"Major, isn't this going a bit too far?"
"Even if Monsha has a bad attitude, it doesn't warrant death, does it?"
Two people stepped forward, both teammates of Bernard Monsha. They had come from the same unit and were named Alpha A. Bate and Chap Adel. Like Bernard Monsha, they were members of the Immortal Fourth Squad and were also Ace Pilots.
Although Bernard Monsha was arrogant, sarcastic, and harsh, he got along well with his teammates. So, while others were afraid, these two stepped forward to speak up for him.
Yang Hui had a decent impression of these two. They knew how to assess the situation but also had the courage to take responsibility when needed.
"You know what?" Yang Hui released Bernard Monsha's hand and calmly addressed the newcomers. "All information about the MS is currently classified as top military secrets. What do you call it when you pry into such matters without authorization?"
"This!" All the troublemaking newcomers broke into a cold sweat and stepped back. They genuinely hadn't known about this.
"We... we're not... didn't we join this unit? It... it shouldn't be classified, right?" someone whispered.
"Hah, have you reported to me? Have I approved it?"
Yang Hui's cold laugh nearly made their legs give way. They had arrived at the new unit but hadn't reported to Yang Hui. Procedurally speaking, they hadn't officially joined the Twelfth Independent Technical Division. Therefore... their unauthorized inspection of the MS could easily be labeled as espionage—a crime punishable by hanging!
Now, no one pitied Bernard Monsha lying on the ground. Not only had Yang Hui crippled him, but even if he had shot him on the spot, it would have been justified. Moreover, it was Monsha who had been inciting them to cause trouble earlier. Now, they wished he were dead.
"You were all elites I selected from various units. I had high hopes for you, but your performance has been a great disappointment." Yang Hui's calm tone sent shivers down their spines. "Let's not even talk about your abilities. Your lack of organization and discipline makes you unworthy of being soldiers."
"Major! We..."
"What? Am I wrong?"
"N-no..."
"Louder! Weren't you all so arrogant earlier? Why are you all cowards now?"
"No!"
"I had high hopes for you, but now... him, get him sent back to his original unit. The rest of you, follow Travis for an assessment. Only those who pass can stay in my unit. Those who fail, get sent back!"
Originally, Yang Hui hadn't planned any assessment. But seeing these newcomers cause trouble as soon as they arrived, their lack of organization and discipline disappointed him. He decided to arrange an assessment to put them in their place and make them more obedient.
If any remained disobedient, like Bernard Monsha, they could go back where they came from. Yang Hui wasn't going to indulge them.
Originally, Yang Hui had no regard for someone like Bernard Monsha. He wasn't particularly outstanding, and his sarcastic, arrogant, and lecherous nature made him unfit to be Yang Hui's subordinate.
However, he considered that Monsha was, after all, a named character. There might be discrepancies between the real world and his memories, and at the very least, he could be disciplined. But now...
Who told Bernard Monsha to have no sense of discernment? On top of that, Yang Hui was already in a bad mood, and every word out of Monsha's mouth was nothing but insults. Yang Hui just happened to need an opportunity to establish his authority in front of the troublemakers, so he crippled him directly, sparing others from being harmed by him in the future (Yes, I'm talking about you, Phantom Ace!).
No one dared to speak. Now, all they could think about was what the assessment Yang Hui mentioned would entail and how to pass it. After all, they were also "suspects" of espionage. Although Yang Hui said those who failed would be sent back to their original units, given his brutal treatment of Bernard Monsha, they couldn't trust such a flippant promise.
The only way to protect themselves was to join the Twelfth Independent Technical Division.
"Travis, take them away."
"Yes."
"By the way, the people behind me—South Burning, Cima Garahau, Lydo Wolf, Charlulu Kissinggum, Kowloon, Heinz Bell, Diris Hanovers, Shiro Amada, Christina Mackenzie—they don't need to participate."
"Why?!"
"That's unfair!"
Seeing some receiving special treatment, complaints immediately arose.
"Because they just reported to me, and I've already approved their enlistment. They are now members of the Twelfth Independent Technical Division. Any questions?"
"Yes..."
"Keep it to yourself! Remember, I'm the boss of this unit. What I say is the truth! If you're not satisfied, you're free to leave. I won't indulge anyone!"
"..." The complainers fell silent. Though still dissatisfied, they could only quietly accept the outcome, truly afraid of following in Bernard Monsha's footsteps.
"Fort, call the medics to take this lump away. Patch him up and send him back to his original unit."
"Understood."
"Wait, Major, he's not dead?" Alpha A. Bate asked in surprise. The "crack" sound from the neck earlier was unmistakable. With enough force to shatter bones in a single kick to the neck, how could he still be alive?
"Of course he's not dead. I'm not a maniac. He'll just be spending the rest of his life in bed."
"You might as well have killed him!" the newcomers screamed inwardly.
"Go ask Zeon if they believe that!" was the collective thought of Travis Kirkland and the others.
Such words were definitely not spoken aloud, so everyone simply did as they were told. Staying obedient was the key to survival.
Travis Kirkland led the newcomers who needed assessment away. Though this was a last-minute addition, they had all undergone various tests and evaluations before. Travis Kirkland knew what to do. As for those who remained...
"I've reviewed your records. You've all passed simulation training assessments with decent results, but I'll say it again: there's nothing to be proud of. So, put away your pride."
"Yes!" (Multiple voices)
"Jung, Yu, take them to the Simulation Training Room. Let them experience it."
"Understood." (Both)
Jung and Kajima Yuu accepted the order, feeling a sense of anticipation—not for bullying newcomers, but for the potential among them. Since they had already joined the Twelfth Independent Technical Division, they were now comrades. Fighting alongside capable comrades was always a joy.
Moreover, Yang Hui had said that once this group of new recruits finished their training, they would be divided into squads, and the few of them would be the captains. Who wouldn't want to pick the most outstanding individuals for their own squad?
As their primary instructor, he naturally had access to firsthand information and could seize the initiative… Wait, Yang Hui himself also needed to pick people! Wouldn't that mean their advantage was… Ugh, privileged bureaucratic dogs!
"Major, let's go too."
"Yeah, we're just sitting around anyway. Having more people to teach the new recruits would speed things up, right?"
"Major, let us go too."
Russ Kessel and the others who had stayed behind made their request. They weren't fools—what Jung and Kajima Yuu had thought of, they naturally realized as well. And Yang Hui had thought of it too.
"Hah, teaching new recruits? More like making it easier to snatch them, right?"
"Uh… haha, look at you saying that. We're not that kind of people," Russ Kessel and the others awkwardly denied.
"Forget it then. You were trained by Jung and Yuu, and you know their skills. We don't need that many…"
"We do!" X5
"I said we don't…"
"Major, we were wrong! Please give us a chance!" X5
"Go ahead."
"Yahoo~ Major, we love you!" X5
"Get lost, quickly!"
"Yes!" X5
The five of them eagerly chased after Jung and the others, making Yang Hui shake his head and chuckle. Still, he quite liked this kind of atmosphere. On the battlefield, they were the most precise war machines, eliminating enemies and completing objectives with meticulous precision. But in private, they were flesh-and-blood people, and among the most lively and endearing group.
"Major." At that moment, the head of the communications department approached and reported to Yang Hui, "General Revil is looking for you."
"What does that old fox want now?"
"Uh… I don't know." The department head broke into a cold sweat, not daring to comment on that remark.
"I understand." Although he was still very unhappy that Revil and Gopp had used him as bait without informing him, the fact that Revil sought him out despite knowing Yang Hui's displeasure meant there was something important. So, he went to see Revil.
"Generalissimo, what are your orders?"
"You brat, was it really such a big deal that we used you once?" Seeing Yang Hui's sarcastic tone, Revil scolded him irritably.
"How would I dare, sir? I'm just a lowly major. The Generalissimo can use me however he pleases with just a word, right?"
"Enough, you brat. It was our fault for not informing you in advance, but the results were fruitful—we rooted out quite a few rats and ensured your safety ahead of time."
"Alright, General Revil. Next time you need to use my life or the lives of my subordinates, could you please notify us in advance?"
"Alright, alright, you brat. Let's put this matter behind us. I called you here for something urgent."
"Something serious enough to make you this serious… Has Zeon made another big move?"
"Yes, the Dozle Fleet has stopped over Earth again. The newly formed fleet from Luna II attempted to intercept but failed. Fortunately, the losses weren't too severe."
"It seems Zeon is also eager to launch their next drop operation. Have the predicted locations been determined?" Yang Hui asked. He had his suspicions—his memory pointed to North America—but the failure on the Middle Eastern front had already thrown the timeline into chaos, so he couldn't be certain.
"Three predicted locations: one in North America, one in South Africa, and one in Odessa. According to the analysis from the General Staff, the drop at Odessa is likely a resource extraction unit. The real military force should be at one of the other two, but we can't confirm which one yet."
This was precisely what troubled Revil. With more battlefields opening up, forces would inevitably be spread thin. The Federation simply didn't have enough troops to deploy to both South Africa and North America simultaneously. If the numbers were too low, they wouldn't even be able to buy time.
"So, what do you need us to do?"
"How long until the expanded unit is combat-ready?" Revil asked.
"At least a month."
"...That's too long."
"Can't be helped. With more personnel, I can't train them one by one. Besides, their Mobile Suits are all mass-produced models. If you could equip each of them with an Astray Gundam, I'd dare to send them out to face Zeon in half a month."
"Are you dreaming?! You developed that Mobile Suit yourself—don't you know how expensive it is?!"
"Exactly." Yang Hui shrugged, indicating there was nothing he could do.
"...Alright, I understand. I'll do my best, and you do yours." Revil sighed in resignation. A unit that wasn't combat-ready would be of little use on the battlefield, only resulting in unnecessary losses.
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