Revive Revival was naturally unwilling to leave just like that. In VEDA's records, all data regarding Myer had been deleted when Ribbons seized control of VEDA's permissions; it was completely untraceable. Furthermore, there were no records indicating that Yang Hui was an Artificial Innovator either. His basic background—from birth to joining Celestial Being—was very clear; it was impossible for him to be an Artificial Innovator.
So... there was only one possibility: Yang Hui was a self-awakened Pure Innovator!
"Why... why would you, a Pure Innovator, stand with these Ordinary People against your own kind!?" Revive Revival demanded loudly.
"Ordinary People? Kind? Heh." Yang Hui sneered, looking at Revive Revival as if he were an idiot. "Kid, I don't blame you for having little experience, but being self-righteous despite that lack of experience is your own problem."
"What!"
"Don't forget who invented the VEDA you rely on, the GN Particles, and even your very existence. And... what can you even do if you lose those things?"
"You!"
"Alright, get lost. You're just an immature brat; talking to you about this is truly boring."
Revive Revival wanted to struggle, but the hand on his shoulder grew heavier, making his shoulder blade creak. He gritted his teeth in pain.
Helpless, Revive Revival had no choice but to leave. Before he did, however, he burned the faces of everyone who had controlled him and killed the other Innovators into his mind.
"Just you wait, this matter won't end like this!" Revive Revival threatened viciously before walking out the door.
His threat had no effect; instead, it drew a round of light chuckles.
"Heh, fine, we'll be waiting," Char said playfully.
"Hmph!"
Once Revive Revival left, only their own people remained in the bar. Kati scanned Char and the others before looking at Yang Hui. "They are..."
"Our comrades."
"I see. But you shouldn't have come back, and certainly not so high-profile." Kati voiced the same concern as Sergei.
"You didn't think I only brought these few back with me, did you?"
"What else is there?" Kati asked. It wasn't that she didn't believe him; she knew Yang Hui. If he dared to appear so publicly, he definitely had something to back it up.
"It's quite a lot. Should I tell you slowly?" Yang Hui gave a wicked grin.
"Yang Hui!" Kati wanted to scold him, catching his double meaning, but was now really the time for flirting?! However, feeling the warmth of the large hand on her waist and the alluring scent of their long-awaited reunion, her firm stance softened. Her scolding turned into a bashful whine as she slumped into Yang Hui's arms.
"It's fine, we have time. Let's talk slowly," Yang Hui whispered directly into Kati's ear. His hot breath blew against her, and an ambiguous pink atmosphere gradually filled the bar...
"Hey, what are you guys still doing here?" Yang Hui looked with disdain at Char and the others, who were lingering.
"Heh."
"You really know how to play."
"Old in years but young at heart."
"How romantic."
"I've learned something new."
The group gave Yang Hui a collective thumbs-up and walked out of the bar with mischievous grins. Kati buried her head in Yang Hui's chest; she wanted to be angry but had no strength left. She could only let Yang Hui pick her up in a princess carry and head toward the inner bedroom, and then... (a million words omitted)...
...
After leaving, Revive Revival did not immediately return to Kati's camp. He pulled over midway and contacted Ribbons, reporting everything that had just happened.
"You saw him?"
"Yes."
"You failed?"
"Ribbons! He's a Pure Innovator! He's already awakened! Why wasn't I given any intelligence before the mission!?" Revive Revival took great pride in being elegant, always maintaining a graceful smile, but now he couldn't help himself. His face was contorted, and his voice was filled with boundless rage.
"As I thought. I knew it."
"Ribbons!"
"Are you questioning me, Revive Revival?" Ribbons' voice was as cold as ice, enough to freeze a soul, causing Revive's anger to extinguish instantly.
"I... you misunderstand, Ribbons. I am angry over the deaths of our kind."
"Heh." Ribbons chuckled coldly. He knew the temperaments of the Innovators under him better than they knew themselves. Angry over the deaths of compatriots? That was the least funny joke he'd heard.
However, he didn't expose the lie. Revive Revival was one of the elites among his subordinates and still had his uses, so he explained, "It's not that I didn't tell you. Before this, it was merely a guess. I couldn't be sure."
"I... I see."
"Return to A-Laws headquarters immediately. You don't need to worry about Kati Mannequin anymore."
"Is their sacrifice just going to be wasted?" Revive Revival was unwilling. He wouldn't seek revenge for the deaths of the others, but today he had suffered the greatest humiliation since his birth. He had to retaliate. He couldn't touch Yang Hui, but he could still deal with Kati—unless she openly rebelled against the Earth Federation.
"Do you think he would be afraid? Or that she would be?" Ribbons countered.
"This..."
"Do as I instructed, or you don't need to contact me anymore."
"I... I understand." Revive Revival felt a chill. He didn't dare disobey Ribbons' orders. On one hand, he heard Ribbons' impatience; on the other, he remembered the indifference and contempt Yang Hui had shown him.
"Good. For now, move with A-Laws. Be careful the next time you encounter Celestial Being, understood?"
"Un... Understood."
The communication ended. Revive Revival didn't dare delay any longer and immediately headed back to the A-Laws base. Far away in space, once the screen went blank, the smile on Ribbons' face vanished.
"It seems you've been outplayed again, Ribbons." A person with purple hair and glasses, looking almost identical to Tieria except for the voice and wavy hair, spoke. This was Regene Regetta, an Artificial Innovator of the same model as Tieria.
"Regene Regetta..." Ribbons' face darkened as he glanced sideways at this compatriot who loved to oppose him.
"Celestial Being has moved again, and this time the scale is massive. The A-Laws' Third and Fourth Fleets were completely wiped out. All the garrison forces at the Fourth Lagrange Point colony, Proud, which was responsible for cleanup work, were eliminated, and the prisoners inside were released." As he spoke, he handed a data file to Ribbons.
"This is!" Ribbons' brow furrowed deeply. He had never seen the warships displayed in the data. Even looking at the photos, he knew they were not to be trifled with; they were definitely super-dreadnought class mother-ships. There were also Gundams he had never seen and for which VEDA had no data, and more than half of them used Original Solar Furnaces. Their combat power was terrifying.
"Heh, it seems Mr. Myer wasn't just doing nothing during the year he disappeared," Regene Regetta teased with a laugh.
"What are you trying to say?" Ribbons asked Regene Regetta.
"Original Solar Furnaces can only be manufactured in the gravitational environment of the Jupiter sphere, so..."
"So you're saying that during this year, he ran off to the Jupiter sphere to build Solar Furnaces? Then what about this warship? And these mobile suits?" If it were just new Original Solar Furnaces, Ribbons might have agreed with Regene Regetta's judgment.
But the warship and new Gundams made no sense. The Jupiter sphere didn't have such abundant resources, especially living supplies and personnel. If Celestial Being had a secret base near Jupiter, it was impossible for VEDA not to know.
Without a base, without equipment, without personnel, and without resources, how could he possibly build a warship like that and so many Gundams?
"Then I wouldn't know." Regene Regetta shrugged. "If you want to know, send someone to investigate. You know they don't listen to me."
"Tch." Ribbons was very annoyed, but like Revive Revival, Regene Regetta still had his uses. Now was not the time to kill him, so he had to endure it.
"By the way, that little girl from the Wang family has been making big moves since she returned. Aren't you going to do something about it?" Regene Regetta asked.
"That is none of your concern." Ribbons controlled himself to maintain an air of having everything under control. He had already made arrangements for the return of Yang Hui and the others. Besides, Yang Hui had already sent him an invitation; out of etiquette, he certainly had to respond.
"Contact the Federation Chairman and Commander Katagiri. Leave Kati Mannequin alone for now. Suppress the impact of these events to the minimum. It doesn't matter if we have to make some concessions."
"Understood."
After Regene Regetta left, Ribbons sank back into deep thought.
"What exactly happened this past year, Myer... no, I should call you Yang Hui."
...
"So that's your plan? To show a forceful attitude and exploit Ribbons Almark's wariness so he doesn't dare move against us?"
Five hours later, a physically exhausted Kati leaned in Yang Hui's arms and asked about his plan. When she got this answer, it left her both confused and anxious.
"Of course. Now isn't the time for a head-on confrontation yet. There's still some preliminary preparation to be done."
"What other trump cards do you have?"
"Let me show you." Knowing Kati was too exhausted to move, Yang Hui considerately held the PAD for her and flipped through the data, even though she had brought this exhaustion on herself (shrug.jpg).
"This is!" As she looked at the data Yang Hui showed her, her expression became more and more exaggerated.
"How is it? Eleven of the latest integrated fleets. Is that enough to overthrow A-Laws and the Innovators?"
"...Prometheus Fortress?"
"Mhm. The combined strength of five worlds."
"What else? Tell me everything at once. With such a massive force, forget A-Laws and the Innovators—even if you count the regular army, they wouldn't be your match. What are you planning to do with such a colossal force?" Kati asked.
"The third stage of the Celestial Being plan: preparing to welcome the upcoming dialogue."
"I understand. I'll go back now to prepare and respond to your actions at any time." Kati forced her weak body to try and stand up, but her arms gave out, and she fell back into Yang Hui's embrace.
"No need to be in such a hurry. I've already requested leave for you. I'll stay and help you rest for the day."
"Staying with you will be the death of me! Besides, I'm the commanding officer of the camp! They don't even know you; how could you help me request leave?!" Kati barked.
"I used your PAD to send a message to your Adjutant."
"My PAD?" Kati felt a surge of dread. She quickly grabbed her PAD and saw the message Yang Hui had sent to her Adjutant, her blood pressure skyrocketing.
"Taking the day off to rest with my husband. Don't worry about the explosion at the camp; just clean it up." It was even attached with a selfie of Kati and Yang Hui hugging intimately.
"Yang! Hui!!"
(End of Chapter)