Chapter 71: The Beginning of the Second Phase

Inside the villa, Sumeragi and the others, anxiously waiting, finally received good news, allowing the heavy stone in their hearts to drop.

"Haro sent an encrypted communication; all six Gundams are safe and are returning to the sixth hideout in the Pacific!"

"Great!"

"What a waste of our worry."

"They're all fine."

"Phew~ The mission is finally over, Sister Sumeragi." Wang Liu Mei sighed in relief, looking at Sumeragi with joy, but noticed that Sumeragi still had a furrowed brow.

"Sister Sumeragi, what's wrong?" Wang Liu Mei asked, and the others also turned to Sumeragi. Logically, she should be the happiest since all the Gundam Meisters were safe, especially since all the plans were devised by her, and Yang Hui was among them.

"The second phase has begun…" Sumeragi murmured softly.

"What…" Wang Liu Mei's expression changed, but thinking of the others around, she quickly returned to her usual demeanor.

"Ms. Huang, what are you talking about?" Lichty asked. Her voice was too soft for anyone other than Wang Liu Mei and Hong Long to hear, but the two's unusual behavior did catch the attention of the others.

"Nothing, pack your bags, prepare to return to space. Christina, inform Ian to get ready for repairs."

"Understood."

After Sumeragi and Wang Liu Mei left, Lichty said, "Ms. Huang is hiding something from us, isn't she?"

"You noticed too?" Christina was the first to respond.

"Don't pry; it might be some confidential information. We just need to focus on our own tasks," Lasse interrupted their discussion and turned to his room to pack his bags. Feldt did the same; she still hadn't fully learned what it meant to think for herself; she just needed to follow orders.

"But… aren't you curious?" Christina pressed.

"Not curious," Feldt shook her head.

"I only know that Ms. Huang and Myer won't harm us, and that's enough."

Hearing this, Christina and Lichty looked at the two departing figures, lost in thought.

...

Upon arriving in the underground space, Wang Liu Mei's expression fell apart, revealing a worried frown.

"Sister Sumeragi, has the second phase really begun?"

"According to my predictions with VEDA, in this battle… we will inevitably lose one or two Gundams, but the fact that they are all safe means something unexpected must have happened."

"How could that be…"

Previously, she had only heard Yang Hui mention the entire Celestial Being plan. At the end of the first phase, the Celestial Being forces would become pawns, sacrifices for world unity. She was indeed surprised when she first learned of this, but as time passed, she gradually forgot. Now, however, they had truly entered the most controversial second phase, and Wang Liu Mei felt fear creeping back in.

"We don't know the specifics yet, but Yang Hui and I have already concluded the follow-up plans. If something unexpected does occur, we will refine the plans," Sumeragi said, seeing Wang Liu Mei's fearful expression. She gently walked over and hugged her. "Don't worry, trust us, trust Yang Hui; we will all be fine."

"Yeah, I believe in you all, but Ms. Huang, when will you tell them?" Wang Liu Mei asked.

The sudden appearance of new Gundams and their earlier odd behavior would surely raise suspicions among the Celestial Being forces. They were already in a difficult situation, being enemies of the world; if internal chaos ensued, it would truly be troublesome.

"Before and after the end of the second phase, don't worry. During this time, I will soothe their emotions."

"Okay, I will also expedite the investigation into the traitor's information and will contact Professor Eifman regarding the movements within the three nations."

"Mm."

...

The world's largest Gundam capture operation failed. Due to a joint blockade by the three parties, civilians were unaware of what had truly happened, but the high-ranking officials of various countries all wore grim expressions, feeling fear towards Celestial Being and Gundam for the first time.

With just six Gundams, there was a possibility of capturing one or two with the combined efforts of the three nations, but now with the emergence of three brand new Gundams, totaling nine, they found it hard to accept.

Moreover, according to the combat records, the operation was on the verge of success, but the three Thrones suddenly appeared, disrupting all deployments. This led them to speculate that everything was premeditated by Celestial Being, that they had known all their intelligence from the very beginning. Such terrifying intelligence capabilities were even more frightening than nine Gundams, leading them to suspect that there might be spies from Celestial Being among them.

The appearance of the three Thrones not only shook the world's high-ranking officials but also the overseers of Celestial Being.

Alejandro Corner felt that it was not yet the time to act; the crucial VEDA had not yet been located, and its authority had not been seized. He still needed to continue hiding, playing the role of the most loyal overseer.

A remote meeting commenced, and before the overseers and supporters acknowledged the three Thrones, they first reviewed all the mission records since Celestial Being's emergence.

"Personal emergencies were severe; having Gundams yet still embroiled in a tough battle, almost getting captured—what a disgrace."

"What about the plan leader, Myer Stewart? How is he responsible for the plan?"

"The results were poor, and a large amount of funds and resources were mobilized back and forth."

"According to the combat records, Myer Stewart fulfilled his duties perfectly, both as a commander and a Gundam Meister. Based on the records, following Myer Stewart's plan, the world's approval rate of Celestial Being's actions has been steadily rising, increasing by 37 percentage points compared to the first mission period; as a Gundam Meister, Myer Stewart's achievements are remarkable, independently fighting in Talibia, suppressing the Talibia defense forces and the UINON fleet with just one machine, and in large-scale joint military exercises, he single-handedly destroyed over five hundred MS and hundreds of fire points. Although he did not directly engage in other missions, he always stood by as the final trump card.

Therefore, I conclude that Myer Stewart has perfectly completed his duties," Alejandro Corner reported.

"I see, indeed impressive."

"But this time's negligence cannot be overlooked."

"This isn't negligence; it's the Human Reform League, UINON, and AEU's conspiracy, unavoidable; otherwise, all previous efforts will be in vain."

"Agreed."

"I agree as well."

"But the execution capability of the Celestial Being forces and Gundams has also undeniably decreased."

"Then everyone, returning to the initial topic, the plan is about to enter the second phase. Do we acknowledge the identities of the three Throne Gundams and the three unknown Gundam Meisters?"

"...Gundams outside the VEDA plan… I agree."

"As the second unit supporting the first unit in executing the plan, I also agree."

"As long as the plan can be executed, I agree."

"I acknowledge."

...

Alejandro Corner's proposal received unanimous consent from all overseers, a smile creeping onto his lips as he successfully moved his most important piece.

"In that case, the Celestial Being plan officially enters the second phase."

(End of this chapter)