Chapter 53

Anyone could hear the regret in Pixis' words and knew why he was regretting... As a soldier, Tang Cheng had brutally killed a superior officer in front of everyone, which was an unforgivable crime. As long as that officer had not betrayed humanity, the army could immediately execute him, regardless of how talented he was.

Realizing this, everyone's hearts became incredibly complicated. Tang Cheng was simply too outstanding. If he were to be executed, it would be a huge loss for humanity. However, military law was merciless, and there was no room for negotiation. If Pixis really ordered Tang Cheng to be killed, none of the soldiers here would hesitate, even those who had been "moved" by Tang Cheng. They might hesitate, but they would definitely obey the order.

Dott Pixis and Kitze Wilman had completely different levels of prestige in the military.

"What... What should we do?"

Allen and his two companions were extremely anxious. Although their relationship with Tang Cheng was not very close, and they rarely interacted in the training corps, they were still comrades and could not ignore this. Moreover, fundamentally, the reason Tang Cheng was in this crisis was largely due to them. If it weren't for Allen's Titan form, Tang Cheng's battlefield achievements today would not have been enough to warrant his execution. If someone like Pixis, who appreciated his talent, wanted to protect him, he would likely just be confined for a few months.

But now, because of their actions, he had no way out.

Not to mention Allen, even the usually cold Mikasa couldn't bear to see Tang Cheng be executed like this. The two of them instinctively looked at Armin, the smartest of the three. They knew that if anyone could save Tang Cheng at this moment, it would be Armin.

Armin noticed their gazes but didn't react immediately because he had already been thinking about it.

But what could they do? They had no power or influence, and they couldn't even protect themselves, let alone save Tang Cheng. Moreover, with such a crime... Wait! Crime? If it's a crime, then conversely, if Tang Cheng could earn enough merit to offset the crime...

Titans!

Suddenly looking up at Allen, Armin had an idea. If this idea could be realized, their position might be somewhat reversed. But... would Pixis give them such an opportunity?

Armin was filled with hesitation, but at that moment, he saw the encouraging looks from Allen and Mikasa.

In an instant, Armin felt his courage surge.

Yes, no matter how slim the hope, opportunities are seized, not given. He had thought of only this one method, and even if it failed, the situation wouldn't get any worse. Since someone was willing to believe in him, he had no reason to back down.

With this thought, Armin clenched his teeth, stood up straight, and punched his left chest with his right fist, shouting loudly, "I am a soldier..."

Armin's sudden voice immediately drew the attention of everyone present. He shouted, "A soldier who has already sworn to dedicate my heart to the revival of humanity. If I can act according to this belief, I will die without regret. I hereby request that you combine the Titan power possessed by Eren Yeager with the remaining troops to retake this town occupied by Titans. Please allow me to petition for the glory of humanity, even if I am about to die, at least for this period, please allow me to explain his tactical value... Let us atone for our crimes by earning merit!"

The phrase "atone for our crimes by earning merit" was very decisive. By saying this, he made it clear that the three of them were bound together with Tang Cheng. Thus, the crime of killing a superior officer, which was originally just Tang Cheng's, now had to be shared by the three of them... It was no longer a personal crime but a group crime.

If Armin hadn't said these four words, their problem would have been only about Eren's Titan transformation.

But neither Eren nor Mikasa had any complaints, because only by being completely bound together with Tang Cheng could their merits possibly save him from death, and at the same time, solve Eren's problem.

Tang Cheng smiled slightly when he heard this. Since Pixis appeared, he had been waiting for Armin to say these words. Although he could have said them himself, his previous stance of dying to prove his integrity had already lost him the position to plead for himself... Since he had started this drama, he wouldn't mess up the key details, which was a matter of an actor's self-discipline.

And it turned out that Armin was indeed a clever young man.

"Truly a perfect salute," Pixis said, looking at the young man's posture and smiling, "It seems that the talents in this graduating class are far more numerous than I imagined. Since that's the case, I might as well listen."

Hearing this, Armin's spirit immediately relaxed, and he slumped to the ground, feeling his limbs tremble... If Pixis hadn't accepted his petition, they would really be dead. This kind of life-and-death situation, he really didn't want to experience again!

"Commander, is this really okay? After all, Captain Wilman..." Rico whispered to Pixis. She wasn't deliberately targeting Tang Cheng and the others; she also felt it was a pity to execute such talents, but the impact of their actions could not be underestimated.

Pixis waved to stop her from continuing and smiled, "You young people still don't understand what the most important thing is right now. Even if we execute them to maintain military law, what will humanity gain? But if their tactics really work and help us retake the town occupied by Titans, it will be the first victory in human history, far more significant than military regulations."

"I understand," Rico said, suddenly enlightened.

Hearing his words, Allen and the others finally felt completely relieved. Although their crimes had not been erased, at least... they had a chance to make amends.

...

Soon after, Pixis led Tang Cheng and the others to the wall of Trost District. Facing a person with Titan power and a criminal who had killed a superior officer, he did not bring any personal guards, standing alone. Although his subordinates strongly opposed this, no one dared to disobey his decision.

Trost District was the most important defense base for humanity. If it were breached, the entire Rose region would collapse, just like the Maria region five years ago. At that time, humanity would be forced to retreat to the final wall, which had limited space and resources... In other words, if Trost District fell, countless humans would become food for the Titans.

And now, the Titans were already at the gates!

After surveying the Titans from the wall, Pixis began to question Eren about his Titan form. By this time, Eren had already remembered most of what he had done and had a rough idea of how he gained his Titan power. He told everything to Pixis.

Of course, Eren still had no idea about the fundamental reason for his Titan power, but Pixis understood and promised to ensure their safety during this period.

Then, Pixis turned his gaze to Tang Cheng, "What are your thoughts on the upcoming battle?"

On the way, he had already learned the entire story from his subordinates, including Tang Cheng's speech. He knew that this was a person with real ideas.

Tang Cheng shrugged and pointed to the blond youth, "Why not ask the amazing Armin?"

The drama he had directed was on a temporary intermission, and he no longer needed to act. Tang Cheng returned to his usual state, which Allen and the others were already used to. Pixis, being an eccentric person himself, didn't find it strange and felt a sense of familiarity with Tang Cheng's casualness.

Sigh, if he hadn't committed a crime, he would have been a good successor after I retire... Feeling a bit regretful, Pixis turned his questioning gaze to Armin.

Armin composed himself and immediately said, "I thought that if Eren could transform into a Titan and move the giant stone in the town, which is larger than a house and weighs several dozen tons, it could block the gate destroyed by the Colossal Titan. That way, the Titans wouldn't be able to enter. As long as we gradually eliminate the Titans in the town... However, this is just a spontaneous idea and is not guaranteed to work, but at least it offers a possibility to break the current situation."

Seeing Pixis remain silent, he added, "Of course, most importantly, I hope to protect our lives."

"Protect your own lives? Ha ha." Pixis suddenly laughed, "Nothing is more convincing than that."

If they failed, they would certainly die. If they succeeded, they would have a chance to live. Therefore, to ensure their survival, Pixis believed these young people would do their utmost, at least in this matter, they wouldn't fake it.

Then he walked to Eren, squatted down, and asked, "So, Yeager trainee, can you block that hole?"

"Eh!" Eren was taken aback. To be honest, he had little confidence in his strength and didn't know if he could control the Titan's power. When he transformed into a Titan before, he had no consciousness, and if he couldn't control his own consciousness, how could he block the gate?

But...

"Although I don't know if I can succeed, I will do it!"

The young man clenched his teeth and said resolutely.

...

Temporarily closing the dominant mode, reactivating the funny mode, seeking recommendations, likes, and collections!

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