Roasted camel is likely the highest standard of welcome ceremony in desert regions when receiving distinguished guests.
Regarding the preparation of this dish, traditional methods vary—some claim it requires three days and nights of roasting, while others insist on seven days.
Having seen the enormous camel laid out before him with his own eyes, Wang Hu couldn't be certain of the actual circumstances.
In any case, unless Ashman possessed the same foresight into the future as he did,
it would have been impossible for him to have prepared this before the Archangel crashed into this desert.
Thus, watching Ashman emphatically describe the roasted camel as prepared according to ancient traditions, and observing the bearded Ashman wield a curved knife to slice open the camel's belly and reveal the roasted lamb inside,
then—with more theatrical flair than substance—proceed to extract a duck from the lamb, finally mysteriously approaching him with a dagger skewering a greasy egg,
Wang Hu maintained a perfectly standard diplomatic smile and accepted the egg that was still dripping with oil.
"Captain, please accept the friendship of the desert."
Ashman's words were filled with goodwill, his eyes fixed intently on Wang Hu holding the egg.
The surrounding crowd mirrored Ashman's demeanor; though they might harbor their own thoughts about Wang Hu and his companions,
at this moment, they were all waiting for Wang Hu to eat the egg symbolizing friendship.
"Thank you for Chief Ashman's magnificent welcome ceremony, and for the friendship between the East Asian Alliance and the desert dwellers."
Facing the crowd's enthusiasm, Wang Hu refrained from any unconventional behavior. With a smile, he took a bite of the oil-soaked egg.
He then loudly praised the egg's deliciousness and raised the dagger toward the sky to express, on behalf of the Archangel, his gratitude for the grand welcome ceremony.
After the opening formalities concluded and everyone dispersed to enjoy the feast,
Mu quietly approached and asked, "Was the egg tasty?"
"Hmm?" Wang Hu, holding a water cup, replied puzzledly, "Do you want some?"
"No, no, no." Shaking his head repeatedly, Mu said with a hint of peculiar meaning,
"I heard before that many people, because that egg absorbs too much grease, either for health reasons or to show their uniqueness,
always find various high-sounding excuses to give the egg to someone else to eat.
Most often, they give it to children present, claiming they are the future and thus the most honorable people at the event, deserving to eat that egg."
"Tch." Taking a sip of water from his cup, Wang Hu said softly,
"Dressing formally and following protocols on solemn, official occasions is both respecting others and respecting oneself.
So-called uniqueness through casual attire and self-centered behavior—you might think you're expressing individuality,
but unknowingly, such perceived nonconformity inadvertently shuts out potential partners.
Mu, don't let some pointless toxic chicken soup blind you. Often, things heavily promoted by others aren't necessarily correct."
"You have your own mind, so why let others' seemingly reasonable but actually completely irrational arguments easily influence you?"
"Good point." Mu stood beside Wang Hu, watching the singing and dancing desert dwellers at the banquet. After a long silence, he suddenly remarked with emotion.
"They seem quite cheerful, as if they've been like this for thousands of years."
"What else would you expect?" Wang Hu glanced sideways at Mu, who had approached him and was making seemingly casual conversation.
"Have they ever had the chance to choose their way of life over thousands of years? Since there's no choice, why not take each day as it comes?"
"For example, even in this era, AIDS remains something people fear - it's practically a natural disaster to us."
"But on this continent, to them, it's as insignificant as a common cold."
"That's quite a statement." Tactically tossing a desert date into his mouth, Mu indicated this reasoning was too unreasonable.
"No one isn't afraid of death - that disease is fatal to both them and us."
"Is that so?" Wang Hu shrugged his shoulders. "Theoretically, someone with that disease can survive for over a decade without any medication."
"But many viruses rampant on this continent can cause immediate death."
"If you don't believe me, just check online. With such conditions, do you think they still view that disease as a natural disaster?"
"Hahaha." Faced with Wang Hu's well-reasoned argument, Mu once again selectively tossed another desert date into his mouth.
"This world is just like that - always full of injustice." Mu slowly steered the conversation toward his intended purpose.
"What exactly are you East Asian Alliance's plans? The Zeta Gundam doesn't seem to be prepared just to deal with ZAFT."
"Oh." Wang Hu raised his glass, gesturing toward Cagalli who was looking in their direction.
"Actually, all problems in this world ultimately come down to the disease of poverty."
"In our East Asian Alliance, there's an old saying: 'When the granaries are full, people learn propriety.' Though of course, wealth doesn't necessarily make people better."
"But when everyone is prosperous, it can indeed solve many problems. So the ultimate goal of the East Asian Alliance is to achieve common prosperity for all."
"When that day comes and the Great Harmony descends upon this world, our East Asian people's great undertaking and heavenly mandate will be accomplished."
Once again tossing several desert dates into his mouth, Mu had originally only intended to indirectly inquire about the East Asian Alliance's future plans.
But to his surprise, Wang Hu had delivered what sounded like pure fantasy.
"Is that even possible?" Mu pondered for a while. Living in his circles, he felt what Wang Hu described was like something out of A Thousand and One Nights.
"Without distinctions based on nation, ethnicity, or race, liberating all humanity from material shackles, uniting all humankind with one purpose to advance toward a better future."
"Pretty bold, isn't it, Comrade Mu La Flaga?" Wang Hu turned to look at the stunned Mu, his eyes shining with what could be called hope for the future.
He was sincere and serious. Anyone who saw Wang Hu at this moment and witnessed the light in his eyes would never doubt that his words represented what he was striving to achieve.
"Can it be done?" Mu avoided Wang Hu's gaze, his voice barely above a whisper.
"A person may shout slogans loudly and speak beautiful words, but if their actions don't match what they preach, then that person is a fraud."
"The same goes for a nation. Haven't we already proven ourselves through our actions?"
Wang Hu extended his hand before Mu, formally issuing an invitation.
"Would you like to join me in trying to create a great undertaking that transcends barriers, guiding humanity's world toward an infinite future?"
"This—" Mu stared at the outstretched hand as if seeing Medusa's head full of venomous snakes.
He knew exactly what great undertaking Wang Hu referred to—something that, in its heyday, would have made the Atlantic Federation's president sleep with a gun under their pillow.
But reading about it in history books was one thing; witnessing that colossal entity, which once cast its shadow over the entire world, emerge from ancient scrolls was entirely different.
Despite his wealthy background and outward indifference to his origins, Mu couldn't help but feel a bone-deep fear in the presence of this behemoth.
Wang Hu laughed, seeing the apprehension written all over Mu's face, but didn't press him further.
There was no need to force an immediate answer.
"There's still opportunity, and there's still time." Wang Hu withdrew his hand casually.
"You can continue to observe—to see whether we are right or they are in this world."
"We? They?" Mu repeated Wang Hu's words, fully understanding what he meant.
Though Mu often voiced disdain for the Atlantic Federation's various actions, it was, after all, the country of his birth and where he lived.
"Hahaha, I don't think it's that bad yet." Mu kept tossing jujubes into his mouth, chewing continuously.
He focused so much on eating that he forgot to swallow, his cheeks puffing up like a squirrel stuffed with acorns.
"Yes, for you, it's not that bad yet." Wang Hu pointed at the singing and dancing desert dwellers and asked calmly,
"But for them, the world has been terrible for a long time. If we never come, how much longer must their suffering continue?"
"Wang Hu!" Mu lowered his voice and spat the thoroughly chewed jujubes onto the sand.
"Don't make it sound so frightening. We previously—"
"Wasting food in the desert is the greatest sin."
Suddenly, a dark-skinned youth rushed over from afar, having witnessed Mu spitting the jujubes on the ground.
Ahmed, Cagalli's driver, shouted loudly before standing before Wang Hu and the others, glaring at Mu.
"Just as expected from someone from the Atlantic Federation—the most wasteful people in the world. You have no innate understanding of frugality."
"Nor do you know how harsh the outside world can be!"
"I—" Mu took two steps back, looking around at the unfriendly stares directed at him due to Ahmed's outburst.
"Hahaha, there's a reason for this." Mu tried to find an excuse; he wasn't actually a wasteful person.
"Is it natural for citizens of a great nation to be surrounded by hostile gazes?"
Wang Hu crouched down, covering the crushed jujubes with sand, while making a darkly humorous joke.
"Wang Hu!" Mu ground his teeth as he glared at Wang Hu's back. If possible, Mu really wanted to kick this guy in the back.
Had Creuset ever been angered like this too?
Somehow, this thought inexplicably surfaced from the depths of Mu's heart.
"Mu, Wang Hu, what are you two doing?" Noticing the change in atmosphere among the surrounding crowd, Murrue came running over across the sandy sea, her headlights swaying as she stumbled through the deep sand.
"Nothing." Wang Hu waved his hand with a smile, signaling Murrue not to worry.
"You two!" Murrue had of course come to ease the tension, just as she was about to say something.
"Look over there! The sky is burning!"
From among the partygoers, several children who should have been carefree pointed excitedly toward one side of the sky.
"So beautiful!"
What appeared as a beautiful spectacle to the children might not be the same for the adults.
"The direction of the town?" Several burly men in the crowd suddenly changed expressions.
Without waiting for their leader Ashman to speak, they immediately abandoned the precious food right then and there.
Like their butts were on fire, they rushed toward the jeeps in the camp - they needed to get to the town immediately.
Because their families were there.
(End of Chapter)