Chapter 70

Thank you, book friend Yun Qi Qing Gu, for becoming the fifth butler of this book.

...

The vast forest, five years ago, was a tourist spot within the Maria Wall. The trees here were exceptionally large, with trunks as thick as water jars and heights reaching over eighty meters. Even the strength of the Titans could hardly shake them. Such a place was extremely suitable for the use of the 3D Maneuver Gear, so the Survey Corps specifically chose this location as the battlefield to capture the Female Titan.

Even the captain, Erwin, had set up numerous traps here to wait for the Female Titan.

Erwin's plan was to use Eren as bait to lure the Female Titan to the place where they had set the traps, then activate the traps to immobilize the Female Titan. After that, they could calmly capture the human hiding in the nape of the Female Titan's neck.

However, Tang Cheng was somewhat dismissive of this strategy. The most critical part of this plan was the "cooperation" of the Female Titan. If the Female Titan could see through the诱导 (inducement) strategy and stop pursuing before falling into the trap, the plan would be completely useless and would result in the unnecessary sacrifice of many people.

Although in the original story, the Survey Corps did indeed capture the Female Titan this way, Tang Cheng would not take someone else's success as a guide for his own actions. Who could guarantee that this time the Female Titan would not see through their plan? Who could ensure that the Female Titan's combat strength was still at the same level as in the original story? Even the trackers in the beginner dungeon were significantly enhanced by the cycle space, so Tang Cheng did not believe that one of the final bosses in the final dungeon would not be reinforced at all.

Otherwise, why would they need these challengers? To just stand by and watch?

Each person would receive 1500 survival points and a D-class cycle card as the main mission reward. From the information he obtained from the four veterans, Tang Cheng knew that such a reward was very generous, at least for a two-star dungeon, it was considered a high reward. And with high rewards came high risks.

Therefore, Tang Cheng did not expect Erwin's plan to succeed.

Of course, before this, they had agreed on certain terms. Tang Cheng could agree to execute this plan and would assist to a certain extent, as he had promised and would not go back on his word. However, if Erwin's plan failed, the subsequent actions would be entirely his responsibility.

Then, all that was left was to wait and see if the Female Titan would fall into the trap...

"Report, the situation has changed!" Soon, a Survey Corps member flew quickly from the forest and shouted, "The inducement plan has failed. The Female Titan stopped pursuing halfway and withdrew. Levi's squad and the support troops attempted to intercept her, but suffered heavy losses. The support troops are almost completely wiped out, and the two members of the external support team have also joined the interception. Requesting support!"

Upon hearing this, Erwin's expression immediately changed, his voice filled with bitterness, "I didn't expect you to be right. Our plan was completely seen through..."

"Don't underestimate the Female Titan. She's not as simple as you think," Tang Cheng said calmly. "Now it's my turn to take action. But let me make it clear, once I start, I can't guarantee that I'll leave anyone alive. So... if the Female Titan gets accidentally cut down, don't blame me, Captain."

As he spoke, Tang Cheng suddenly flew out, shouting, "Hrista, follow me. Remember, don't go anywhere I can't reach."

"Y-Yes!" Hrista nodded quickly and followed him.

Logically, Tang Cheng was about to face an enemy that even the strongest unit of the Survey Corps, Levi's squad, found difficult to combat. It would be safer to leave Hrista here. At least, that's what most people around them would think. But Tang Cheng wouldn't do that because he only trusted himself. For the things he wanted to protect, only what he could reach and see with his own eyes gave him the most peace of mind.

"Captain, what about us?" someone asked immediately as Tang Cheng and Hrista left.

Erwin gritted his teeth and said decisively, "Follow. We cannot let the Female Titan escape under any circumstances!"

After such a heavy loss, if the Female Titan still managed to escape, then all those who died would have died in vain. Moreover, if they couldn't stop the Female Titan in the vast forest, where they had the advantage, future battles would result in even more deaths.

Faced with this situation, Erwin had no room for hesitation.

The distance between the trap site and the current battle site was not far. After flying for a short distance, Tang Cheng could already hear the sounds of battle. Then, in a relatively open area of the forest, he saw the battle scene.

The enemy was only the Female Titan, while their side had twenty support troops, five members of Levi's squad, two challengers, and the Titan-shifted Eren. One versus twenty-seven, they had a significant numerical advantage. Even after the losses from the inducement plan, the remaining forces should have been enough to suppress the Female Titan.

However, the reality was... only ten and a half were still alive, and they were being overwhelmed by the Female Titan.

Of the twenty support troops, only three were still alive. All five members of Levi's squad were alive, but their situation was extremely dire. At least from Tang Cheng's observation, the four members other than Levi were already in a state of disarray, both in breathing and emotions. The two challengers, who were still relatively calm, were the biggest contributors to the battle, as their strong capabilities had managed to block the Female Titan's frenzied attacks, but only just.

As for Eren, he was the last half, as his entire head had been smashed off and was now slowly regenerating.

Although he hadn't seen the entire battle, just this scene was enough for Tang Cheng to realize that the Female Titan's strength was even greater than he had imagined.

"Don't get too close to the battlefield, but don't leave my sight," Tang Cheng turned to Hrista, whose face was already pale with fear, and instructed. After she instinctively nodded, he accelerated and rushed towards the battlefield.

Swish!

In the battlefield, Levi darted past the Female Titan and landed on a tree branch, looking down at the broken blade in his hand, frowning, "Damn, what kind of body is this? It's too hard!"

Instinctively, he took out two new blades from his 3D Maneuver Gear and prepared to attack again. But the scene that unfolded before him made his heart skip a beat. The Female Titan did not attack him but instead targeted Petra, who was supporting his attack. Under the fierce wind, Petra's small body trembled, and in her terrified eyes, the Female Titan suddenly kicked out.

"Petra, quickly adjust your position!"

Levi shouted, but his voice was filled with despair. Years of wall-outer missions had formed a silent understanding between him and his subordinates. They didn't need words or eye contact; a single action was enough to know what the other was thinking and doing. This silent understanding had helped them overcome countless difficulties and kill many Titans, always with hope. But now, this understanding only brought him despair.

Because he could see even more clearly than Petra herself that, in her current state, she had no chance of adjusting in time. More despairingly, neither he nor the other three members of Levi's squad, nor the two equally strong external support members, could save Petra before the Female Titan.

He could only watch helplessly as...

The Female Titan's massive foot instantly covered Petra's figure, and with everyone's shocked and angry gazes, it stomped down on a tree trunk... Bang!

The Titan's foot landed on the tree trunk, and blood spurted out.

"You damn bastard, how could you... to Petra..."

"How many more people do you have to kill to be satisfied!"

"Die!"

Seeing this, the other three members of Levi's squad were filled with rage and grief. They had worked together for years, and although they often argued and cursed each other, their bond was forged through countless battles. Especially for the youngest, Petra, they treated her like a little sister. Seeing her die so tragically, their feelings were unimaginable.

In their grief, anger, and curses, the three charged at the Female Titan without hesitation.

Although Levi said nothing, his eyes grew colder, and his hands, gripping the blades, visibly trembled.

However, at that moment, a clearly mocking voice rang out nearby, "Hey, Petra, you've picked up a new lease on life. Congratulations."

Hearing this voice, Levi looked up sharply, and the other three members of Levi's squad instinctively halted their attack. The two challengers and the three surviving support troops also looked towards the source of the voice almost simultaneously.

There, on a tree branch above the Female Titan, Tang Cheng stood with a smile, and in his left armpit, he held a girl. The girl was dressed in Survey Corps attire, with shoulder-length golden hair and a face still showing signs of shock. It was none other than Petra.

"She's alive! How is that possible? Then the blood just now..." Everyone was shocked and instinctively looked at the Female Titan's foot, only to realize that the blood was not from Petra but from the Female Titan's cracked foot.

Indeed, the blade in Tang Cheng's right hand was still dripping with blood.

But because his speed was so fast, not only did the Female Titan not realize it, but even they couldn't see the entire process clearly.