Jehart's full-channel communication once again brought the chaotic battlefield to a standstill, with all eyes focused on the two battered mobile suits hovering in mid-air.
"Repeating! Everyone must cease all combat actions immediately, or I will detonate the plasma bomb inside Artemis Base!"
"All units, cease fire!" Argreus immediately issued the order for everyone to stop. He didn't know if this was a VEGAN ploy, but the experience at Lost Loran was still fresh in his mind. If it hadn't been for his quick thinking and the presence of Yang Hui and the other two, the Earth Federation would have been doomed.
Artemis Base was a critical point in the space frontlines, and he couldn't afford to gamble.
As the Federal Army halted their attacks, the VEGAN forces also ceased their assault, refraining from taking advantage of the situation to launch a sneak attack. This allowed Argreus to breathe a sigh of relief.
"Contact the ground troops inside Artemis Base immediately! They must locate the plasma bomb! Hurry!"
Of course, Argreus wasn't going to place all his hopes on VEGAN. If the plasma bomb wasn't found inside Artemis Base, he would immediately issue the order for a full-scale attack. If the bomb was indeed there, it would be disarmed on the spot.
"All units, return to the ships and retreat!"
Seeing the Federal Army halt their actions, Jehart also issued the retreat order. The plasma bomb was real, and his ability to detonate it remotely was also real. Originally, he hadn't planned to use the plasma bomb, nor did he want to execute the "Abyssal Maw" operation, but now it was the only option left.
Only a third of the remaining MS units were left, and aside from the maintenance personnel who had retreated to the independent hangar in advance, no one inside the base had survived. Jehart's fleet had suffered heavy losses in this battle.
Jehart's heart bled. This was a force he had painstakingly built up, with every member of the fleet carefully selected and supportive of his ideals—all of them elites. This battle not only severely weakened his fleet but also cost VEGAN a large group of elite talents.
But with the battle reaching this point, all Jehart could do was minimize the losses. For the safety of his subordinates, he had no choice but to go against his own wishes and play this trump card.
"Dit, Orfa, how's the retreat progressing?"
"90% complete, Lord Jehart. Should we retreat as well?" Orfa urged.
Under the threat of the plasma bomb, the Federal Army dared not act. But now that the retreat was nearly complete, as the commander, Jehart no longer needed to stay within the Federal encirclement to intimidate the enemy. His safety was crucial to the survival of the entire fleet.
"...Alright."
All the units that could be pulled out had already retreated. He was certain that the Federation had already located the plasma bomb. Once it was disarmed, if they lingered here, Jehart had no doubt that Argreus would spare no effort to keep them there.
At that moment, Argreus was waiting for the ground troops' report. Not long ago, the ground forces had located the plasma bomb. To prevent VEGAN from resorting to desperate measures, Argreus had ordered the bomb to be disarmed on the spot rather than transported out of the base.
Fortunately, the plasma bombs were not activated, making the dismantling process much easier than if they had been. Yang Hui was now waiting for the completion report, ready to pursue VEGAN immediately before they could get too far.
But...
At this moment, Argreus could only watch helplessly as VEGAN's fleet disappeared from view.
"Report! All 42 plasma bombs within Artemis Base have been dismantled..."
"Too slow!" Argreus roared, interrupting the report before it could finish. "Even though the bombs weren't activated, it still took you 8 minutes! What were you all doing!?"
"Uh... Admiral, the plasma bombs weren't all in one place, and the number of engineers at Artemis Base is limited, aside from the surviving former Federation members and the Marines..."
"...I understand. Get some rest."
Argreus knew he was being impatient because he had missed the chance to annihilate an entire VEGAN fleet. He wasn't a commander who cared only about appearances, so his attitude quickly softened.
"Yes, sir!"
"Order all troops: the former members of Artemis Base are to be disarmed on the spot and await investigation. The Celestial Being unit is to maintain order at the scene. Anyone who disobeys orders is to be executed on the spot."
"Yes, sir."
...
With the battle over, the Dawn Gundam and the Luna Gundam landed on the tarmac to join Graham.
"You let them go again?" Graham teased. This had happened several times now, with Jehart managing to escape safely from Yang Hui's grasp.
"This time, it really wasn't me letting him go," Yang Hui said with a self-deprecating shake of his head.
"What?" Graham was momentarily stunned, looking at Yang Hui in surprise.
"That kid's potential has been fully unleashed, and his personal guard, though one member short, has become even more in sync. If he and his three guards were to team up, even I would feel threatened," Yang Hui said with a bitter smile.
"Oh? That interesting? Then next time, let me handle it. I've been waiting for a strong opponent like this for a long time," Graham said, his eyes blazing with excitement.
"We'll see. The battlefield isn't a dueling arena; we don't get to choose our opponents," Yang Hui shrugged.
"True," Graham chuckled, not pressing the issue. He knew Yang Hui was right, and he also knew that if the opportunity arose, Yang Hui would let him satisfy his thirst for battle.
"By the way, Yurin, you..."
"That child is a lot like me," Yurin said, knowing what Yang Hui was about to ask and answering before he could finish.
"I see."
For Yurin, everything Yang Hui did was right, and she would always support his decisions. Yang Hui might not always be able to do the same, but he would support most of Yurin's decisions.
Take Fram Nara, for example.
To be honest, Yang Hui had initially been quite fond of the girl. She was willing to give her life for the ideals of the person she loved, without any regrets.
Many people despise this kind of "love-struck" mentality, where one would do anything for love, regardless of right or wrong.
But then again, isn't that another form of resolve?
In Yang Hui's eyes, resolve knows no hierarchy. When someone possesses the resolve to sacrifice their life without hesitation, they have already surpassed many others in nobility.
"Jehart shouldn't be fooled by Ezelcant anymore, right? Hehe, that's quite interesting."
Jehart's personality had already been changed by Yang Hui, and his goal was no longer blindly following Ezelcant's last wishes. The final battle was bound to undergo a dramatic transformation, and Fram Nara wouldn't sacrifice herself due to Jehart's foolish decisions. So...
"Is that the only issue now?"
Thinking this, Yang Hui's expression turned serious. To be honest, in the final battle, VEGAN wouldn't pose a threat. For Yang Hui and his team, the biggest threat was the missing Sidd and the speculated production factory.
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"What are you doing?"
"Why are you imprisoning us?"
"We are also soldiers of the Federal Army! You can't treat us like this!"
...
At this moment, a commotion nearby interrupted Yang Hui's thoughts. The three of them exchanged glances, guessed what was happening, and walked over together.
"Lieutenant General!"
"It's Vice Admiral Yang Hui, Vice Admiral Graham, and Vice Admiral Yulin!"
"Lieutenant General! Please uphold justice for us!"
"The Admiral promised to pardon all our crimes!"
"But now they're disarming us and treating us like prisoners. This is too much!"
"That's right! Lieutenant General, please judge this fairly!"
...
These people were all former Federal Army soldiers from Artemis Base. After the battle, their fervor had cooled down, and many had found their own letters from home in the broadcasts. All they wanted now was to return home quickly and spend time with their families.
But after the battle, instead of a joyful return, they were met with interrogation and imprisonment by their allies, which infuriated them.
Fortunately, Yang Hui and the others were nearby. Otherwise, the recently pacified Artemis Base might have erupted into a new war. Admiral Argreus's assurances might not have held much weight for them, but they absolutely trusted Yang Hui and his companions.
"Everyone, calm down!" Yang Hui gestured with his hands, and the crowd quieted. "I know you're disheartened, but please believe me. Admiral Argreus won't deceive you. His promise is also my promise. However, whether voluntarily or forced, you did betray the Federation at one point. Even upon your return, some level of questioning and investigation is necessary. You are all soldiers; you should understand the formal procedures."
Hearing this, the troublemakers fell silent. Yang Hui spoke the truth. Regardless of whether they were forced or not, they had indeed betrayed the Federation at one point, an undeniable fact. For former traitors to rejoin the Federal Army, it couldn't be as simple as a mere statement.
"Moreover, I believe you are all aware that among you, there are those who have truly betrayed the Federation. They are hiding in your midst, trying to slip through unnoticed. But you must understand, no matter who they are or how many there are, if even one of them is overlooked in the investigation, they will commit treason again, and all of you will be implicated. And... such individuals do not deserve to be our comrades. You wouldn't want to be stabbed in the back by your own people one day, would you? The purpose of the questioning and investigation is to root out these individuals, not to target you. As long as your questioning and investigation results are clear, I assure you that not only will you not be branded as traitors, but you will also become heroes of the Federal Army."
"Lieutenant General, I believe you!"
"I believe you too!"
"It's just questioning and investigation, right? If you're upright, you have nothing to fear. I'll take it on!"
"Let's get started quickly. I want to go home and see my family."
"My parents must be worried about me. Hurry up, I'll be the first in line!"
…
Seeing this, the soldiers maintaining order breathed a sigh of relief and saluted Yang Hui with gratitude and respect. If it weren't for Yang Hui's few words that calmed everyone's nerves, they wouldn't have known what to do.
The Federal Army soldiers from the former Artemis Base, who had initially resisted, now eagerly participated in the questioning and investigation. They just wanted to get through the procedures quickly and go home. With Yang Hui's assurance, all their worries vanished.
However... there was a very small group of people who were afraid to participate in the questioning and investigation, because they were the true traitors Yang Hui had spoken of.
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