"New mobile suit?"
The group of young men in the lounge all had their eyes gleaming with excitement.
What soldier wouldn't love new equipment? They weren't like those land-based ascetics who relied solely on their physical bodies.
Only new recruits came and went.
So upon hearing Li Chengzhi's words, everyone crowded around the two and rushed toward the hangar.
Even if it wasn't for them, getting a look would still be satisfying.
"What's this?" When they saw the newly painted purple mobile suit, everyone gasped in amazement.
"It's not an MS," someone complained, their greed knowing no bounds.
"What are you saying? Don't be ungrateful."
Hearing this, Captain Yang Wei, who had been receiving supplies and personnel with the maintenance chief, walked over.
First, he unceremoniously punched the complaining soldier, then turned to look at the newly delivered MA.
"TS-MA4F Exus Experimental. This is an improved model of the Moebius Zero developed by three companies."
"According to the accompanying documents, compared to the original Zero, it's equipped with four high-powered wired guided pod beam cannons."
"Of course, the unit's power and energy systems have also been significantly upgraded to ensure actual combat duration."
With great restraint, Yang Wei tore his gaze away from the Exus MA—after all, that soldier didn't appreciate fine weapons.
For Yang Wei, whose job was essentially that of a fighter pilot, the Exus was a war machine several times more powerful than the Moebius.
He couldn't help but covet it, but...
"Don't even think about it."
Amused by the envious looks in his subordinates' eyes, Captain Yang Wei sighed.
"You've all undergone the Moebius Zero adaptation tests. Anyone who qualified wouldn't still be here."
"None of us here, myself included, are suitable candidates."
"Wang Hu, you and Li Chengzhi were just military academy students before and haven't taken the adaptation tests."
At this point, Captain Yang Wei suddenly slapped his forehead.
"I forgot. To achieve such results in your first battle and display such skills..."
"Your spatial awareness and brain processing capacity..."
"No wonder they're giving you this unit."
"Was this your doing?" Wang Hu asked Li Chengzhi.
Captain Yang Wei hadn't been in the lounge earlier, so he didn't know some things.
But Wang Hu knew that Li Chengzhi must have played a significant role in securing this mobile suit for him.
Who would have thought his friend had such powerful connections?
In that case...
Wang Hu stared at his friend, wondering if he could leverage his connections to get involved in Heliopolis.
They couldn't let ZAFT take all the benefits, could they?
Technically, those five Gundams were the property of the entire Earth Alliance.
So shouldn't their East Asian faction at least get one?
"The captured Coordinator MS GINN's operating system is completely incompatible with Naturals. That's the conclusion from several tests conducted by higher-ups."
Li Chengzhi nodded naturally, confirming Wang Hu's assumption—all of this had been arranged by him.
"I actually think with your skills, you could probably handle even an original Coordinator-system GINN."
"Unfortunately, the GINN samples are far too precious—I couldn't get my hands on one."
"As a compromise, command assigned us this experimental Qilin."
"Wang Hu, the entire East Asian Army only has this one unit. It's in no way inferior to the MS GINN."
"It's a super machine reserved only for the absolute elite among us."
"Don't let me down."
Nodding, Wang Hu looked at the Mobile Armor before him—the very same MA that, in his memories, Mu would later pilot under the alias Neo during the next great war.
Compared to the MA from his memories, this one only lacked beam sabers and some auxiliary weapons.
Not much of a difference!
Li Chengzhi's words had cast a heavy atmosphere over the scene.
Everyone glanced at the experimental Qilin, then at Wang Hu—a rookie in the strictest sense—standing there silently.
Even though Wang Hu had already demonstrated exceptional ability in previous battles, given his history of fainting before combat, they couldn't help but feel uneasy.
Could Wang Hu really be entrusted with an experimental MA like the Qilin?
Amidst this tension, Wang Hu suddenly noticed the specially painted emblem on both sides of the MA.
"A qilin?" Wang Hu asked, slightly puzzled.
"Yes, a qilin," Li Chengzhi confirmed with a nod. "Didn't you have a nickname at the academy? The Qilin Child."
"I had this emblem painted to upgrade your title—from the Academy's Qilin Child to Nova's Qilin Child, and eventually, the East Asian Army's Qilin Child."
"You have that much faith in me?" Walking up to the MA, Wang Hu reached out and touched the cold landing gear.
"I hope you won't let everyone down."
Staring intently at Wang Hu's back, Li Chengzhi honestly couldn't explain why he had insisted on adding this request.
Nova's Qilin Child. The East Asian Army's Qilin Child.
Could Wang Hu's shoulders really bear such a title?
"Hey, Chengzhi, that's going too far. Besides, our army doesn't have that kind of tradition," Captain Yang Wei interjected, stepping forward in concern.
"There's still time—I can have the maintenance team cover up that emblem."
His worry wasn't unfounded; he simply didn't want to burden Wang Hu with excessive pressure.
"No need, Captain." Turning around with a bright smile, Wang Hu waved off the suggestion.
"Whether it's Nova's Qilin Child or the East Asian Army's Qilin Child..."
"I'll prove it to you."
His confident grin spread to everyone present. At that moment, no one doubted whether Wang Hu could live up to his words.
"Good." Nodding firmly, Li Chengzhi waited expectantly.
Meanwhile, in space, the relentless stream of reinforcements from Earth and the unusual activity around the Nova Resource Satellite hadn't gone unnoticed.
The ZAFT Forces' assault unit, far from blind, quickly took note.
Aboard the flagship of the attacking force—a Nazca-class high-speed warship—ZAFT's high command convened a military meeting.
"General, we must seize this final opportunity and launch our full-scale assault!"
"Preposterous! Even if we launch an all-out attack and win with our current military strength, it would only be a Pyrrhic victory."
"Can we afford to lose eight hundred while killing a thousand?"
"Then what should we do? Wait for reinforcements from PLANT's homeland?"
"How many troops do we even have? Should we abandon other fronts? What about our homeland?"
"So what's your suggestion? We can neither wait nor fight! We can't just do nothing! Are you suggesting retreat?"
"In my opinion, we shouldn't be fighting the East Asian Army here at all. Our real enemy is the Atlantic Federation!"
The incessant arguments gave the Coordinator general in charge of this battlefield a splitting headache.
Yet every point raised by his subordinates held merit.
Especially the comment about the Atlantic Federation being their true enemy - this sentiment resonated deeply with him.
As a member of the Clyne Faction, he had never wanted to engage the East Asian Army here in the first place.
Only his duty as a soldier had compelled him to follow orders.
However...
Remembering the intelligence report from his subordinates earlier, he sighed deeply.
"East Asia has produced another genius. Since we've started this fight, there's no turning back now."
"General, here's the latest troop movement report from Nova." A intelligence officer suddenly approached on the bridge.
"I see." Taking the report, the general fell silent.
The East Asian Army's movements detailed in the document gave him a glimmer of hope.
"A war of gentlemen? That might not be impossible."
Nodding quietly, the man who bore the title of general - though he'd come to this position through unconventional means - considered the possibility.
(End of Chapter)