Since ZAFT Forces initiated their attack on Nova Resource Satellite three days prior, the climax of this battle had finally arrived.
With continuous reinforcements pouring in from the Earth Sphere, the defending forces of Nova Resource Satellite, under General Zheng's command, launched a counteroffensive at 5:00 PM on June 17, CE 70—a move that rightfully captured the attention of everyone across the war-torn Earth Sphere.
All those following the conflict waited with bated breath, eager to see whether the newly ascendant ZAFT Forces could maintain their momentum of successive victories, or if the established powers could defend their undefeated throne and inject a much-needed boost to the currently struggling Allied Forces.
"Hurry, hurry, hurry!"—this was the constant refrain heard throughout the East Asian Army's reinforcement fleet.
Stationed at Nova Resource Satellite's defense command center, General Zheng keenly observed that the Coordinators had lost their composure first, subsequently mobilizing their originally reserved right-wing fleet.
Following his orders, the reinforcement fleet—not originally part of the battle plan—swiftly surged forward.
Penetration, relentless penetration, penetration regardless of casualties.
Despite being exhausted and still adjusting from Earth's gravity to the weightlessness of space, the reinforcement fleet charged forward with fearless determination. Before the enemy's right-wing fleet could fully merge with the central fleet, they viciously clamped down on the tail of the opposing forces!
And just like that, chaos erupted—everything fell into disarray.
While ZAFT's central fleet was still forming a wedge in an attempt to break through the East Asian Army's sniper fleet and rescue their left-wing fleet, their right-wing reinforcements found their formation shattered by the East Asian Army's sudden assault.
Even more critically, the newly arrived East Asian fleet fought with near-manic intensity. Like a sharp awl, they pierced through the enemy's right-wing fleet, aiming straight for the rear of ZAFT's central fleet.
Had anyone observed the battlefield from a god's-eye view at that moment, they would have been stunned to realize that, apart from the left-wing battlefield—which the Coordinator general had used as bait—where both sides were still engaged in a fierce, conventional positional battle, the larger conflict on the other side had already devolved into a chaotic melee where friend and foe were indistinguishable.
At this stage of the war, advanced weaponry or tactical superiority no longer seemed to be the decisive factors for victory.
This was the moment for bayonets to draw blood, the moment where victory belonged to the bold.
And courage—that was something the East Asian Army would never lack.
"Tch." Wang Hu shook his head in silence.
Piloting the Qilin, he had once again led a squadron of Moebius units to clear the area of Coordinator Mobile Suit GINN.
But just as he prepared to charge straight for the Coordinator battleship, the latest battlefield updates on his cockpit screen left him with mixed emotions.
Their commander's ambitions were too grand—was he really planning to swallow the entire enemy force in one bite?
"Wang Hu, war is never a one-man affair."
Wang Hu arrived at the battlefield where his squad leader, Yang Wei, was stationed.
Through the communication feed, Yang Wei noticed the complex expression on Wang Hu's face and spoke up.
"Don't think just because you have some skill that you can dominate the battlefield."
"You're right, Captain," Wang Hu replied absentmindedly.
"I'm just worried that the command's arrangements might push the Coordinators into a corner."
"Have they not considered the principle of 'leaving an escape route while besieging'?"
"Could this kind of arrangement..."
Hearing Wang Hu's question, Captain Yang Wei pondered for a moment before chuckling lightly.
"When the enemy is at our doorstep, why bother with such considerations?"
"If you know about 'leaving an escape route,' you must've also heard 'the petty fear force, not virtue.'"
"Dealing with such scoundrels means beating them down mercilessly—until they're in so much pain they don't dare look us in the eye."
After a moment of thought, Wang Hu realized there was some truth to that.
According to the intel from his memories, in the original timeline of the Nova Offensive—without his presence—
the battle had ended with multiple L4 Space Colony Satellites severely damaged and the Nova Resource Satellite being dragged back by the Coordinators and repurposed into the Boaz Fortress.
Judging by the battle's outcome, while the Coordinators hadn't achieved their primary objective—
complete control over the L4 Space Colony Satellite region—
no one could say they had lost either. From a strategic standpoint...
Dragging the enemy's resource satellite back to turn it into a fortress was a humiliation akin to erecting a monument of shame.
And yet, the East Asian Army had actually tolerated it back then?
Now, looking back, whether that war's outcome truly matched the Coordinators' propaganda—or the public's perception—
was still very much up for debate.
Later, in January of CE71, the Coordinators had even gone all-out to capture the East Asian Space Launch Site.
After that, the ZAFT Forces never targeted the East Asian Army again.
"The older the ginger, the spicier it is."
Having pieced together the underlying schemes, Wang Hu could only conclude that those who played with strategy had truly dirty minds.
Then, with a push of the Qilin's control stick, his Mobile Armor shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow.
"Captain, I'm off to kick some Coordinator ass."
Leaving those words for his squad leader, Wang Hu charged straight toward the enemy fleet looming ahead.
Thanks to the efforts of his comrades earlier, most of the MS GINN units protecting the Coordinator fleet's left flank had already been whittled down in scattered skirmishes.
Now that Wang Hu, with his foresight, understood the higher-ups' intentions, he was all the more determined to leave the Coordinators with a memory they'd never forget.
"That guy," Captain Yang Wei laughed, watching Wang Hu's Mobile Armor streak toward the Coordinator fleet in a blaze of sparks and lightning.
"Men, let's not let the junior show us up! Move out!"
Though by some twist of fate, this battlefield seemed to have become a sideshow, clearing out the enemies here quickly
would free them up to reinforce their allies in the central battle.
Thus, Captain Yang Wei rallied his men and followed the path Wang Hu had carved, their killing intent palpable.
Further behind them, the East Asian Army's fleet aggressively forced its way through the passage.
Their massive cannons brimmed with overwhelming firepower, ready to unleash devastation upon any enemy foolish enough to stand in their way.
"Now, which one should I pick?"
Piloting the Qilin, Wang Hu circled the Coordinator warships, now bristling like hedgehogs.
Wang Hu prowled like a fierce tiger around the huddled flock of lambs, his greedy gaze sizing up his prey, ready to charge into the herd and tear into them at any moment.
"Got you."
His sharp eyes detected a slight disturbance in the enemy fleet, instantly picking out a Laurasia-class Battleship drifting on the outermost edge.
With that, the Qilin dove down ferociously, its frame weaving left and right along the way.
A series of dazzling maneuvers allowed it to evade the enemy's anti-air fire, finally bringing it close to the bridge of the enemy battleship.
They were so close that Wang Hu could turn his head and, through the MA's glass and the observation window of the enemy ship's bridge, see the movements of the Coordinator inside.
"Truly, there is great terror between life and death."
Shaking his head, Wang Hu—with his keen eyesight—saw the people inside the enemy bridge.
Their faces were twisted with fear, their expressions screaming resistance against death.
Some were even frantically leaping up from their seats, knowing full well it was futile.
Yet they stubbornly dashed toward the exits, desperate to escape the bridge.
"Goodbye."
Naturally, Wang Hu wasn't the type to soften his heart and spare them just because he witnessed such a scene.
The Moebius 40mm Autocannon might not pierce their armor in one shot, but the Qilin wouldn't fail.
The Beam Cannon Pods detached from the main body, then roared as they circled the target, eight green beams spiraling outward.
"BOOM!"
The Laurasia-class Battleship crumpled like paper—explosions erupted from the bridge, rapidly spreading throughout the entire warship.
"Stop it, you monster!"
A shrill voice suddenly crackled through the open comms channel.
(End of Chapter)