Gundam: From Piece to Player

The girls left at 8 p.m., while the boys drank until 1 a.m. the next morning... By the time they got out onto the street, it was already late at night.

Should I take you home?

Kai was drunk, reeking of alcohol, and somewhat incoherent. He was about to head to the garage to get his car when Amuro stopped him.

"No need, you're driving under the influence."

"Didn't you drink it too?"

“I already called a taxi.” Amuro was speechless as he looked at the somewhat drunk Kai. “I didn’t drive here.”

"That's right."

Kai sat directly on the hood of the car in the garage.

"So, are you going back to your normal life now, great hero?"

"What hero? Just surviving is good enough... I want to go to university."

Amro declined to discuss his experiences during the war.

"Go to university?" Kai asked, somewhat puzzled. "Aren't you only in your second year of high school? You still have to study for another year."

“I have completed all the courses in high school and will probably take the von Brown University’s independent admissions test around June.”

"...Amuro, you've been secretly working hard again!"

Amuro just smiled and didn't say anything. Kai looked at this former "bookworm" and sighed at the impact of war on people... He had changed.

As the electric taxi slowly pulled up in front of the door, Kai suddenly remembered the request that Flora had made when she left.

"By the way, what do you think of Flora?"

"...She's a good girl."

Amuro's answer was so quick and seemed overly 'experienced' that Kai was momentarily at a loss for words.

Is this a friend card?

At school, Flor, who ranked second on the list of the most ideal partners among the boys, was friend-zoned.

"Ah, my car has arrived. See you on the first day of school."

By the time Kai tried to ask more questions, Amuro had already jumped into the car... his speed was as if he had sobered up.

The taxi sped along the deserted, empty roads of Side 7 at night.

Guided by the traffic lights, the journey, which usually takes 20 minutes, was completed in 5 minutes. However, seeing the lights still on on the second floor of his house made Amuro a little nervous.

That's my father's room... Did he actually come back tonight?

He tiptoed to open the door and went upstairs. Just as he was about to open his own room without disturbing anyone, he heard a sound behind him.

Amuro, you're back?

His father's voice came from behind him, and to Amuro, it remained absolute authority.

"Yes, Father, you've returned from Jabulo too..."

"Yes, why do you smell of alcohol?"

"A classmate invited me to go drinking."

Amuro turned around, and Tim Ray stood at the intersection of the corridor's shadows and the light, holding a cup of coffee that had gone cold.

He was much thinner than Amuro remembered, and the wrinkles around his eyes looked as if someone had carved them with a knife, but his eyes behind his glasses still had the sharpness unique to a scientific researcher. Clearly, he was working overtime in his room again because of work.

What is Father studying now? Isn't the war over?

"Come in and have a seat."

When Amuro mentioned drinking, Tim Ray raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything to blame him.

He turned and walked into the room, placing the coffee cup on the desk. Amuro saw several RX-78 models of various colors and armaments on the bookshelf... These were not toys, but genuine 1:144 scale models of the actual aircraft shells.

The father and son were silent for a while, until Tim Ray finally broke the silence.

“We haven’t had a father-son chat like this in a long time. Are you still unwilling to tell me what happened during your time as a prisoner?”

“…It’s nothing,” Amro said. “Zion abides by the Antarctic Treaty and isn’t a formal soldier. Although I got beaten up the day I went in for trying to escape…then after the defeat in Odessa, I was released and exchanged with other prisoners in Madrid.”

"Amuro, you must understand that whatever Zeon promises you, it's all a lie."

A few months ago, Ms. Shiko's return indirectly led to the fall of Luna II.

Although a peace agreement was signed quickly.

However, the Federation remained highly vigilant regarding the return and exchange of prisoners.

They are no longer trusted.

They feared they might be the next "Trojan horse"—or that someone had already been brainwashed by Zeon and was secretly infiltrating the Federation army as a mole.

His father probably listened to the analysis of those officers from the intelligence department, which is why he didn't believe him... Amuro naturally knew that his return had brought many doubts.

“Father, I’m not going back to the Federation to continue being a soldier,” Amuro said. “I want to… continue my studies and go to university.”

This answer seemed to surprise Tim Ray, who turned to Amuro: "Going to college... what are you going to study?"

"AI."

"AI major?" Tim Ray said. "You piloted the most powerful Gundam I developed, destroying countless mobile suits of the Principality of Zeon on the battlefield... and then you come back and tell me you're going to study artificial intelligence?"

“If you choose mechatronics engineering, I also have some connections. OS optimization, attitude control... you’ve been learning these things from me since you were a kid,” Tim Ray said.

“I can learn these things after I’ve mastered them, but I want to learn something else during the prime of my life.”

Amuro met his father's gaze without flinching, which surprised Tim Ray.

"The MS's control system, the interaction between the pilot and the machine, is essentially still based on the model of human operation and machine execution." Amuro said, his speech gradually quickening as he delivered the monologue he had rehearsed for a long time.

"Even those new mobile suits from Zeon that are said to be able to use remotely controlled weapons in the news—essentially, it is still people making decisions."

"I have seen too many people in this war because their reaction speed is not fast enough, and their judgment is interfered with by emotions, fatigue and fear. The drivers who died because they were a second too slow to react and made a wrong judgment are examples of this."

“I’m not saying that AI should replace human judgment,” Amro said, emphasizing his intention. “I want to explore whether it’s possible to deepen the collaboration between humans and machines beyond what it is now.”

"It's not about turning people into part of machines, nor about turning machines into tools for people, but about enabling them to truly understand each other."

A surge of passion ignited in Amuro's eyes... He wanted to create artificial intelligence that could think.

Like Alice, or even surpass Alice in the future.

Chapter 169 A More Valuable Son-in-Law

"So I want to study artificial intelligence. To understand what 'intelligence' really is, what the difference is between human intelligence and machine intelligence, and whether it is possible to create an intelligent entity that can truly assist humans in making more rational decisions and not be blinded by emotions and prejudices."

The room fell silent again.

Tim Ray remained silent for a long time.

So long that Amuro began to wonder if he had been talking too much.

“Amuro, this is the first time I’ve known you like this.” Tim Ray stroked his hair. “No wonder you’re always fiddling with that spherical robot toy.”

Is it childish?

“No, very good.” Tim Ray expressed his approval. “Being able to clearly identify your goals puts you ahead of 99% of people… But I need to make sure you’re not just talking about wanting to study artificial intelligence?”

“I’m already preparing for the relevant exams, Father,” Amro said. “I need your help with the tuition fees, Dad.”

"Are you kidding me? Of course I'll help you pay... I wouldn't let my son go without money for school. I can also ask a colleague who works at von Brown University to help me find out if there are any good professors in the field of artificial intelligence."

"Thank you, Dad."

Amro thought for a moment, but decided not to mention that he had already received a letter of recommendation... Just a few days ago, he received an important document that he had personally signed for.

Even if it's lost... the electronic letter was still sent to my email address.

Amuro had initially thought the other party had forgotten about it.

"After you go to university... you should still go home for summer vacation." After agreeing to Amuro's career path, the father asked another question.

"Dad, does that mean I've already passed the exam?"

“Amuro, as long as you are serious, nothing in this world can stop you. Just like on the White Base, you did very well... My son, Gundam is not something that just anyone can handle. You are a genius.”

"..."

After leaving his father's room, Amuro took out the letter of recommendation again, then lay down on the bed holding it, as if he were holding his own opportunity.

Under the influence of alcohol, he lay on his back on the bed and gradually fell asleep.

In a suite of a luxury hotel in the temporary capital of side2.

Amidst the passionate embrace of men and women, intelligent life forms are also attempting to be created.

Meeting the father and grandfather during the day put a lot of pressure on the couple, but they eventually got through it successfully.

So much so that the two of them needed to release their stress at night.

Afterwards, the young lady of the Bazhou Group nestled in her fiancé's arms.

"Mi Lai, are you not pregnant?"

"Isn't being pregnant a good thing? It's the perfect time to get married because of the baby, or are you having second thoughts?"

"I don't regret it... I was just worried about you having a hard time."

"It's not hard at all... In fact, if you want to do great things, it's necessary to have children as early as possible. Your children may be able to inherit your career and share your burden."

Looking at his virtuous fiancée, Brad couldn't help but hug her tightly again.

The Abaoa Air Force's white base was quickly destroyed by Zeon firepower after the landing.

After entering the base, they engaged in fierce fighting with the Zeon forces inside.

Fewer than ten people survived at the White Base... and Brad survived thanks to Milley's guidance, as they evaded the enemy's heavy firepower within the base.

The already ambiguous feelings intensified rapidly under the "suspension bridge effect".

They were lovers and comrades-in-arms, and the perceptive Milly quickly discerned Brad's ambition to improve himself and change.

...He offered to use his father's influence, which would allow Brad to gain entry.

Having grown up in a privileged circle, Mi Lai had some understanding of the operating logic of the Federation.