In the anime, Ai Li's father really doesn't want to be a yellow-haired man

What is the purpose of PPT? Of course, it is to defraud power and money.

It costs a lot of money to implement these PPTs of Xiaosan.

For example, fortifications require workers and raw materials, and recruiting people requires spending on living supplies. Large-scale military operations also require a lot of logistical costs.

However, the royal government has limited funds allocated to the Survey Corps.

Therefore, Xiaosan formulated such a "income-generating plan".

1. Capture small giants and sell them to nobles with special hobbies or merchants with profit needs to make a profit.

2. The difficulty lies in the supervision of the royal government and the control of religious ideas.

However, business inherently carries risks. The higher the profit, the greater the risk. When the bourgeoisie overthrew the feudal government, they weren't afraid of being beheaded. As long as the profit was high enough, everyone would fight tooth and nail.

As a modern person in the 21st century, with more than 40 years of life, he was a senior intellectual with a doctorate degree from a prestigious university in his previous life. With the blessing of the system, he has the special experience of being in both the black and white worlds... Although he has no business experience, he also has experience in dealing with these businessmen.

"Ideological money" is the most profitable. This is true for religion, political ideologies, and new business concepts. As long as people believe in it, they will pay.

There is such a law in the business world: when you don’t have money to pay, you ask the other party to pay; when the other party’s money is in your hands, the other party is asking you to make money and begging you to pay back the money. The other party cares more about whether you will lose all the money than you do.

Soon after, businessman Mir was caught by the Central Military Police in a smuggling case and revealed his financial dealings with the Survey Corps, which brought the Survey Corps under suspicion.

In Erwin's office, Hanji and Levi stood there with frowns on their faces. Erwin looked at Hanji with a serious expression and said, "Hanji, go deal with the Central Military Police who are coming to inspect."

"Huh? Why me?" Hanji's eyes widened and she said unhappily, "I have my own things to do, okay? I'm busy too."

Alvin crossed his fingers, placed them on the table, and said slowly, "I remember you bought a lot of equipment recently, right?"

Hanji swallowed hard, stiffened her neck and shouted, "So what?"

"You don't want those things to be confiscated, do you?" Alvin stared at Hanji with deep eyes, and there was an unquestionable sense of oppression in his tone.

Levi suddenly interrupted, "When the Central Military Police investigate, the first thing they'll do is chop down that thing you've got."

"How can that be possible?" Han Ji immediately became excited when he heard it, his face flushed red, and he shouted, "Okay, okay, I get it, I will find a way to send them away.

After Hanji left, Levi crossed his arms and said seriously, "If this gets discovered, you won't be able to escape. Those guys at the Central Committee already suspect we have ulterior motives. If they catch us, all your efforts will be wasted."

"Human progress is always accompanied by risks." Alvin said with a firm gaze and a steady tone.

Levi frowned and said, "I don't believe that brat can have such a big effect."

"I know you've always been dissatisfied with Xiaosan." Alvin folded his hands on the table and said, "All geniuses in the human race have some flaws. You saw that the boy has no other shortcomings except his preference for women. In the final analysis, you are all the same kind of people."

Levi snorted coldly and turned to leave, "I don't want to be compared with such a person. Also, I will not let it go that you used my subordinates as tools." After saying that, he strode away without looking back.

Alvin sat there, silently watching his leaving back.

Meanwhile, in Takashi's room, Petra stood behind Takashi, gently massaging his shoulders with both hands.

"Thank you for your hard work this time, dear." Petra's voice was gentle and sweet.

Chapter 74: 073 Bringing Christa and Ani home

This was the third month since Xiaosan left the training corps. At noon, everyone gathered in the canteen of the training corps as usual, chatting about various topics.

"Hey, hey, did you hear?" a new recruit's voice was filled with uncontrollable excitement. "The Survey Corps captured a lot of Titans during their last expedition outside the Wall! This is an unprecedented victory."

"Impossible?" Mina's eyes widened when she heard this. She covered her mouth with her hands, her face full of disbelief. She looked like she had just heard a story from the Arabian Nights.

Eren and Armin, who had been concentrating on their meal, heard the news and came over curiously. Armin, resting his chin on his hand out of habit, said thoughtfully, "I heard about that too. I heard that the Survey Corps..."

"This is probably just another rumor, right?" Jean crossed his arms, a look of disdain on his face. "If the Survey Corps were truly that powerful, they would have recaptured Wall Maria long ago."

Ani sat in the corner of the cafeteria, the clamor around her as if separated from her by a transparent barrier. The "Blonde Ice Beauty" simply ate her meal quietly. Her face remained calm despite the heated discussion about the Survey Corps' capture of Titans, her eyes revealing a nonchalant indifference.

She methodically placed the food on her plate into her mouth, chewed, and swallowed... When she finished her meal, she slowly stood up, picked up her plate, and walked past them. Her eyes were fixed straight ahead, not even glancing at the group of people who were discussing it animatedly, as if the topic they were discussing was like air, unable to stir a ripple in her heart.

Ani walked alone back to the dormitory, the afternoon sun casting a shadow on the ground. Meanwhile, a courier was shuttling between rooms, a stack of letters in his arms. (There was only one regime within the walls, and the enemy they faced was the Titans, who could not communicate. The only ones who scrutinized strictly were the Military Police of the Royal Capital. The Training Corps' scrutiny was less stringent, and they did not deliberately intercept or review mail.)

"Hmm..." Ani's eyes inadvertently fell on the messenger. She paused for a moment, as if a thought flashed through her mind. After a moment's hesitation, she seemed to have made up her mind and slowly walked towards the messenger.

"Is there a letter for me?" Ani's voice was soft, but it revealed a subtle expectation.

"Ah, you're... Arnie Leonard, right? Wait a minute, I'll look for it." The deliveryman stopped what he was doing and carefully searched through the pile of letters. After a while, he pulled out a letter and handed it to Arnie.

"Thank you." The moment Ani took the letter, his fingers tightened slightly, and the familiar handwriting on the envelope came into view.

The delivery man did not stay for long, turned around and walked in another direction to continue delivering letters to other people.

Ani stood there, her eyes fixed on the letter in her hand, the corners of her mouth unconsciously raised slightly, and that faint smile dispelled the usual coldness on her face.

Ani walked under a tree. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, creating patches of light. She slowly squatted down, leaning her back against the trunk, and then gently sat down. All around her was quiet, broken only by the occasional chirping of birds.

She carefully tore open the envelope, pulled out the letter, and unfolded it... Her eyes began to wander over the letter, reading word by word as Takashi San described his life in the Survey Corps.

"What an idiot..." Ani's eyes softened, her once cold face warmed as if touched by a spring breeze. She subconsciously brushed her hair away from her ear, the movement gentle and natural. After reading the letter, she slowly raised her head and gazed at the azure sky. Clouds drifted slowly across it.

The Eldian bloodline symbolizes the "descendants of demons." Those who inherit the "power of the Titan" are cursed. Annie knows her life is numbered. This is why she can't forgive Kozo. She wanted to leave everything behind and spend a few years of happiness with Kozo in the "outback," but... he abandoned her.

At this moment, Bertolt's tall figure appeared beside Ani. His footsteps were very light, as if he was afraid of disturbing Ani who was immersed in the letter.

"Um...Ani, you will also go to the Military Police, right?" Bertolt's voice broke the silence.

Ani just slowly closed her eyes. "It's still early," she said in a calm, unmoved voice. "There's still two years left. I might not even make the top 10."

"That's impossible. Annie, you are very good and will definitely be in the top 10." Bertolt's eyes were full of sincerity as he stared at Annie closely.

"I understand," Ani replied calmly, then sighed softly. She didn't seem to care about Bertholdt's words... She slowly stood up and brushed off the grass debris on her body. Without even glancing at Bertholdt, she turned and began to leave.

Bertolt stood still, his gaze glued to Annie's receding figure. His eyes were complex, his lips trembling slightly... How he wanted to reveal the feelings he had hidden deep in his heart for so long, but in the end, those words were locked in his throat, and he could only let Annie's back slowly shrink in his sight. 'Annie, you really are still right about Kosan...'

Another two months passed, and the trainees of the 104th Training Corps came to the Trost District again.

Ani and Christa walked side by side. They had been assigned to a team, responsible for patrolling the streets. (Currently available intelligence: Garrison patrols are usually in teams of two. "Inexperienced newcomers" are usually accompanied by experienced veterans, in a "1+1" or "2+1" formation.)

Ani's face remained stern, and he didn't want to care about or ask about what was happening around him.

Christa, on the other hand, had a different temperament from Ani. She wore a gentle smile that seemed to bring a touch of warmth to the somewhat tense patrol atmosphere. As she walked, she greeted the residents passing by in a friendly manner.

The sun shone on the street, and the small shops along the street emitted bursts of noisy voices. Occasionally, children ran past them. Ani frowned slightly, while Christa would treat them with gentleness.

The two continued walking down the street. Ani remained silent, her steps mechanically moving forward, with no intention of actively starting a conversation. This silence, like a thick fog, permeated the space between them, gradually making the atmosphere awkward.

"Um, Miss Ani. Can I ask you a question?" Christa broke the silence, her voice soft and cautious.

"What's the problem?" Ani's response was brief, and her tone remained calm. She just glanced at Christa lightly and then moved away.

"At that time...at that time, how did you and your brother become lovers?" Christa stared at Ani, waiting for her answer.

Ani was stunned by this question, and her pace slowed down involuntarily. A complex emotion flashed in her eyes, and the past flooded into her mind like a tide... all the little moments she had spent with Xiao San resurfaced at this moment.

Christa kept staring at Ani, her blue eyes full of anticipation, unwilling to miss any change in expression.

After a while, Ani came back to her senses from her memories. "He confessed to me and I agreed. That's it." Her voice was still flat, as if she was stating an insignificant matter.

After hearing this answer, Christa's face showed a hint of disappointment. She lowered her head slightly, and the smile on her lips became a little forced. "It seems that my brother really likes you."

At this moment, a loud noise broke the somewhat dull atmosphere between them. The sound was like thunder coming from afar, vague at first, and then gradually became clearer.

They looked in the direction of the sound and saw a large crowd gathered not far ahead, like a group of ants around a piece of food. Soldiers from the garrison were busy moving among the crowd, trying to maintain order.

Ani and Christa exchanged a glance, then curiously walked into the crowd. They listened carefully as a loud, raspy voice broke through the crowd and penetrated their ears.

The voice shouted loudly: "... Hiring construction workers! We need strong men. If you are willing to work, the wages will be generous! For humanity, give your heart!"

Ani frowned slightly, turned sideways and said to Christa: "Let's go. We are not needed here."

Christa, however, seemed frozen in place, her gaze fixed in one direction.

"Hmm?" A hint of doubt welled up in Ani's heart, and she followed Christa's gaze. In an instant, her pupils constricted, as if she had seen something extremely unexpected.

"Xiao San." Christa's lips trembled slightly as she murmured the name. Then, without hesitation, she squeezed into the crowd, her petite and frail figure struggling to weave through the crowd, step by step, heading towards that direction.

At this time, Xiaosan was standing among those middle-aged men dressed as businessmen. He lowered his head slightly and discussed things with them seriously.

Some of the middle-aged men crossed their arms, some touched their chins, and gestured from time to time, talking non-stop about projects, materials, money, money, money and the like.

Suddenly, Xiaosan subconsciously raised his head and glanced over, just in time to see a petite and cute blonde girl struggling to squeeze through the crowd... Her dazzling blonde hair was so eye-catching in the crowd, her eyes were shining with excitement, and her little mouth was slightly open.

"Christa?" Xiaosan's voice was full of doubt, his brows were slightly furrowed, and his eyes were full of disbelief.

Before Xiao San could react, Christa had already squeezed in front of him. She threw herself into Xiao San's arms without hesitation, her arms tightly wrapped around Xiao San's waist, and her face pressed against Xiao San's chest.

After that, Ani and Christa sat quietly by the side, Ani's legs crossed, his hands resting naturally on his knees.

Christa stared at Xiaosan without blinking.

Xiaosan stood before the merchants, negotiating with them expertly. His expression was confident and steady, his speech neither too fast nor too slow, and he articulated his views and ideas clearly and logically.

The voices of the people around were still coming one after another, which seemed a bit noisy.

Ani's eyes fell on Xiao San, and seeing him handle things like an adult, her eyes became deeper. "He... has changed."

As for Christa, her eyes were still filled with longing. The corners of her mouth turned up slightly, and her cheeks were slightly flushed.

After finishing his business neatly, Takashi San walked towards where Ani and Christa were. When he reached them, he raised his chin slightly, looked at them tenderly, and said softly, "Come on. I'll take you to rest. My house is quite big." His voice was like a gentle spring breeze.

"But we still have work to do..." Christa raised his head with a hint of hesitation in his eyes.

"It's okay, I will help you take care of it, don't worry about it." Xiaosan patted Christa's shoulder gently and gave her a reassuring look.

His smile was like the warm sunshine, instantly dispelling the worries in Christa's heart.

At this time, Ani stood up and said, "It seems that you are doing well out there." Her tone was flat, and no emotional fluctuations could be heard.

Kozo just smiled. He could sense that Ani was still angry.

Takashi San led Ani and Christa to a carriage... The carriage looked exquisite, its body spotlessly clean, its wooden interior gleaming with a subtle sheen. The axles of the wheels were meticulously maintained, turning with almost no sound. The curtains were made of thick, soft fabric, swaying gently in the breeze.

All in all, this is definitely not a carriage that ordinary people can afford.

Takashi San gently lifted the curtain, signaling Ani and Christa to get in. Ani gracefully entered the carriage first, followed by Christa. The interior of the carriage was spacious and comfortable, with soft cushions and a light fragrance.

After Christa sat down, his eyes inadvertently fell on Xiaosan's clothes.

The clothes looked ordinary, without any particularly flashy design, and the color was a subdued dark color. However, when the sunlight filtered through the car window and shone on his clothes, the texture of the fabric was revealed. The delicate texture, the soft sheen... it was definitely not something you could find in cheap, civilian clothing.

Christa's gaze lingered on Takashi San's clothes for a moment, and she suddenly realized her humble origins (Christa didn't know her royal blood)... An inexplicable sense of inferiority surged into Christa's heart like a tide.

"As expected, Xiao San's family is wealthy and aristocratic..." She subconsciously shrank back, not daring to look at Xiao San again. Her eyes, once filled with admiration, were now covered with a faint haze. Her hands twisted together nervously, her fingers unconsciously digging into her palms, as if this could alleviate the growing inferiority complex within her.

Ani raised her head slightly, her cold eyes piercing Kozo like a sharp blade. She said coldly: "Haven't you joined the Survey Corps? Why are you here?"

Xiao San was not moved at all, and he still had that gentle smile on his face. "This is also the task assigned to me by Captain Erwin."

Ani was skeptical about what Takashi San said, but Christa naturally believed it completely.

The carriage was swaying on the road... After a long time, the continuous shaking finally stopped and it finally became quiet.

Xiaosan stood up first and jumped off the carriage lightly.

After he stood still, he turned around, stretched out his hands towards the carriage, and carefully picked up the petite Christa.

"Hmm..." Christa's face flushed slightly, and she unconsciously put her hands on Xiaosan's shoulders, allowing Xiaosan to carry her out of the carriage.

Ani watched this scene quietly from the side. Seeing that Xiaosan was only concerned with Christa and ignored her at all, she felt an inexplicable sourness in her heart, making her face become a little gloomy.

At this time, Xiaosan looked at Ani. He extended his hand to Ani in a friendly manner, wanting to help her get off the car like he did to Christa.

But Ani just snorted, turned her head away, and jumped out of the car on her own, with no intention of accepting Xiaosan's help.

The surroundings were stunning. The emerald green lawn stretched out like a soft carpet, dotted with a variety of flowers... Not far away, servants could be seen meticulously tending the gardens. With scissors in hand, they expertly and meticulously carved the plants, adding to the exquisite beauty of the landscape. The villas had pointed roofs (let me ask you, is your head pointed?), and the windows were bright and airy.

Christa's eyes widened as she stared blankly at the scene before her. Her lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to say something but forgot the words.

Ani also frowned slightly, her eyes filled with unconcealed surprise. She turned her head to look at Xiao San and asked in disbelief, "Is this your home?"

Takashi nodded calmly. "What else?"

Hearing this, Ani raised his lips slightly in disdain, a hint of sarcasm flashed in his eyes, and he said coldly: "No wonder you look down on the Military Police Regiment. I understand."

Ani and Christa have already formed the impression that Xiaosan is a rich and low-key young master, an aristocrat among aristocrats.

However, the truth is...

This is exactly the effect Xiaosan wanted.

It's like the 21st-century online social chat platforms where people pretend to be wealthy and try to lure people into joining their "luxury car and luxury home" schemes. However... that description doesn't seem accurate either.

Should it be called a face-saving project?

Just like Japan initially spent a lot of money on "city image" in order to win a good impression from foreign investors, and drove the poor homeless people away to who knows where.