"Hereby appoint Second Lieutenant Wang Hu for promotion to Lieutenant, concurrently transferred to the Mobius Training Corps of Nova Resource Satellite as Captain of the Third Battalion."
The situation outside Nova Resource Satellite grew tenser by the day, yet commendations for the previous major battle still had to be awarded.
Thus, after two days of rest, Wang Hu received his well-deserved recognition.
"Congratulations, Lieutenant Wang Hu."
Handing the citation and new appointment letter to Wang Hu, the major who came to announce the promotion immediately hurried off to his next destination.
"Congratulations, congratulations."
Once the major had left, a crowd of Wang Hu's colleagues surged forward.
Each one offered their heartfelt congratulations.
"Thank you, thank you." Wang Hu smiled warmly as he exchanged pleasantries with his comrades.
After all, the major had also awarded a collective citation to the entire former Yang Wei squad!
Following a round of social niceties and heartfelt camaraderie, Wang Hu finally managed to extricate himself from his enthusiastic colleagues.
"What about your appointment?"
Walking to a quieter spot, Wang Hu asked his friend, who was leaning against the wall.
"My appointment came through yesterday. I'm assigned to the Training Corps with you as your deputy captain."
"Most of the newly formed Third Battalion members are drawn from our graduating class."
Seeing Wang Hu approach, Li Chengzhi replied calmly.
"Are they worried I can't command respect?"
Wang Hu thought of the composition of his team and asked accordingly.
"Not at all." Following Wang Hu toward the dormitory area, Li Chengzhi explained,
"The Third Battalion is established as an experimental unit. Our graduating class represents blank slates."
"Most of them haven't developed fixed habits yet, making them more adaptable to learning new skills."
"Additionally, given that your techniques aren't universally applicable, hastily assigning seasoned veterans might risk them failing to perform even their original skills."
"Especially with the external pressure from ZAFT Forces, every combatant must perform at 100% capacity."
"Understood." Wang Hu nodded. This was why having connections in high places made things easier.
It often saved you from pointless speculation, letting you know the leadership's intentions clearly so you could focus on your work.
"The ZAFT Forces outside..."
Naturally shifting the topic to the external threat, Wang Hu pondered aloud,
"Will they attack?"
"Testing my strategic insight?"
Li Chengzhi's eyes sharpened slightly. After a brief consideration, he answered,
"According to intelligence reports, Chairman Patrick back in PLANT is trying to pin the heavy losses suffered by ZAFT Forces during the last war on Chairman Clyne."
"Chairman Clyne's faction isn't taking it lying down either, accusing the Chairman of recklessly provoking enemies and escalating conflicts that could bring catastrophe to the Coordinator race."
"Both sides make compelling arguments, and their respective supporters among the populace have repeatedly clashed violently in public."
"But the calls for retaliation within the ZAFT Forces are extremely strong. For the first time since the war began, an entire organized unit has been annihilated."
"It's hard for them to swallow this defeat easily."
"Oh, so you're saying there will be another major battle then?"
Wang Hu stopped in his tracks and asked with keen interest.
"No." Li Chengzhi shook his head, staring at Wang Hu.
"On the contrary, I believe the fighting will enter a stalemate, with only small-scale skirmishes breaking out between both sides at most."
"After all, the dog that bites doesn't bark—especially when we've already dealt them a painful blow. At the end of the day, dogs still fear humans."
"In principle, I agree with your assessment."
As they continued walking, Wang Hu offered a different perspective.
"Whether it's war or peace will depend on the outcome of these small-scale battles."
"Overall, the Coordinators still hold a combat advantage over our forces. Considering we must also devote full efforts to restoring civilian life on the ground..."
"Our support will inevitably slow down."
"You mean...?"
Reading between the lines, Li Chengzhi quickly grasped Wang Hu's concern given the ZAFT Forces' current strong culture of insubordination.
"If we lose too many of these small probing battles in the near future..."
"Those squadron leaders will grow restless and start a major war on their own without approval from command?"
"Wouldn't they?" Wang Hu countered.
"There's nothing they wouldn't dare do."
"Heh heh heh..." Li Chengzhi suddenly laughed, finally understanding Wang Hu's intent.
"I'll report this to command. The sight of Nova's Qilin Child active on the battlefield should put considerable pressure on them."
"It might even force that famous Captain Creuset to take the field personally."
"You always understand me."
Wang Hu gave his friend a thumbs-up, eagerly anticipating the day he'd cross blades with the masked man.
Amuro's rival was Char. As someone bearing the template of that super ace...
How could he not have a masked rival of his own?
Subsequent events unfolded exactly as Wang Hu and Li Chengzhi had discussed that day.
Unwilling to accept defeat, the ZAFT fleet chose not to withdraw. Instead, they abandoned direct assaults on the Nova Resource Satellite defense line altogether.
The Coordinators opted for small fleet penetration tactics, repeatedly attempting to bypass the frontline to threaten the rear Colony Satellite zones.
Naturally, the defenders at Nova Resource Satellite wouldn't let them succeed.
Soldier against soldier, commander against commander—sparks flew wherever they met.
Around the L4 Colony Satellite zone, conflicts erupted constantly across this sector of space.
Thus the war entered a new phase. Though nothing comparable to the previous large-scale battle occurred again...
The fighting grew increasingly brutal!
And in this crucible of combat, Wang Hu's fame as Nova's Qilin Child resounded across the heavens.
With his outstanding kill count, he successfully claimed the throne as the Coordinators' number one nemesis!
"Patrick! We can't keep fighting like this in the L4 space sector."
In PLANT's capital, Clyne—current Chairman of the Coordinators' highest authority—burst into his old friend and greatest rival's office, slamming the latest battle reports onto the desk.
"Clyne!"
In the dim lighting, the square-jawed Patrick's face darkened with displeasure.
"At a time like this, why are you still spouting such childish words."
"Those uncivilized Natural monkeys only understand violence—it's the only language they comprehend!"
"Patrick!" Clyne stared at his volatile old friend, speaking with profound anguish.
"We've fought the Atlantic Federation, the Eurasian Federation, the East Asian Federation. Our soldiers have battled in space, on the moon, on Earth."
"Our strength has limits. Protecting PLANT is our fundamental objective, not competing with the Allied Forces for world hegemony!"
"No, you're wrong." Patrick slammed the table violently, clearly disagreeing with his old friend's perspective.
"More and more geniuses are emerging among the Naturals. Their resistance grows fiercer by the day."
"The Coordinator population and PLANT's advantages are inherently unsustainable. If we don't act now while their strength is at its weakest—"
"If we don't suppress all Naturals in one decisive strike, your approach will inevitably exhaust us in the long run!"
Taking two involuntary steps back, Clyne had initially believed his old friend's near-madness stemmed from his wife's death in the Junius Seven tragedy.
But now he saw Patrick still maintained rational strategic vision.
Indeed, Patrick's arguments held merit!
"We can resolve conflicts through dialogue."
Heartened by his friend's rationality, Clyne once again promoted his own philosophy.
"Captain Creuset has already been dispatched."
Waving away the other man's platitudes without listening, Patrick declared imperiously:
"War matters are my domain—I am the Chairman."
"Patrick, you—!" Clyne grew frantic seeing his friend's stubborn refusal to yield.
"Don't tell me I'll regret this."
Patrick's eyes instantly turned murderous as he growled in a lowered voice:
"I've regretted everything since the Junius Seven incident!"
(End of Chapter)