"Hmm, Dan Heng... quite a vigilant kid."

"Erwin, he reminds me of someone. Care to guess who?"

Inside the Survey Corps office, Levi shifted his gaze from the light screen to Commander Erwin, who was bent over working at his desk.

"Armin, I presume," Erwin answered without looking up. His attention was fixed on the document in his hands—a report on Eren Yeager's Titan transformation experiments.

"Though he's calmer than Armin in critical moments." At the mention of Dan Heng, Erwin seemed to recall something and paused his pen. "It isn't a front... It's more like a deep-seated composure etched into his bones through years of experience, as if no grand spectacle could ever surprise him."

"The way you describe him, Dan Heng sounds like an old man weathered by life." Levi leaned back against his chair, shifting into a more comfortable position.

Then, an exasperated look crossed his face. "Not long ago, I told Eren to learn more from Dan Heng—to emulate his composure when facing enemies. But these past few days, it's as if he took all his cues from March 7th instead. He's certainly much more cheerful now, but when Sasha swiped a piece of potato from him in the mess hall, he actually..."

Before finishing, Levi clicked his tongue in speechlessness.

Erwin looked out the window, where the mountains cast deep silhouettes under the setting sun. In the distant forest, a towering Titan leaned forward as Armin and Mikasa hauled a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old boy from its nape.

"If he can stay cheerful... that's not a bad thing either."

【Despite being questioned, Serval wasn't angry; on the contrary, she praised Dan Heng for his vigilance.】

【Serval explained that she was not only intimately familiar with Cocolia's style of doing things, but they also didn't get along. Years ago, they had been dorm roommates, but parted ways due to certain matters. Now, she ran the Mechanic's Shop on her own and had cut all ties with Cocolia.】

【Her experience won everyone's trust, and Stelle recounted everything to her in detail.】

【Serval marveled at their bizarre and tumultuous experiences, realizing why Bronya had sent them to her. Back when she was a researcher in the Department of Science and Technology, her job had been studying the Stellaron.】

【Fortunately, she still remembered the detection results from back then: the Stellaron was roughly located to the north of Belobog—somewhere in the vast snow plains.】

【However, reaching the northern snow plains required passing through the Silvermane Guard Restricted Zone at the front line. Serval offered to lead the way personally and have them disguise themselves as her assistants to outsmart the guards. Being well-acquainted with the Silvermane Guards, she could help avoid direct conflict.】

"If she and Cocolia were classmates, doesn't that mean Serval and Cocolia are about the same age?"

"Presumably, yes."

"Cocolia's daughter Bronya and Seele are roughly the same age, so Serval's age must be..."

"Uh..."

As if touching upon forbidden territory, Zane, who had just been reveling in Serval's beauty, fell dead silent.

"By that logic, isn't Serval pushing forty?" Stark counted on his fingers, wearing a shocked expression. "You really can't tell at all!"

With her trendy fashion, top-tier figure, and rock-and-roll hobby, the Serval on the light screen looked like a girl in her twenties, worlds apart from the middle-aged aunties in their world.

"How rude! How could anyone judge a woman's age by her appearance?" Frieren twiddled her fingers bashfully. "If you judged by my looks, I'd still be an innocent—"

"...Lady Frieren."

Combing Frieren's hair, Fern sighed helplessly. "You are a great mage who has lived for over a thousand years. Please stop pretending to be a young girl."

【Just as they were about to set off, a knock suddenly sounded at the door. Only then did Serval remember that Gepard had mentioned he'd be coming over today!】

【She hurriedly had everyone hide in the room first.】

【Gepard's arrival instantly ratcheted up the tension in the room. His purpose was to have the front-line barrier devices repaired. Fortunately, Serval was quick on her feet, preventing the group from being exposed.】

【Once Gepard left, Serval had them put on disguises and escorted them openly into the restricted zone under the guise of 'repairing' energy pipelines.】

【Relying on Serval's reputation at the front line, the group made smooth progress initially. However, upon reaching a Silvermane Guard Captain named Dunn, her lie was immediately exposed, as he knew her far too well.】

【An unavoidable fight broke out, and then... Dunn was knocked cold by a blow from Stelle's bat, enjoying baby-like sleep on the spot.】

【Before blacking out, however, he still managed to sound the front-line alarm, successfully broadcasting the news that Serval was with the wanted fugitives.】

"This Silvermane Guard brother is truly worthy of his station and duty!" Inside the New Eridu Public Security Bureau, Seth watched the battle between Dunn and Stelle without blinking, jotting down his words in a notebook.

Dunn's words had been magnificent, especially the line: "My rock 'n' roll Soul exists to uphold the dignity of a soldier!" It got Seth so fired up that his tail stood straight up.

"Senior, Dunn is a dutiful guard. Was it really necessary for Stelle and the others to go that far...?" Looking at Dunn sprawled unconscious on the ground, Zhu Yuan couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy; after all, these were soldiers holding the front line.

"Zhu Yuan, many things aren't about right or wrong, but about differing stances. Neither Stelle nor Dunn was in the wrong... What's wrong is this Eternal Freeze, this catastrophe." Holding a steaming teacup, Qingyi blew gently on it.

"Just like you and the Rope Master. You protect citizens in the urban districts, Zhu Yuan, while Belle uses Bangboo to guide and assist within the hollows. Neither of you is wrong, but if you cross paths... ahem."

"Senior!" Zhu Yuan grew a bit upset at the topic, as she had been the one kept in the dark all along. "If they ever cross the line, I won't show any mercy either!"

Hearing this, Qingyi's expression shifted subtly, and she suddenly flashed a slightly teasing smile.

"Zhu Yuan, I never realized you were such a tsundere."

【After obtaining the encryption key, the group successfully rotated the bridge and reached the final pass leading to the front line, but Gepard had already stationed his troops firmly here.】

【Seeing Serval forcefully intruding into the restricted zone with a band of wanted fugitives, Gepard was furious and got into an intense quarrel with her. However, Serval stood firmly on Stelle's side this time, refusing to waver no matter what Gepard said.】

【With things coming to this, coming to blows had once again become unavoidable.】

Zhu Yuan: "Senior, I recall they initially planned to... 'outsmart' them, right?"

Qingyi wagged her finger. "That's where you don't understand, Zhu Yuan. Just like in video games, where the best stealth assassination is charging in from the front and eliminating every enemy, the best way to 'outsmart' someone in real life is, of course, catching them off guard and knocking them cold with a stick."

Zhu Yuan had an epiphany. "I-Is this your personal life experience, Senior? I see!"