As they approached Space Graveyard No. 1, the Baize parted ways with the Diva.
"Radar and enemy detection systems fully activated. Due to electromagnetic interference, the detection range is limited to ten kilometers."
"Optical detection system activated. Thermal detection system activated. All systems functioning normally."
"Second-level combat readiness initiated. Weapon systems online. We must locate the enemy's position in advance."
"Aye!" came the collective response.
After arranging all the necessary tasks, the captain headed to the combat meeting room where Yang Hui, Graham, Yurin, Asemu, Gerard, and Rena had gathered.
The area of Space Graveyard No. 1 was vast, and searching aimlessly would be like finding a needle in a haystack. They needed to first identify the most probable areas before proceeding with their mission.
"Here, here, and here—these three regions have the highest concentration of merchant ship attacks. Additionally, a large amount of VEGAN wreckage was discovered here…"
On the tactical map, Rena marked out the areas where EXA-DB and Sidd were most likely to appear.
"Then let's start by scanning these four regions…"
"No, we won't be going to these areas," Yang Hui countered, just as Asemu had decided on the targets.
"Why?" the others asked, puzzled.
"EXA-DB is in a drifting state, its whereabouts uncertain. Moreover, Sidd's mission is to protect EXA-DB from being discovered. These three locations have been approached many times already. Do you think Sidd would allow EXA-DB to remain in these areas and continue to be harassed?" Yang Hui posed the question to the group.
"So, you're saying that the areas with the most incidents are the least likely to harbor EXA-DB and Sidd?"
"Exactly."
"But… the other regions are too vast. Searching them bit by bit would take too long," Asemu shook his head and said.
"Then let's narrow down the scope."
"How?"
Yang Hui connected the four marked regions and drew a line at their intersection, marking out an area. He then extended the line and marked the farthest point from the intersection.
"The distribution of these four regions indeed follows no particular pattern, but traces will inevitably be left wherever they appear. Sidd is highly intelligent, but the choices it can make are essentially limited to two: first, maintaining its previous mode of operation, in which case the intersection of these four regions is the most probable location, as they would pass through here with EXA-DB; second, since they have been discovered multiple times in this large area, they might judge these regions to be unsafe and move to the farthest point to continue hiding."
Yang Hui analyzed and explained the situation to the group, earning their deep agreement and nods of approval.
They had previously been stuck in a fixed mindset, analyzing Sidd as if it were VEGAN, which naturally led them in the wrong direction.
If VEGAN were hiding a secret unit in Graveyard No. 1 to ambush the Federal Army or merchant ships, then the areas with the most incidents would naturally be their most likely hiding spots, as they would continue to attack passing warships or merchant ships.
But Sidd's purpose has never been to attack; it is to protect and hide. Therefore, having been exposed too many times, it would naturally seek another place to conceal itself.
"We will mark the intersection as Area A and the other direction as Area B. Captain, which area are we closer to now?" Yang Hui asked.
"Area A."
"Then we'll explore Area A first. The MS units will be divided into three teams, led by me, Graham, and Yurin respectively, to escort the ship."
"Understood!" XN
Although Yang Hui was no longer the Captain of the Celestial Being squadron, the orders he issued were still executed without question. This was a benchmark, a belief, a height that neither Asemu, the second Captain, nor any future successor could reach.
The first escort team was naturally led by Yang Hui's Dawn Gundam. Although the radar targeting system for the Parasol system had been completed, it was primarily large-scale detection equipment, only installed on fortresses and ships. Moreover, the electromagnetic environment in Space Graveyard No. 1 was extremely chaotic, rendering it largely ineffective.
The miniaturization research had also just been completed, and the cost was too high to equip it on MS units at present. Therefore, only the Dawn Gundam, Flag Gundam, and Luna Gundam were equipped with it.
This was also the reason why the three of them led separate teams to escort the Baize.
"Approaching the target area. All units, stay alert."
"Understood!" XN
Whether it was sheer luck or not, shortly after entering Area A, the radar targeting system detected something.
"Beep beep beep..."
"E-detector response, unidentified signal detected in coordinate A21... Wait, unidentified signals also detected in coordinates B15, D74, and E52!"
"What?" Upon receiving the report, Yang Hui frowned and immediately asked, "Any signs of movement?"
"All are moving at minimal speed. The system judges they are not space debris!"
Hearing this, Yang Hui's frown deepened. Four unidentified signals, and none of them were space debris... How could that be? Could it be what they encountered back then...
At this thought, Yang Hui immediately ordered, "All MS units, deploy! Baize, retreat at minimal speed! Graham, take Asemu and a squad to confirm the unidentified signals in A21 and B15; Yurin, take Gilla-type, Rena, and a squad to D74; I'll take a squad to E52; the remaining units protect the Baize."
"Understood!" XN
Without waiting for the Flag Gundam and Luna Gundam to deploy, the Dawn Gundam led a squad of Adele III towards the farthest coordinate, E52.
The Flag Gundam and Luna Gundam didn't dare to delay either, quickly leading their teams to the designated coordinates for confirmation. The Baize and the remaining units also prepared for retreat.
If Yang Hui's guess was correct, even if they had prepared a gift for Sidd in advance, they would still have to retreat.
Fortunately, the Dawn Gundam, Luna Gundam, and Flag Gundam almost simultaneously reached their designated coordinates and confirmed that the detected unidentified signals were not Sidd, which allowed Yang Hui to breathe a sigh of relief.
But... that relief was short-lived, because what they found were small signal transmitters, their form completely resembling unarmed miniature Sidds.
"Be careful! Sidd is heading your way!" Yang Hui immediately notified the Baize.
"What... Zzz..."
"Boom~"
"Ah... zzz... enemy spotted... Bode squad annihilated... portside equipment... zzz... Lieutenant General! Please return..."
The signal was unstable, the communication intermittent, but Yang Hui had already received the news of the Baize being ambushed and immediately led his team back to provide support.
"Damn it! We've been tricked!"
Rushing back to assist, Yang Hui saw two Sidds flanking the Baize and its escorting MS units. In just a short span of one or two minutes, several wreckages of Adele IIIs were already floating around the battleship, and half of the remaining Adele IIIs were missing limbs.
Even the hull of the Baize had several large holes, billowing thick smoke.
"Don't panic! D11 formation, escort the Baize to retreat. Graham, Asemu, engage the Sidd at position Z9; Yurin, come with me to take down the other one!"
"Understood!" X3
"Rena, reorganize the frontline. Gerard, lead two squads in a fan-shaped search. If the Sidd is here, the EXA-DB can't be far!"
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"Understood!" XN
With the search teams returning and four Gundams joining the battle, the chaotic formation quickly stabilized, and the danger faced by the Baize and the Celestial Being brigade drastically decreased.
Perhaps the Sidd had too deep an impression of the Dawn Gundam, Flag Gundam, and Luna Gundam, as they immediately activated the Parasol system and went into hiding even before engaging in combat.
But Yang Hui, having been tricked once, was not about to make the same mistake again.
"Where do you think you're going?"
The Dawn Gundam raised its arm and fired a shot, the beam shooting towards an empty space but hitting an invisible wall.
Under attack, the Parasol system failed, and the Sidd reappeared.
Perhaps out of sheer frustration, the Sidd, upon reappearing, fired all four beam cannons from its tail and launched a barrage of missiles from its back, dozens of missiles menacingly flying towards them.
Facing the overwhelming attack, the Dawn Gundam deployed all its funnels, beams raining down like a storm, destroying all the missiles trailing thick smoke, but the most terrifying purplish-red beams were ignored.
"Heh, ready to receive the gift I prepared for you?"
Facing the imminent beam attack, Yang Hui showed no sign of nervousness, and the Dawn Gundam made no evasive movement, as if stunned.
But the next second.
"Clang~"
The Luna Gundam's support arrived, several funnels using their sides to block the beam cannons.
"Mirror Reflection System activated, Psycho-Link System restriction lifted LV.3."
What was once a lethal weapon now turned against itself, the Sidd's calculation program didn't react in time, only managing to dodge at the last moment, but still got its left wing pierced by two of its own beam cannons.
"Don't think it's over yet, I have reflective mirrors too!"
By then, the Dawn Gundam's funnels had already reached the back of the Sidd, catching both the beams it had dodged and the ones that had pierced its body, and sending them back towards the Sidd.
Sidd's computational speed had reached its peak, and his Beam Cannon was identified as a threat. The Beam Cannon fired once again, each shot meeting its target, erupting into dazzling brilliance in the cosmos.
However... Yang Hui and Yurin would not let this opportunity slip. They launched a full barrage, and a dense rain of beams fell upon Sidd like an unending drizzle.
Sidd's armor utilized EXA-DB technology, far surpassing the current standards of the Federal Army and VEGAN by several levels. Ordinary weapons could not penetrate it.
But since it was already damaged, the compromised sections of its armor became its fatal flaw.
"Boom! Boom! Boom..."
In an instant, countless explosions engulfed Sidd, the continuous blasts overwhelming it.
The next second, a battered figure burst out from the smoke and dust. Its wings and cannons were nowhere to be seen, leaving only a slender frame fleeing outward.
"Don't even think about escaping!"
The Dawn Gundam instantly accelerated in pursuit, discarding its gun. The two [Bl
ades of Downpour] gleamed with a cold light.
"Zzz... Zzz..."
Amidst the sparks and arcs, the emerald-green [Blades of Downpour] gradually sliced through Sidd's remains, dividing it into four pieces at the cross-shaped wound.
"Boom~!"
(End of Chapter)