In the vast universe, after Yang Hui and his companions annihilated a small fleet of VEGAN once again, they began their return to the transport ship, Bai Ze.
"After all these years, why can't VEGAN learn their lesson?" Yang Hui remarked.
Originally, this mission was just an investigation task. Intelligence indicated that this area was a new resource collection point developed by VEGAN. If it truly existed, they were to destroy it, as newly established collection points wouldn't have much military presence guarding them. If it didn't exist, they would withdraw.
However, upon reaching the destination, Yang Hui, Graham, and Yurin all sensed something was off. After careful reconnaissance, they discovered that this was not a collection point at all, but a carefully prepared trap aimed at capturing or eliminating the three of them. To this end, five warships and over eighty MS were mobilized to ambush them.
The outcome was evident; VEGAN's plan failed once again, and the ambushing forces were completely wiped out, with only a few minor soldiers escaping. Yang Hui and his companions had no intention of pursuing them, as they had no idea if there were more ambushes along the way, and their supplies were running low, necessitating a resupply.
"Are the higher-ups not even going to pretend?" Graham asked mockingly. The intelligence failure was too obvious; this situation was clearly a betrayal.
"Heh, the higher-ups have been displeased with us for quite some time. They could have held back, but ever since Flit took the position of Commander, we've been completely unrestrained," Yang Hui shrugged and smiled.
"Are you serious with that 'I'm just that good' expression?" Graham shot a glance at Yang Hui.
"Hehehe." Yurin covered her mouth and chuckled lightly, showing no signs of fatigue. Her role was to provide sniper support from the rear; she was also not saddened by the betrayal, as the leaking of their intelligence by the Federation's upper echelons was not a new occurrence. Yurin had grown accustomed to it; as long as she followed Yang Hui, she didn't care about the trust of others.
The three chatted casually as they arrived at the bridge.
"Captain, it's a relief to see you all safe," Captain Angora of Bai Ze stood up and saluted the three.
A captain chosen by Myer was certainly not an ordinary person. Although Angora's name was not well-known, if it weren't for Yang Hui's recruitment, the organization he would eventually establish would be very famous.
The space pirate organization, Wei Shi Tian, which Asemu would later join, was founded by Angora.
According to the original trajectory, he would leave the Federation due to unfair treatment within and then establish Wei Shi Tian to search for EXA-DB in space, before returning to overthrow the corrupt Federation.
How should I put it... the idea is very appealing, but reality is harsh. Not to mention how you would convert the technology from EXA-DB into tangible assets, just getting past Sid would be impossible.
But none of this would happen now. By chance, Yang Hui discovered Angora and directly recruited him into the Celestial Being squad as the captain of the transport ship, and in critical moments, he could also serve as an elite MS pilot.
"Don't worry, this level of trouble can't touch us," Yang Hui waved his hand dismissively.
"Hehe, I knew you'd say that," Angora smiled, but his expression quickly darkened. "Is it the same this time?"
"Is it even worth doubting at this point?" Yang Hui turned his head and grinned.
"Damn it! These bastards!" Angora slammed his fist on the control panel, cursing fiercely. The crew on the bridge also showed angry expressions; the entire bridge felt like a volcano, ready to erupt at any moment.
Although it wasn't the first time, they were still furious. They fought on the front lines, risking their lives, even taking on many extremely dangerous missions, earning countless merits for the Federation, only to be betrayed by their own. Such a thing is unbearable for anyone, and if it weren't for Yang Hui constantly soothing their emotions, they might have confronted the Federation headquarters directly by now.
"Captain, even though you don't want me to say..."
"Since you know, then hold it in."
"But... but..."
"Still the same, don't let the existence of a few rotten apples negate the Federation, and don't let it turn you into enemies of all humanity. If any of you want to be traitors, you'd better not let me find out, or I'll execute you myself. Of course, if anyone wants to resign, just let me know, and I'll sign your discharge application."
Everyone lowered their heads. Although they were angry about the situation, they had never thought of betrayal, nor of quitting, because each of them owed their lives to Yang Hui, Graham, and Yurin. It was because of the recognition and promotion from the three that they had become who they were today.
The permanent members of the Celestial Being squad, although few in number, enjoyed the best treatment in the entire military, with the fastest promotions. Even the cooks on the ship were now lieutenants, and all the bridge personnel were majors, with Angora as a lieutenant colonel. Each person's room contained at least two medals.
Moreover, after many difficult battles, every member, regardless of their position, was elite among elites. If they were to be reassigned, they would be highly sought after by the entire military. Even if they retired and returned home, they would be offered well-paying positions by the local Federation government, as in the eyes of the public, they were all heroes.
So no one wanted to be a traitor, and no one would voluntarily resign, not only for the benefits but also to repay the kindness of Yang Hui and the others.
"Alright, as before, send the report to Flit; he'll handle it."
"Captain..."
"Don't worry, Flit has been secretly investigating these rotten apples. Once he finds evidence, it will be their downfall, so just endure a little longer."
"Yes!"
"Beep beep beep..."
"Message from Big Ring, the latest mission issued by the Commander!"
"Tch, another mission so soon? Our supplies are..."
"Don't be so impatient; let's see what the content is first." Yang Hui patted Angora's shoulder, calming his agitated emotions.
"Yes."
"Read it out."
"Yes! The Celestial Being squad is to immediately return to Tordia and transport confidential supplies to Olivanos together with Diva."
"Hmm? Traveling with Diva? Interesting." Yang Hui grinned upon hearing the mission details, not expecting to cross paths with this ship again by coincidence.
"Captain, what should we do now?" Angora inquired.
"Set off, destination Tordia. Send a message to Diva to bring more supplies; we won't make a special trip for resupply."
"Understood!"
"Set the course, Bai Ze, full speed ahead."
...
On the other side, in Tordia, after the enlistment briefing, Asemu had officially become a member of the Federal Army.
After Yang Hui and the others left Tordia, Jehart indeed kept his promise, immersing himself in campus life and experiencing a sense of ease and joy he had never felt before. However, during the graduation ceremony, Jehart's identity as a spy was exposed, marking the end of his youthful campus days and the return of his VEGAN identity.
The battle at the graduation ceremony was inevitable, and Asemu predictably lost to Jehart. However, unlike the original plot, this time Jehart did not look down on Asemu from a position of superiority, nor did he try to persuade him to give up the fight.
He told Asemu about the deal he had made with Yang Hui back in the day and proposed an agreement: he would seek the correct path for VEGAN in the war, while Asemu would seek a path of mutual understanding. If either side strayed from the path, the other would intervene, and if they met on the battlefield, they would show no mercy.
It was this agreement that led Asemu to resolutely give up the opportunity to attend an elite military academy and enlist directly. This time, he was not only thinking about defeating Jehart but also about the content of their agreement; he wanted to find another path that would foster mutual understanding between the Federation and VEGAN.
"Jehart... we will fulfill our agreement..." Asemu gazed at the Diva docked at the port, deep in thought.
"Are you Asemu Miraiya?" A voice from behind interrupted Asemu's thoughts as a blue-haired girl caught up with him.
"Who are you?"
"My name is Alisa, and like you, I'm an anticipated newcomer."
"How do you know me?"
"Haven't you heard the rumors? The son of Commander Miraiya enjoys special treatment and pilots a Gundam."
"Sigh... I knew it..." Asemu sighed. Although he had anticipated this situation, it was still frustrating. He didn't want to be known solely as "the Commander's son" in others' eyes.
"Well, don't take it to heart," Alisa advised.
"I understand; I'm used to it. Is there anything else?" Asemu assumed Alisa was looking for trouble because of his identity, so his attitude became cold.
"Don't be so distant," Alisa complained, hands on her hips. "My dad is also a soldier and has a good relationship with Commander Miraiya."
"Eh?" Asemu was taken aback.
"So, that means our dads are good buddies, so we should get along well and support each other, Asemu."
"Um... okay."
As the two conversed, others followed behind, gazing at Diva with nostalgia.
"I really have a connection with this ship; I didn't expect to return again."
...
Mireille arrived at the bridge of Diva. She was now the captain of Diva, which could be seen as a form of inheritance.
"Report the current situation."
"Engines are starting; all departments will be ready in 25 minutes, Captain Mireille."
"Hmm? That's 20 minutes slower than the scheduled plan. Do you know the reason?" Mireille asked.
"Yes, the independent MS units from the Celestial Being squad just sent a communication. They will be executing a mission together with our ship and requested that we load more supplies to ensure their resupply."
"Really?" Mireille was surprised.
"Yes, that's the content of the communication."
Mireille browsed through the message from Bai Ze and smiled knowingly.
"Really, that guy Yang Hui is still the same..."
"Captain..."
"Nothing, speed up the loading of supplies and send our navigation path to Bai Ze."
"Understood!"
"Our ship will transport confidential supplies together with the Celestial Being squad via the Big Ring base to Olivanos!"
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