Chapter 125: The Central Military Police Reveal Their Killing Intent
"That is also why you have never been able to solve the Pure Titan problem," Ymir continued.
"What about you? The Eldians who were abandoned on the continent?" Erwin asked.
"Us—" A flash of pain crossed Ymir's eyes. "We are enslaved by the Marleyans, who rule the empire. 'Marley' is the 'homeland' Reiner and the others spoke of. In Marley, Eldians are seen as 'devils' spawn,' stripped of our freedom, confined to internment zones, and forced to wear armbands of shame."
"Marley uses us. They turn us into Pure Titans and deploy us as weapons on this island. That is the origin of all the Pure Titans outside the Walls. They are all Eldians, just like us."
A dead silence filled the interrogation room, broken only by Hange's heavy breathing and the scratching of her pen.
"Why is Marley attacking us?" Hange pressed.
"Resources. And power. This island is rich in Iceburst Stone and other resources. But more importantly, they want to seize the 'Founding Titan'."
"But don't think they believe Titans are invincible. Marley knows that their reliance on Titans has caused their conventional weapons technology to stagnate. Other nations in the world have already developed weapons capable of countering Titans—massive artillery, specialized anti-Titan rifles. Marley's advantage of crushing the world with Titans is rapidly disappearing. Their desperate need to seize the Founder now is more like a bid to buy time, to re-arm their lagging conventional forces."
"Because they understand," Ymir's voice was low, "that in just a few years, perhaps even the Founding Titan won't be able to withstand the ever-developing firepower of humanity. Not to mention even more advanced flying machines and other things in the future. When that time comes, Titans will become less and less useful on the battlefield."
"The most tragic part is probably for the 'Warrior candidates,' like Reiner and Annie. They are indoctrinated from childhood, taught that if they inherit a Titan power and serve Marley, they can become 'Honorary Marleyans' and allow their families to live a slightly better life in the internment zones. They compete brutally for this, risking everything, likely never knowing that the very power they covet is about to be completely abandoned by Marley."
"When Titans are no longer a necessary weapon for Marley, what value will these 'Warriors' have left?"
"And the irony," Ymir said with a bitter twist of her lips, "is that Marley forces us Eldians to become Titans and fight their wars. Every so-called 'victory,' every 'shock' to an enemy nation… those enemy soldiers and prisoners who are lucky enough to survive return to their homelands as living examples, testifying to how monstrous Titan weapons are. The world's fear and hatred of Eldians only deepens because of it."
"This is the reality for us Eldians, inside the Walls or out. We are either forced to fight for Marley, used as the lowest form of cannon fodder, using our power to solidify our enslavers' rule. But the result of every battle only makes us, and our compatriots, more feared and hated on a global scale. It's like we're cursed, trapped in a cycle we can never escape."
Ymir's testimony ended. The interrogation room was silent for a long time. Hange and Levi's faces were grim. This truth was too cruel, too subversive. The world's malice, the weight of history, the royal family's betrayal—it all came crashing down on them like a mountain.
Only Erwin had a faint smile on his lips. The truth of the world… he was finally going to witness it with his own eyes.
"Erwin, stop smiling. You look disgusting right now," Levi said, looking at him with distaste.
"Is all of this… true?" Hange whispered.
"The credibility is very high." Erwin's smile faded as he spoke slowly. "We can verify parts of it immediately. For instance, Historia Reiss's identity. And the legitimacy of the 'King' currently on the throne." He looked at Levi. "Levi, this matter…"
"Leave it to me," Levi replied curtly, a cold light in his eyes.
"Hange," Erwin continued, "organize Ymir's intelligence. Analyze Marley's technological level and military strategy. Assess the true threat we are facing."
"Yes!" Hange immediately moved.
They needed time to process, and evidence to corroborate. But their intuition told them that what Ymir had said—or rather, what Eren had said through her—was likely the truth. Inside the Walls, outside the Walls… it was all hell. The "humanity" they had dedicated their hearts to… had been abandoned by the world from the very beginning.
…
Several days later.
The results of the secret investigation came back quickly. Historia's royal bloodline was preliminarily confirmed. The current King Fritz was indeed just a puppet nobleman. A piece of the truth was verified. Erwin and the others no longer had any doubt about the overall credibility of the intelligence.
At the same time, the Survey Corps was expanding rapidly. Eren Jaeger's near-"savior" reputation, the appearance and protection of the true royal heir Historia, and the capture of intelligent Titan shifters—all of it had struck a nerve with certain powers within the Walls.
The Royal Government, Rod Reiss, and the old guard were panicking. They were afraid of the truth being exposed, afraid of losing their power.
An order from the Royal Capital was delivered to Erwin's desk. The wording was severe. It demanded that the Survey Corps immediately hand over Eren Jaeger, Historia Reiss, and the captured Titans to the Central Military Police. Behind the order was a threat.
Almost simultaneously, Erwin received a secret report from his internal contacts. The capital was secretly preparing to try and arrest Erwin on charges of "failure to render aid" and other trumped-up accusations. The Central Military Police were already making unusual movements.
The killing intent was now obvious.
…
Inside the tent.
Erwin placed the secret report and the official order on the table. Hange and Levi looked at them, their faces grim.
"It seems they finally couldn't sit still any longer."
"They're moving faster than expected."
"They want to strike first, before we can fully reveal the truth."
Levi silently checked his blade cartridges, his movements fluid. "We have no path of retreat left."
Erwin stood, his gaze sweeping over the two of them. "Ymir's intelligence has been partially confirmed. This Royal Government is rotten to the core. It is not protecting humanity; it is leading us to extinction. For the true future of humanity within the Walls…"
Erwin's voice was firm as steel. "We must make a choice. We must place a king on the throne who will not obstruct humanity's survival. Historia Reiss must take the crown."
The air was tense. A revolution to decide the fate of the Walls was about to begin. And the Royal Government's blade was already raised.
The Survey Corps had no other choice.