"Captain, you are kidding, how can a Titan be conscious!?" Oluo was shocked.
Deep in his eyes was a hint of obvious solemnity and fear.
If there really are self-conscious Titans, then... It's so terrifying, he couldn't even imagine it.
"I trust my judgment. That smell is not comparable to that of ordinary Titans. It is different from all the Titans we have seen before. It is definitely self-aware!" Sanmao said firmly.
While speaking, he sniffed habitually, sensing the smell carried by the wind. When these words reached the ears of Oluo and others, it was like a thunderclap, numbing everyone's senses and making their scalps tingle.
The only one who remained calm was Lock.
"Captain Sanmao, your inference is very likely. I have discussed with Captain Erwin and Captain Levi whether Titans are conscious before. In the end, we are more inclined to believe there are conscious beings among the Titans..."
Seeing everyone's eyes fixed on him, Lock secretly glanced at Ymir, who was pretending to be calm but whose gaze seemed to wander, and continued:
"Therefore, from the information we know now, there is a high probability that there is a third type of existence among the Titans besides the ordinary and abnormal ones, but it has not been identified before. The Colossal Titan, the Armored Titan that breached the wall this time, and the Female Titan seen by the squad leader should also belong to this category."
"Armored Titan and Colossal Titan... Damn it!" Captain Sanmao ground his teeth.
The others showed faces filled with hatred. They were shocked at how this terrifying conclusion made perfect sense, making it impossible to refute.
It was deeply unsettling.
"Let's not dwell on that for now. Captain Sanmao, will you return to headquarters directly, or will you complete the exploration mission with us and return together?" Lock asked.
In his mind, he leaned toward going together. Aside from himself, Sanmao was arguably the strongest in the Survey Corps after Levi, with immense combat prowess.
If Levi's bloodline wasn't so exceptional, and if Lock himself wasn't unusually powerful, Sanmao could easily be called "the strongest among humans."
"Let's go together. We were not inside the wall before, so we don't know the situation within. You can just tell us now," Sanmao said seriously.
He was not just brave. Returning directly to headquarters without a mission would bring unnecessary trouble, especially after the outer strongholds fell, making prior expeditions meaningless. That would be a crime.
Accompanying Lock on the mission was a meritorious service.
However, neither Sanmao nor his companions knew the royal government had already abandoned them.
Lock and his companions chose not to reveal that fact. It was best left to Captain Erwin to explain later.
After resting on the wall for a night, they avoided entering the streets directly due to the danger and instead observed the Shiganshina District from the city wall.
From their vantage point, the entire area below appeared exposed.
Elder and Gunda, responsible for recording, began documenting the situation.
Sanmao and his team assisted and recovered. They already knew the current state of affairs within the wall.
Wall Maria was completely occupied, with no less than 30% of the population dead. Living space was shrinking, and internal conflicts were intensifying. The situation was bound to erupt eventually.
The fall of Wall Maria was a tragedy, shaking the royal government's authority.
Compared to the busyness of Sanmao and his men, Lock seemed relaxed. He stood on the city wall alongside Petra and Ymir, observing the situation and ready to respond to any emergency.
According to Lock's estimation, since the Female Titan attacked the distant stronghold, it likely had not reached the wall yet, but would probably enter the wall through the Shiganshina District at some point.
Once encountered, it would be a fierce battle, so caution was paramount.
With this thought, Lock's gaze shifted to the location of Grisha Yeager's house. In earlier communications, he learned there was a spare Titan spinal fluid injection gun hidden there. The injector had not been taken.
He considered retrieving it but ultimately decided against it. The distance was too far, the risk too high, and it seemed unnecessary.
After all, Lock was now allied with Grisha and could extract Titan spinal fluid at any time.
Two days later, the exploration was complete. A detailed map and report of the Shiganshina District had been compiled. No Titan attacks had occurred, and everyone sighed in relief, preparing to return to the Trost District to meet up with other Survey Corps teams.
Just as they were about to descend from the city wall, Sanmao suddenly stopped.
"Everyone, don't move!"
He raised a hand to signal and faced the wind. His nose twitched violently, memories flooding back.
His expression changed drastically.
"It's the smell of a Female Titan, there's no mistake, it's definitely the smell of a Female Titan!"
As soon as the words fell, two crystallized Titans suddenly appeared on the city wall in the distance, followed by the unmistakable silhouette of a Female Titan.
Without hesitation, Lock drew his two swords and shouted:
"Get ready for battle!!!"
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A/N: Advanced Chapters Have Been Uploaded On My Patreon
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