"Don't you want to go to Tordia? Flit," Emily asked.
"Well, I want to stay on Diva and officially join the Federation Army," Flit said seriously.
"Do you really think so? I know you hate the UE because of your aunt..."
"That's not it. I'm not as capable as Yang Hui and Graham; I might not become a savior like them, but I can't just stand by. I want to use Gundam to help everyone," Flit said.
After several battles and many conversations with Yang Hui, Graham, Woolf, and others, Flit had learned to think and to let go of hatred to see clearly.
"Is that so? Then I want to join the Federation Army too."
"Emily? Why? Haven't you always been afraid and wanted to stay away from danger?" Flit was surprised; he had prepared for Emily to persuade him to leave together, but her answer was completely the opposite.
"You and Grandpa are staying on Diva. How can I go to Tordia alone? And..." Emily became shy as she spoke, "If Flit goes alone, he will definitely be scolded by Brother Yang Hui and Brother Graham, right? I might not be of much use, but at least I can be by your side..." As she spoke, Emily's voice grew softer, and her face turned redder.
"Emily..."
"Since we've decided, let's go. We don't know when the battle will come, so let's hurry and take a look around Fardin," Emily said, not waiting for Flit to give her a complete answer, taking the initiative to pull him towards Fardin. Even if she was rejected, she wanted to have a complete date.
...
On the other side, Yang Hui and Grudick found the contemporary leader of Zalam—Dong Boyaji.
"What a rare guest! Yang Hui, you actually came to find me in person."
"Yes! The boss is right!"
"Dong Uncle, I'm not here to listen to jokes. I have a business deal I want to discuss with you. I wonder if you're interested?" Yang Hui said. Although the two sidekicks from the anime looked a bit funny, the real-life experience was quite awkward.
"I'm a businessman, so I'm naturally willing to do business. But first, please answer me a question: Are we doing business with Yang Corporation or with you?" Dong Boyaji asked with interest.
Zalam and Auba could call the shots in Fardin, and they had developed many industries outside of Fardin, but compared to the Earth Federation's leading company, they were still small fries. He wouldn't be arrogant enough to think he was on the same level as the genius young master of Yang Corporation.
"Let my captain discuss the specifics with you," Yang Hui pointed to Grudick beside him.
"Captain?"
"Earth Federation Army, Captain of the Diva battleship, Grodek Ainoa."
"Federation officers coming to me for business? Hahaha, what a strange day!" Dong Boyaji laughed.
"We know you and Auba are engaged in the trade of MS and warships on this Colony. I want four warships and fully equipped MS units."
"What? What are you talking about? I don't understand at all..."
"Can we stop with the roundabout talk? Dong Uncle," Yang Hui interrupted Dong Boyaji's dismissive attitude, "Do you need me to list out how many goods you purchase from Yang Corporation every year?"
"Hmph, what a troublesome little brat." If it were just Grudick, he could still brush it off, as the trade of weapons was strictly prohibited after the Silver Cup Treaty. Perhaps this was a test from the Federation Army?
But with Yang Hui present, it was a different situation, and judging by Yang Hui's attitude, the other party was also serious.
"Shouldn't you be directly looking for the eldest young master of the Yang Family for this kind of transaction? He's much stronger than us small fry," Dong Boyaji pointed at Yang Hui and asked Grudick.
"I've reached a cooperation with Captain Grudick, but you know that although my family has many MS production lines, they are all under strict surveillance by the Federation and cannot be easily moved. Moreover, warships are not within the Yang Family's business scope," Yang Hui explained.
"I see, the eldest young master of a military-industrial leading family is cooperating with the Federation Army, and you want to keep it from the Federation. I'm quite curious about your true intentions. Can you elaborate?" Dong Boyaji thought to himself, mocking Yang Hui for being too naive to hand over leverage to him.
"Dong Uncle, you should know that being too curious is not a good habit, and this is just an ordinary transaction. Don't you want to hear our price?" Yang Hui asked confidently, knowing that Dong Boyaji could not refuse his offer.
"Interesting, tell me more?"
"You aren't planning to discuss it here, are you?"
"...Interesting." Dong Boyaji felt Yang Hui's tricky nature again, sensing that he was not a mere underage boy but a seasoned old fox in the business world, maintaining a confident demeanor and keeping everything under his control. "Then let's change locations. Prepare the car to host guests at my residence."
"Yes!"
They got into the car prepared by Dong Boyaji and headed towards his residence, with MS escorts along the way. Not long after, they clashed with MS from another faction.
Although MS battles in the city were excessive, Zalam and Auba were considerate enough to install protective walls for the buildings, and their MS used small-caliber live ammunition that couldn't even penetrate the most ordinary alloy armor, let alone the protective walls.
"What is this..."
"Don't mind it; it's just a common occurrence."
"The warlord factions of Zalam and Auba, Dong Uncle, I'm not saying you, but this back-and-forth fighting is just like children playing house," Yang Hui laughed.
"Are you insulting the honor of our ancestors?" Dong Boyaji asked sternly.
"Honor? It might not sound good, but if you really cared about your ancestors' honor, you would fight in space, betting your family's everything, setting up a battle to the death, instead of this petty squabbling," Yang Hui turned his head to glance at the battle behind them, his eyes filled with disdain. "After all, Zalam and Auba were once two powerful warlord nations. Look at you now; it's nothing more than a street gang fight."
"Kid, some things can't be resolved with just an apology!"
"Is it a crime to speak the truth these days?" Yang Hui shrugged nonchalantly, but the mockery on his face did not diminish.
He was deliberately provoking Dong Boyaji. The longstanding feud between Zalam and Auba was not easy to resolve. To truly turn hostility into peace, a strong medicine was needed.
Still, reality is not like anime; there is no protagonist halo. How could a grudge that has lasted for over a hundred years be loosened by Flit's few words? Although Dong Boyaji's final charge was indeed moving, could a traditionalist elder undergo a significant transformation just like that?
Yang Hui respected their traditions and acknowledged their enduring will over the centuries, but in the end, how much of that honor from back then still remains? The warlords had devolved into gangs; what was there to discuss about the honor of their ancestors?
"Kid, aren't you afraid you won't be able to leave Fardin?"
"Do you dare to touch me?"
Dong Boyaji was quite angry at Yang Hui's attitude, but as Yang Hui said, he really didn't dare to do anything to him. The two morning stars of the Yang Family were rumored to never be apart, and with one not present, Dong Boyaji naturally had to be wary of Graham being nearby. If anything happened to Yang Hui in his hands, the news would reach the Yang Family, and without the Yang Family needing to act, the Federation would skin him alive.
The atmosphere dropped to freezing point, and the three remained silent as they arrived at Zalam's residence. Dong Boyaji did not engage in small talk with Yang Hui and Grudick, directly asking, "Can we discuss your price now?"
"Of course." Yang Hui handed over the PAD to Dong Boyaji, which contained the information on the Vargas rifle.
"This is! Hahaha... No wonder you're the young master of the Yang Family! So bold?" Dong Boyaji initially skimmed through it, then read it word for word, ultimately bursting into laughter.
"How is it? Is my price qualified?" Unsurprisingly, Dong Boyaji could not resist the temptation of the Vargas rifle.
"Of course, but... Kid, this new type of Beam Rifle isn't cheap, is it?"
"What do you think? This will be one of Yang Corporation's new products and will also be a new weapon for the Federation Army's MS."
"Is that so? If I use such a good thing, the Federation might not just sit back and watch, right? You have quite the plan," Dong Boyaji said with a somewhat sinister smile.
Yang Hui remained silent. The reason the Federation allowed the conflicts between Zalam and Auba to go unchecked was that both were local powers, and the Federation officials stationed in Fardin had vested interests with them. Additionally, both sides' weaponry was not strong, and their skirmishes did not have a significant impact, so the Federation turned a blind eye.
But if both sides were equipped with weapons comparable to those of the Federation, the Federation would no longer be able to ignore it and would inevitably send a large force to suppress them.
"Then it depends on your operations. I'm just the supplier, merely selling my goods. How you deal with the Federation is your business," Yang Hui shrugged nonchalantly.
Yang Hui was not worried about the impact of Zalam and Auba obtaining the Vargas rifle. In the end, he intended to persuade both factions to join them in executing the "Bat Extermination Operation." Even if they survived, both forces would be severely weakened, and after experiencing life and death together, fighting against the UE, and witnessing what true war is, their relationship would surely change. They might either become part of the Federation or cooperate and coexist peacefully; either outcome would be good.
"That makes me even more curious, kid. What exactly is your goal?" Dong Boyaji asked seriously.
Regarding whether to answer this question, Yang Hui left the decision to Grudick, as this was originally his plan, and Yang Hui was merely an assistant.
Grudick did not hesitate and directly said, "We are going to attack the UE's space fortress."
"What did you say!?" Dong Boyaji was completely taken aback, feeling as if he had heard a fairy tale.
"That's why we need more combat power."
Dong Boyaji looked at Yang Hui, and upon seeing him nod seriously, he confirmed that this was not a joke.
"Hahaha, you really are... interesting!"
"So, can we reach a deal?" Grudick asked.
"Well... about that..." Dong Boyaji began to weigh the pros and cons. Grudick and Yang Hui's plans for madness had nothing to do with him, but he was genuinely tempted by the new Beam Rifle. This was a great opportunity to completely defeat Auba, but the risks involved were too great.
At that moment, a subordinate from Zalam rushed in, reporting in a panic, "Not good! Boss! The battle in the city has suddenly been thrown into chaos by a white MS we've never seen before."
"What? A white MS?"
Yang Hui and Grudick both felt a bad premonition upon hearing this.
"Is it him?"
(End of Chapter)