Seeing Yang Hui and the other three suddenly burst into laughter, everyone was left bewildered.
"I'm serious!" Kira said solemnly to Yang Hui again.
"Sorry, hahaha, but it's really funny, hahaha."
"What's so funny!?"
"Then guess, what powers our Mobile Suits?" Yang Hui teased Kira with a smirk.
"This!"
If Yang Hui hadn't asked, those present wouldn't have speculated much. But in this context, his counter-question planted a terrifying suspicion in their minds.
"Could it be... also..." Kira said in shock.
"Of course."
"Dammit..." Kira gritted his teeth, lowering his head as his fists clenched. He had wanted to protect the Neutron Jammer Canceller, to prevent anyone from obtaining it, because it was a key—a key that would bring disaster. Even if Yang Hui was his friend, he wouldn't hand it over to him.
Yet reality had dealt him a harsh blow—Yang Hui already had the Neutron Jammer Canceller in his possession.
"Wait, why are you angry?" Yang Hui asked Kira, exasperated.
"This kind of power shouldn't exist..."
"Then what about the one in your hands?"
"..."
"And where did your Mobile Suit come from?"
"..."
Two consecutive questions left Kira speechless. Regardless of how Orb obtained the Neutron Jammer Canceller, he himself wielded this terrifying power—a gift Yang Hui had arranged for Lacus to give him.
Moreover... the Freedom Gundam was something he had taken from ZAFT. Did that mean no other Mobile Suits equipped with Neutron Jammer Cancellers could be built? That the technology was lost?
"Power is just power. What matters is who wields it," Yang Hui said, patting Kira's shoulder.
"...Can you promise not to use it in war?" Kira asked Yang Hui.
"No," Yang Hui answered without hesitation.
"Then—"
"What I can promise is that we won't be the first to use it." Yang Hui's words weren't just for Kira but also for Murrue and the others. Nuclear energy was indeed a terrifying force, but it depended on who controlled it. At the very least, Yang Hui had never considered using nuclear weapons in war—whether on Earth or in space, and certainly not against PLANT.
Nuclear weapons were always more about deterrence than actual use—that was the unspoken rule.
Of course, if the other side chose to break the rules, like the Atlantic Federation's nuclear strike on Julius 7, then he wouldn't hold back. They could all go down together for all he cared.
"...I understand."
Kira wasn't the type to be unreasonable. In truth, from the moment the Neutron Jammer Canceller appeared, the sealed nuclear power had already been unleashed. Whether possessed by the Atlantic Federation or ZAFT, it would inevitably bring immense disaster.
Perhaps... having it in Yang Hui's hands was better than in the Earth Alliance's.
"Figured it out?" Yang Hui asked with a smile.
"Well... not exactly. It's just that things have already reached this point. Other than trusting you, I don't have any other choice," Kira said with a bitter smile.
"Kira, has anyone ever told you that you and Athrun are alike? Sometimes you're both adorably naive?" Yang Hui teased.
"Huh?"
"First, during the Alaska battle, you told everyone to stop fighting, yet you were going at it pretty intensely yourself."
"Pfft—!" Kira's lips twitched, left speechless.
"Second, there are some things you should've clarified while still on Freedom. Otherwise, now that you're standing right in front of us, do you really think you could stop us if we decided to take it by force?"
"Pfft pfft—!"
Kira clutched his chest as if struck by arrows, retreating several steps with visible pain.
"Kira! You..."
"Hahahaha..." Seeing Kira so thoroughly defeated and Flay's protective stance, everyone burst into laughter.
"Let's go. Time to depart for Orb. Even if you don't join Orb, Archangel needs repairs, and you all need a temporary place to stay."
"Yeah, agreed."
Everyone nodded, accepting Yang Hui's proposal. They truly needed time to cool down and contemplate their future paths. With nowhere else to go, they could only accept Yang Hui's invitation to temporarily stay in Orb.
...
After returning to Archangel and setting course for Orb, everyone gathered on the bridge to exchange their experiences.
Kira learned what Archangel had endured in Alaska, while the others heard about Kira's time with ZAFT.
"So that was the Earth Forces' operation plan?"
"Apparently so. We knew nothing about it," Murrue said dejectedly.
"Major Flaga, Flay, and I received transfer orders from military command, but we sensed something was wrong before boarding. That's why we returned to the base instead—and discovered the higher-ups' conspiracy," Natarle explained.
"One thing has been bothering me. We encountered Creuset inside the base," Mu said.
"What?" Everyone was shocked.
"It's true. At that time, ZAFT Forces hadn't breached the defenses yet. He shouldn't have been inside the base—unless there was another explanation," Mu continued.
"A spy?" Kira asked.
"Exactly." Mu nodded. Only a spy infiltrating beforehand could enter the base before ZAFT's breakthrough. But this raised another question: "Yet... we met Creuset at the command center. He arrived before us, meaning he must've also learned the truth about the operation. Why didn't he warn his allies to retreat?"
"...Could Creuset actually be an Earth Forces spy planted in ZAFT?" Natarle speculated.
"That doesn't add up. If so, why would he steal the G Weapon and keep pursuing us?" Murrue rejected the theory.
"Then what—"
"No idea. But that man is dangerous."
Yang Hui crossed his arms, quietly observing their analysis of Creuset with a faint smile. They'd likely never guess Creuset belonged neither to Earth Forces nor ZAFT. He represented only himself—a man capable of manipulating the entire world.
"Regardless, headquarters must've known ZAFT's target was Alaska well in advance. Otherwise, they couldn't have installed the [Cyclops System] underground beforehand."
Upon hearing this, Kira recalled the communication between Siegel Clyne and Eileen Canaver he had overheard at ZAFT.
"PLANT is the same. They didn't know the attack target was Alaska initially either."
"..."
When both pieces of information aligned, the entire situation became eerily suspicious. They all sensed an invisible hand manipulating events behind the scenes.
"Beep beep beep..."
The radar detected activity, putting everyone on edge again. Their current condition wasn't ideal.
"Radar contact detected. It's... the Orb fleet!"
"What?"
Everyone instinctively turned to look at Yang Hui.
"With such a large-scale battle in Alaska, we had to make preparations to prevent the conflict from spreading to Orb, right?" Yang Hui shrugged.
"I see." The group accepted this explanation, but... when they could see the Orb fleet with their own eyes, they stopped believing it. The ocean was littered with countless wreckage—some from Orb's fleet, but mostly from ZAFT Forces' warships and MS.
"What on earth—?!"
"Yang Hui! What exactly happened here?"
"Come on, the ZAFT Forces departed from the Carpentaria base and had to pass through this area," Yang Hui explained helplessly in response to Natarle Badgiruel's questioning. "Our fleet was stationed here. Did you think they'd just ignore us? Especially since Orb has tricked ZAFT before."
"But why did combat break out?" Defensive posturing was understandable, but she didn't believe ZAFT Forces would foolishly provoke Orb during a major operation. It must have been Orb that initiated the attack.
"...How else do you think the four of us managed to reach Alaska to rescue you?"
"Uh..." Natarle felt embarrassed but also deeply moved, knowing Yang Hui had violated Orb's neutrality principles to save them.
"But... how will Orb explain this to ZAFT?" Murrue asked, touched but concerned about the repercussions.
"No explanation needed."
"Huh?"
"ZAFT doesn't have the bandwidth to deal with us right now. Patrick Zala just became chairman and needs achievements to consolidate his power. The failure at Alaska is a major blow to him, so he must launch another large-scale operation with significant results to regain credibility. Besides, ZAFT Forces are itching for revenge after this humiliation."
"Another major operation? What's the target? Could it be Orb?"
"It won't be Orb. With 50% losses at Alaska, compared to the minor embarrassment from Orb, Earth Forces' strategy was a slap in Patrick Zala's face. His retaliation will definitely target Earth Forces. The exact objective isn't clear yet, but Panama Spaceport is most likely—it holds the greatest strategic value."
"Panama..." Murrue and the others smiled bitterly. Even after Alaska's destruction, Panama couldn't escape being attacked.
"Alright, none of this concerns you for now. Don't overthink it. Your immediate goal is to reach Orb, get some proper rest, and consider your next steps."
"Thank you, Yang Hui," Murrue said gratefully.
"Don't mention thanks between us?" Yang Hui walked over, lifted Murrue's chin, and planted a gentle kiss on her ruby lips. Not wanting to play favorites, he gave Natarle Badgiruel the same treatment, then... under the shocked, admiring, and blushing gazes of everyone present, he subtly quickened his pace and left the bridge.
Just as Yang Hui's figure disappeared behind the hatch, the next moment...
"YANG HUI!!!!!!!" X2
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