Chapter 228 227

The moment the northern gates of Wall Rose swung open, the entire street erupted into chaotic whispers.

"Wait—are they really opening the gate?!"

"Isn't the outside crawling with Titans? Did the Garrison lose their minds?!"

"If a Titan charges in right now, we're dead!"

"I… don't think they would open the gate if that were possible. They must have a plan."

"Hey—look! The soldiers are posting something on the wall!"

"Go, go! Let's see what it says!"

A tide of people surged toward the notice board. Even before they reached it, the atmosphere shifted—fear, curiosity, and disbelief all tangled together.

The soldiers who posted the notice behaved as if nothing unusual had happened. Without acknowledging the crowd, they calmly turned and walked away, leaving the citizens to interpret the announcement themselves.

But the people had no attention to spare for the soldiers. Every eye locked on the large, clean lettering of the newly posted decree:

From today onward, the gates of Avaldon District will remain permanently open.

The gates… permanently open.

For a long second, silence. Then—

"Is this real?!"

"This has to be a joke!"

"No… no, it's official print. That means—"

Some people even pinched each other to confirm they weren't hallucinating. The idea that the walls—symbols of safety and confinement for over a century—would now remain open was beyond comprehension.

But this was no dream.

It was Lock's order.

Now that the route to the northern bay was secure, now that Titans could be diverted or controlled, Lock's next objective was simple:

Shatter the people's fear of the world beyond the walls.

Let them see the land outside with their own eyes. Let them breathe in air not trapped by stone and fear. Let curiosity become courage.

And if the gate stayed open long enough, someone—anyone—would eventually take that first step. From that point on, everything would progress naturally.

Of course, Lock did not intend to leave this change entirely to chance. The Corps members planted within the crowd had their roles to play.

"I mean, if the gate's staying open, clearly the Titans aren't a threat anymore. Why don't we go take a look? I've never been outside the wall in my entire life!"

"Same here! Every time the gate opens, I only get a tiny glimpse. I want to actually see what's out there."

"I'm curious too… should we go?"

"You go ahead. I'm not risking my neck!"

"Coward!"

Gradually, the first "brave ones" stepped forward—though in truth, they were Survey Corps soldiers posing as civilians. They walked cautiously through the massive open gate.

Nothing happened.

No Titans.

No screams.

No chaos.

Just the quiet, open world beyond.

Seeing this, a ripple passed through the onlookers. Then another. Soon, emboldened citizens stepped forward on their own—toes over the threshold, breaths held tight, then stepping out entirely.

Curiosity won.

And once it began, more followed.

Human curiosity is a force as unstoppable as Titans.

Outside the gates, the air felt different—wilder, wider, limitless. The land stretched far, far beyond the imagination of anyone born inside the walls.

"This… this is the outside world?"

"It's so… big."

"It's nothing like what I pictured."

They wandered the immediate area, marveling. Though they remained close enough to retreat at any threat, awe outweighed fear.

Somewhere within those widening steps lay a seed—the seed of freedom.

A people who had never known the world would begin to crave it. Their minds would stretch beyond the walls that once defined their existence. And with a broader vision comes broader thought.

A nation whose people can grow in understanding always has a future.

Paradis Island was beginning to show its potential.

Meanwhile, far to the north, at the coastal bay, Lock surveyed the bustling activity from his usual perch on the cliffside. Beneath him, countless workers moved in coordinated streams—hauling timber, leveling stone, erecting frameworks for housing, storage, and the future harbor district.

Compared to what the bay had been only months ago, the transformation was staggering.

A wide, flattened expanse had been marked out for what would soon become Paradis Island's first seaport. Surrounding it were newly built residential zones—tens of thousands of people, already settled and adjusting to their new home.

Beyond that, vast reclamation areas stretched inland. Farmland that had barely existed months ago now sprouted lush green across the soil. Rows of crops swayed in the coastal wind, and workers moved between them with purposeful rhythm.

In a few months, the first harvest would arrive.

And when that happened, the bay would become fully self-sufficient—no longer dependent on the increasingly strained supplies inside the walls.

Lock exhaled slowly.

"Zachary should finally stop complaining about resources once these crops come in…"

The Treasury had been bleeding support for months:

transporting tens of thousands of settlers,

building the harbor,

erecting supply depots and barracks along the northern route,

manufacturing new equipment for expanding Corps units.

Zachary had visited Lock several times with a dramatically thinning head of hair—lamenting budgets, shouting about overspending, declaring bankruptcy imminent.

But Lock knew the stress would ease soon.

His gaze shifted toward the coastline.

The harbor's structure was taking shape. Even from a distance, he could see the alignment of piers, the breakwater under construction, and the network of ramps and storage areas. Skilled crews under Onyankopon's supervision worked tirelessly.

"Two more months," Lock murmured.

"After that, the bay will be complete."

Which also meant…

"Marley's patrol ships should be arriving soon."

Unlike the southern coast, the northern waters were patrolled far less frequently. The distance from the Marley mainland made regular surveillance less necessary for them.

But even so, Marleyan vessels passed by every few months—and the construction of a harbor would not go unnoticed.

Lock knew this.

He had no intention of waiting passively to be discovered.

His eyes narrowed.

"If you're coming… then I'll make sure you understand exactly who we are."

A cold wind whipped across the cliffside, but Lock did not flinch. Below him, thousands worked to shape the future. Behind him, an island was awakening from a century of fear.

The world was changing.

And Lock was preparing the first message Paradis Island would send to Marley:

We are not prey.

We are not afraid.

And we will not be stopped.

---

A/N: 40+ Advance Chapter Has Been Uploaded.

Support: /Narrator_San