Who is Playing the Love Development Game in Gundam

"To celebrate that we all made it back from the World Tree—cheers!"

Sitting across from He Kui in the restaurant was Ed, his roommate, who had also been to the World Tree. Not only did he return safely, but miraculously, he had also come back unscathed, which was indeed impressive.

"Congratulations," He Kui said sincerely.

"It was really thrilling! Luckily, I had Mr. Kruzé in my area; otherwise, I might not have been so fortunate."

During the battle, Kruzé had been a force of nature, drawing most of the firepower toward himself, which significantly reduced the pressure on Ed and others.

"Our next target should be Earth, right? Although the good news from the war has stabilized food prices, the production capacity of June City alone still can't meet the needs of everyone in PLANT."

While synthetic meat could suffice, it was only a temporary solution. If this situation continued, PLANT's economy would collapse without the need for the Alliance to send troops to fight.

This was also one of the reasons PLANT had shifted its strategy since Valentine's Day; the Alliance had made it clear that they wouldn't send food supplies, and pro-PLANT nations on Earth were being repressed while facing nuclear threats.

At this point, the only option was to take the initiative.

"Right."

Everyone understood the reasoning, but how to actually break into Earth was still a topic of debate. According to the latest simulations, if they launched neutron jammers at Earth, they could effectively incapacitate the Alliance's guided weapons. However, completely cutting off nuclear energy would also push most of Earth's population into opposition.

Of course, this wasn't something He Kui needed to worry about; he was better off focusing on his work for tomorrow.

"Are you going to stay on the front lines?"

"Not much choice there. I just hope we're not among the first to drop down for the operation," Ed replied with a bitter smile.

The initial wave of assaults on Earth would undoubtedly include suicide squads or cannon fodder. The outcome was bound to be grim, and even if they surrendered, they'd likely face imprisonment. It was unrealistic to expect the Earth Alliance to adhere to the Geneva Conventions.

"Mm."

He Kui felt helpless regarding Ed's predicament. They both raised their glasses for another drink. After experiencing war, they were no longer the naive cadets they had once been; they bore the weight of their burdens.

"By the way, I have a fiancée now."

"Ah? Who is it?"

"She's a fellow soldier in the front-line MS Third Division. We haven't met yet."

Ed looked a bit shy as he spoke.

"Enough about me. How did you manage to get so close to Miss Hanifus? You're even living together now."

"Gifts."

Before He Kui could elaborate, several people who had just entered the door turned to look at them. Ed's expression changed suddenly upon seeing their faces.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

Before Ed could stand up to greet them, the newcomers noticed He Kui's assistant engineer uniform from the Sealan Design Bureau and quickly exchanged glances before leaving the restaurant.

"So what was that about? While I can't help you much, I can certainly assist with some troubles."

Although a B-level engineer might not seem particularly impressive, within the hierarchy, it was equivalent to a regular red-clad soldier. Moreover, researchers from the five major design bureaus held significant importance to ZAFT, and there were strict internal rules prohibiting conflicts between ZAFT soldiers and researchers.

"It's like this... they think I stole their achievements."

Ed finally explained as he saw the newcomers react as if they had encountered a tiger.

The battlefield had been chaotic, leading to discrepancies in the recording of achievements, and some sought to seize the opportunity to claim others' accomplishments to earn more rewards. This kind of intimidation genuinely scared many, and those who resisted faced threats like what had just happened.

"Give me their names; I'll report it internally."

"Uh, can that really work?"

"Sure, if it doesn't, you can come back to me."

Generally, the opinions of B-level personnel were taken seriously, especially since this was a matter of military discipline. Reporting it to Sule would definitely be effective.

"Thanks! I'll treat you to a meal next time!"

Ed clasped his hands in gratitude.

"Just not synthetic meat."

"Got it~"