Because the Survey Corps needed to reach Stohess District as quickly as possible, Erwin had chosen the shortest path. The plan was to move directly north from the Ehrmich District, pass through Wall Sina, cut vertically through the Interior, and then head for Stohess at the northern end of Wall Rose.
It was, without a doubt, the most efficient route—fast and direct. But there was one major obstacle: the Military Police.
Among the four branches of the military, the Military Police held the highest authority. Guarding the King, maintaining order within the Interior, and enjoying privileges far above the Garrison or Survey Corps, they had long been a symbol of power and arrogance. Only the top ten graduates from each training corps class were eligible to join, which only fueled their pride.
They lived comfortably in the safety of the Interior, far removed from the dangers of the outside world. To the Survey Corps, who risked their lives beyond the Walls, the Military Police were nothing but self-serving parasites. And to the Military Police, the Scouts were reckless fools, disturbing the fragile peace of humanity with their dangerous expeditions.
So, when Lock's regiment entered Sina, it was no surprise that they were stopped almost immediately by a squad of Military Police.
"Those bastards are making things difficult for us again," Oluo grumbled irritably from horseback. "They pull this every time we pass through Wall Sina."
Eld, riding beside him, gave a bitter laugh. "They need to remind us who's in charge. Typical Interior arrogance. Put one of these clowns against a Titan and they'd piss themselves before drawing a blade."
Even Gunther, usually reserved, couldn't hide his disdain. "Useless parasites. They'll never understand what it means to fight for humanity."
Petra said nothing, her gentle face hardened as her eyes followed the approaching soldiers. Even she, kind as she was, couldn't look at the Military Police without disgust.
Inside the lead carriage, Ymir leaned lazily against the wall, peeking out the small window with a grin. "Captain," she said, her tone playful as always, "your squad really hates those guys. Do we have some kind of grudge with them?"
Lock's eyes narrowed slightly. His hand rested calmly against the scabbard of his blades. "Not a grudge," he said evenly. "Just different sides of the same coin. They're guardians of the King's peace. We're destroyers of it. Conflict is inevitable."
He didn't add the rest of his thoughts—that the entire Military Police was nothing more than a tool of the corrupt monarchy, a leash designed to restrain the Scouts. On paper, the Military Police could command the Garrison and mobilize five times the forces of the Survey Corps. And if one counted the Central Interior Police, led by Kenny Ackerman, their power was even greater.
But Lock had fought Titans, soldiers, and monsters in human skin. He knew true strength. And he knew these men had none.
"Mm," Ymir mused, tilting her head toward Petra outside. "If you want, we can let sweet Petra ride inside instead. She looks like she could use a break."
Lock didn't even glance at her. "After we're through the Interior, we'll switch. Until then, stay quiet." His gaze was locked on the soldiers riding toward them, sharp and steady.
The Military Police stopped the convoy. One of them, a young man in his twenties, swaggered up to Lock's carriage and yanked the curtain aside. He glanced inside lazily, his smirk growing wider when his eyes fell on Lock.
"So you're the one they call a prodigy," the man sneered. "Lock, the so-called god of the battlefield. Hmph. You look pretty ordinary to me."
Silence.
Lock's right hand tightened around the hilt of his blade. His voice came low and cold. "Are you provoking me?"
The soldier flinched. The sudden weight of Lock's killing intent made his throat tighten. He forced a crooked grin under the stares of his comrades. "Tch—kids these days. Can't even take a joke." With that, he dropped the curtain and quickly turned away, his pride already burning under the laughter of the other MPs.
Ymir chuckled. "Captain, that was cold. But effective."
"They only understand strength," Lock replied. "If you retreat, they'll walk all over you. Stand firm, and they'll back down. They talk tough, but they won't dare raise a hand against us." His tone didn't change, but everyone nearby heard the steel in his words.
Even Oluo, Eld, and Gunther outside the carriage relaxed slightly, their respect for Lock deepening. He wasn't only fearless before Titans; he carried the same unyielding strength in every confrontation. A true leader.
The inspection dragged on for more than half an hour. Six hundred Scouts, nearly the entire regiment, had to be checked, and the Military Police milked every second of their authority. Lock's patience thinned with each wasted moment.
These men had once been the strongest of their training corps, but years of decadence had rotted their spirits. In Lock's eyes, they weren't soldiers anymore—just bloated parasites sucking life from the Interior.
When the convoy finally rolled forward again, Lock caught sight of the senior officers of the Military Police standing smugly by the roadside, eyes gleaming with superiority. Behind them, the younger soldiers watched the Scouts pass with mocking smiles, as though this war-born regiment was nothing but a curiosity.
Lock's jaw clenched. He thought of the future—of what would happen when true war reached inside these walls. Men like these would crumble in seconds. When he held power, he would make sure of it. Kenny's killers had value. A few others might be retrained. But the rest? He would cut the dead flesh from the Interior without hesitation.
The convoy pressed on. Past the polished streets, the bright lamps, and the luxurious buildings of the Interior. But no one in the regiment cared to look. Their minds were fixed on the road ahead, on their mission.
And yet, high above them, inside the tallest tower in the Interior, they were being watched. A pair of sharp eyes followed the convoy's every move until it vanished into the night.
The man lowered his gaze at last and turned to his aide. "Did Erwin give a reason for this operation?"
The aide bowed. "Yes, Mr. Premier. Captain Erwin reported that the Survey Corps is heading to the Stohess District… to maintain stability."
Premier Darius Zackly's lips curled into a quiet smile. "Maintain stability, is it? Hah. Tell me—do you believe that nonsense?"
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