"Wang Hu, I sincerely apologize. I was too impulsive during the previous battle."
On the Archangel, which had just retreated from the battlefield, Li Chengzhi was earnestly reflecting on his mistakes to Wang Hu.
Why was he making such a formal self-criticism?
Naturally, it was because everything that happened afterward aligned perfectly with Wang Hu's predictions.
During the Archangel's retreat, they first encountered Mu, who was returning after receiving the signal.
And trailing behind Mu were the remaining enemy MS GINN units.
When everyone on the bridge saw the GINNs chasing Mu, they all felt a sense of relief at having narrowly escaped disaster.
If not for Wang Hu's insistence, if they had rejected Wang Hu's command and clung to wishful thinking—
Choosing to fight the Creuset team to the death on the battlefield—
The best outcome would have been the complete annihilation of the Creuset team, while their own ship, the Archangel, would have been severely damaged or even rendered immobile.
But in that case, wouldn't they have perished together with their opponents?
On paper, it might seem like they had traded one battleship for an unprecedented victory against the ZAFT Forces, but the cost...
Would have been their own lives!
Of course, in certain situations, such an exchange might be acceptable, but if it could be avoided...
Even Lieutenant Natarle Badgiruel, who had the most professional military mindset on the Archangel, inwardly believed that avoiding such a sacrifice was preferable.
Later, the group encountered Kira, who returned alone. There wasn't much to say about him.
There was no Aegis chasing him, nor had the Aegis Gundam been shot down by Kira.
After experiencing such an intense and unpredictable battle, everyone was mentally exhausted and didn't press for details.
As long as Kira returned safely, that was all that mattered. No one had any further demands.
This reaction left Kira, who had returned full of anxiety, both surprised and touched. He had mentally prepared himself for a harsh scolding from Wang Hu upon his return.
To his astonishment, when he stood before Wang Hu, the latter merely patted his head with a smile and said, "It's good that you returned safely."
"Wang Hu... big brother?"
Watching Wang Hu's retreating back as he headed toward the bridge, Kira stood rooted to the spot, his face filled with guilt, and remained silent for a long time.
His demeanor confused his classmates, such as Tolle and Miriallia, who had come to greet him with excitement.
"Kira, are you okay?" Miriallia asked worriedly as she approached.
"Ah, I'm fine."
Startled, Kira quickly masked his feelings with a smile and assured them he was alright.
He attributed his weary expression to the intensity of the battle.
Naturally, Tolle and the others didn't doubt his explanation.
Only Flay, who lingered at the back of the group, observed Kira closely.
She also recalled the expression Kira had when facing Wang Hu—that look of someone who had done wrong and was expecting a scolding—and pondered it thoughtfully.
On the bridge, the command center of the Archangel, Wang Hu had already put thoughts of Kira out of his mind.
Since what was done was done, what was the point of scolding Kira after the fact?
Why should I have to stomach the disgust and comfort him?
Rather than cursing him out to make him feel better, wouldn't it be better to let his heart be filled with guilt?
Besides, is Athrun's life or death really that important?
Indeed, in terms of combat capability, Athrun is the originally intended second male lead of this world and the strongest overall among the trio of unmatched fighters.
Having him exit the stage early has its benefits, but the timing isn't quite right at the moment.
If he were to exit now, it might even cause problems.
Don't forget, in the current ZAFT Forces, Athrun's father Patrick is the Chairman.
Having already lost his wife in the Junius Seven Incident and nearly losing his sanity, if Patrick were to experience the pain of losing his son...
Even if, for various reasons, he were to go mad on the spot and try to stir up even greater turmoil, the Allied Forces could still manage on paper.
But he still holds the unfinished Genesis.
Once that Genesis is completed, who can guarantee that a deranged Patrick wouldn't immediately fire it at Earth?
"What a headache. How should we deal with Genesis?"
Leaning against the wall in the bridge with his arms crossed, Wang Hu listened as Natarle Badgiruel and others summarized the ship's current situation while pondering the future.
In the original timeline, the Genesis problem was resolved by Kira and Athrun. But in this world where I've intervened, can they still solve it?
Wang Hu couldn't guarantee it and didn't want to put all his eggs in one basket.
Ah— Wang Hu's eyes lit up. That officer by Patrick's side in the original timeline.
The one who ultimately stopped Patrick and ended him with a single shot.
According to the information in his mind, there were rumors that the officer's grandmother or some family member lived in the Earth Sphere?
"Hmph." A faint smile of glimpsing victory appeared as Wang Hu couldn't help but sigh.
The Coordinators keep saying they are the future of humanity, but their roots will always be grafted onto Naturals.
Emotional bonds, origins, family—a race that can never completely sever ties with Naturals.
How could they possibly achieve what Patrick claims, completely usurping the place of Naturals like a cuckoo taking over a nest?
Not to mention Coordinators still have to face the unsolvable issue of genetic degradation. Even Durandal's Destiny Plan is nothing but a castle in the air.
It sounds good in theory, but without the test of time, it remains nothing more than an enticing PowerPoint presentation.
"Hey, Wang Hu, what are you doing?"
Li Chengzhi walked up to Wang Hu displeased and said, "The rest of us are running off our feet dealing with the Archangel's affairs.
And you? Leaning against the wall with your eyes closed, blatantly slacking off!
Even if you're genuinely exhausted from combat, you could just go back to your room and rest—no one would blame you.
But since you've come to the bridge, at least pretend to be busy!"
"Supplies are running low, right?"
As mentioned earlier, the Archangel launched in haste and hasn't properly resupplied since the fighting began. With a lift of his eyelids, Wang Hu went straight to the core issue.
His expression stiffening, Li Chengzhi showed a wry smile that said, "Typical you." Sure enough, every situation was within your expectations.
"Captain Wang Hu, do you have any good ideas?"
Natarle Badgiruel, who was following behind Li Chengzhi, asked while observing Wang Hu's calm expression and trying to gauge his thoughts.
Could it be the same plan she couldn't bring herself to voice?
"The debris field of Junius Seven has sufficient supplies for our replenishment. Considering the current situation with Creuset's team, we'll have a considerable window of opportunity."
"At least until Creuset gets recalled, chewed out, punished, and redeployed."
"Probably no one will come looking for trouble with us during this period. We can use this time to rest, resupply, and contact the Allied Forces."
"See? Is this really that difficult to resolve?"
Facing the varied expressions of those around him, Wang Hu spread his hands, appearing genuinely puzzled by their troubled looks.
"Captain Wang Hu." Delighted inwardly, Natarle Badgiruel saw that Wang Hu had proposed the same plan she wanted to suggest and quickly sought to express her agreement.
This wasn't about claiming credit or proving her strategic ability was equal to Wang Hu's - Natarle wanted to share any potential criticism that might be directed at Wang Hu!
But before she could speak, Captain Murrue, after scanning the silent bridge crew who kept their heads down, was the first to speak.
Her tone wasn't particularly forceful; on the contrary, it seemed hesitant, yet her words carried significant weight.
"Could we avoid going to the Junius Seven debris field? Perhaps after Creuset and his forces leave, it would be better for us to search near the Artemis Fortress area?"
"There might still be survivors from our forces there. We could attempt rescue operations, after all, that fortress was destroyed because of us..."
"With such a major incident occurring, the Artemis Fortress area will soon become a massive vortex."
"Out of humanitarian spirit, and considering the distance between Orb's satellite Heliopolis and the fortress, the first rescue fleet to arrive will undoubtedly be from Orb."
"The Allied Forces and ZAFT rescue fleets that follow likely won't engage in combat at the fortress wreckage site."
Wang Hu shook his head, rejecting Murrue's argument.
"Despite everyone currently fighting like mad dogs, there's still an unwritten understanding that should be maintained regarding battlefield rescue operations."
"But if we appear at the Artemis Fortress wreckage site, there are too many variables that could occur during rescue operations."
"The ZAFT Forces, having just suffered a major defeat, might take some irrational actions. That vortex could potentially evolve into an even greater storm."
"But..." Murrue contemplated Wang Hu's prediction in her mind.
The possibility of the Allied Forces and ZAFT Forces engaging in major combat at the Artemis Fortress site due to the Archangel's appearance wasn't just possible - it was quite likely.
Even so, Murrue still felt uncomfortable about going to collect supplies from the Junius Seven debris field.
The reason was simple: due to widespread Coordinator propaganda, that place had become a site of shame for the Allied Forces.
Any Natural with a conscience would inevitably feel guilt and regret when facing the wreckage of Junius Seven.
"Is it because of the over 200,000 Coordinator casualties?"
Observing Murrue's and the others' expressions, Wang Hu didn't hesitate to directly address their concerns.
"Yes." Murrue answered Wang Hu's question on behalf of the group.
"There." Sometimes with intelligent people, you don't need to spell everything out - they'll understand naturally.
"Heh." Wang Hu chuckled lightly, his gaze sweeping over everyone present.
"Can any of you think of a better place than there?"
"Put away your inexplicable noble sentiments. I don't want to see you starving to the point of cannibalizing each other inside the battleship."
"And... don't just focus on what the enemy propagandizes while ignoring what's happening in your own backyard. Use your brains, don't make me sick."
"What's the current situation in the Earth Sphere? Ordinary people might claim ignorance, but can you say the same?"
Their expressions froze, Murrue and the others' faces shifting through various emotions.
Compared to the over one billion casualties, the Junius Seven tragedy that the Coordinators kept shouting about...
Paled in comparison, completely insignificant.
So why were they always so concerned about Junius Seven while ignoring the April Fools' Crisis?
Since going on sale at 6 AM this morning, we've just reached an average of 500 subscriptions. Some might consider this a small, insignificant achievement.
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Sincerely, thank you all. For the next two days, I'll be updating four chapters daily, forgetting about everything else.
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