Who is Playing the Love Development Game in Gundam

"A, should we pursue them?" Elena's voice came through, tinged with frustration. The enemy had retreated so quickly that it had left them all momentarily stunned.

He Kui had initially planned to give his team a chance to train in live combat, but after firing only one shot, the enemy had fled.

"No, we won't pursue," Edward responded, seemingly sharing He Kui's thought. "The Atlantic Federation's forward base must be close by. Chasing after them at night could be dangerous."

"Understood," He Kui replied, agreeing with the caution.

After gathering and packaging the enemy's remnants, the group piloted their machines to an inconspicuous village nestled deep within the forest. Towering trees surrounded the area, and several wooden houses formed the village center, while tents circled its edges.

Under Edward's guidance, they parked their units beneath the towering trees. The dense foliage provided ample cover from aerial surveillance, shrouding them in near-complete darkness while concealing their movements.

After exiting his machine, He Kui finally laid eyes on the legendary Edward, the "Ripper."

Edward's dark complexion and rugged features reflected the unique character of South America, while his orange-red pilot suit stood out vividly.

"You must be A, the one sent to support us," Edward greeted him solemnly, his voice bearing the weight of recent losses.

"Hello, Mr. Edward."

Edward gave a brief nod and then turned to look at the five bodies cradled in the Dagger's arms, his expression heavy with grief. Each corpse was battered beyond recognition, some burned beyond identification.

A young pilot stepping out of a Ginn nearby began retching at the sight, visibly shaken by the scene.

"…Apologies," another young man said, glancing at the bodies briefly before guiding his queasy companion away to sit by their machines.

As the young leader had said, Coordinators like them found the humid, sweltering Amazon forest to be an uncomfortable environment.

"Thank you," the young man said after composing himself, bowing respectfully toward He Kui. After two skirmishes, he and his team had come to deeply admire He Kui's skill. He Kui was the kind of commander they felt safe following, reminiscent of the confidence they had felt under Commander Cruzer, whose battlefield prowess also gave his soldiers peace of mind.

"It's nothing," He Kui responded. "But I'd prefer you to work on strengthening your own abilities rather than relying on my help."

The young leader's gaze flickered at this. Though he felt a twinge of irritation, he could only manage a wry smile, acknowledging that He Kui's strength far surpassed their own.

"You're not far from achieving red-level status yourselves," He Kui continued.

"Do you really think so?" The young man's eyes shone with hope. As elite green-level soldiers, he and his team had already been singled out for their potential. For them, the gap to red rank was simply a matter of time and experience.

"Yes. With enough experience, you'll get there," He Kui replied, dismissing any doubts.

Meanwhile, Edward had carefully arranged his fallen comrades on a stone altar made of stacked rocks, each as tall as half an MS.

"What's…that?" He Kui asked, noticing that flocks of birds had begun to descend onto the altar to peck at the bodies, while villagers gathered nearby, bowing their heads in silent respect.

"It's called 'Sky Burial,'" Elena explained, her usual playful demeanor replaced with a somber expression. "Here, the dead are returned to nature. It's their way of completing the circle of life."

Elena lowered her head in respect, and He Kui, watching the ritual, couldn't help but think of the space burials he had once seen. He still wasn't prepared to be among them.

"Once again, I thank you for your assistance, Miss A." Edward, now composed, welcomed He Kui into his tent, offering him a drink. It looked like rum.

"No thanks necessary; I'm just doing my job," He Kui replied, taking the cup but setting it down on the table, not intending to drink it.

"Our enemies are mercenaries too," Edward chuckled, seemingly unfazed by He Kui's response. "Still, you fought with us, which makes us comrades."

"So, what's the current situation? Has the city of Brasilia fallen?"

"No, but this terrain is a nightmare. The insurgents are entrenched, engaging us in guerrilla warfare," Edward explained with a sigh. "This region is as familiar to them as it is to us, and unfortunately, loyalty here isn't always guaranteed. Some have sold us out."

He took out a paper map and placed it on the table, pointing to several red-marked locations. "We suspect their base is around here, but we can't confirm it."

"The blue dot is us?"

"Yes," Edward confirmed.

"Alright." He Kui turned his attention to another screen, where his small reconnaissance drone was relaying footage. Under the cover of darkness, it had managed to track the enemy's movements unnoticed.

From the footage, He Kui pinpointed the enemy base's location. "I know where their base is."

He pointed to a spot on the map several kilometers away, near the Peruvian border.

"You're certain?" Edward's smile faded, his expression turning serious.

"Absolutely. I have my own intelligence network."

"Forgive me, but I'll need my team to verify it." As He Kui was only a mercenary, Edward wasn't ready to take his word at face value. Edward would likely need to consult with the Minister of Defense, or even the President himself. In this remote area, however, communication would be challenging, and they might not receive a response until the following day.

"Understood," He Kui said, stretching lazily. "I'll go check on the machines in the meantime."

"Apologies for the limited hospitality here," Edward replied.

"No worries," He Kui responded, glancing back at his team. The real hardship was probably for his four subordinates. Meanwhile, Elena seemed energized, reveling in the nostalgia of her hometown.

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