The shining Shoko Toyokawa

A girl with gray hair... it would be more accurate to call her a doll.

She lay blankly on the white bed with her eyes open. Judging from the almost wrinkle-free quilt, she probably hadn't moved since she covered herself with it last time.

Most normal people would subconsciously adjust their bodies even when they were asleep, not to mention that the girl was still 'awake'.

"Little Light..."

Aiyin thought she was ready to face the reality.

But it turns out that it didn't.

She had already done her best just to keep from crying out loud.

What? When the world is at peace, Xiao Deng will come back. This kind of words are to comfort Li Xi and Su Shi, but also to comfort myself...

"Xiao Deng, can she hear me now?"

Su Shi lowered her head. "Her brain waves are very weak now. She probably didn't even dream... I'm sorry I couldn't stop her."

“Soyo-san, what nonsense are you talking about?” Aine pinched herself hard, trying to make her voice sound less strange. “It’s all because of me. If I hadn’t been so willful, Xiao Deng wouldn’t have become like this…”

"It's pointless to discuss who's responsible now. This was Xiao Deng's own choice," Li Xi tapped Aine's back lightly with his fist. "What's important is what to do next. Honestly, I don't know what to do anymore..."

"Let's go and convince Xia Ya-san,"

"But Xiaoxiang... is right," Su Shi parted Deng's bangs a little, "Everyone has weaknesses, so there's nothing we can do. But it's different for you, Aine. Don't do... the wrong thing."

"Wrong?" Aine wiped the tears from her face, "I don't think it's wrong to persuade Xia Ya-san. I've been to space myself, so I understand how difficult it is for humans today to go to space.

The reason why I can still sit here, besides Xiao Deng's help, is simply because of good luck.

How many astronauts have died during the time the colony has appeared..."

"so…"

The pink-haired girl supported herself on the wheelchair armrests with both hands, slowly stood up, then turned around and smiled at her friends.

"Don't say you're wrong. Humanity needs the White Horse now. It's the key to the future. If you explain this to Xia Ya-san, she'll definitely understand."

Chapter 165: Xia Isabella, attack!

In mid-October, in Cairo, the tens of thousands of tons of super battleship White Trojan slowly rose to the surface with the help of the Minovsky floating system and flew towards the Mediterranean Sea.

An hour ago, the ship, which had just been repaired, was hit by an inertial-guided hypersonic missile. It is no exaggeration to say that it is now fleeing in panic.

Several third-generation mobile suits ascended to provide escort, and the mobile suits advancing on the ground were as large as several battalions.

Accompanying the MS were tanks and armored vehicles, which were densely packed in a row, using tracks and tires to quickly "clear mines" for the following MS troops.

If a tank hits a mine, it will be pushed to the side of the road by other tanks to avoid blocking the road.

The reason for being so extreme is just for one word——

fast!

The army of the "unknown force" has landed in Pharaoh's country and has gathered considerable combat power.

They didn't know if they had picked up ballistic missiles and a large number of mobile suits in the desert, but in some directions they had actually forced the Atlantic Federation's army to retreat step by step.

In addition, in the environment of Minovsky particle dispersion, the ballistic missiles suddenly became accurate, forcing them to set sail with the damaged white Trojan.

As for intercepting hypersonic missiles that travel at speeds of over Mach 10, this is almost impossible to accomplish.

Due to the damage, the white wooden horse could not travel at high speeds and had difficulty in gaining altitude.

Along the way, if any MS could break through the Atlantic Federation's defense, it would be a sitting duck in this state.

…………

"So you want us to cover them and go to the Mediterranean?"

Inside the temporary combat command room on the USS Ford, Li Xi twirled the pen in his hand in frustration. "We haven't been able to familiarize ourselves with the Gundam for so long. If we fail, don't blame us."

"I won't let you get near the white wooden horse!"

A gray-haired female officer wearing the uniform of an American Air Force pilot confronted Lixi, "No one knows if you're allies of Oblivionis. In this situation, it's my Kshatriyas' job to annihilate those guys!"

"Yes, yes, it would be great if we don't have to play."

Li Xi was too lazy to argue with her, "Why not just spare us from fighting those people..."

No one paid any attention to Li Xi's muttering. The battle plan was the same as before. America and other Atlantic Federation countries sent people who showed their loyalty to attack. They were still on standby.

Unlike the others who were relieved that they didn't have to fight, Aine felt very heavy.

As soon as the combat meeting was over, before the black-haired girl could even say hello to her, she asked her doubts, "Why are you guys here, Xiao Jin?!"

After passing through the Suez Canal and entering the Mediterranean, the USS Ford received a large amount of personnel and weapons supplies.

Among the personnel supplies, there are many, including Xiao Jin, who was a "classmate" that Aiyin knew well at the training base.

Because they are both from the East, when they were in Florida, Ain naturally felt close to Xiao Jin, who also respected her and often asked her for advice on driving MS.

"The commander said that we are in a state of war now. Not coming would be disobeying orders. I had no choice but to come..." Xiao Jin's face was bitter, but he still forced a smile and said sincerely: "Congratulations, Senior Anon."

“Huh?” Aine was a bit unresponsive and smiled wryly, “Did anything good happen to me?”

"I remember that Anon-senpai joined the Y organization in order to become a super idol, and now he has become one."

“I see…” Aine felt a little embarrassed. “That was said several months ago during an interview. It was a mistake I made when I was young.”

At this point, super idols are no longer important to Aine. If possible, she just wants to return to her ordinary life, and it would be even better if she could form a band with everyone.

"What super idol? How foolish!" the gray-haired female officer said proudly, adjusting her epaulettes. "I've only been in the army for a few months, and I'm already a captain. Chosen by God like you, why don't you join the army like me and become a big shot?"

She was probably around the same age as Aine and the others, and her height was quite disappointing. She had a pretty cute face, but she always looked at people with her chin down.

When people look at her, they will unconsciously clench their fists.

"The doctor said that if I complete this mission perfectly, I can be promoted to colonel. Even for outstanding cadets, it takes nearly 10 years to be promoted to colonel!"

"Captain Lilith, I'm the newcomer, Jin Huizhen, with the rank of Second Lieutenant. I've heard of your achievements since I was in America. You have a third-generation mobile suit and over ten other mobile suits. You're now the only double ace in the American military!"

Seeing Lilith coming, Xiao Jin immediately stuck to her like a servile boy, flattering Lilith with a lot of flattery, making her so confused that she almost grew a tail to show off.

Aine ignored the dirty adult friendship procedures and waved to her friends, signaling them to go to the deck to get some fresh air.

Lilith was so immersed in the flattery that she didn't even notice that they had left.

Today is different from the past. The four of them have no privacy. They can only go up to the deck under the "protection" of several female soldiers.

Perhaps having sensed the arrival of several people, Naomi Misora, who was sitting in a vacant corner of the deck, turned around in advance and leaned against the railing to look at the approaching girls.

Her confinement and investigation had just ended, and she, who was already thin, seemed to have lost even more weight, and her mental state was a little sluggish.

"Everyone is working so hard,"

Aine sighed, leaning on the railing next to Misora ​​Naomi with both hands. "Ms. Misora, where do you think Xia-san will attack from? The Red Sea, the Mediterranean, or perhaps from land?"

"There are many forces against the Atlantic Federation on this side of the Red Sea. It is very likely that they are from this side of the Red Sea."

Misora ​​Naomi didn't care that the pilots were all standing on Aine's side, and there was no one beside the guardrail on her side.

"If she attacks right now, we probably won't be able to stop her with those people. What do you think? Are you confident, Penelope's pilot?"

"Please call me Pilot No. 2, or the pilot of Odysseus Unit No. 3. Well, how could I possibly have confidence against Xia Ya-san? I'm afraid the only one who can compete with her is Xiao Deng.

Also, I haven't been on Unit 03 in ages, and I've only tried the Milovsky aircraft in a simulator before. If Xia... Xiangzi gets serious, she'll probably be able to take me down without much effort."

"Misora, are you being punished for losing your trump card, Xiao Deng? Now we're all under the control of those soldiers. I feel... very uncomfortable."

"Not exactly..." Misora ​​Naomi tightened her collar. "Takamatsu-san's... going to space actually made those bigwigs breathe a sigh of relief. They all thought she was too strong, both as a pilot of Penelope and as a Newtype."

Aine felt a mix of emotions. "Would a weak pilot like me actually make them feel at ease?"

"They originally planned to replace Unit 1,"

"Huh? Lenai?" Li Xi couldn't stand it any longer. "Lena is so impulsive, how can we let her pilot Penelope?!"

"If we're going to take Xia... or Toyokawa Shoko as our enemy, there's no one more suitable than her."

Naomi Misora ​​shifted her gaze to Rakuna.

"Kaname-kun, if Cossi attacks you, will you fight back?"

"Wow..." Lena pondered for quite a long time. If it were a comic, her head might have started to smoke from overthinking.

"I'm not sure, but they should fight back. Lenai wants to go back alive, and she doesn't want grandma and everyone else to get hurt..."

"That's it,"

Naomi Misora ​​spread her hands.

"Although you are more stable as pilots, your relationship with the enemy is also worrying. Now that you are aboard the mobile suit, it is not impossible that you will turn your guns on us."

"This is even more inexplicable. Why did we need to replace Unit 3?"

Aiyin smiled self-deprecatingly, "I don't have any worries."

"Because to you, the white horse represents hope. You are someone who knows how difficult it is for humans to go into space today."

"Excuse me, Miss Nangong," Su Shi said, changing the subject. "The current deployment of American forces is very strange no matter how you look at it. Unless you have other fifth-generation mobile suits, you absolutely cannot throw the baby out with the bathwater and leave us here to enjoy the sea breeze.

Or... have you already grasped the movements on Ave Mujica?

They won't attack from this side of the Red Sea, but will go around in front of us, right?"

Misora ​​Naomi smiled, looked at Su Shi and asked, "If they get in front of us, where do you think they are most likely to block us?"

"Ave Mujica is not a large army. It is difficult for them to control and monitor the vast sea in real time. The only place they can control is probably only one..."

Su Shi looked at the calm sea and gave the answer with mixed feelings: "The Strait of Gibraltar connects the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.

While the White Trojan can fly, the aircraft carriers escorting it cannot. Given its current state, the White Trojan is too vulnerable if separated from its escort. But would anyone really be willing to fight five aircraft carrier formations, dozens of warships, and nearly two hundred mobile suits in such a confined space?

"I don't think Xia Ya-san would do such a stupid thing."

Aine disagrees with Suye's conclusion, or rather the conclusion of the Amelica executives.

"Perhaps you have planted spies in Ave Mujica and learned of their actions, but Xia is not someone who cannot fight without the support of the organization... Rather, she is more accustomed to acting alone.

If I were her, I would never miss this opportunity to divert attention."

Misora ​​Naomi was stunned for a moment, then quickly left the deck.

She and they, who have always relied on the strongest organization in the world, inevitably made the mistake of saving others with their own help.

When the FBI goes to a certain country to gather intelligence, the journey is like traveling. When they arrive at the destination, they often have informants to pick them up. If they encounter danger, they can call on the nearby American army to rescue them.

But Xia Ya, or Toyokawa Shoko, is completely different. All along, the only person she can rely on is herself, besides Cosi.

…………

Atlantic Ocean, aboard the Nautilus,

Oblivionis watched the news the Nautilus had received as it surfaced, and breathed a sigh of relief. She took off her steel mask, and the reflection in the mirror revealed a frail face.

"Xia Ya-san, should she start attacking now?"

A week ago, 'Adele' received a notice from Oblivionis late at night, asking her to go to her room.

The young former pilot lady entered the room with some trepidation and was asked to take off her clothes.

Just when she was considering whether to pretend to be shy and resist, Oblivionis gave her a difficult task -

Impersonating Oblivionis

Adele initially refused, saying she was clumsy, how could she possibly act well?!

But at Oblivionis's insistence, Adele put on the mask of steel.

This feeling…

Not bad?

For Adele, who has always been worried, this time she won't die if her disguise is exposed, and it only takes a week, which is relatively easy.

Lying on Xia Ya's bed, Adele could not fall asleep and sometimes had nosebleeds. It might be because the air in the room was too dry.

"Xia Ya-san, I'm leaving my sister in your care..."

There was a battle between hundreds of people on the other side of the Mediterranean Sea, and the enemy might even be her own sister, but Adele felt incredibly at ease.

…………

Night has fallen in the Mediterranean,

The beams of light and the gunfire illuminated the coast.