After arranging matters for the four individuals, Yang Hui didn't immediately seek out Erica Simmons. Instead, he first returned to his residence. The authenticity of household servants and guards would be handled by Wang Liu Mei and Sumeragi. The only identities he needed to personally verify were those of Murrue, Natarle Badgiruel, and Lacus, who had been idling at home.
Murrue and Natarle Badgiruel were Sumeragi's responsibility, as the likelihood of them being Carbon Humans was minimal. Both women had rarely appeared in public, whether during their time assisting Mina in establishing the space forces or after returning to Earth.
Murrue remained the captain of the Archangel. Currently, the Archangel had no combat missions and wasn't part of any space fleet. As an independent unit without operational duties, the ship's crew were in a semi-leave status. Murrue had returned to her original role as a technical officer.
Natarle Badgiruel was no longer part of the Archangel's roster. She now captained a special operations force whose members included Yang Hui, Setsuna, Lyle, Tieria, and Creuset. Their assigned vessel was the first Qilin-class ship, the Heavenly Sword, which preceded the Qilin itself. In every aspect, its performance surpassed that of standard Qilin-class fleet vessels.
Due to carrying fewer mobile suits, two catapult decks and excess hangar space were removed. In their place, two 225cm twin-linked high-energy beam cannons (Gottfried Mk-71), two 110cm linear cannons (Valiant Mk-8), and two 10-cell missile launchers were installed.
Beyond weaponry, its maximum speed doubled that of standard Qilin-class ships. The entire vessel was equipped with VPS Armor, with critical sections reinforced by rare metals—especially the cursed port side.
Frankly speaking, when fully deployed, this special operations force could rival an entire fleet in combat power.
However, this unit wasn't deployed lightly. Its members were globally prominent figures, meaning any movement might trigger heightened alertness from adversaries. Moreover, most personnel were overwhelmingly busy with other duties, rarely participating in anything but the most critical battles—otherwise, what was the purpose of maintaining Orb's massive military forces?
As the sole captain of this unit's only warship, Natarle Badgiruel also had few combat missions. She mostly remained on standby in Orb territory, training her novice crew. During downtime, she occasionally lectured at training camps for reserve crew members or spent time with Murrue.
Thus, Yang Hui wasn't particularly concerned about these two women. His primary concern was Lacus, who had been isolated before returning to Earth.
"What's wrong?" Lacus tilted her head, observing Yang Hui's complicated expression.
Originally, Yang Hui's plan was for Lacus to assume the position of the Supreme Chairman's secretary upon her arrival in Orb. However, after returning from PLANT, Yang Hui had a conversation with Lacus. She expressed her reluctance to enter politics, citing her highly sensitive identity and the delicate diplomatic relations between Orb and PLANT. If Lacus were to appear in Orb's political circles as Yang Hui's secretary, her fanbase in PLANT would likely riot.
Moreover, her personal wish was to continue her activities as a songstress, singing for peace.
Thus, Lacus remained at Yang Hui's residence, preparing for her upcoming world tour concert.
"Lacus... can I trust you?"
"Hmm?" Lacus was momentarily taken aback but quickly regained her composure, maintaining her gentle smile as she stepped forward to embrace Yang Hui. "Yes, of course you can."
Lacus didn't know what had happened, but her intelligence allowed her to guess some of it. She wasn't angered by Yang Hui's sudden wariness and distrust. Instead, she used her warmth to soothe his tangled and conflicted heart.
At that moment, Yang Hui's eyes shimmered with a kaleidoscope of colors as he activated Innovator Mode the instant Lacus embraced him, sensing her Brain Quantum Waves.
Fortunately, she was indeed the real one.
Assured that Lacus wasn't an imposter, Yang Hui released his grip on the gun at his waist and instead held her tightly, basking in his lover's warmth.
"I'm sorry..."
"It's alright. I believe in you."
Lacus wouldn't pry into what had happened. She knew her identity was sensitive and that she shouldn't involve herself in Orb's core affairs. If it was something she needed to know, Yang Hui would tell her himself.
Just then, the door opened, and Sumeragi and Wang Liu Mei entered with Murrue and Natarle Badgiruel. Seeing the two embracing, the four women sighed in relief.
Noticing their arrival, Yang Hui released Lacus and stepped forward to embrace Murrue and Badgiruel, drawing comfort from their warmth and the familiar fragrance they carried.
The heavy weight in his heart lifted. The fact that Sumeragi and Wang Liu Mei had brought the two women home confirmed they weren't imposters, allowing Yang Hui to relax.
Had they been fakes, Yang Hui would have killed them without hesitation—eliminating the imposters who dared to defile his women, just like Murrue(Carbon) and Badgiruel(Carbon) aboard the Dominion.
But was there truly no other emotion besides anger?
Of course not. Even knowing they were imposters, they bore identical faces—essentially doppelgängers.
Unless one's heart was made of stone, who wouldn't feel anguish at killing someone who looked exactly like their beloved? It was akin to murdering their lover with their own hands, a pain as sharp as a knife twisting in their chest.
Once he let go, Yang Hui explained the current situation to Murrue, Badgiruel, and Lacus. Although Murrue and Badgiruel had already heard a brief summary from Sumeragi and Wang Liu Mei on their way over, they hadn't grasped the full details.
Now, they realized just how grave the situation was.
"What can I do to help?" Lacus asked. Among the three of them, Murrue was a technical officer, and Badgiruel was a ship captain—roles that couldn't contribute much in this crisis. Only Lacus could leverage her wisdom and connections to assist Yang Hui.
"Murrue, Natarle, your mission is the same as Simmons and Mu's—start investigating those closest to you and gradually expand outward."
"No problem," Murrue and Natarle Badgiruel accepted. After all, their social circles within Orb weren't extensive, so the investigation would be completed quickly.
"Lacus, I'd like your concert tour's first stop to be PLANT."
"Understood. I'll relay this to Chairman Durandal." Lacus had already guessed Yang Hui's intentions. Making PLANT the first stop would not only demonstrate sincerity, showing PLANT's people that Yang Hui valued them, but also let them know that although she had left PLANT, Lacus still cared deeply for her homeland.
Additionally, since Yang Hui and the others had just returned from PLANT, another visit would seem suspicious. Sending messages from Earth to PLANT risked interception, so Lacus's concert tour was the safest way to transmit intelligence.
"I'll contact Mina and inform her about this, asking her to dispatch the Fourth Fleet as your escort. Also, Sumeragi, how is Imelia's unit progressing in their training?" Although Rena Imelia had reported good results, Yang Hui still wanted confirmation from Sumeragi.
"My evaluation is excellent."
"Imelia, conclude the training and join the Fourth Fleet in escorting Lacus's tour."
"Understood."
"Now then..." Yang Hui's gaze shifted to the window, his eyes filled with ruthless determination.
--Enjoying the story? Want more chapters? Check out my Patreon and support me for 40+ advance chapters.
Just search for "TLGod" on Patreon!"
Thanks!