Faced with Wang Hu's temporary departure from the team, the five-member group led by Lelouch set off in a rather delicate atmosphere.
During the journey, Zhang Peng took advantage of the others' inattention and discreetly pulled aside Liu Peiqiang, who was both excited and nervous.
"Master?"
The detained Liu Peiqiang cautiously watched his master, unsure what was going on.
"Peiqiang, you need to be careful later."
Deliberately slowing their pace, Zhang Peng lowered his voice to remind him.
"What's wrong? Master, are you worried something might go wrong with this mission?"
"I see Colonel Wang Hu and that young man named Lelouch up ahead both seem quite confident."
"It shouldn't be a big problem, right?"
"Besides..."
Liu Peiqiang didn't voice the rest of his thoughts. Based on his understanding of his master, if there was even the slightest danger, his master would stop him. If there were real dangers—even if there were no superiors here to use as an excuse—his master would go himself rather than let him come.
"Don't you see I'm regretting it now?"
Little did he know that Zhang Peng was genuinely considering fleeing in advance.
He himself didn't really care, but Liu Peiqiang beside him was the only child of his dear brother. If anything happened to Liu Peiqiang, how could he face his good brother when he descended to the underworld?
What? You ask why he didn't just refuse earlier and only started regretting it after arriving at the satellite? Ah, mentioning this made Zhang Peng feel deflated.
Ask any soldier who had experienced the Asrasga Battle and the Orb Conquest Battle—after witnessing such grand, earth-shattering scenes, who wouldn't feel excited and exhilarated?
So, having the chance to be part of it, to personally pilot a giant humanoid weapon, the MS, in battle—this temptation was immense, truly immense for him.
Since coming to this world, aside from observing, he had also systematically learned Jeda's operational techniques. Originally, he thought this mission was just to retrieve a young girl named Lacus, and even if there were dangers, Wang Hu would be there to take the lead.
Who would have thought that Wang Hu, their pillar of support, would leave the team halfway, and someone as sharp as Zhang Peng could see Lelouch's intention to stir up trouble?
"Master, you can't be serious!"
Since his parents passed away, Zhang Peng had been the one raising him. Just by looking at his master's expression and knowing his temperament, Liu Peiqiang was horrified.
Thinking of running away now? Oh, my dear master, this isn't the way to screw people over!
Besides, this is an alien world's space satellite colony. With just the two of us unfamiliar with the place, if we leave the main group, we wouldn't even know how we died!
"You brat, what do you know?"
Zhang Peng glanced sideways at Liu Peiqiang, whom he treated as his own son, and then proceeded to give him some earnest advice.
"See that green-haired woman? You need to stay away from her."
"Your master here, from the very first glance, knew she's a woman with extremely rich life experiences."
"She's so profoundly troubled that she's even contemplated ending her own life. In her eyes, nothing in this world seems worth holding onto anymore."
"Pei Qiang, this is beyond your grasp. If you don't want to end up getting hurt, just listen to me carefully, understand?"
"Master, what are you even talking about?"
Liu Peiqiang showed an expression torn between laughter and tears. Were we even discussing this just a moment ago?
Besides, I already have Duoduo. Would I really go bothering other women? What kind of person do you take me for?
Come on, Master, could you please be more reliable? Right now you're not just representing Zhang Peng as an individual - don't forget we also represent the UEG behind us!
"Ah, you child, why can't you tell good advice from bad?"
"Do you think I'm the only one who can see how dangerous that woman is?"
"See that golden-haired guy called Mu? Don't be fooled by his playboy appearance - he's actually a soft-hearted fool."
"He's noticed it too, so that idiot Mu is trying to use his own methods to help that green-haired woman C.C. rebuild connections in this world."
"To make her stop thinking about suicide."
Looking at his disciple with the expression of one gazing at unteachable rotten wood, Zhang Peng then pointed at the black-haired youth at the front.
"Of course, those two aren't the important ones. The most dangerous is this guy."
"Don't let his thin, small build fool you - your master could take on ten like him."
"But I can tell at a glance he's no good person. Who knows what he might do when Wang Hu isn't around."
"No way?"
Liu Peiqiang was skeptical. How could Lelouch, who clearly cared so much for his sister, do anything that extreme?
I may be young, but don't think I'm stupid.
Though I haven't known Lelouch long, I could see at first glance that there's love in his heart.
Someone who treats his sister so well can't possibly be a bad person, right?
"You foolish child."
With one look, Zhang Peng knew his disciple hadn't taken his words to heart.
But he also knew how stubborn his apprentice was - he wouldn't change his views until he saw the evidence with his own eyes.
"Just remember this - whatever happens later, you need to listen to me."
Having said this, Zhang Peng quickly caught up with the main group.
If they lingered any longer, not only might they arouse suspicion from the others ahead, but they might also get left behind.
Hadn't they noticed how they'd been winding through the streets and had already made contact with the local East Asian Alliance underground operatives?
Weren't they just about to depart by vehicle for their destination?
Soon, under the guidance of the East Asian Alliance underground operatives, Lelouch and his group successfully reached Lacus's hiding place.
They finally saw the objective of their mission.
"Hello everyone, thank you so much for coming to assist us, friends from the East Asian Alliance."
Her beautiful eyes swept over Lelouch and the others. Though Lacus felt slightly disappointed not to see Wang Hu among them, she maintained perfect composure on the surface.
Gracefully lifting the hem of her skirt with both hands, she performed an elegant curtsy that instantly won favor with the more ordinary Zhang Peng and his companion.
As for Lelouch, C.C., and Mu - the first two had encountered people like Lacus before in their respective experiences, so they felt nothing particularly special. In fact, Lelouch instinctively detected a faint scent of kinship about her.
As for Mu, having personally witnessed Lacus being struck by Wang Hu aboard the Archangel, it was now exceedingly difficult for him to feel any goodwill toward the girl before him.
"Hello, Miss Lacus. I am the temporary leader for this mission."
"My name is Lelouch vi Britannia, and this is C.C., who will be responsible for your personal protection from now on."
Stepping forward as previously agreed, Lelouch assumed the role of the squad leader.
"The three behind us are Mu, Zhang Peng, and Liu Peiqiang."
"We will escort you away from the PLANT satellite cluster."
"Thank you very much."
After expressing her gratitude with a flicker of her eyes, Lacus felt slightly surprised. It was one thing that Wang Hu hadn't come, but even though this was a team dispatched by the East Asian Alliance, the leader and the majority of its members weren't purely East Asian?
Moreover, it seemed that Zhang Peng and Liu Peiqiang, the two purely East Asian members, showed no unusual expressions toward Lelouch, who was clearly a Westerner.
Lacius couldn't help but marvel at this. After all, before the conflict between Coordinators and Naturals emerged and intensified, the East-West divide had been quite severe. The inclusiveness of East Asians at this moment truly broadened her horizons.
"Miss Lacus, do you have any personal opinions regarding the subsequent arrangements?"
Unaware of Lacus's inner admiration for East Asia, Lelouch displayed the royal demeanor cultivated since childhood.
He then inquired of Lacus, intending to seize the initiative in the upcoming actions through his presence and rhetoric, while also leveraging the Clyne Faction's influence to advance his own hidden agenda.
Even before requesting assistance from the East Asian Alliance, and prior to her father Clyne's passing, Lacus had contemplated a plan to evacuate from PLANT territory. Now, she laid out her original plan in full.
"The Eternal?"
Lelouch revealed an intrigued smile, never expecting the girl before him to wield even greater influence than he had imagined. Even in her current fallen state, she still possessed such capabilities within the ZAFT Forces.
The current top brass of ZAFT seemed rather incompetent.
First, they allowed this girl to steal the highly confidential Mobile Suit, the Freedom Gundam, right under their noses.
Then, they failed to secure the Eternal, a battleship specifically built for the Freedom and Justice Gundams, with most of its crew consisting of Clyne Faction members.
Their own foundation had been thoroughly infiltrated by the political rival Clyne Faction.
Heh, realizing this, Lelouch exerted immense willpower to suppress the smirk that nearly formed on his lips.
"I understand. The reason Miss Lacus sought assistance from our East Asian Alliance..."
"...is due to concerns about escaping PLANT after seizing the Eternal, correct?"
With a single sentence, he pinpointed the worry in Lacus's heart. After all, times had changed.
In the original timeline, Lacus had Kira firmly under her control while keeping Athrun on a string. Now, the only card representing military strength in her hand was Captain Desert Tiger Balthfeld, whose role was limited in the current situation.
Just as Lacus maintained her smile and prepared to articulate the original plan she had intended to use in negotiations with Wang Hu, before the pink diva could speak, Lelouch offered a composed smile and said—
"Indeed, to ensure the success of this mission, our East Asian Alliance has dispatched a special independent mobile unit—the Uprising Army."
"In order to rescue the members of the Clyne
--Enjoying the story? Want more chapters? Check out my Patreon and support me for 40+ advance chapters.
Just search for "LegendaryTL" on Patreon!"
Thanks!