"Take advantage of the chaos to cover their retreat."
He Kui said, as many Mobile Suits did not pursue them but instead began to salvage the exploded mass driver under the orders of the staff.
Although it had already exploded, maintaining more structural integrity meant a quicker reconstruction time.
Compared to the seemingly defeated enemy forces, ensuring the mass driver was the best choice.
"Mm!"
The girl, who had regained some rationality from her extreme anger, nodded.
"But they…"
Ailina had not forgotten the two outside who were stalling Creuset. Even with her current abilities, she could imagine the outcome.
Facing that powerful Creuset, the two were definitely in grave danger.
"There's no need for that."
As soon as He Kui finished speaking, Creuset's Mobile Suit in MA form flew over from not far away.
"Creuset."
"Director He, I didn't expect you to detonate the mass driver under such circumstances."
Creuset sneered.
"I underestimated you."
"Thank you."
He Kui seemed unaffected by the scene below, still speaking calmly, while his Beam Rifle continued to cover the Atlantic Federation Mobile Suits that were about to attack the retreating troops.
"Aren't you angry? Your friends were killed; you should know them well, right?"
"I remember there's a Neutron Jammer here. If you detonate that, I believe you can take your revenge."
Creuset's words were laced with obvious temptation.
"You're quite knowledgeable."
He Kui did not show the anger he felt inside, merely responding lightly.
No wonder he let him go; it turned out he had his own calculations.
That nuclear power plant was not an ordinary Mobile Suit. Even with the Neutron Jammer's suppression, the damage range would still be vast after the explosion.
But once detonated, the area would surely be littered with corpses, and the entire Panama would become a no-go zone for a long time.
If it really exploded, the world's tension would undoubtedly rise again.
"Indeed, I just didn't expect you didn't go to that nuclear power plant."
"Is it really okay to let them go like this?"
"I can help you."
Creuset's words were like a devil's invitation.
"Why help me?"
"Because you have the ability to destroy the world."
At the same time, it was also a variable.
This was the conclusion Creuset reached in his mind.
He Kui, with such an ability, if the two joined forces, could indeed destroy the world in the shortest time possible.
That's why he deliberately whispered in Matiss's ear, getting her involved in the task of intercepting Aegis.
"Just as you see, human nature is like this, repeating itself. Even if peace is obtained through that cannon, so what?"
"They will eventually destroy the hard-won peace, and the world will repeat the war."
"That is humanity."
Listening to Creuset's words, He Kui shook his head.
"Creuset, you are too arrogant. We have no right to decide the fate of the world."
"However, isn't Lass's goal also world peace?"
"Isn't what Director He is doing also interfering with the fate of this world?"
Creuset's voice grew colder.
At the same time, he controlled his Mobile Suit to prevent He Kui's actions.
"First of all, I am not He Kui. And do you really believe I'm protecting world peace?"
"…"
As cruel as Creuset was, he was momentarily stunned by He Kui's sudden words.
Under the preconceived notion, he had always thought that He Kui's various identities were all for the sake of maintaining world peace, as he claimed.
Although he didn't understand why a weapons researcher would have such lofty ambitions.
But considering Durandal and his expulsion from ZAFT, this explanation was acceptable. Yet now He Kui said this.
And it didn't sound like a lie.
"Of course, I would be happy to kill you to maintain world peace."
Although he didn't show it on the surface, He Kui's anger was already surging through him.
Even though he didn't ask to gain the upper hand in the psychological battle, Edward and Hergules were also missing, their fates unknown.
This only made He Kui even more irritable.
As for Creuset's brainwashing, he didn't pay it any mind.
He just wanted to enjoy life with Shihe and the others.
If achieving that meant a temporary world peace, then he would go for it.
But that was all.
Talking about being a hero to maintain world peace was just a delusion.
Putting so much pressure on himself would lead to hair loss.
Moreover, the fate of humanity was not something one or two people could decide.
In other words, the reason He Kui had been fighting was not for peace at all.
People had died, and of course, he was saddened, but along the way, how many had already died?
Everyone was losing.
He had his own selfish desires; all he could do was protect the people he cared about.
Seemingly losing his rationality, He Kui drove the Mobile Suit straight ahead, abandoning long-range agility, drawing his beam sword and charging at Creuset, while the small aircraft beneath his Mobile Suit soared high.
"Then come and try it."
Feeling the other's fury, Creuset also charged at He Kui.
Yet in his heart, he had gained some understanding of the other's combat style.
Unlike the previous reckless approach, this time, with people he cared about in the Mobile Suit, He Kui's tactics seemed more cautious.
Such a cautious person would not engage in a direct melee; it was unthinkable.
And that aircraft was quite obvious.
"It seems Director He's practical experience is still too lacking."
The swords and shields of the two Mobile Suits clashed, while at the same time, He Kui's aircraft reached Creuset's rear.
However, Creuset was not surprised, having anticipated this.
Using the higher output of his Mobile Suit, he executed a spinning kick that knocked He Kui from the air while simultaneously turning to aim at the aircraft that had been used as a stepping stone.
In the process of the spin, he avoided the beams fired from the aircraft, and the plasma cannon and close-in defense guns of the Offense Shield System fired simultaneously, destroying the aircraft before it could enter the kill zone.
However, at that moment, an unexpected turn of events occurred. An Atlantic Federation Dagger series Mobile Suit, which was about to take a shot, suddenly lost control, its enemy identification system compromised.
Originally friendly Mobile Suits now aimed at Creuset's cockpit during the inertia adjustment.
Sitting in the cockpit, Creuset felt a chill at the back of his neck and instinctively pushed the Mobile Suit's thrusters to the max.
But because it was in the Earth's environment, the inertia of various movements could not be eliminated in an instant.
Even though he barely flew at a di
agonal upward angle for a distance, the grim green beam struck his Mobile Suit.
Although he narrowly avoided the cockpit, one of the Mobile Suit's legs was blown off.