pdf-ebookys Chapter 10: Big Trouble is Coming
Chapter 10: Big Trouble is Coming
"Hah, hah," the round little pink pig jumped out of the lifeboat, making a cute squeal.
"Lux, Lux~"
"Thank you all for your hard work. Hey? Why are you all looking at me like that?" The stunningly beautiful girl who floated out of the lifeboat had a dazed expression on her face.
I was quite surprised to see a large crowd gathered outside the lifeboat.
"Isn't this a ZAFT ship?"
"This is the Archangel."
Kira casually picked up the pink figure and flew through the hangar.
The entire crew of the Archangel seemed to have been put on mute.
The smells of gunpowder, engine oil, and the tension and anxiety brought on by war permeated the air were all diluted by an almost unreal fragrance the moment the girl appeared.
She was like a cherry blossom that had wandered into a steel forest, with dreamy pink hair cascading down like a waterfall, and a pair of amethyst-like eyes on her exquisite, doll-like face, carrying just the right amount of confusion and innocence.
She was surrounded by cold metal and flashing alarm lights, and she was the only warm color in this apocalyptic scene.
"My name is Lux Klein. Thank you for saving me, brave sir."
She smiled sweetly at Kira, whose face was flushed and who was at a loss for what to do, her voice ethereal and melodious, as if it could soothe the deepest wounds in people's hearts.
In that instant, Kira's face flushed red to the roots of his neck, his mind went blank, and he could only stand there dumbfounded, like an innocent fan meeting his idol for the first time.
The atmosphere in the hangar instantly became subtle. Several young crew members even forgot their work, staring intently at this goddess who had suddenly appeared, their faces filled with amazement.
"Tsk tsk."
From the corner, an untimely voice shattered the idyllic scene.
Ling Yu was leaning against the wall, nudging Mu La Flaga next to him with his elbow, lowering his voice, and speaking in a tone that suggested he was enjoying the show.
"See that, old Mu? That's called a hero rescuing a damsel in distress, a classic trope. The next step is for the beauty to offer herself to him, and then the protagonist, for love, tears up treaties, tramples on parliament, and becomes an enemy of the world."
"Sounds good." Mu stroked his chin, looking at Kira who was blushing with amusement, his eyes full of the teasing look of an elder looking at a junior.
"Not bad my ass." Ling Yu rolled his eyes, unable to stand it anymore.
He strode over to Kira, and before the other could react, grabbed his shoulder and dragged him to a secluded corner with irresistible force.
"Mr. Ling... Mr. Ling Yu?" Kira looked bewildered, still lost in his pink fantasy.
Ling Yu pressed him against the wall, put on a pained expression, placed his hands heavily on his shoulders, and spoke earnestly:
"Kira, my good brother, tell me honestly, do you think you've fallen in love?"
"I, I, I didn't."
Kira's face turned even redder, his eyes darted around, and he stammered, unable to utter a single word.
"Wake up!" Ling Yu slapped him hard on the back, so hard that Kira almost coughed up.
"Stop licking! In the end, you'll have nothing, understand?"
"Lick...?" Kira's understanding was clearly unable to process this trendy word.
"I'm asking you, who is she?" Ling Yu lowered his voice, his expression as serious as if he were giving his last words.
"Lux Clyne..."
"She's the daughter of the PLANT Council Chairman! A walking 'political nuclear bomb'! A mobile 'war fuse'!" Ling Yu's spittle almost landed on Kira's face.
"You think this is love at first sight? No! This is the opening act of a spy thriller! You think her smile means she likes you? That's just damn business etiquette! One smile from her and PLANT's stock index will tremble!"
Kira was overwhelmed by this series of powerful terms, feeling as if he were listening to gibberish.
"The way she looks at you, you think it's flirting? That's the look an investor gives you when they see a promising stock! When she praises your courage, that's HR painting you a rosy picture, trying to get you to work overtime for free! If you politely send her back now, you're just an excellent employee. But if you dare touch her, believe me, tomorrow Kruse will be driving three hundred Kings, with a reinforced platoon of Hello Bikes, to 'friendly exchange' with you?"
Ling Yu pointed at Lux, who was surrounded by Miriamia and the others not far away, with an expression of pity for her misfortune and anger at her lack of ambition.
"See that? That pink isn't hair, it's a trap! That singing isn't heavenly, it's a death knell! Stay away from her, or you'll be miserable! Take my advice, in times of war, pure love won't end well."
He looked Kira up and down, his small frame sizing him up, and finally sighed.
"If you really can't hold back, I'll introduce you to a few later... But forget it, with your build, you should focus on figuring out how to pilot a Gundam first."
After all, you're piloting a Gundam, what need do you have for women?
Mu and Maru, standing to the side, were dumbfounded. They wanted to laugh but dared not, their shoulders twitching, their facial expressions on the verge of being out of control.
This man always manages to use the most outrageous metaphors to express the most poignant "truths".
【Aub Official Residence】
[“Future Silhouette” Information System: Key figure “Lacus Clyne” has boarded the Archangel. The story has officially entered the “Divas’ Crossroads” branch. Warning: This branch is highly susceptible to the actions of the “player,” causing a significant deviation from the timeline. Current deviation: 12.7%.]
Su Yunxiu elegantly picked up the black tea, looked at the prompt that popped up on the screen, and a faint, playful smile appeared on her lips.
"It's finally here... the first public stage that all players can see."
let me see
"Where will you 'brutes' who only know how to collide MS with each other lead this precious songstress?"
Her fingers tapped lightly on the table, her mind already contemplating dozens of possibilities.
[Earth Alliance Eighth Fleet, a secret prison cell]
"Boss, latest intelligence..."
It is said that the Plant singer apparently went missing during the Junius 7's condolence event.
"Then what?"
"That woman is a very important person in PLANT."
She seems to be the speaker's daughter.
From the next cell came the suppressed excitement of a fellow prisoner's whisper.
Chen Kai lay on the cold metal bed, listening to the news without even lifting his eyelids.
"Oh. How did you know?"
"Hey, you know my intelligence network..."
"Boss, this is a huge bargaining chip! If we could..."
"Cheers?" Chen Kai scoffed, his voice hoarse and cold, shattering the other's illusions.
"That's a bargaining chip for big shots."
For 'parts' like us, ready to be scrapped at any moment, it's just adding another, more explosive battery to this already shaky ship.
He turned over, buried his face in the shadows, and continued to rest with his eyes closed.
Escape and survive.
That was the only thing he needed to think about. As for the princess or the bargaining chips, they were irrelevant to him.
The other end of the bridge.
After finishing his "anti-PUA and anti-fraud" safety education for Kira, Ling Yu turned his attention back to Lux.
The girl was surrounded by Miria and several female crew members, her face always bearing a flawless, gentle smile.
She answered each question patiently, exuding an innate nobility and affability in every gesture, as if she were not a prisoner trapped on an enemy ship, but attending an elegant afternoon tea party.
But Ling Yu's gaze pierced through that perfect disguise.
He noticed that when Lux was talking to someone, there was an extremely slight, unnatural stiffness in her left foot. Whenever her center of gravity needed to shift, the corner of her perfectly smiling mouth would freeze for a fraction of a second.
Moreover, at the hem of her gorgeous dress, near her ankles, there was a small patch of darker color than the surrounding area, cleverly hidden in the intricate folds.
That's not a water stain.
It is dried blood.
This woman is using textbook-perfect acting skills to desperately cover up her pain and weakness.
Ling Yu stroked his chin and suddenly realized that he had said those frivolous things a little too soon.
This pink "ZZ nuclear bomb" seems to be much more interesting than he imagined.
Just then, Natal Bajirull, who was known for her impartiality, walked over. Her expression was serious, and her gaze lingered on Lux for a moment.
"Captain Lamias orders," her voice devoid of warmth, "Miss Klein, according to military regulations, we need to conduct necessary questioning of you. Please come with us."
Lux's smile remained unchanged. She gave a graceful bow to those around her and said gently, "Of course, that's only right."
After saying that, she was "escorted" by two soldiers and walked toward the interrogation room next to the captain's cabin.
Kira watched her retreating figure, his face filled with worry, yet he felt utterly helpless.
Maru Lamias rubbed her aching temples, watching the hot potato being taken away, feeling utterly overwhelmed. She glanced around the bridge, her gaze finally settling on the figure preparing to slip away.
"Ling Yu!" Maru called out to him.
"Present!" Ling Yu stood at attention, a professional smile on his face. "Captain, what are your orders? Please give me priority for battles that require appearance fees, and please hand over unpaid paperwork to Vice Commander Natal."
"Stop being so cheeky." Maru glared at him, but her tone wasn't as stern as before. "Come here too."
She pointed in the direction of the interrogation room, a hint of helplessness on her face.
"Regarding this 'distinguished guest,' how should we handle this... I need to hear your opinion as a 'professional gaming companion.'"