With the official arrival of Ye Chuan, Eren Yeager, Mikasa Ackerman, and the rest of the problem children, the Survey Corps, long understaffed because of its extremely high death rate, finally received an infusion of fresh blood.
However, what greeted them was no grand welcoming banquet.
Instead, it was an order for a thorough cleaning from the cleanliness-obsessed Captain Levi.
Inside the Survey Corps' old headquarters, converted from an ancient castle, all the recruits of the 104th were forced to put on headscarves, pick up brooms and rags, and undertake a hellish cleaning that left no corner untouched.
Eren, whose Titan power could go out of control at any moment, received even more special treatment: he was housed in a dark, damp basement, treated no differently from a prisoner.
After several days of rest and adjustment, the Survey Corps soon embarked on another expedition-the 57th expedition beyond the walls, and the first in which the recruits of the 104th would participate.
Its ostensible objective was to find a safe marching route to Eren's hometown, Shiganshina District.
However, that was only the surface.
Its true purpose was an enormous gamble laid out by Erwin, with the future of the entire Survey Corps at stake.
Before their departure, Commander Erwin showed everyone his latest invention, a formation capable of changing how the entire Corps scouted for enemies-
The Long-Distance Enemy Scouting Formation.
"After we set out, everyone will spread out into a huge triangular formation centered on me."
"Once you spot a Titan, immediately fire a red flare with your flare gun."
"When the surrounding soldiers see the red flare, they must immediately fire green flares, relaying the information about the Titan's appearance to me step by step."
"Once I receive that information, I will fire a green flare to indicate the