Gundam 00: Rise of China

"I think I understand."

After listening to the secrets of that year, Wang Ye responded softly, and the master and apprentice fell silent for a moment across the screen.

Outside the window, the salty sea breeze of the Taliban night blew in from the sea; inside, the master and apprentice sat in deathly silence, staring at each other in front of the screen.

No one made a move to speak.

After a while, Wang Ye, with a somewhat sorrowful expression on his face, finally took the initiative.

Without further vehement rebuttal, Wang Ye calmly accepted the dusty truth, looked up at General Gao, and spoke in a somber tone.

"So the higher-ups now believe that Aeolia Schornberger's plan was part of the Union conspiracy from the very beginning?"

"Based on the existing intelligence, this is the most reasonable inference."

The answer was decisive; General Gao did not hesitate for a moment.

He revealed all his thoughts about the higher-ups to his disciples, who now knew most of the information.

"We believe that the Celestial Being's declaration of 'eradicating war' is ultimately just a fig leaf to cover up its true purpose."

"Back when Union's predecessor was pushing for the implementation of the global solar energy system, we detected a large number of top scientists around the world mysteriously disappearing."

"At first we thought Union was focusing its efforts on tackling the technical bottlenecks of solar power systems, just like they did when they developed atomic energy to end the old wars."

"It was this misjudgment that led the leadership at the time to mistakenly believe that the solar energy system held technological advantages that we had not yet discovered, which ultimately led them to agree to proceed with the construction."

"Now it seems that those missing scientists actually went to Aeolia."

Upon hearing this, Wang Ye chuckled lightly, but there was little warmth in his smile.

By this point, he had figured out the thinking of the upper echelons of the People's Revolutionary Alliance. Wang Ye himself understood the plot, so he knew what the original Aeolia Plan was really like.

However, the former and current leaders of the People's Revolutionary Alliance do not know this, so it is perfectly normal to draw such contradictory conclusions under the circumstances of complete information asymmetry!

After a pause, to General Gao's surprise, Wang Ye asked another question, still focusing on the issue of the super-soldier experiment.

"So the super soldier experiment is to create the strongest individual combat power so that we can fight the Union with all our might in the future if necessary."

"Sacrificing them for the future of our entire nation?"

General Gao looked intently at his disciple, trying to fathom his true thoughts, as he couldn't understand why his prized disciple was asking a question that already had an answer.

After a few more unbearable seconds of silence, General Gao nodded forcefully and said in a resolute tone.

"Yes."

"Back then, we were forced to abandon the atomic energy route and were misled into pouring a lot of scientific research resources into the dead end of the solar energy system. By the time we realized it, we could no longer catch up with the technological gap between us and the enemy."

When General Gao said this, his voice carried a hint of weariness that he could hardly hide.

"After the first discovery of the Celestial Being organization and the strange energy source they possess."

"The higher-ups at the time did try to borrow technology and develop it from scratch, but that kind of particle energy source completely transcended our known common sense framework."

"Without physical evidence, without theory, and without even a direction, our scientists have no way to conduct research."

"Having already lost time and being technology-driven, we had no other choice but to resort to this tactic."

"We have considered simply relinquishing control over outer space exploration and handing that control over to a nation like Union."

"No one dares to guarantee what will happen to our People's Revolutionary Alliance in the future, especially given the historical precedents."

"Forceful seizure became the last straw that could be grasped at."

Wang Ye remained outwardly silent, but deep down he was well aware of how advanced the GN Solar Furnace theory was.

Even disregarding the era of Aeolia, in today's world, people who have never been exposed to the theory and the physical world would be completely at a loss when faced with GN particles.

So they wasted hundreds of years on the wrong energy path, facing rivals who had already reached the threshold of the future.

Anyone who has a sense of responsibility towards their country would probably have the same thought of taking a desperate gamble, just like the People's Revolutionary Alliance.

Therefore, while the experiment of super soldiers is understandable, it is not worth advocating, much less taking pride in it.

"Even for the sake of the future, the super soldier experiment is still too cruel."

"We're still here; we're not all dead yet."

Wang Ye raised his head and glanced almost imperceptibly at a certain spot. His tone was soft, but his words were clear.

"Sacrifice shouldn't be like this; we are the ones who exist for sacrifice."

Wang Ye's words surprised General Gao. Based on his understanding of his disciple, he believed that once the other party understood the cause and effect, he would not dwell on the matter again and again.

But seeing the serious look in his disciple's eyes, General Gao suddenly spoke without any hesitation.

Then he revealed another secret.

"Sacrifice is inherently like this."

"There are no homeless orphans among the children at the Super Soldier Base."

"Their personnel consist of the descendants of high-ranking military officials from that time, the descendants of the high-ranking officials who made the decision to conduct the super-military experiment, and the children of scientists who supported and opposed the plan."

"And finally, the descendants of those who are currently carrying out this plan."

Wang Ye looked up abruptly, startled. This answer was beyond his imagination, even surpassing everything General Gao had said before!

"Furthermore, a hundred years from now, those of us who made the wrong decisions will not be qualified to enter the cemetery or enjoy any praise."

General Gao continued speaking, his gaze calm to the point of being cruel.

"A stain is a stain, and we carry it. We also carry the resentment of the children who sacrificed their lives because of our stains."

"But as long as we can reclaim the future destiny that belongs to our country."

"A good deal."

After the exclamation of "It's a bargain," the air seemed to freeze.

Wang Ye, deeply impressed by the awareness of these high-ranking officials, opened his mouth, believing that all the accusations had been made to the point.

It seems I can't explain it anymore.

Fortunately, General Gao didn't let the atmosphere remain heavy for too long this time. He quickly changed the subject, trying to ease the overly somber conversation.

"There's something I haven't told you yet. The higher-ups were overjoyed after reading your theory of atomic energy-derived particles."

"This is another path to the future that is entirely in our own hands."

"It's still a path that can be quickly established, and the technical development of the relevant personnel is progressing rapidly."

"I hereby formally authorize you, on behalf of headquarters, to take full responsibility for all post-war affairs in Taliban."

"You decide how to plan and implement it; headquarters will provide full support."

"Then quickly settle things in Taliban, and go to Tianzhu. There's something waiting for you there."

"Oh, and don't forget about General Kim's proposal and Lieutenant Colonel Sergei's invitation."

"Remember, Wang Ye, our future cannot be forever in the hands of others."

"We can live without mushroom eggs, but we can't live without mushroom eggs. It's far better to ensure that the other party is willing to be kind than to gamble our future on the goodwill of others."

"Boundless love is certainly wonderful, but we absolutely cannot be boundless in our love!"

"Because we are not individuals! There are many more people behind us, and we have responsibilities."

After saying all this, General Gao's communication screen slowly went dark, and the office returned to silence.

Wang Ye stood still for a long time, like a stone statue.

But behind him came a very soft, suppressed sob.

That was Piris, who had been standing in the shadows behind the door for who knows how long.

Piris, who usually had an expressionless face like a doll, was now covered in tears.

Her hair, dyed a vibrant green by Wang Ye himself, clung to her sweat-dampened forehead, and her shoulders trembled slightly.

For the first time, such intense emotions surged in those perpetually cold and calm eyes—shock, bewilderment, and pain.

And a trace of warmth, unique to the living, that she herself didn't even notice.

The current Piris is no longer the super soldier weapon that only knows how to follow orders.

Upon learning the whole truth, she felt like a real, living girl for the first time.

"Major."

Stepping forward, Piris slowly raised his arm; the People's Revolutionary Union's salute had never been so firm.