The night had deepened, and Heli and Andrei had gone to bed. Yang Hui and Sergei sat by the lake, casually chatting.
"When do you plan on coming back?" Sergei asked.
"Once those old men finally stop looking at me like I'm some kind of circus attraction," Yang Hui replied, irritated. Every time he came back from vacation, as soon as his plane landed, he was whisked away by the old scientists and locked in the lab for days on end. The way they looked at him, as if he were some exotic specimen, was enough to make anyone shiver.
"Hahaha, what else can you expect? You're a genius after all."
"I'd rather not be one!"
"Well, it's your own fault. You've left behind some pretty terrifying work. It's not just the old men; even I—"
"Is that so? You think it's all fantasy?"
"Of course! Humanity just left Earth, and you're telling us that soon we'll have unknown dialogues? If I didn't watch you grow up, I'd think you're a madman."
"To be precise, it wasn't my idea. It was Dr. Aeolia Schenberg's, and I've just made more hypotheses and assumptions based on his work."
"The issue isn't where the idea came from, it's that your assumptions are terrifying. And your reasoning is so sound that, aside from needing experimental verification, it's hard for them to dismiss it as just theory."
"No need to convince anyone. Expanding military strength is only logical. We've already left Earth. With the vastness of the universe, no amount of military power is too much."
"That's true, but I'm worried... you know, the UNION and AEU haven't been very peaceful lately."
"That's the decision of the higher-ups, not my concern. My job is to research. How they use my research is none of my business, and frankly, not something I can control."
"Speaking of your research, the 'Next-Generation MS Production Plan' has already yielded results. The MS model MSJ-07-A, officially named [Xian Zhen], is the first prototype to roll off the assembly line. A full-spectrum MS with land, sea, air, and space capabilities, its mobility and agility are 1.5 times that of the Iron Man. The old men say that with a stronger power source, it will outperform the Iron Man by twice the margin! And it comes with various weapons—it's simply insane: dual-mounted 60mm Vulcan cannons, shield-composite armament, with a rate of fire of 3000 rounds per minute, a shield made entirely of E-carbon, two six-barreled missile launchers in each leg, and various optional weapon packs..."
As Sergei excitedly spoke, Yang Hui waved dismissively and interrupted, "All fear comes from insufficient firepower. The UNION and AEU MS rely on high mobility and agility. If the People's Revolutionary Federation follows the same path, it's pointless."
"Is that why you're going to such extreme lengths?" Sergei looked at him, puzzled.
"In large-scale battles, high mobility and agility don't matter much when a barrage of fire comes your way. No matter how high your mobility, you'll still get hit. These features are good for small squad skirmishes, but think about it—don't you enjoy the feeling of being able to fight and not run away?" Yang Hui said, his voice filled with excitement.
"Uh... alright, I admit, if it's really like that, it would be pretty satisfying. But what about the AEU? Why didn't you mention them?" Sergei asked, confused.
Yang Hui gave Sergei a flat stare, refusing to answer.
"Alright, I get it. The low-quality knockoffs..." Sergei shrugged.
"By the way... aren't those smaller countries causing trouble around here?" Yang Hui asked.
"Yeah, though they've all officially joined the People's Revolutionary Federation, they only follow orders when they feel like it. Religion, ethnicity... it's always been about these petty issues," Sergei said, sounding frustrated. Disputes often led to war, and with the Federation developing rapidly, they couldn't afford to let these smaller countries hold them back.
Although Sergei was now a lieutenant colonel and his wife Heli was a major, they didn't want to see war. After having a son, people changed, and who wouldn't want their children to grow up in an era of peace?
"Alright, just don't get yourself killed. I'm not helping you look after your son."
"Andrei will be heartbroken if he hears that."
"I'm just saying I don't have the time. Not that I wouldn't. Please hear me out before you make assumptions. I like that kid. At least he's not as troublesome as you were."
"Get lost! The real troublemaker in the house is you! Who was it that kept sneaking into the women's changing rooms, claiming they got lost?"
"Ahem... let's not talk about that. I remember I had a special right to build my own MS, right?" Yang Hui quickly changed the topic.
"Are you planning to give up research and return to the battlefield? I bet a lot of people have forgotten you're still the People's Revolutionary Federation's ace pilot," Sergei teased, though his gaze was filled with complexity.
Returning to the battlefield meant danger. Even ace pilots had fallen in battle. Sergei missed the days of fighting alongside Yang Hui, but at the same time, he worried about his younger brother's safety.
"It's not like that. Even if I wanted to... believe me, as soon as the higher-ups sign that order, those old scientists in the academy would flip their desks."
"I can picture it. So why ask about this?"
Without answering, Yang Hui handed Sergei a small data storage device.
"What's this?"
"Take a look at it later. You'll understand."
"...Alright."
Sergei carefully tucked the device into his jacket pocket, deciding to keep it on him until they returned. Anything that Yang Hui took seriously was definitely important.
"Alright, time to sleep. The old men have been giving me a hard time these past few days. Ha~!" Yang Hui yawned and headed toward his tent.
...
The next day, Sergei left with his family, and Yang Hui headed to the airport to return to the Federation University. After completing his tasks with the Federation, he'd be back to enjoy his time with his beautiful fiancée, who was eagerly waiting for him.
Meanwhile, Sergei saw Heli and Andrei home before returning to the military. Unlike Heli, who was still on leave, Sergei had taken time off.
Back in his office, the first thing he did was check the materials Yang Hui had left him.
He hadn't expected what he saw.
The next-generation MS [Xian Zhen] had just come offline, and another was already coming.
Model: MSJ-08.
Official Name: [Bei Wei].
Standing at 19 meters tall and weighing 31.1 tons, this high-mobility MS exceeded [Xian Zhen] in every way. The entire body was made of E-carbon, making it impervious to 600mm armor-piercing rounds. The most crucial feature?
A small-scale beam weapon, designed specifically for MS use.
This had been a problem the academy had struggled with for decades—yet it had just been designed?
Realizing the magnitude of this development, Sergei wasted no time and immediately contacted the academy using a secure line.
"Old Wang, it's Sergei Smirnov."
"Ah, little bear, what's up?"
"Uh..." The nickname made Sergei frown. He knew instantly it was something Yang Hui had come up with. But that wasn't the point right now. "Yang Hui left me some materials, and I think they're very important. I need to send them to the academy."
"Oh? Left by little Yang? What's this? Alright, send it over."
"Understood."
After hanging up, Sergei quickly sent the files via encrypted transfer.
Sure enough, less than a minute later, the phone rang again.
"This is Sergei Smirnov."
"Little bear, who else has seen this material?" Old Wang's voice was urgently frantic.
"Just Yang Hui and me. I don't know if there's a backup, but the files I have haven't been backed up."
"Good! Are you at the camp?"
"Yes."
"Wait there, I'll send someone to pick you up! Remember, the materials you have are incredibly important. They must not leak!"
"Understood!"
After hanging up, Sergei took one last look at the files, stored the device, and deleted all browsing records.
The final two lines of the document stayed etched in his mind.
Target MS: Special Custom MS for Ace Pilot.
Designated Pilot: Sergei Smirnov.
...
After a few hours on the plane, Yang Hui finally shook off the exhaustion of being locked in the lab for days. He stepped off the plane, full of energy, and met the beautiful fiancée he had been missing.
"Leesa!"
"Yang Hui!"
Leesa Kyūjō leaped into his arms and hugged him tightly.
"Haha, it's only been a few days, why are you acting like it's been months?"
"Oh? So, after a few days, you don't miss me at all?" Leesa raised her head with a sweet smile.
"Not at all! I think about you every minute, every second!" Yang Hui, sensing the threatening aura, quickly shook his head.
"Is that so? Well, you pass." Leesa released him, nodding in satisfaction.
Yang Hui let out a relieved breath—he had survived.
But he was also a bit confused. In the anime, Leesa was supposed to be a mature, straightforward woman who loved to drink! How did she become so... cunning here?
"Yang Hui."
"Yes!"
"Let's go. I've kept your return a secret from Professor Efman. You'd better spend these next few days with me."
"Good job!" Yang Hui gave Leesa a thumbs-up. If Efman knew he was back, all his vacation plans would be over.
Hand in hand, they walked through the streets, enjoying their time as a sweet couple, away from all the special identities. Just a couple in love.
After they got tired, they stopped at a café to rest.
"By the way, Yang Hui, I'll be going back to the AEU in a few days." Leesa suddenly said, becoming serious.
"Is it about the military exercise you mentioned?"
"Yes, the AEU is holding a military exercise, and Katy and I have been appointed as commanders for two squads. It won't take long. After the exercise, I'll retire and change my nationality to the People's Revolutionary Federation."
"Need any help?" Yang Hui asked.
Leesa smiled slightly and shook her head. "No, it's just a simple battlefield forecast. You know my ability."
"Alright, then. If anything comes up, contact me immediately.
"Okay."
After a short rest, they were about to continue their sweet date, but someone interrupted them.
A girl with dark green hair styled in twin tails sat down across from t
hem, accompanied by a stern-looking young man who was clearly her bodyguard.
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Yang Hui, Miss Kyūjō. My name is Wang Liumei. Could I trouble you both for a moment?"