Chapter 57: with translation of chapter title

Hmm, Dan Heng... quite an alert kid.

Erwin, he reminds me of someone. Guess who?

In the Survey Corps office, Levi looked away from the light screen and toward the desk where Commander Erwin was working hunched over.

"Armin." Erwin replied without looking up. His eyes were focused on the document in his hand, a report on Eren Yeager's titanification experiment.

However, he's calmer than Armin in critical moments. When Dan Heng was mentioned, Erwin seemed to think of something, pausing his pen, "That's not feigned calm... but a steadiness etched into his bones over years, as if no big scene could faze him."

"In your mouth, Dan Heng sounds like a weathered old man." Levi braced his hand against the chair behind him and shifted to a more comfortable sitting position.

Next, a vexed expression appeared on his face: "Not long ago I had Eren study Dan Heng a bit, learn his composure in battle, but these days he seems to have learned everything from March 7th—he's become much cheerier, but Sasha stealing a potato from him in the cafeteria..."

He hadn't finished when Levi clicked his tongue in exasperation.

Erwin lifted his gaze to the window; beneath the sunset, the mountains traced a somber outline. In the distant forest, a towering giant bent low, Armin and Mikasa straining to pull a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old boy from its nape.

"If he can stay cheerful like that... that would also be good."

"Although questioned, Hiruwa wasn't angry; instead, she praised Dan Heng's alertness."

"Hiruwa said she not only knows Kokolia's work style very well, but also doesn't get along with her. Years ago they were dormmates, but due to some matters they went their separate ways; now she runs the machinery shop alone, with no further contact with Kokolia."

"Her experience earned everyone's trust, and Star told her everything, big or small."

"Hiruwa only marveled at how twisted and bizarre everyone's experiences were, and wondered no wonder Bronya had them come to her, for back when she was still a researcher, her work in the Science Department was studying the Star Core."

"Fortunately, she still remembers the old detection results: the Star Core is likely somewhere north of Belobog—that is, somewhere in the vast snowy plains."

"Just getting to the northern snowy plains requires passing through the frontline restricted zone of the Silvermane Guards. Hiruwa said she could personally lead the team, letting everyone pose as her assistants to infiltrate. She's familiar with the Silvermane Guards, so she can avoid direct conflict with them."

"She and Kokolia were classmates, so doesn't that mean Hiruwa is about the same age as Kokolia?"

"Probably."

"Kokolia's daughter Bronya and Hime are about the same age, so Hiruwa's age must be..."

"Uh..."

It seemed they were talking about some restricted zone; Zan Yin, who had just been admiring Hiruwa's beauty, fell silent.

"Hiruwa, by that reckoning she's almost forty, right?" Hortarck counted on his fingers, looking surprised: "You'd never tell!"

Her fashionable outfit, top-tier figure, and love of music made Hiruwa on the screen look like a woman in her twenties, completely different from the middle-aged ladies in their world.

"Truly rude—how can you judge age by a woman's looks?" Frieren blushed, poking her fingers: "If you judged by my appearance, I'd still be clueless——"

"……Lady Frieren."

Filien, who was combing Frieren's hair, sighed helplessly: "You're a millennium-old great mage—please stop pretending to be young."

"Just as a few people were about to set out, the door suddenly rang—Hiruwa then remembered that Jepard had said he'd come today!"

"She quickly had everyone hide in the room first."

"Jepard's arrival suddenly tensed the atmosphere; his purpose was to repair the frontline's barrier installations. Fortunately, Hiruwa reacted quickly, so the group didn't give themselves away."

"After Jepard left, Hiruwa had them disguise themselves a bit, then openly took them to the restricted zone to 'repair' the energy pipelines."

"Thanks to Hiruwa's reputation on the front lines, the group initially made smooth progress, but upon reaching a Silvermane Guards captain named Deng En, whose deep familiarity with Hiruwa let him see through her lies on the spot."

"They inevitably fought him, and then... Duncan was knocked out cold by Star's stick, enjoying baby-like sleep on the spot."

"But before passing out, he still triggered the frontline alarm, successfully spreading the news that Hiruwa was together with the fugitives."

"This guardsman brother lives up to his identity and duty!" Inside the New Elios Security Bureau, Seth stared unblinkingly at Duncan and Star's fight while taking notes on his words in a notebook.

Duncan spoke wonderfully, especially the line "My rock 'n' roll soul is to uphold the soldiers' dignity!" which made Seth's tail stand on end.

"Senior, Duncan is a capable guardsman—would it be too much for Star and them to resort to violence?" Juliet looked at the fallen Duncan, still feeling pity; they must be soldiers holding the front line.

"Zhu Yuan, many things aren't about right or wrong but about differing positions. Star and Duncan aren't wrong... the fault lies in this cold snap, this disaster." Qingyi held a cup of steaming tea, gently blowing on it.

"Just like you and the rope artisan, Zhu Yuan you keep the city safe, while Bell uses Bomblin in the hollows to guide and assist. You're both blameless, but if you ever meet... cough cough."

"Senior!" Speaking of this, Zhu Yuan got a bit angry, after all he's the one who's been constantly deceived: "If they do something outrageous, I won't hold back either!"

Hearing that, Qingyi's expression twitched subtly, then she suddenly flashed a somewhat improper smile.

"Zhu Yuan, I wouldn't have guessed, but you're quite tsundere."

"After obtaining the key, the group smoothly manipulated the bridge to reach the final checkpoint before the front lines, but Jepard now had his men firmly guarding this spot."

"Seeing Hiruwa leading a gang of fugitives to storm the restricted zone, Jepard flew into a rage and shouted at her. Yet this time Hiruwa stood firmly with Star, unmoved by whatever Jepard said."

"By now we've come to the point where we have no choice but to fight."

"Zhu Yuan: "Senior, I recall they were originally planning to... 'infiltrate,' right?""

"Qingyi waved her fingers: "You wouldn't understand this, Zhu Yuan. In games, the best assassination method is a frontal charge to kill all enemies; in life, the best infiltration tactic is, of course, to strike when they're off guard and knock them out with a stick.""

"Zhu Yuan exclaimed in realization: "Is this... your life experience, senior? Now I get it!""