Simultaneous Time Travel: Gundam? All Teammates are Old Six

Chapter 43: New Mahjong Partners? The First Clash Between a Tea Master and a Madman!

The air in Orb carries a blend of sea salt and gardenia scents.

As the battered Archangel, escorted by two Izumo-class battleships, slowly entered the Aurora Corporation's underground dock, the surviving crew members almost greedily breathed in the hard-won atmosphere of peace.

The scalding "overlord tea" incident in Malacca ultimately gave Ling Yu an opportunity to lead the Archangel into the gap in the encirclement he had created by "memorizing exam papers," and escape in a sorry state.

The price was that his "Ghost" Gene was now truly only left with the cockpit intact.

At that moment, in the enormous shipyard, Khosrow Modik was looking around the pile of scrap metal, his eyes gleaming, clicking his tongue in amazement.

"Kid, how did you manage to pull off a water ballet in ZAFT's three-dimensional stranglehold formation with this pile of junk? This modified thrusters... it's practically art!"

Ling Yu slumped on the toolbox beside him, waving his hand listlessly.

"Don't ask, it's just muscle memory. So, Uncle Khosrow, is there any hope for this 'ghost' of mine?"

"Save? That depends on how you define 'save'." Khosrow stroked his chin. "It's impossible to restore it to its original state, but if we disassemble it as a part, it can save the Strike a lot of money on spare parts."

"No way!" Ling Yu sat up with a jolt. "This is my beloved machine, something I've built up over time. How can I just tear it apart like that?"

As they were talking, Kira walked over, still looking a little scared.

"Ling Yu, I'm so glad you're alright. At the time... I thought you..."

"What did you think? Did you think I died on the spot, leaving you a huge sum of 'compensation for emotional distress'?" Ling Yu chuckled and patted his shoulder. "Don't worry, I'm tough as nails. By the way, did you see the new email that the 'V-Project' god sent you? It's about how to optimize the response speed of the fire control OS under a multi-locking system."

Kira's eyes lit up instantly: "I saw it! It's a stroke of genius! That algorithmic approach completely surpasses the existing framework..."

Looking at Kira's adoring face, Ling Yu silently opened the system panel in his mind.

The battle in Malacca was a perilous one for him, but the rewards were considerable.

[Ding! Main quest "Malacca Breakthrough" has been completed.]

[Rating: A+ (Using a partially damaged mech to turn the tide of the battle and successfully identify a 'player,' but finding himself in grave danger; merits and demerits cancel each other out)]

[Reward Settlement:]

[1. Instant Reward: Receive 1200 system points.]

[2. Long-term benefits: Obtain [Technical data on micro nuclear fusion furnaces (incomplete 2/3)]]

[3. Relationship Benefits: Unlock the special achievement "The Mad Dog's Gaze," raising your hate priority in player 'Xiao Ran's' mind to the highest level. Warning: This may not be a good thing.]

"Tsk, finally got the second fragment." Ling Yu looked at the technical data, in a great mood. "As for that 'mad dog's gaze' thing... what's wrong with a man being a pervert? He loves me so much, of course I have to reciprocate properly."

"Welcome to Orb, Captain Lamias."

A clear, melodious voice, like a nightingale singing in a valley, rang out, interrupting the lively discussion in the dock.

Everyone turned around and saw a blonde girl running towards them in a flurry of activity. It was none other than Orb's "tough girl princess," Cagalli Yura Ashar.

Behind her followed closely a woman with a completely different demeanor.

She wore the elegant uniform of an Orb official, her long, smooth black hair loosely tied up with a delicate hairpin. Her features were exquisite, and she smiled gently. She was like a walking ink painting, gentle and serene, yet possessing an undeniable presence.

"This is my political advisor's assistant, Ms. Su Yunxiu," Cagalli introduced casually. "You can contact her for anything here!"

Su Yunxiu stepped forward and bowed slightly to Maru, her movements impeccably elegant.

"Captain Lamias, and everyone on the Archangel, you've had a long journey. I've drafted preliminary plans for your temporary accommodations, the ship's repair schedule, and the personnel supply list. Please take a look."

She handed over an electronic document, which was well-organized, detailed, and even included arrangements for the psychological support of the crew members.

Watertight.

Maru and Natal exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of surprise in each other's eyes. This seemingly frail woman possessed terrifyingly strong abilities.

Ling Yu squinted at the back of the crowd, observing this "Miss Su" with great interest.

The welcome dinner that evening was less a formal welcome party and more a subtle test.

In the banquet hall, Ling Yu was carrying plates, trying his best to pile the roasted meat into a small mountain. In times of war, every bite of meat deserved respect.

"Excuse me, is this seat taken?"

A gentle voice sounded from the side.

When Ling Yu looked up, he met Su Yunxiu's smiling eyes. She was holding a glass of juice, standing gracefully next to him.

"No one's here, no one's here, beautiful lady, please have a seat." Ling Yu moved his buttocks enthusiastically, and casually hid his mountain of barbecue meat to the side.

"Thank you." Su Yunxiu sat down calmly, her gaze seemingly casually sweeping over him. "I heard from Princess Cagalli that you are one of the best pilots on the ship, Mr. Ling Yu."

"Hey, what's all this talk about being outstanding or not? I'm just a wage earner." Ling Yu waved his hand, looking humble. "Driving an MS is just like operating an excavator; anyone with hands can do it."

Su Yunxiu was amused by his peculiar metaphor, her eyebrows curving like crescent moons.

"Mr. Ling Yu is so witty." She gently swirled the juice in her glass, then changed the subject, "Speaking of which, I heard recently that on the African battlefield, there was a mysterious 'Ghost' piloting a black Zeon who single-handedly saved many civilians. Everyone says he's a hero with true chivalry."

coming.

Ling Yu knew exactly what was going on, but he wore an expression of utter disbelief.

"Knight? Dude, it's CE71 now, there aren't any knights anymore. In my opinion, that guy is probably some internet celebrity who's desperate for fame, doing performance art on the battlefield and livestreaming himself sending rockets! He probably even has his slogan ready—'Family members, click the link! Buy one get one free with free shipping!'"

Su Yunxiu's smile froze for a moment.

She had imagined countless possible responses: a flat denial, feigned profundity, or a reverse probe.

But she never expected the answer to be "live-streaming e-commerce by internet celebrities".

Is this person's brain circuitry... a little abnormal?

She took a deep breath, maintaining her perfect smile: "Mr. Ling Yu's perspective is truly... unique."

"Of course." Ling Yu proudly forked a piece of roasted meat. "I don't have many other strengths, but I have a rich imagination."

By the way, Miss Su, you're so beautiful and capable, you must have a lot of suitors, right? Let me tell you, when judging a man, you can't just look at his face, you also have to look at his waist.

A healthy back is essential for a bright future. Sister, you must take control of your own happiness!

"puff--"

Kira, who was drinking water not far away, suddenly spat out his entire mouthful of water.

Su Yunxiu's knuckles were slightly white as she held the juice. But her face still wore a polite smile, though a hint of...disarray, which she herself didn't even notice, flickered deep in her eyes.

This man is a madman.

A madman disguised as a fool, completely beyond the comprehension of common sense.

After the banquet, Su Yunxiu stood alone on the terrace of the official residence, the night breeze blowing through her long hair.

The gentle smile on her face had long since faded.

"[A glimpse into the future]," she murmured to herself.

A blurry image flashed before my eyes—

A torn encrypted telegram, on which the words "Atlantic Federation," "Abandon Neutrality," and "Ultimatum" are faintly visible.

really.

A cool, detached smile curved Su Yunxiu's lips. The arrival of the Archangel, seemingly a refuge, was in reality bait to drag Orb into the abyss.

However, the chess pieces themselves are innocent.

"It all depends on how the player uses it."

She turned and looked down at the brightly lit dock, as if she were looking down at a giant chessboard.

"All the pieces are here, but I don't know... which one is the rook and which one is the cannon?"

Meanwhile, in the temporary room assigned to Ling Yu by the Archangel.

Ling Yu was humming a little tune, planning to use the 1200 points he had just received to do a ten-pull and see if he could get an SSR wife.

Suddenly, the system panel popped up without warning, emitting a blinding red light.

[Warning: A weak high-dimensional interference signal from the same source has been detected.]

[Signal source analysis in progress...]

[Origin identified: Orb homeland, suspected to be an intelligent life form.]

The smile on Ling Yu's face slowly disappeared, replaced by a playful expression.

He recalled Su Yunxiu at the banquet, who was as perfect as an internet celebrity, and her seemingly gentle but actually sharp eyes.

"Oh?"

He stroked his chin, revealing a smile that was typical of eccentrics, somewhere between excitement and madness.

"There are definitely more than two people playing mahjong this time."

"This is getting interesting."