Yago returned to his seat in silence. What had just happened still felt surreal. Annie Leonhart glanced at Yago, unsure what to say. She gently nudged him, but he didn't respond at all. Running into someone who looked exactly like yourself really was something rare.
Mr. Leonhart also noticed that after Yago returned to his seat, he had become much quieter and was even ignoring his own daughter. Seeing Annie Leonhart tugging at Yago's sleeve, wanting to speak but unable to get the words out, he couldn't help asking what had happened—while subtly reproaching Yago for ignoring Annie Leonhart.
Only then did Yago snap out of it, realizing he had been lost in thought. He quickly apologized and explained to Mr. Leonhart what had just happened.
"Someone who looks just like you? That kind of thing happens? Oh right! That must also be why those two Marley soldiers called you Lieutenant Colonel." Mr. Leonhart looked as if he had suddenly understood, recalling what had happened that day.
Annie Leonhart: "Lieutenant Colonel? Yago, why didn't you tell me? Tell me about it!" Annie Leonhart tugged at Yago's sleeve again, and Yago could only smile as he told her about what had happened in the Liberio internment zone.
...
The view shifted to the locomotive. The conductor in charge of controlling the speed let out a huge yawn. He had been playing cards until late last night, so feeling sleepy today was inevitable. Slowly, his eyelids began sticking together.
Extending the view along the railway tracks for several kilometers, more than a dozen people were gathered on both sides of the tracks. They wore Marleyan clothing, but their entire heads were wrapped in headscarves.
This was Marley's Rhine Province. Most of the province was a desolate wasteland without human habitation. It was also Marley's border, very close to the frontline between Marley and the Middle Eastern battlefield. And yet, in this very desert, these dozen suspicious figures were gathered.
If a Marleyan stood beside them, they wouldn't understand the muttered conversation among these dozen people at all. But if a bearded Middle Easterner were here, he would certainly understand what they were saying. That's right—these dozen people were all Middle Easterners.
The dozen Middle Easterners held hoes and pickaxes, working frantically on something. They dug one pit after another, then stuffed oil-paper-wrapped packages into the pits. At a glance, dozens of pits had already appeared on both sides of the railway.
"Captain, everything's buried!" One of the Middle Easterners stepped forward to report to their leader. The Middle Eastern captain glanced over the area and nodded, his tone grim. "Good. Is the intelligence reliable?"
"Don't worry, Captain. The intercepted intelligence has been confirmed by our insider within Marley. This train is full of officers Marley is sending to the frontline!"
"Heh. Marley has grown old. Without the help of the demon Titans' power, Marley is nothing. The Middle East will eventually replace Marley! Bury the explosives well and give these Marley monkeys a grand gift!"
The Middle Easterners who had infiltrated Marley revealed their fangs. In the face of the Middle Easterners' various tactics, Marley appeared weak and powerless.
At that moment, the Middle Eastern captain noticed someone riding swiftly toward them along the distant tracks, galloping while frantically waving his arms.
The captain immediately understood. "Quick! Get ready—the Marley train is coming!" The well-trained Middle Eastern squad promptly moved away from the tracks.
Soon, the silhouette of the train appeared in the Middle Easterners' sight. The captain slowly raised his hand.
The train conductor, drowsy-eyed, rubbed his eyes and smacked his lips before checking the road ahead. Hmm, everything looked normal. Huh? Why would there be people in such a desolate place? How strange.
As the train sped past, the conductor noticed the dozen Middle Easterners standing in the distance. Aside from their odd clothing combinations, through his binoculars he saw that the leader was wearing a cruel smile, his hand raised high.
Before the conductor could react, the Middle Eastern captain's hand suddenly swung down.
Yago, who had been laughing and chatting with Annie Leonhart, suddenly felt his heart tremble. An intense sense of crisis surged into his mind. The indescribable feeling made him leap to his feet in an instant.
Not only Annie Leonhart and Mr. Leonhart beside him, but the entire carriage's passengers were startled.
But Yago had no time to explain. He grabbed Annie Leonhart into his arms and with his other hand pulled Mr. Leonhart close.
The next moment—almost in an instant—outside the clean train windows, surging orange flames burst forth, reflecting in the passengers' pupils with the light called death.
The shockwave shattered the glass windows. Flames poured into the carriage. Death enveloped the passengers.
Across the once-calm desert, a terrifying explosion roared out. The dreadful force made even the earth tremble.
In the Middle Eastern captain's eyes, the explosives buried on both sides of the tracks erupted with their most horrifying power. The Marley train was blasted into the air, torn into several sections. Then explosive flames engulfed every carriage.
The Middle Eastern captain could almost hear the agonized wails of thousands of Marleyans inside each burning carriage. Even as a cold-blooded soldier, the thought made him shudder.
"Mission complete. Retreat!"
.....
"The Middle Easterners' firepower is too fierce, and the fortress is built far too solidly. If this continues, our troops will eventually be exhausted! I request we activate the 'Wrath of Marley' operation plan!" Inside the frontline command headquarters, an aging Marley officer shouted, his face flushed red.
Among the observers, Zeke glanced at the officer. The so-called "Wrath of Marley" operation sounded imposing, but it was a plan filled with the lives of countless Eldians.
Even before Zeke inherited the power of the Beast Titan, this operation plan already existed. The Marleyan army would use airships to airdrop countless Eldians onto enemy positions. Before pushing them off the airships, the Eldians would be injected with Titan spinal fluid.
Thus, hundreds or even thousands of Eldian Pure Titans would crash down onto enemy positions from midair. Out of a hundred Titans, more than ninety might die from the fall, but the few nearly immortal Titans that survived were enough to destroy the enemy's defenses.
After Zeke inherited the Beast Titan's power, its special ability pushed this operation plan to the extreme. The Beast Titan's roar controlled the timing of the Eldians' transformation, allowing more Titans to land alive on enemy positions.
"I… I will report this to the Ministry of National Defense. But until approval comes through, we must continue the offensive!" The highest-ranking Marley general at headquarters said hesitantly.
"When will reinforcements arrive? Weren't we told that the Marleyan Guard Corps and a large number of officers were being sent as support? Where are they?!"
"They'll arrive soon. I received word that the reinforcements have already reached Rhine Province. They'll be here very soo—"
Before the general could finish speaking, a guard burst into headquarters, panic written all over his face.
"Report! General! Emergency situation—the train carrying the officers of the reinforcement forces has been attacked!"
Everyone present was stunned. "What did you say?!"
Among the crowd, only Zeke lowered his head, a different light flashing in his eyes. The Middle Easterners did a fine job. As for where their intelligence came from… who knows? Heh.