"You damned lowborn peasants! Tell me where my son is right now! If my son doesn't come back, none of you are getting inside!"
A plump, well-dressed middle-aged man stood at the city gate, shouting at the civilians crowding the entrance.
"How would we know where your son is?!" "Maybe he's already been eaten by a Titan—go find him yourself!" "Let us in!"
The civilians shouted in anger.
The guard at the inner gate couldn't stand it anymore and said to Duke Baron, "Your Grace, the Titans are about to attack. Please let the civilians enter at once."
Duke Baron glanced at the scattered Titans in the distance, his face dark.
"No. These people were in the same district as my son. If my son can't be found, whether they live or die has nothing to do with me."
The guard clenched his fists and turned his head away in pain, not daring to speak again. His own family had already entered the city—there was no need for him to risk everything.
At that moment, Chen Si retracted his grappling hook from above and dropped straight down from the sky onto the ground before the gate. The impact shattered the pavement, kicking up a cloud of dust. The duke's butler, standing nearby, coughed as he was engulfed by the smoke.
"What fell down? A Titan?" Duke Baron broke into a cold sweat.
"Go check—see if it's a Titan!" he ordered a guard nervously.
The guard drew his blade and stepped forward cautiously.
Chen Si slowly emerged from the smoke, eyes sharp and cold.
"It's that soldier who fought the Colossal Titan!" a sharp-eyed civilian cried out excitedly.
This group of civilians had evacuated late; some had witnessed Chen Si's battle with the Colossal Titan.
A woman holding a baby suddenly rushed forward and knelt before him.
"Sir from the regiment, please—please let my child enter!"
Tears streamed down her face.
Chen Si caught her with one hand to stop her from kneeling. He took out his regiment insignia and stared directly at Duke Baron.
"Soldier, these civilians are connected to my son's disappearance. They must cooperate with the investigation," Duke Baron said. Though unnerved by Chen Si's gaze, he stiffened when he realized the man looked like a new recruit.
"Investigation my ass," Chen Si snapped.
"You—!" The duke was first startled, then furious.
"How dare you show such disrespect to Duke Baron! Every year our lord provides you with enormous military funding, and instead of gratitude you accomplish nothing—allowing Titans into the city—and now you dare defy our noble duke!"
The mustached butler lashed out at Chen Si.
"What does that have to do with me? How much of that money did I ever see?" Chen Si replied casually, scratching his ear.
Children in the crowd looked at him with shining eyes as he openly provoked a noble.
The nearby guards tensed. Wasn't he this year's top graduate? Was his bright future about to be ruined because of this wretched duke?
"You! You will be punished! Even Commander Pixis won't be able to save you!" the butler threatened, not expecting Chen Si to be so brazen.
"That's enough. Stop yapping. Look closely at what's in my hand. By order of Commander Pixis, all civilians are to evacuate immediately. Anyone obstructing this will be executed on the spot."
Chen Si was clearly fed up.
"I'll count to three. Open the gate. Three!"
He drew his blade instantly.
"Wait! I'll open it!" Duke Baron broke into a cold sweat. He had never seen such a fearless soldier. If he were killed by a hotheaded recruit, it would be a disgrace beyond measure.
He glanced at the regiment insignia in Chen Si's hand and felt a jolt of unease. Nobles had no real military authority—only private guards. Pixis was not someone to trifle with.
Still, he vowed silently that once this crisis passed, he would deal with this insolent soldier.
At that moment, the butler leaned over and whispered something into the duke's ear. The duke's eyes lit up as he accepted a waist token from him.
"Take a good look! This is a Royal Government token bestowed by His Majesty King Fritz! Do you and your commander intend to commit treason?"
The duke raised the token high.
The civilians' faces fell into despair. If it was truly an order from the king, they dared not resist.
What a headache. That's just some Royal Government token. The current king is a fake anyway—probably mass-produced by those top nobles, Chen Si thought.
Suddenly, he sheathed his blade and broke into a harmless smile.
"Ah, Duke Baron, what a man of integrity. I was just about to inform you—your only son has been found. He's injured. Please come with me at once. He's in a house nearby."
"What?! Take me to him immediately! If anything happens to my son because you delay, you'll regret it!" the duke demanded.
Chen Si led Duke Baron and the butler away. They followed without suspicion—whether because the duke truly loved his son or because he was simply arrogant, Chen Si didn't know.
The duke had only one heir. After indulging himself in excess for years, he could not produce another. This was the sole successor to his vast estate. And he simply didn't believe a fresh graduate would dare deceive him.
Reaching a deserted corner, Chen Si wasted no time. Two swift slashes—both men's throats were cut.
Two Titans were running nearby. Chen Si tossed the bodies directly toward them. The Titans' mouths happened to be open.
"Perfect shot."
He clapped his hands in satisfaction as the corpses disappeared into the Titans' mouths.
Then he returned to the gate, wearing a look of sorrow.
"The brave Duke Baron fought to his last breath alongside his butler to save his son."
The guards were dumbfounded.
The civilians were equally stunned. That blood-sucking duke had died in battle?
"Mom, that soldier must have killed Duke Baron for us," a little boy blurted innocently.
"Hush! Don't say that!" his mother quickly covered his mouth. She didn't want Chen Si implicated because of them.
The civilians pretended they hadn't heard. In their hearts, they were deeply grateful. Once inside the inner city, they would say the duke had died in a Titan's jaws.
The guards hurried to open the gate. The crowd surged forward—
Suddenly, a merchant caravan barreled straight into the people, forcing them to scatter.
You've got to be kidding me.
Chen Si rubbed his forehead, ready to draw his blade and end whatever guild president was blocking the way.
"Brother!"
A clear, bell-like voice rang out.
"Mikasa!"
Chen Si caught Mikasa as she rushed into his arms.
"Chen Si!" Carla's voice followed close behind.
"Auntie! Why didn't you go inside?" he asked in surprise.
"I thought you were hurt, so I went looking for you. That delayed me," Carla replied with a gentle smile.
Moved, Chen Si exchanged a few quick words before urging her to enter the inner city. She knew he had duties and didn't linger.
"Mikasa, I have to go reinforce Eren and the others. Titans have already breached near the inner gate. The front line must have collapsed."
"Brother, I'm going too," Mikasa said immediately.
"No. Stay here and make sure Aunt Carla evacuates safely. The front lines will be extremely dangerous. Don't worry about me."
As he spoke, he shot her a meaningful glance toward the merchant guild leader blocking the gate.
Mikasa understood instantly. A trace of killing intent flashed in her eyes. That damned man had delayed the civilians—and her reunion with her brother.
"Mikasa, take this blade. It's specially tempered—it won't break easily. If your own blades wear down, use this."
Chen Si handed her his only refined blade.
The situation on the island wasn't quite the same anymore. He wanted to keep her away from danger as much as possible.
Mikasa looked deeply at the blade in her hand and tightened her grip.
Brother, wait for me.
With a burst of gas, Chen Si activated his ODM gear and vanished into the distance.
Mikasa turned around, sheathed the refined blade, drew another, and charged toward the city gate, killing intent blazing in her eyes.