Sitting in the seat of the military truck, this Lieutenant Colonel named Loya appeared extremely relaxed. The Marleyan soldier driving couldn't help glancing back at Loya from time to time.
Touching the scar on his face, Loya—or rather, Yago, who had taken Loya's identity—remained perfectly calm. A careful look at Yago's current face would reveal that it had undergone significant changes. Based on Loya's original features, some facial muscles had also been subtly altered.
All of this was thanks to the power of the War Hammer Titan. One must know that the white skin of the War Hammer Titan's body was also a special form of hardening. Therefore, the War Hammer Titan could not only use hardening to create various weapons, but could also manipulate that softened form of hardened material.
Yago had used that special hardening to slightly alter his appearance, as if wearing a human-skin mask. This allowed him to successfully blend into the Marleyan military camp.
"Um, Lieutenant Colonel Loya, do you know anything about the Third Regiment of the Eldian unit?" The Marleyan soldier driving seemed unable to endure the stifling atmosphere inside the truck and took the initiative to speak.
Yago was intrigued. He hadn't infiltrated the Marleyan army to fight for them. Taking the opportunity to gather intelligence on Marley and to get close to Zeke to investigate the Titans created by Ebson—that was his true purpose.
So Yago pretended to be interested and asked, "I really haven't heard of that unit. Do you know something about it?"
The Marleyan soldier glanced outside the window nervously, then, unable to hold it in, whispered mysteriously, "Lieutenant Colonel Loya, that unit is known as the Cursed Unit…"
...
Marley Headquarters.
Bang! "Are you joking?! Of all the officers who survived that train, there's only one Lieutenant Colonel left, and you're transferring him to that cursed unit? General, have you gone senile? Half of my junior officers are already dead! We're short-handed as it is. Why do those Eldians even need a commander?!"
A young Marleyan colonel furiously slammed the table in front of the general, demanding to know why Lieutenant Colonel Loya was being reassigned to the Eldian unit.
Facing the colonel's anger, the Marleyan general merely glanced at him before continuing to write something at his desk.
"General!…"
"This is an order from the Ministry of National Defense!" The general suddenly smashed his pen onto the table, his raised gaze sharp and chilling.
"Do you know what the situation in the country is right now? Those old nobles, relying on their entrenched circles, keep pointing fingers at us, completely disregarding the Marleyan military! And the train was full of young officers from major families. The rising new nobility is emerging, and the old nobles are just obstacles in the way. Do you understand?"
The colonel stood stunned. That was a lot to take in. Seemingly realizing something, his voice trembled.
"You… you mean… those officers were… sacrifices?"
The Marleyan general glared at him and roared, "No! They died for the nation! It was those damned Middle Easterners! They slaughtered our outstanding officers! Remember that!"
The colonel nodded, but his heart felt ice-cold. No wonder he had been puzzled—how could Middle Easterners infiltrate Marley's Rhine Province without being discovered? Their features were unmistakable.
"Anything else?" The general picked up his pen again and asked casually.
"Report—nothing else!"
"Return to your post."
"Yes, sir!"
Watching the colonel leave, the Marleyan general sighed helplessly. This was a decision from above. The old nobility had too much influence over Marley. This war between Marley and the Middle East had made it clear—the nobles in power were nothing but a hindrance during wartime. So the Supreme Command had already decided to move against the old nobles.
And that one from the Tybur family had not objected, which was very strange. After all, the Tybur family held the greatest authority. There was no reason for them to remain silent.
It was just a pity for those young noble officers. The Marleyan general had met them. They had been passionate and patriotic. Such a shame…
...
"The Cursed Unit? Oh, how interesting. You're saying that all five commanders before me were killed in action?" Yago stroked his chin, looking intrigued.
The Marleyan soldier nodded, then couldn't help advising,
"Lieutenant Colonel Loya, I suggest you request a transfer to another unit. The Third Regiment of the Eldian unit is a cursed unit. In every war, they're sent to the very front lines. Several waves of Eldians inside have already died. To put it bluntly, it's a cannon-fodder regiment. You're still young. It's best not to take the risk."
Yago smiled. A cursed unit? A cannon-fodder unit? It seemed this Eldian unit was quite infamous. At the same time, Yago felt a faint sense of sorrow.
From what the Marleyan soldier said, this Eldian unit had given everything for Marley's wars. Several waves of Eldians had died, and the unit had been replenished multiple times—its casualties must have been devastating. Yet in the eyes of the Marleyans, it was merely a cursed unit? A cannon-fodder unit?
Yago couldn't help but feel sorrow for his fellow countrymen.
Soon, the outline of a crude military camp appeared ahead of the truck. That was Yago's destination—the Third Regiment of the Eldian unit.
...
At the same time, inside the camp of the Third Regiment of the Eldian unit, more than a dozen soldiers in Marleyan uniforms gathered inside a tent in the corner. Without exception, each wore a silver armband, marking their identity—they were lower-ranking Eldian commanders within the Third Regiment.
At that moment, an Eldian soldier burst into the tent in panic.
"Bad news, boss! A new Marleyan commander has suddenly arrived outside the camp!"
As soon as he spoke, everyone inside the tent turned their gaze toward the slender figure at the innermost part of the tent. The long hair had long since been cut into a neat bob. Her amber eyes were still bright, her face as beautiful as ever. The military uniform added a touch of heroic sharpness.
Serena lowered the booklet in her hands and looked at the reporting soldier.
The booklet recorded the names of members of the Eldian Restorationists organization that Serena had painstakingly developed within the Marleyan army over the years. But the cruel war had taken half the names in that booklet—they had died in the war between Marley and the Middle Easterners.
Now, inside the tent were the core members of the Eldian Restorationists in the military, led by Serena. Half of the Third Regiment's soldiers were under their control.
"A new commander? What's there to be afraid of? Haven't several come before? None of them lasted more than a month. Next time we go to the battlefield, we'll just finish him off directly. What do you say?" one Eldian said bluntly to Serena.
Serena smiled and shook her head. Then she said, "Let's go. We'll meet the new commander."
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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