"Understood!" Upon hearing the order, Ian immediately turned to mobilize the troops, with Rico close behind.
"Mike, gather the rest of our troops and send them home. They've completed their mission," Erwin ordered next.
"All right." Mike nodded and turned to leave as well.
Hange helped Levi to his feet.
"Hange! I can walk on my own!" Levi said.
"Oh, fine." Hange let go of him.
"Levi, can you still activate your ability?" Erwin suddenly asked.
Levi stopped and looked at Erwin, answering coldly, "Not for now. But even without my ability, I'm still an Ackerman."
At those words, another gamble took shape in Erwin's mind. His heart grew heavy with guilt, but his gaze remained as resolute as ever.
Chris had remained silent the entire time. Just as she was about to leave, Erwin leaned closer. "When Roald fought Chen Si, after Chen Si beheaded him, he said Chen Si's energy had been divided into several portions. That seemed to be why Chen Si couldn't kill him."
"Several portions..." Chris's pupils shifted slightly at his words.
Chris looked down at her hand, then clenched it again.
"Erwin, what did you say to Chris?" Waiting by the door, Levi noticed her strange reaction and narrowed his dead-fish eyes as he demanded an answer.
"I want to try incorporating Chris's ability into our corps' combat operations," Erwin said slowly.
Levi said nothing. Instead, he looked at Chris.
Why was Erwin lying?
"I actually survived..." Marlowe murmured after hearing Mike's order that their mission was complete and they should prepare to withdraw.
All forty soldiers who had survived the first assault on Liberio felt a tremendous weight lift from their shoulders. Some began sobbing.
Jean crouched on the ground, silently staring at a Wings of Freedom shoulder patch in his hand.