Gundam:Super G Universe System

Reid used paper blueprints with the intention of easily destroying evidence later. If he left electronic files, there was a risk that PLANT might have some black tech in the digital realm that could trace back to him developing Mobile Suits for the East Asian Republic.

So, the five-member team from the East Asian Republic scrutinized the two stacks of blueprints almost under a magnifying glass.

Reid didn't rush them, sitting to the side and sipping tea slowly. He only answered a sentence or two when the two technical engineers asked about the design concepts and objectives, relying on the information provided by the system.

Honestly, fully understanding these two sets of blueprints would likely require an entire engineering team from the East Asian Republic to study them for one or two sleepless nights.

But simply assessing whether the designs were reasonable? Three or four hours would suffice.

In any case, the two mechanical engineers and three electronics engineers in the East Asian Republic team raised no objections to the two blueprints. They didn't even have many modifications to suggest.

By the end, they kept saying Reid wasn't human—normally, producing one blueprint in three days would be pushing the limits, yet Reid had not only created two but also found time to go on a "date" with his "girlfriend."

Reid wasn't sure whether the three engineers were complimenting or insulting him. But seeing how little hair they had left and that they were all over fifty, he decided not to take it to heart.

However, while the three engineers had no issues, Ambassador Zhao and Major Li ended up in disagreement.

Their main conflict was over which Mobile Suit to choose. Still, they didn't argue too fiercely in front of Reid, mostly debating with reasoned arguments.

Normally, when such a dispute arose within a team, if their decision-making authority was roughly equal, they would have argued behind closed doors—certainly not letting Reid watch the show.

But this time, the schedule was tight. With only a month to work with, every wasted hour was a luxury. Reid had gone above and beyond, completing the task in just three days. If the East Asian Republic delayed the project due to their own indecision, they'd lose face.

Besides, Ambassador Zhao and Major Li were clearly putting on an act. Though Reid enjoyed the drama, he saw right through it. After all, in his past life, he had been from that part of the world—he hadn't drunk the Mengpo Soup, so he recognized these little tricks all too well.

Sure enough, the two didn't argue for long before pulling Reid into the discussion, asking him to judge whose decision was correct.

Their disagreement was easy to summarize.

Ambassador Zhao leaned toward the ground combat type Gundam blueprint (Reid hadn't actually named it—the Luna Titanium Alloy had been replaced with ceramic composite armor, and the head swapped for a GM Head). This was an all-terrain unit, and given the East Asian Republic's vast territory, nearly every type of terrain in the world could be found within its borders. Though the ground combat type Gundam had higher mass-production requirements, once produced, it wouldn't need redesigning for different terrains—a one-and-done solution.

Major Li, on the other hand, prioritized combat effectiveness. The East Asian Republic must have sensed the need for localized operations, hence the urgency to complete the design and produce a prototype within a month, leaving enough time for mass production. Thus, the Modified Guncannon, which packed more firepower for plains and defensive battles, better suited his needs.

But the choice wasn't Reid's to make. If he were to choose, wouldn't that imply the other blueprint was just a waste of time?

So Reid didn't want to waste any more words with these two—he had plenty on his plate. The gears of fate in the Cosmic Era were about to turn, and he needed to prepare as much as possible. Cutting straight to the point, he said:

"Alright, Ambassador Zhao, Major Li, spare me the act. I'm quite confident in my understanding of East Asian history and culture—precisely because yours is ancient and well-preserved.

"You're putting on this show for me because you both want them but don't want to be the first to ask. Fine, I'll lay it out plainly: You can have both, but don't expect a free ride."

Reid's bluntness left Zhao Zhongjian and Major Li momentarily embarrassed, but as seasoned players, they shrugged it off in the next second.

Zhao Zhongjian spoke up directly:

"Mr. Reid, your straightforwardness is refreshing. Then let's be frank—we are indeed interested in both blueprints. But right now, we don't have any technology to trade in return. How about this—when we build our mothership, we'll construct an extra one for you?"

Reid shot Ambassador Zhao a look that said, Do you think I'm stupid? Building two identical motherships would undoubtedly cost less than constructing two different ones of the same size. Even if he wanted two, he'd prefer them to be distinct.

But Reid already had a new plan in mind—one he'd discussed with Angie the night before (and later, they'd even gone to bother Une). Crossing his arms, he said:

"That won't be necessary. Instead, I need a small favor from you—and for you to sell us some finished materials at a discount."

This request struck Zhao Zhongjian as odd. During initial negotiations, Reid had insisted on keeping the East Asian Republic from providing any resources to distance himself. Why the sudden change?

Still, since Reid had brought it up, Zhao Zhongjian had to ask:

"Very well, Mr. Reid. What's the favor, and what materials do you need?"

Seeing the bait taken, Reid laid out his terms—confident the East Asian Republic would never refuse.

"Simple. The favor is this: Get me and Ange two legitimate passes to enter the Orb Colony Satellite, Heliopolis—with our Mobile Suits. The timeframe must be late January next year.

"We all know what's being built inside Heliopolis. Based on the Atlantic Federation's supply transport frequency and some... private intel, I estimate they'll likely finish by January. Even if they don't, the key components will be nearly complete. So I need to take a look—to gauge Orb's true technological capabilities."

At this, Zhao Zhongjian's eyes gleamed. Reid hadn't left the Colony Satellite in three days, yet he'd produced two new blueprints. That could only mean the Mobile Suits developed at Star Palace were truly led by him alone—making his intelligence assessments highly valuable.

Moreover, the East Asian Republic still hadn't uncovered Reid's source for Earth-grown food, suggesting he might indeed have an exceptionally covert intelligence network. So Zhao Zhongjian trusted at least seventy percent of what Reid was saying now.

As for Reid's request, it was a trivial matter for the East Asian Republic's "connections" in Orb. After all, what's the issue with a head of state traveling with two escort mobile suits? Given the current chaos in space, with Heliopolis' overt defensive capabilities being so weak, what's wrong with bringing along mobile suits for self-protection? It's not like two mobile suits and two people could occupy an entire Colony Satellite.

Zhao Zhongjian nodded and replied:

"This is indeed a small favor, and we will certainly help our friends achieve it. So, Mr. Reid, what materials are you looking for?"

Reid felt the fish had taken the bait and directly stated:

"Don't worry, Ambassador Zhao. These materials can be purchased openly. The Star Palace Colony Satellite is nearly at capacity, yet immigration applications continue pouring in from all over. So our New Misurugi Republic is preparing to construct a second Colony Satellite. We wish to purchase structural materials for the outer walls from the East Asian Republic—the highest grade available. But you'll have to give us a discount, at least 30% off."

Hearing this, Zhao Zhongjian was completely reassured. He thought, "Is that all?" Purchasing prefabricated outer wall segments for a Colony Satellite? Simple. The East Asian Republic's industrial Colony Satellite in the L3 region could handle it easily, saving a lot on shipping costs. As for the price, 30% off was fine—they wouldn't be making a profit, but they wouldn't be losing money either. In exchange for mobile suit blueprints? An absolute steal.

Without hesitation, Zhao Zhongjian eagerly grabbed Reid's hand, afraid he might change his mind, and firmly declared:

"Deal. You're too generous, Mr. Reid. If you ever visit East Asia in the future, I'll make sure to give you the finest hospitality."

(End of Chapter)