In the East Asian Alliance capital of the Breaking Ball World, news of the incident at the Gabon experimental base had just arrived.
Inside an ordinary room in the highest government office building, a man with refined features uncontrollably rose to his feet.
"What?" A low but unmistakably astonished voice escaped him. The man, Zhou Zhezi, who had never lost his composure in public before, showed a rare expression of surprise.
Hao Xiaoxi, the woman who had delivered the information about the Gabon experimental base, nodded firmly as she watched the respected elder before her—someone who had never shown such shock since she began following him.
"Mr. Zhou, it's absolutely true. The Gabon experimental base was just targeted in a terrorist attack by the Digital Life Faction."
"Fortunately, the East Asian Alliance from another world provided assistance, preventing major losses."
"At the same time, the East Asian Alliance from that other world has sent an official diplomatic request, hoping to visit us for exchange talks."
As she spoke, Hao Xiaoxi turned on the computer in front of Mr. Zhou, then pulled out a USB drive and opened the video footage.
Mr. Zhou had already skimmed through the printed materials, so watching some video evidence would help corroborate the facts.
"No need." Having instantly regained his composure, Mr. Zhou waved his hand, signaling his assistant to give him a moment of quiet.
"Yes." Admiringly, Hao Xiaoxi acknowledged and stood silently nearby, awaiting Mr. Zhou's decision.
Truly, this was Mr. Zhou. When she first learned about the events at the Gabon experimental base, she had pinched her arm several times to confirm it wasn't a dream.
But Mr. Zhou could adjust his mindset so quickly and immediately consider the next steps. Whatever decision he made would undoubtedly be the most correct one for the East Asian Alliance and their world.
Just as Hao Xiaoxi was lost in her thoughts, and just as she assumed Mr. Zhou wouldn't make a decision so swiftly—
"Xiaoxi, prepare the plane. We're going to the Gabon experimental base."
Opening his eyes, Mr. Zhou had already chosen his path in his heart.
"Yes, I'll inform them to come here." Nodding, Hao Xiaoxi hurriedly prepared to arrange the reception.
"I said we are going there." Seeing that his assistant seemed to have misunderstood, Mr. Zhou stopped her and clarified again.
"Ah?" Hao Xiaoxi was momentarily stunned. Upon processing his words, she instinctively tried to dissuade him. "Mr. Zhou, although they did help us at the Gabon experimental base, for safety's sake, it would be better to have them come here, right?"
"Based solely on their account and the explanations from our astronaut named Wang Hu, we can't guarantee the truth. What if they're luring you there? The consequences could be disastrous."
"I know." Mr. Zhou looked at his assistant with wise, understanding eyes. Hao Xiaoxi's concerns were reasonable.
Even within the same world, deception exists between nations. There are instances where important figures from other countries are invited for business and then detained under fabricated pretexts.
Even putting ankle monitors on her, they refused to release her despite pressure from major powers.
Similar incidents have occurred even in so-called developed countries.
So it goes without saying for visitors from another world—if they harbor ill intentions, they aren't even in the same world anyway.
The morals and unwritten rules of this world truly cannot restrain them.
Just like when the Old World expanded into the New World, the moral standards of the pioneers were, to put it mildly, questionable.
But Mr. Zhou had his own reasons. Looking down at the photo in the file on his desk, he saw a typical East Asian face and a writing system that shared the same lineage.
"East Asians don't fight East Asians"—would the other side also abide by this saying?
He wanted to test it out. Personally going there was part of demonstrating his stance!
Moreover, he intended to use his own eyes to determine the other party's true intentions.
Meanwhile, as Mr. Zhou rushed to the Gabon experimental base with his team at top speed, in this base that had just weathered a storm, CE Wang Hu, after a long rest, was sitting contentedly in a specially cordoned-off area of the base, enjoying the delicacies specially prepared for them by the base's chefs.
"Aren't you nervous?" Using chopsticks to poke at the food on his plate, Broken Sphere Wang Hu asked curiously.
Not long after the incident ended, when CE Wang Hu descended from the Zeta Gundam and met with the base's higher-ups, Broken Sphere Wang Hu was also brought here.
Since then, he hadn't seen any other people from this world, and along with CE Wang Hu and his group, he was being courteously hosted in the quarantine zone.
"Nervous about what? They seem way more nervous than I am."
Hearing this, CE Wang Hu almost laughed out loud, vividly recalling the moment he opened the Zeta Gundam's cockpit.
The mix of shock and delight on the faces of the people from this world on the ground.
Thinking back, it was a precious memory—they had genuinely prepared themselves to witness aliens with three eyes and six arms.
"Reception area." Broken Sphere Wang Hu pointed around with his chopsticks, adding a slightly intimidating tone.
"You know what this really is, don't you? It's just a slightly more spacious prison."
"Don't forget, to show goodwill earlier, you parked the Zeta Gundam in the square."
"If a few hotheads in the base now burst in and gun us down, we'd die with grievances."
"Macabre humor." Both were himself; though there were individual differences, the general direction remained unchanged.
Shooting a displeased glance at Broken Sphere Wang Hu, CE Wang Hu said with a laugh,
"If things turn unfavorable, I can just open a Light Gate and escape to the Homeworld."
"Instead of worrying about me, you should worry about yourself."
"My roots are in the SEED world, but yours are here. My side has already accepted my special status."
"Your world might not smoothly accept your situation. You'll likely face lifelong surveillance."
"But it's not without benefits. For example, if you express interest in a certain woman, I'm sure it'll go very smoothly."
"Heh heh." Letting out a cold laugh, originally intending to tease the other, the joke circled back to himself.
Broken Sphere Wang Hu adopted a "dead pig doesn't fear boiling water" attitude. "Surveillance is surveillance then. A gentleman has nothing to hide."
"Talking about things so far in the past isn't particularly meaningful. What's more relevant is that Liu Peiqiang has probably already undergone internal review by now."
"Hmm?" Ace Wang Hu became intrigued upon hearing this. He was quite curious about that fated protagonist from the original worldline, having never seen him in person.
Perhaps it was some sort of collection compulsion, but Ace Wang Hu rather fancied the idea of bringing this "Wolf Warrior" of the Breaking Ball World back to his own world for some training.
With his inherent luck, might this Mr. Liu Peiqiang also become an outstanding Ace pilot?
"He and I are good friends," said Breaking Ball Wang Hu with a mischievous smile, noticing Ace Wang Hu's interest.
"Before awakening, probably due to some mysterious kind of fortune, we got along quite well."
"Do you think after what happened, he'll have to go through due process?"
"He'll definitely go through it."
Picking up a piece of fish with his chopsticks and chewing it, Ace Wang Hu seemed more confident in this world's government than Breaking Ball Wang Hu was.
"But I believe they won't wrong an innocent person."
"Yes, what this Mr. Wang Hu from another world says is correct.A voice that naturally inspired goodwill and trust spoke up, as Mr. Zhou entered with only Hao Xiaoxi in tow.
"Mr. Zhou?" Breaking Ball Wang Hu immediately stood up. As a native of this world with memories of this man's conduct and style,
it was hard for him not to feel deep admiration for Mr. Zhou in his heart.
On the other side, though Ace Wang Hu didn't rise to greet him, upon seeing Mr. Zhou approach,
and after carefully noting his slightly wrinkled clothes and slightly damp temples, Ace Wang Hu could imagine how hurriedly the other had come.
"Hello, Mr. Zhou." Seeing the other extend his hands from afar, Ace Wang Hu promptly stood up and went to meet him.
Two hands from two different worlds but sharing the same origin clasped together. The tactful Hao Xiaoxi took out her phone to record this historic moment.
"Mr. Wang Hu." Mr. Zhou nodded with a smile. "May I address you this way?"
"Of course, it's my honor," Ace Wang Hu replied cheerfully. "Haven't I been calling you Mr. Zhou directly too?"
"Why use distant formalities between family? That only creates unnecessary distance."
"Good, good, good." Mr. Zhou smiled very genuinely, then turned his gaze to Breaking Ball Wang Hu beside them.
"It's truly amazing how the world works. Because of one person, we can meet a compatriot from afar."
"And because of this compatriot from afar, we've averted a major crisis - all thanks to you, Mr. Wang Hu of this world."
"In my personal capacity, I represent the entire East Asian Alliance and the entire United Earth Government in expressing our gratitude to you."
Mr. Zhou wasn't just spouting polite official rhetoric - he genuinely expressed his thanks with a bow.
"Please don't do this, I don't deserve such honor!"
Startled by Mr. Zhou's gesture, Breaking Ball Wang Hu felt overwhelmed by the unexpected honor and hurriedly supported the respected man who had already bent halfway.
"No." Instead of straightening up immediately, Mr. Zhou insisted on completing the bow.
When he rose again, his face still wore the same gentle smile as Mu's, before he turned back to Ace Wang Hu, about to speak.
"Please wait a moment, Mr. Zhou."
CE Wang Hu stopped the other from speaking, and under the puzzled gazes of the group, he turned to look at the surveillance camera in the corner.
"Hmm?"
As if sensing something, Mr. Zhou—who in the original timeline was likely the first to discover the existence of the digital life form MOSS—twitched his brow.
"Would you like to come with me to see the Homeworld?"
Truth be told, it wasn't the best time to bring this up. No sooner had CE Wang Hu made the suggestion than Hao Xiaoxi, standing behind Mr. Zhou, shifted uneasily. She clearly wanted to advise against it but held back with visible effort.
In her view, Mr. Zhou's presence here alone was already risky enough. Now, without having established further mutual trust, the other party was asking him to go to an even more uncertain location. It was hard to say whether they had ulterior motives!
"Sure." After a moment's thought, Mr. Zhou readily agreed.
"Mr. Zhou." This time, Hao Xiaoxi couldn't hold back—half out of duty, half out of genuine concern for his safety.
She stepped forward and volunteered, "Perhaps it would be better if I went instead. You're too tired, Mr. Zhou, and need proper rest."
"How can I refuse a friend's invitation?"
Turning to his well-meaning assistant, Mr. Zhou's tone was calm yet resolute.
Isn't this how mutual trust is built, step by step?
Moreover, when it came to the legendary Homeworld, this might be the best opportunity to save Earth in its current state.
He would never give up. If there was even the slightest chance, he would spare no effort to seize it.
"Mr. Zhou, you have great courage." CE Wang Hu praised him, then made another request that, in Hao Xiaoxi's eyes, was as transparent as Sima Zhao's intentions—known to all.
"I'll be taking back the Zeta Gundam."
"Zeta Gundam?" Hearing this, Mr. Zhou smiled and gestured for CE Wang Hu to proceed—after all, it was his property to begin with.
There was no need to seek his approval for how to handle it.
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