Great, we're doomed now!

McGillis knew the truth, but the instructions etched into his subconscious from the moment he was born made him not opposed to becoming a backup body for the prototype.

—Until he saw this book.

He still remembers that obsessive, almost bewitching feeling he had back then very clearly.

He also implanted this old-fashioned Alaya-vijnana system, which is the same as that of the original Gundam pilots, not to pursue power, but to constantly remind himself not to forget his original intention, and to use it as a link to the spirit of those predecessors.

Later, due to a certain incident (his ambitious thoughts were seen through by the chief secretary), the head of the Farid family had to retire from the inner circle early. He then resentfully transferred the "Mark of the Holy Grail" to McGillis, allowing him to take over his seat in the inner circle.

A miraculous chemical reaction occurred—

McGillis didn't know if previous patriarchs had felt this way, but after inheriting the mark, he clearly felt a sense of "liberation," as if his spirit had entered a completely new realm without constraints.

And the mental imprint in his subconscious gradually disappeared without him even realizing it.

From that moment on, he knew his life's mission:

It's not about revenge, but about inheriting the ideals of our predecessors and continuing to guide humanity forward!

But in reality...

His long, slender fingers brushed over the slightly messy handwriting on the pages, but a hint of bitterness appeared in his eyes:

Even the "inner ring" has deteriorated!

This organization, which should have been the most steadfast and pure in carrying out Lord Kuze's ideals, transcending national interests and personal desires, and safeguarding the course of human civilization, is now filled with political calculations, the weighing of interests, and compromises for self-preservation!

In order to maintain so-called "overall stability," the legitimate demands of a newly emerging colony for autonomy can be ignored.

In order to avoid becoming a "target of public criticism," one can betray the oath made at the time of its founding to "protect all mankind"!

Is this Tower of Babel still the same organization that once carried hope and ideals?

McGillis closed the ancient book, his fingertips turning slightly white from the force.

No, it shouldn't be like this.

If the "inner ring" can no longer remain pure, if the Tower of Babel's course has already veered off course...

Therefore, someone must step forward and correct the course!

A long-dormant passion, mixed with a strong dissatisfaction with the status quo, quietly ignited in his heart. He was no longer content to be merely a member of the "inner circle," following increasingly rigid and even unjust rules.

A more resolute, even rebellious, idea gradually became clear in his mind—

He needs strength, support, and a well-thought-out plan.

He wants to reform the Tower of Babel from within!

Let it once again become the sword and shield that can cut through all shackles and truly protect the future of humanity, just like the one that Lord Kuzeha once established.

Overwhelmed with emotion, McGillis had a sudden inspiration and left his home, driving towards Sydney Harbour, until he arrived at the gates of the Temple of Solomon.

As an inner circle member, he naturally had the authority to enter this place, and the guards did not stop him. McGillis walked into the interior with a pilgrimage mentality, his feet stepping on the metal ground that had once been the enemy of mankind.

At this moment, his Alaya consciousness system seemed to be short-circuited, constantly bringing him memory fragments that resembled flashbacks and déjà vu.

This is his secret:

This Alaya-vijnana is not just a simple antique; the chip at its core is a relic of the first Gundam pilot, "Shin-e Farid"!

Even the current head of the family doesn't know about this!

He had come here countless times to pay homage to the "King of Demons" and the "Savior," so he knew the way well. He didn't even need a light; under the moonlight, he easily passed through and arrived at the throne room.

"Ok?"

McGillis was surprised to find a figure in front of Bayeri.

"At this time... is there anyone else besides me?"

They're probably high-ranking members of the Tower of Babel. Although the organization is becoming increasingly corrupt, there are still quite a few followers of that person.

Interestingly, even traitors who strayed from his path still had admirers.

McGillis walked over calmly, intending to greet him in an elegant tone, but when the other person turned around and revealed his profile in the moonlight, a sense of disorientation made him stand there dumbfounded.

A golden mark quietly appeared on his forehead, and a series of fragmented memories flashed through McGillis's mind:

From the flames of the explosion to the desolate darkness, then a rebirth as if emerging from amniotic fluid… finally settling on the face seen upon opening one's eyes—

"My lord, it's been a long time since I last greeted you."

Ok? !

McGillis came to his senses and realized that he had knelt down without even noticing!

Chapter 197: What does it mean that [Bayel] has stood up? (8.5K)

The most discussed topic in society right now is the "Cursed Pilgrimage," which will begin in two months. For the people of this world, this is not a simple commemorative event; it has carried a strong political color since its first edition.

That was after the Mars Expedition ended, when Kuze Yoru led the Demon God Legion to thwart the conspirators who attempted to start a civil war. They returned to Earth in an unparalleled manner, carried out a major purge of the entire leadership, and took the opportunity to establish Mars' independent status and the Demon God Legion's role as "overseers".

However, Ye Shou himself did not appear in this series of events; he only piloted the Gundam to command the battle. At the time, people suspected that he was seriously injured and unable to leave the cockpit... Three hundred years later, it can be basically confirmed that this is true.

After that, there were no records of Kuze Yoru's activities in history books, and instead, "Agunica Kayeru" became the leader of the legion.

This second-generation leader of the Legion was active on the world stage for nearly a century, navigating the most chaotic yet most vibrant period of the Restoration Era. His influence permeated all aspects of society, and his name became an adjective like "Caesar," often used by later generations to refer to prime ministers with an iron fist.

After taking office, he quickly established his position within the legion, and the first thing he did was to hold a victory parade, which later became known as the "Celestial Pilgrimage"!

From Earth to the Moon and then to Mars, the Demon God Legion and a massive auxiliary force escorted the silent [Bayeri]. This strongest armed group in the solar system silenced all ambitious individuals, and the undercurrents that had been brewing due to Kuze Yoshimori's "seclusion" also ceased to surge.

Subsequently, a regular pilgrimage was held every five years, and a solemn and majestic large-scale pilgrimage was held every twenty years. This served not only to demonstrate military power and deter various civilizations, but also to take the opportunity to investigate the military preparedness of various countries.

It can be said that the pilgrimage itself is not the main point; the main point is the "military reconnaissance" before the pilgrimage begins, and the targeted suppression and blockade that follow!

For three hundred years, the Legion has used this method to maintain the balance of power among various factions, strictly control the number of weapons of mass destruction, and ensure that they are not abused.

However, today, the entire process of the pilgrimage has become somewhat of a formality:

As long as countries don't bring their private research into the open, the Tower of Babel won't insist on investigating to the end.

The Legion remains powerful, but thanks to its founder, Kuze Yoshimori, the war between humanity and M·A ended cleanly and decisively. Civilization is recovering rapidly, and all nations have long since recovered and made significant progress in various fields.

If the Legion were to wage war against any major power now, even if it won, it would likely be ambushed from behind. Politicians have clearly seen this and have been testing the Legion's limits with salami-slicing tactics over the years.

Their infiltration of the legion is becoming increasingly blatant...

Under these delicate circumstances, this [Pilgrimage to the Calamity] was given a very special significance:

If the Legion decides to include Titan in its pilgrimage route, it means they are sticking to their fundamental principles and will not compromise with the three parties of Earth, Mars, and the Moon.

If the legion refuses, it means they will abide by the unspoken rules and continue to live in peace with everyone.

—To be honest, there is indeed a possibility that it could trigger a war.

The peaceful girl, Gudalia, probably didn't realize that her suggestion, made out of justice and kindness, would affect so many things.

It is widely believed in society that Titan's independence is a matter of the distribution of benefits, and only a very small number of people know that behind it lies a power struggle within the entire human camp!

Therefore, in the period leading up to the start of the [Pilgrimage of Calamity], apart from the heated discussions at the social level, the political arena was unusually calm, like the eve of a storm, with everyone waiting for something.

Ultimately, although the legions had declined, they were still a system that had been maintained for three hundred years, and could be considered a "dynasty".

People have various grievances against it, believing it to be outdated, decaying, and a shackle hindering human progress. However, it must also be acknowledged that it banished the Dark Ages and led humanity to a great revival.

It may have a grand exit, but the first force to challenge it will surely see the demon army making its debut in three hundred years!

—If everyone had the courage to be a pioneer, the Tower of Babel wouldn't have survived until now.

It was in this delicate atmosphere of confrontation that the Temple of Solomon began its routine maintenance work:

There's nothing particularly noteworthy about this; a major renovation is carried out every few years, a tradition that dates back to the time of Agnukka and has been passed down through generations of the Cayère family.

Actually, this is unnecessary. After all, what is the concept of a Gundam frame that requires such frequent maintenance?

Although this thing is outdated (from the perspective of three hundred years later), its system stability, frame durability, and energy endurance can all be said to be the pinnacle of its era.

After all, it's something that can be dug up and still be used even after being buried in the ground for three hundred years!

It doesn't seem like a technological creation at all; it's more like a peerless divine weapon from a martial arts novel.

Modern humans can create mobile suits with superior performance, but we dare not say they are more "robust" than Gundams—after all, there is simply no need for them.

The scientists who designed Gundam considered the extreme scenario of "the complete annihilation of human national political systems, with the remnants waging guerrilla warfare in the wasteland" in the original blueprints. Therefore, Gundam also pursues resilience in fighting in harsh environments!

Two semi-permanent Yahab reactors, extremely rare hard alloys, and a skeleton structure compatible with various weapons with great modification potential—all of these exist to ensure that "even if the last man is killed, he can still stand on the battlefield."

...Modern MS are consumables, so consuming so many resources on a single-player game is purely unnecessary.

As the 001st Gundam, the durability of the [Bayeli] is beyond question, and the Temple of Solomon is also an alloy structure with the strength of a battleship. Placed on the ground, it is a small military fortress.

This thing shouldn't break even if it's left there for a hundred years; occasional cleaning will be enough.

However, during Agnukkah's lifetime, he frequently and erratically closed the temple for renovations, so often that it became tiresome and felt like a pure waste of money...

Everyone felt that he was too loyal to "that person" and interpreted it as a kind of sacrificial act.

[Pilgrimage to Calamity] Checking the system and polishing the machine beforehand is perfectly reasonable, and not many people noticed this news.

...McGillis Farid stood beneath the massive pillars of the Temple of Solomon, gazing up at the silver demon god seated on his throne beneath the dome.

Even after three hundred years, its body, tempered by war, still exudes a cold luster, as if it were merely dormant and ready to awaken at any moment.

The temple interior, unlike its usual empty and quiet state, was now filled with the hum of machinery, mingling with the busy footsteps of engineers and technicians.

The temporary work platform and lighting equipment illuminated the temple as if it were daytime, and the various colored indicator lights from the precision instruments flickered on and off.

They were all wearing uniforms with gold gears printed on the back, which identified them:

Employees of "Cayerlu Heavy Industries"

That's right, this is a family business founded by Agnica, serving the Tower of Babel for generations. More than half of the mobile suits and warships in the legion are from this company or have been repaired by them.

Its influence spans Mars and Earth, and it is one of the top industrial giants in human society!

Over the years, there have been industries with greater economic value, but the Cayel family has remained true to its ways, focusing solely on heavy industry, and has not given up even during periods of extremely low profits.

Incidentally, there is another industrial group within the Legion called "Mars Forging Farid," founded by McGillis's ancestor, Xin Hui Farid.

This group also uses a golden gear as its logo, but the details are slightly different.

However, it should be noted that the two companies do not have a good relationship. McGillis's "father" is clearly very dissatisfied with the status quo in the inner circle and has been actively seeking cooperation with the global economic circle in recent years, while also continuously seizing market share from Cayel Heavy Industries...

Of course, McGillis was indifferent to this and found it laughable.

No matter how hard Mars Foundry tries, it can't beat Cayel Heavy Industries, because only the latter has been allowed to undertake the maintenance of Solomon's Temple since ancient times, just like it is now!