Who is Playing the Love Development Game in Gundam

After his conversation with Juole, He Kui and his two companions left the bridge under the admiring gazes of the crew.

Coming toward them were Iron Wall, Lica, and the rest of their squad.

"He Kui, we owe it to you this time," Iron Wall said excitedly, walking at the front of the group.

He Kui's rise was something he had witnessed firsthand. In a way, it was like watching a younger generation slowly climb to prominence. And now, seeing his junior capable of influencing the entire battlefield made the fire of enthusiasm burn bright within Iron Wall.

What excited him even more was that He Kui was under his protection. As long as he stayed by He Kui's side, their future would be promising—assuming He Kui continued to rise.

"I was just trying to survive," He Kui replied with a wry smile.

In that previous situation, if he hadn't gone all out, even with the Wave Shields, he might have escaped unscathed. But they would have lost the army, and ZAFT's advantage would have crumbled. His only option was to try and secure victory.

Yet he noted Iron Wall's changing attitude, observing it quietly. If the Zala faction was using familiar faces to lower his guard, perhaps he could make these people stand by his side.

This idea was worth exploring further, He Kui thought.

"Even if it was survival, you took down five positron cannons and breached their light shield!" Lica said, her eyes sparkling with a look of admiration, her gaze filled with something else, a thought not entirely clear.

Shi He, observing this, frowned and stepped in front of He Kui, blocking Lica's view.

"Not even a look?"

"Being that pushy might make He Kui dislike you," Lica teased, her tone playful.

If Lica had felt some regret in military school about not approaching He Kui, she was now seriously considering it. After all, with He Kui's abilities, there was no downside to getting closer to him. The world was in turmoil, and strength and connections were essential for survival. He Kui, with his expertise in both research and combat, had reached the pinnacle within PLANT, if not the entire world.

And with his ability to infiltrate enemy bases with quantum viruses, he was the very definition of a valuable asset.

"N-No, I wouldn't!" Shi He stammered, glancing nervously back at He Kui. Upon meeting his amused, teasing gaze, her cheeks flushed as she quickly looked away.

Lica's mouth twisted into a slight smirk at the scene.

Meanwhile, aboard Eternal, in a darkened room, Creuset swallowed a pill. Only after the pain subsided did he lift his sweat-soaked face to gaze out the officer's suite window. The boundless universe shimmered with countless stars, seemingly inviting humanity to explore and conquer.

But the truth was different.

All they did was destroy each other.

Without any expression, Creuset withdrew his unfocused gaze, replaying the image of the positron cannon that He Kui had fired, hitting five targets in one shot.

Originally, his plan had been to have Rebirth Gundam test He Kui while controlling the casualties on the front lines. His goal was to create a situation of mutual destruction, preferably forcing ZAFT to withdraw from Ptolemy.

This would incite public unrest within PLANT. And with the Atlantic Federation's propaganda fueling the flames, Patrick's "eye for an eye" nature would ensure the conflict continued.

But unexpectedly, despite the loss of several communication ships, He Kui still managed to seize control of one positron cannon.

Even more surprising was that He Kui, despite actively infiltrating the enemy base, had enough strength left to fire that shot.

The shot itself wasn't highly technical, simply reflecting the skills of an elite Red Coat.

"He should have been busy controlling the base… Was it Haniffs?" Creuset mused.

Unexpectedly, He Kui had brought his fiancée to the battlefield. It was that single shot that had prevented Creuset's plan from coming to fruition. PLANT had returned to the Moon.

However, Rebirth had still reached the Atlantic Federation.

As each side calculated their gains and losses, most soldiers' minds were occupied with mixed emotions.

Back in PLANT, He Kui didn't even return to May City but instead headed straight to the elite port in December City, designated for high-ranking officers and special ships.

But they were not the only guests at the port.

Eternal and several shield-equipped Nazca-class escort ships had already docked.

As He Kui, escorted by Iron Wall and Lica, disembarked, Leru approached him directly.

This did not surprise He Kui.

"The speech draft and event agenda I sent you—have you reviewed them?"

Leru asked briskly.

"Yes."

"Have you taken any stimulants?"

With everyone returning from battle, the soldiers were far from feeling their best. To prepare for the victory ceremony, most had been ordered to take a combat stimulant.

As a result, the soldiers disembarking at the port looked energetic, each having even been allotted five minutes to freshen up. They emerged looking like they'd won a major victory.

Crowds of civilians and media were already gathered at the central elevator, eagerly awaiting their triumphant return.

No matter the situation, they needed to put on a show. The Atlantic Federation would surely use Rebirth Gundam's arrival to spread its narrative. They had to strike first, showing resilience regardless of the pain, even laughing if necessary.

Otherwise, morale would suffer.

"I didn't take any. I'm fine."

He Kui shrugged.

"Suit yourself, but remember, your speech must be delivered without a script."

"Understood."

As He Kui continued speaking with Leru, the ominous masked figure had disembarked from Eternal.

"Director He, your remarkable performance was invaluable this time."

Creuset's voice was as calm as ever, carrying no trace of fatigue and betraying no emotion.

"No, it was Captain Creuset's support that gave me the opportunity."

He Kui's gaze didn't linger on Creuset. Leru promptly interjected.

"Perfect timing, Captain Creuset. This time, the ceremony will mainly focus on you two, so I need to review some details with you to ensure everything goes smoothly."

"The citizens are eager to see you both," Leru added with a hint of urgency.

In this battle, if anyone's performance had shone brightest, it was He Kui and Creuset—along with, of course, the spy. But a spy couldn't be revealed.

While Creuset, as an elite pilot and exemplar among Coordinators, was indeed inspiring, He Kui's accomplishments held even more symbolic weight.

He Kui's team had paralyzed an entire Atlantic Federation base, seizing control of a positron cannon and destroying five enemy cannons while breaching their light shield system.

Naturally, they couldn't reveal the full details of what had happened. The script given to He Kui glossed over Rebirth, referring only to "a new Federation mobile suit that disrupted the battle."

Following Leru, He Kui pondered the situation.

As an independent, He Kui knew that the Zala faction might not want him gaining too much recognition. But his contributions extended beyond factional lines,

allowing him to grow within both camps. Until he showed signs of rebellion, neither side would move against him easily.