Chapter 224 223

Everyone carried their own thoughts as the dinner gradually came to an end, yet the atmosphere remained warm and restrained, as if something momentous was quietly fermenting beneath the surface.

Eren still had not given up on his plan to go beyond the walls.

Armin, who had barely touched his food, wore an absent-minded expression, his gaze drifting repeatedly toward the window, as if the stone walls beyond it could no longer contain his curiosity. Compared to Eren's blunt determination, Armin's desire was tangled with hesitation and fear. He longed for the outside world, yet his instincts constantly warned him of danger.

Lock noticed this immediately.

He did not comment, but a trace of concern surfaced in his heart. With his arrival in this world, many of the tragedies that once forged Armin into who he would become had never occurred. Whether the boy could still grow into the strategist history would remember was no longer certain.

Perhaps… that was not necessarily a bad thing.

If Armin ultimately chose a quieter life within the walls, Lock would not stop him. Some people were meant to change the world, while others deserved to live peacefully within it. Either choice was valid.

Time passed quickly.

In the blink of an eye, a full week had gone by.

The final statistics regarding voluntary migration to the northern bay stunned even Lock himself. The number of applicants exceeded all expectations—nearly 120,000 people had registered, a full twenty thousand more than originally projected.

Reality, however, quickly forced adjustments.

The northern bay was not a paradise. It was a frontier.

After internal deliberation, strict screening standards were implemented. Those of advanced age were excluded. Children, on the other hand, were allowed—provided their guardians accompanied them. What Lock needed were young, strong laborers, people capable of reclaiming land, constructing infrastructure, and surviving the hardships of early settlement.

This was not a sightseeing tour.

It was the foundation of a future stronghold.

Naturally, the question of those left behind could not be ignored.

Families whose adult members migrated would receive government support. Children would be enrolled in public schools free of charge, with food and lodging fully covered. The elderly would be relocated to centralized care facilities in the inner districts, ensuring stable living conditions.

The financial burden was immense.

Zachary voiced his concerns more than once, his frustration evident during every meeting. Yet each time, Lock calmly dismantled his arguments.

"The people inside the walls are not difficult to win over," Lock said plainly. "They don't demand ideals or glory. They want stability. Safety. A future for their children."

Give them that—and they would become the most reliable foundation of the state.

Once settled, the bay region would quickly reach self-sufficiency. Farmland would expand. Livestock would multiply. Trade, once opened to the outside world, would inevitably follow. The pioneers would endure hardship first—but they would also reap the greatest rewards.

Several more days passed.

After multiple rounds of screening, the final number of migrants stabilized at seventy thousand.

They were scattered across all regions within the walls and had begun converging toward the breach area near Wall Maria. Alongside them came staggering quantities of supplies—tools, seed grain, livestock, construction materials—escorted by a massive military presence.

This was not merely an expedition.

It was the largest organized civilian migration in the history of Paradis Island.

A turning point that would be etched permanently into the island's future.

During this intense period of preparation, Erwin finally returned from outside the walls, bringing with him several dozen individuals.

They were volunteers.

At their head stood a dark-skinned young man with sharp eyes and a rigid posture, clearly a soldier by training.

"I am Onyankopon," he said after saluting properly. "Former technical officer of Marley's Armored Corps. Second Lieutenant. I served as Yelena's deputy."

His gaze lingered briefly on Lock before he smiled faintly.

"You must be Captain Lock. Just as Yelena described—young, but commanding."

Lock stepped forward and clasped his hand firmly.

"Welcome to Paradis Island."

Onyankopon's expression hardened as he spoke again, hatred burning unmistakably in his eyes.

"With your help, our vengeance against Marley is no longer an illusion. One day, they will pay for everything they've done."

Behind him, the other volunteers mirrored his resolve.

Lock nodded slowly.

"That day will come."

He paused, then added honestly, "I should host a proper reception, but I will soon be leading the migration north. I hope you'll understand."

Onyankopon shook his head at once.

"It's an honor that you received us personally. Leave the harbor design to us. We brought the best engineers and builders we have."

His humility was no accident.

Before departing Marley, Yelena had personally warned them: never underestimate Lock.

Zeke himself had spoken at length about Lock's decisiveness, foresight, and terrifying ability to mobilize power. A man capable of earning Zeke's respect was not someone to offend lightly.

Moreover, their revenge against Marley depended entirely on Paradis Island's rise.

Without Lock, there would be no foothold, no leverage, no future.

The cooperation between both sides was not optional—it was survival.

Understanding the meaning behind Onyankopon's words, Lock accepted without false modesty.

"Then I'll leave it to you."

Onyankopon smiled.

"We must act quickly. Marley's technological progress hasn't stopped. If we want to compete without relying solely on Titans, our equipment must keep pace."

Lock was pleased to hear that.

With a brief exchange of glances, Zachary and Erwin began dividing responsibilities. Some volunteers were sent to Hange immediately to assist with industrial research, while Lock personally selected the harbor designers, engineers, and surveyors who would accompany him north.

Among them was Onyankopon himself.

As the preparations reached their final stage, the direction of Paradis Island's future was no longer uncertain.

The walls were no longer the end of the world.

They were merely the beginning.

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