Gundam: Changing the World Even with a Mass-Produced Unit

Chapter 28: The Scorching Sand Frontline

If someone had told Eli that there was a desert in 21st-century Southeast Asia, he would never have believed it.

It was as absurd as saying an ocean had turned into dry land.

But when faced with this desert, the scene was undeniably awe-inspiring.

This was the Scorching Sand Frontline.

It was a result of humanity's unchecked development before the Universal Century, causing irreversible damage to Earth's ecosystems.

"Report your status, all units."

"Normal." ×4

On the second afternoon after the White Base arrived at the Southeast Asia base, four Gundams and a hover truck moved steadily across the desert toward a canyon.

There was no need to elaborate—this was naturally the 86th Squad.

"Eli, are you sure the Apsalus is in this place?"

Amada Shiro wiped the sweat from his forehead, fanning himself with his hand as he asked Eli.

"I can't be certain. But wasn't the rainforest region scanned by reconnaissance planes? There was no trace of that giant. This is the only place left to check."

Eli pressed a button in front of him, verifying the surrounding terrain to confirm their direction.

"The large canyon ahead is probably the most likely location."

After all, in this vast desert, the only place suitable for conducting experiments while hiding the Apsalus would be that canyon.

The 86th Squad was heading there for an on-site investigation to confirm this.

After wrapping up yet another routine briefing since entering the desert, Eli stretched lazily in the cockpit, trying to relieve the stiffness in his back from sitting too long.

The deduction that the Apsalus was conducting experiments in the canyon came from Eli's memory of the 08th MS Team storyline.

However, he quickly noticed discrepancies with his recollection.

"Zaku?!"

From a sand dune, Eli and his team crouched their mobile suits to avoid detection. Eli dismounted and climbed to the top of the dune to investigate.

The area had been scouted in advance, and the Minovsky particle density was high enough to permit such bold actions.

Nonetheless, to be cautious, he had Eledore remain in the truck to monitor communications.

"One, two... I can see six Zakus guarding the surface, but the situation inside the canyon remains unclear."

Amada Shiro used binoculars to observe the canyon. He spotted Zakus patrolling both sides of the canyon, while helicopters hovered above, occasionally accompanied by Dopps flying overhead.

"This doesn't look good," Eli muttered with a frown.

The squad could operate far from the base for extended missions because they had cargo containers carrying supplies.

But Zakus lacked such capability, meaning there had to be a base or land battleship nearby to provide logistics for them.

"What should we do?" Amada Shiro asked, evidently coming to the same conclusion.

"Now's the time to call in the White Base," said Karen. "This setup basically confirms that the Apsalus is here."

The White Base, as a warship, was too large to join reconnaissance missions without drawing attention.

Hence, it was hiding in a mountain hollow near the Federation's defensive line.

Eli raised his binoculars again to observe the canyon.

"I can't see inside the canyon. Karen, take Eledore and Michel back to the defensive line to contact the White Base. Use the cover of night to move it here. Tell them to deploy core fighters for aerial reconnaissance. Lead them to this location and lay communication cables to maintain contact. Once the Apsalus appears, we'll launch an attack immediately."

He unfolded his map and indicated a specific spot to Karen.

"We don't know the Apsalus's experiment schedule, so we don't have time for extended observation. We'll strike as soon as it shows up."

"Yes!"

Karen saluted before preparing to leave.

"Wait, what if the Apsalus shows up during this time?" Karen suddenly asked.

Eli turned slowly, exchanged a glance with Shiro, received a nod of affirmation, and then replied, "In that case, our lives will be in your hands."

After watching Karen and the hover truck leave, Eli returned to his mobile suit.

The canyon was now dangerously close, and despite the high concentration of Minovsky particles masking them, they had to remain wary of potential aerial surveillance.

Thus, the three Ground Gundams spread out and camouflaged themselves.

Without combat engineers, the mobile suits themselves—essentially the ultimate engineering machines—dug pits using their serrated shields.

Each mobile suit lay prone in its pit, covered with desert camouflage netting.

By the time they finished, the sky had already darkened.

Sitting in his cockpit, Eli checked the time on the onboard computer. He estimated the White Base should be halfway there.

Initially, Eli thought his plan would be completed before the Apsalus's next experiment.

However, Karen's parting words left him with an ominous feeling.

It wasn't some Newtype intuition—just a sense that her words sounded too much like a flag-raising line.

"Feels like something's going to happen tonight," Eli muttered.

Taking the second watch, Eli sat in his cockpit wearing a Federation military T-shirt, pulling at the fabric to let air circulate.

Unlike the rainforest's humid heat, the desert's dry heat made him long for the former. At least in the rainforest, he didn't need to constantly hydrate.

After sipping some cool water, Eli used the periscope camera on his Ground Gundam's head to scout the canyon.

Everything seemed quiet. Even the Zaku pilots had left their units. Eli began to think his premonition was unwarranted paranoia.

But in the next moment, his expression froze.

The Zaku pilots suddenly rushed back to their units, helicopters took off one after another, and Dopps appeared in the sky.

"Speak of the devil… Shiro, Sanders, we've got a situation!"

Eli immediately activated communications. The wired system they had set up earlier proved its worth, quickly waking the two pilots who had been dozing in their suits.

In the distance, a rumbling noise echoed across the horizon.

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