Chapter 330: Gravity Binds More Than Just the Soul

"Not a clean freak anymore, huh?"

He Kui chuckled, gently stroking Su Lei's hair. Reflecting on what she had just done, a sense of satisfaction swept over him.

After all, Su Lei was notoriously a clean freak. Yet, for him, it seemed she had repeatedly broken her own rules—especially this time.

"Hmph, this time is special," she muttered.

Her soft, pink tongue hesitantly licked her lips. Even though she had rinsed her mouth, she still seemed to detect a lingering, peculiar taste. Yet, she didn't find it repulsive. Instead, this faint trace emboldened her to press herself against He Kui once more.

The main event was just beginning.

> [Congratulations, you have successfully targeted and treated a part of Su Lei's germophobia.]

[Unlocked Academic Path: Quantum Stealth Communication (0/50,000)]

He Kui ignored the string of almost laughable system notifications and focused on the new academic category.

If he could achieve this, perhaps he would no longer need to worry about Orb detecting his signals. Even without fully completing the research, he might still be able to use partial implementations of stealth technology.

However, as with all advanced technologies, the road ahead would be arduous. For now, it seemed more prudent to upgrade his existing information engineering capabilities to an S-grade level. If he did, his proficiency in controlling various weapon systems would improve significantly.

As He Kui and Su Lei basked in their closeness, the door to the room suddenly swung open.

Shi He stood there, glaring at the two on the bed.

"It... It was He Kui who forced me!" Su Lei exclaimed, her earlier confidence crumbling as her face flushed.

So much for bravery.

He Kui looked at Su Lei speechlessly before lifting her up in a princess carry. "I've caught her for you, Shi He. You can do whatever you want."

"In that case, I won't hold back," Shi He smirked, her sharp eyes narrowing as she raised her hand.

"Wait, wait, wait! You can't do that!" Su Lei panicked, squirming to bury herself deeper into He Kui's arms. "Shi He! I outrank you!"

"We're equals now, Lei Lei," Shi He replied nonchalantly. With a crisp smack, she delivered a slap—not to Su Lei, but to He Kui's head.

"?"

Stunned, He Kui blinked in confusion while Su Lei wriggled out of his grasp, no longer subdued.

"Nice hit, Shi He!" Su Lei cheered as she latched onto He Kui, who stood there, caught in the middle of the chaos.

Amid the pandemonium, another round of friendly combat erupted. It wasn't until both Shi He and Su Lei had been thoroughly pacified that He Kui finally escaped to his radar room.

Staring at the machinery before him, He Kui couldn't shake the feeling that his recent days had been unusually chaotic. Sitting there, he suddenly felt like an office worker clocking in for another grueling shift.

"This is all for their sake," he muttered, attempting to convince himself. Taking a deep breath, he reopened his communications console.

Still, it would be best to summon Elena soon. To make that happen, he needed more Aegis units. At least one had to be stationed in South America to ensure Elena's safety on her journey to space.

Money wasn't an issue anymore, but procuring the necessary materials and assembling the units remained a logistical challenge. He'd need help, likely from Shi He. Time was of the essence.

With this in mind, He Kui opened his eyes within the New Home's cabin.

Arriving at the ship's bridge, he found the entire crew gathered there, engaged in a lively discussion. The moment Elena spotted He Kui, her face lit up, and she waved enthusiastically.

"Aegis! You're here!"

"We're about to land!" she exclaimed, stepping aside to reveal the magnificent sight of a blue planet through the reinforced glass of the bridge. It looked like a giant sapphire, evoking a deep sense of wonder.

"Hmm. What's the situation?" He Kui asked, resuming his usual serious demeanor.

"No issues," Luo replied. "The Atlantic Federation and ZAFT forces in the vicinity have disappeared."

"Even if they were here, they wouldn't have any reason to stop us from landing," Luo added with a reassuring smile. "You don't need to worry."

"Good," He Kui replied. "However, the New Home isn't equipped for atmospheric entry. We'll need to use shuttles for the descent. Aegis can pilot the Strike Plus with Elena."

The Strike Plus—an upgraded version of the Strike, jokingly nicknamed the "Strike Grande." Simple and straightforward.

"In that case, I'll leave the New Home to you, George."

"Boo hoo hoo, I'm so lonely," George wailed dramatically, his voice echoing through the ship's comm system as if haunted.

Fortunately, everyone aboard was familiar with George's antics, or else his act might have convinced outsiders they were dealing with a ghost.

Then again, with George's existence limited to electromagnetic signals, wasn't he, in a sense, a ghost?

The thought sent a chill down He Kui's spine. He coughed lightly to interrupt George's theatrics and led Elena to the hangar.

Meanwhile, the crew on the bridge exchanged mixed expressions as they watched He Kui leave.

"Aegis is incredible. His designs are flawless," Luo remarked.

"But don't you think his mysterious background is dangerous?" Shuli interjected, clearly unconvinced.

Unbeknownst to the others, Luo had suspicions about Aegis's true identity, but he hadn't shared them.

"I asked some friends," the professor chimed in, lounging casually in the captain's chair. "They mentioned an organization called 'Pallas.'"

"Pallas? What's that?" Shuli asked, her interest piqued. The others, including Luo, perked up to listen.

"Apparently, it's a secret group that saved both the Eurasian Federation and ZAFT forces from the Cyclops system during the Alaska battle."

"That's amazing!" Shuli exclaimed. "So, if Aegis is with Pallas, that means he's one of the good guys, right?"

The professor's words eased Shuli's wariness, as she began to let her guard down. After all, Pallas had saved countless lives in that battle—soldiers and civilians alike.

"Maybe Pallas has its own agenda," the professor mused. "Who knows?"

"I don't think Aegis is the type to provoke conflict," Luo added thoughtfully, prompting a moment of silence among the group.

"Anyway, let's leave it at that," Luo said. "Professor, you and George stay here for support. We'll return once our mission is complete."

"Fine, fine," the professor replied with a shrug. Rising from her seat, her striking figure drew more than a few glances as she sauntered off the bridge.

With that, the others dispersed as well. Luo headed to check on his Red Astray, which needed additional equipment for atmospheric operations. The lightweight armor required an external cockpit, and heavy weapons like its iconic katana were left behind—gravity would render them impractical.

After all, under the pull of gravity, it wasn't just the soul that felt bound.

---

"Aegis, we're finally going back!"

"Yeah, we are."

As He Kui gazed down at the shrinking landmass, his eyes steeled with resolve. Strategically, if they could drive the rebels out of Brazil, their threat would be greatly diminished. From there, repelling their advances against Orb would ensure Elena's safe ascent to space.

It aligned perfectly with his own goals.

"Trajectory data synchronized," Luo's voice came through the cockpit's speakers.

"Coordinates received. Calibration complete."

He Kui de

ftly adjusted the controls, responding with precision.

"Commencing descent," he said.

Luo's voice carried a hint of excitement.