[The next four chapters cover the snowy mountain training memories, which serve as a side story; if you're not interested, you can skip them.]
Winter of 849, Southern Training Corps Base.
In the cafeteria, Lock sat opposite Annie Leonhart, watching her wear the scarf he gave her not long ago, and asked with a smile:
"Are you participating in the snowy mountain training?"
Annie drank warm wine, not looking up:
"Not interested. That is for those with insufficient strength or those taking chances to improve their final grades."
"I've already secured a spot in the top ten, so I don't need it."
She glanced at Lock, who seemed a bit regretful about her refusal, and said:
"You shouldn't need to go either."
Lock said:
"But Mikasa Ackerman is going."
Annie frowned:
"Why do you have to compete with that monster for first place?"
Lock spoke his mind:
"I don't want to compete for first place that much; I just really hate the title of number two."
After a short period of targeted training, everyone who signed up was taken to the snowy mountain training grounds.
In the cold wind, the hundreds of Trainees gathered in the open space received a final reminder from the Instructor:
"Form your own teams on the spot, with no more than five people per group. I strongly suggest you don't do something as stupid as acting alone."
"We've planned six routes for you, each with the same difficulty, about twenty kilometers in total length."
"There's a Safe House on each route for you to rest and regroup."
"I must warn you again: if you feel you can't reach the finish line before dark, you must stay in a Safe House and wait for rescue."
"This is no joke. Every few years, Trainees die during snowy mountain training, which is why we later removed it from the mandatory projects."
"In ten minutes, each group will choose a representative to come and get the route map."
Since it was free team formation, those who wanted to pass safely naturally gravitated toward those with good, regular grades.
Setting Mikasa aside, Recruits who were like big brothers, such as Reiner Braun and Lock, immediately became highly sought after.
"Lock, come join our team!"
"Lock, are you short of people?"
"Big brother Lock, can you take me with you?"
"No, no..."
"We have enough people..."
"Next time for sure..."
Lock apologized profusely and refused them one by one.
Everyone looked at Annie, who stood beside Lock with an expressionless face, exuding a cold aura, and smiled, expressing their understanding.
Once the people inviting him had walked away, Lock said helplessly:
"Are you satisfied now?"
Annie snorted coldly:
"I didn't say anything."
Lock smiled and said:
"Then it's just the two of us in a team. Do you want to be the captain?"
"No."
Annie refused without surprise.
Lock got the map and the team's equipment from the Instructor.
Putting most of the equipment into his backpack, Lock said with satisfaction:
"We can set off, Annie."
The two began to walk along the route on the map into the snow-covered mountains...
The snow was deep enough to cover their ankles, making it much harder than a normal march.
Lock walked ahead with a machete to clear the way, his expression relaxed, occasionally saying a few words to Annie behind him.
He was smart enough not to ask Annie why she ended up coming to participate in this training after all.
"Are we on the right path? Why is no one following us? Is no one on the same route as us?"
Lock neatly chopped away the thorns sticking out from the side and looked back at Annie, who was holding the map.
Annie also looked back and said calmly:
"We were the first batch to leave, and our speed isn't slow, so it's natural we can't see them yet."
"Is that so? But being first doesn't give extra points; as long as you reach the destination, the score is the same. It makes me lose all motivation."
Lock's face was full of resentment.
Annie added:
"Those few points won't make much of a difference. Even if Mikasa fails to complete the mission this time, it will be hard for you to catch up to her."
Lock sighed to the heavens:
"It seems it's still hard to escape the fate of being number two!"
Annie mocked him ruthlessly:
"Who told your regular grades for Omni-Directional Mobility Gear to be even lower than mine?"
As they spoke, they moved toward the location of the Safe House on the map...
"Huh!"
The lock suddenly stopped.
"What is it?"
Annie walked to Lock's side.
Lock pointed at the black dots on the ground:
"There are rabbits nearby."
"The droppings are still fresh."
Annie was also a bit surprised.
Since the refugees flooded into Wall Rose, causing a long food crisis, these wild creatures in the forest had suffered.
During that time, even the sound of birds chirping had basically vanished from the woods, let alone rabbits.
Hunters who had lived in the forest for generations were forced to leave their homes, reclaim land, and make a living by raising horses for the Royal Government; this was the personal experience of Sasha Blouse's family.
By the way, killing a horse without permission is a capital offense inside the walls.
Therefore, the two were so surprised to see rabbit droppings.
This also indirectly showed that the situation inside the walls had indeed stabilized over the past two years.
Annie noticed Lock's eager expression and said with some dissatisfaction:
"You don't really want to waste time and energy here catching rabbits, do you?"
Lock pulled out a dagger from behind his waist and said in a very tempting tone:
"Don't you want to eat a hot meal of potato and rabbit stew for lunch?"
"Not interested."
Annie walked straight ahead; her only thought was to finish the training early and go back to rest.
Lock coughed lightly:
"I brought a bottle of grape juice."
Annie stopped in her tracks.
Lock drew circles on the ground with his foot, saying with regret:
"That bottle is at least a twenty-year-old vintage. Now it can only be sent back. What a shame."
Annie turned back and asked expressionlessly:
"Do you know how to cook?"
Lock smiled:
"Won't I have your help, Annie!"
"Thwack!"
From nearly ten meters away, the dagger accurately hit a fat white rabbit.
The rabbit didn't struggle at all and died instantly.
Lock and Annie slowly walked to the rabbit.
"How's that for my knife-throwing skills?"
Lock's eyebrows danced, and he smiled brightly:
"If I sneak-attacked from behind, Annie, would you be able to react?"
Annie picked up the rabbit by its ears, pulled the dagger from its belly, and tossed it back to Lock.
Her answer was still very concise:
"You can try."
Lock caught the dagger, wiped the blood off with snow, and then handed it to Annie again:
"It's for you. We'll need you to handle the ingredients when we get to the Safe House."
The dagger was a very common style inside the walls, nothing special.
Seeing Annie's slight disdain, Lock suggested thoughtfully:
"This is much more useful than hand-to-hand techniques. If someone bullies you, just pull out the knife and stab them."
Annie thought about it and put it away after all.
The two agreed to process the rabbit once they reached the Safe House.
After simply gutting it, the rabbit was hung next to Lock's backpack.
The two continued forward...
Not long after, the long, gloomy sky finally began to drop wind and snow.
The cold wind brushed against their faces, but it brought a pain like a knife cut.
With the wind and snow, visibility in the forest dropped significantly.
Lock pulled up his wool mask and looked back at Annie, who was following closely behind him.
Her already petite body looked even smaller in the cold wind.
Lock reached out his hand to Annie.
Annie looked up, her eyes, the only part showing from within her hood, looking at Lock.
The other's eyes were full of warmth and encouragement.
In the wind and snow, the two held hands.
On life's arduous journey, the two travel together.
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