliance may have undergone some subtle changes.
Inside a hidden factory somewhere in the Mid-East, Ebson, clad in thick fur, stared coldly as the liquid inside a small test tube gradually solidified.
His hypothesis had been confirmed.
And he felt relieved.
That child truly was the key.
But how was that possible? Logically speaking, after the blood replacement, he himself should have been the key. Unless...!?
A sudden thought struck Ebson, but he found it hard to believe. The probability of such a thing happening was nearly zero.
Still, he summoned Bill to verify a suspicion.
Bill wrinkled his nose, clearly uncomfortable in the freezing Mid-East environment. Outside, even a lit cigarette would freeze out after just a few puffs.
"Sir, what are your orders?"
Ebson gently stroked the instrument before him and asked calmly:
"Eighteen years ago, I gave you a baby. Do you remember? I told you to dispose of it. Did you complete the task?"
Bill frowned as distant memories resurfaced.
It had been a night of torrential rain. Bill vaguely remembered Ebson drenched like a soaked rat, his expression filled with unprecedented panic. He had handed Bill a newborn boy, saying the child belonged to Count Nathan's family.
Bill knew that Count Nathan was a sworn enemy of the Louis family. The two families had been rivals for generations. Moreover, the Nathan family had always been small—this generation's count had only had a child at fifty, something widely known.
Bill understood the filth behind Marleyan nobility, so Ebson's actions didn't surprise him. He agreed to take care of the child.
As Bill turned to leave, he failed to notice the strange gleam in Ebson's eyes.
To dispose of the baby, Bill brought him to a corner of the Eldian Liberio internment zone.
All he had to do was loosen his grip, and the child would fall to his death.
But the infant's cries made him hesitate.
He thought of his younger sister, who was also pregnant. In a few days, she would give birth to his nephew or niece.
Though she had fallen in love with a Marleyan, Bill believed she would be happy. He trusted that man.
Perhaps it was this fleeting thought that made him unable to kill the child outright.
Still, he had sworn loyalty to the Louis family.
Caught in conflict, Bill ultimately abandoned the baby atop a trash bin in the corner.
In this freezing wind, wrapped in nothing but a thin cloth, the infant would not survive.
Bill left the Liberio internment zone.
Unbeknownst to him, in a nearby alley, a ragged Eldian old man was rummaging through the garbage.
...
After the meeting, Bill answered with certainty:
"That child was dealt with. There's absolutely no problem."
Ebson: "Is that so?"
"Doctor! The Tybur family member isn't dead! Let me go take revenge!" Litt suddenly burst in, interrupting the conversation between Ebson and Bill. Upon learning that Willy Tybur had somehow escaped the Marleyan capital, Litt's fury became uncontrollable.
Ebson glanced at Litt before turning away, speaking indifferently:
"Tybur? To us now, they're nothing but clowns. We have more important matters to attend to. Bill, find a suitable candidate as soon as possible. That useless Newt is dead—the Crimson Flame Titan needs a new inheritor immediately."
Bill: "Yes, sir."
With that, Bill turned and left.
Litt, having not received the answer he wanted, clenched his fists, his teeth grinding audibly. But after standing there for a long time, he ultimately chose to leave.
After Litt departed, Ebson refocused his attention. If Litt proved too troublesome, he wouldn't mind replacing the host of the Airwing Titan.
After some thought, Ebson picked up a new test tube.
A grander, more perfect plan had formed in his mind.
Walking out of the factory, the anger on Litt's face had yet to subside.
Slash!
He cut open his palm. Golden lightning instantly enveloped his body, and the steam that emerged froze into icy mist.
The Airwing Titan spread its wings and shot straight into the sky.
Bill's expression darkened. He spat out his cigarette, extinguished by the gust from the Airwing Titan's wings, and cursed under his breath.
As nations across the world stirred in unrest, undercurrents also surged on Paradis Island.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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