Reid rejected Nein's habit of treating Mobile Suits like disposable clothing.
Ultimately, Reid didn't build Nein any Mobile Suit, instead stating:
"Nein, pick your five favorite designs from these blueprints, then I'll make the final selection."
After saying this, Reid left without another word, ignoring Nein's conflicted expression that clearly showed she thought he was being stingy.
One could only say that this little cotton-padded jacket had sprung a leak - Reid still had to deal with the South American situation himself.
Since he couldn't possibly go to South America under the identity of the New Misurugi Kingdom, Reid estimated he'd have to play the masked man again, and the Mobile Suit would need to be new as well.
Considering that the newly built machine would continue to be used afterward, this was to be a covert rescue operation - no forces that witnessed him rescuing Lacus and the others could be allowed to return alive.
Plus, with every day that passed increasing the chance of having to search for Lacus and the other five in the stomachs of Amazon rainforest animals, the Mobile Suit needed to be fast with excellent reconnaissance capabilities.
After synthesizing all requirements, Reid realized he actually knew of one model that fit the conditions perfectly - and one he could actually build.
The MVF-X08 Gundam Eclipse was originally secretly developed by Orb after the Junius Treaty was signed, intended to protect the lives and property of Orb citizens abroad (though in practice it was used for retrieving technical personnel and population). It was a specially equipped Mobile Suit.
Using the Freedom Gundam's frame combined with X300 frame technology gave it transformation capabilities, allowing it to change into fighter jet form. It was also equipped with Mirage Particle Colloid for stealth mobility operations.
Since the two original Orb International Rescue Team members had already been brought to the New Misurugi Kingdom by Mina, and though Orb's economy was recovering with the New Misurugi Kingdom's help, Dawn Company was still being rebuilt...
This Gundam Eclipse hadn't even reached the blueprint stage in Orb yet, so Reid felt absolutely no psychological pressure about copying it.
Of course, Reid didn't plan to build the original version - in his view, the initial Gundam Eclipse's armament was too weak. It would be better to directly create the subsequent Raijin Pack Gundam Eclipse.
Naturally, aside from the external design "referencing" the Gundam Eclipse, everything else would use Reid's exclusive technology.
The Miniature Nuclear Fusion Reactor, Psycho-Frame, Psycommu Cockpit, and Lambda Driver need no further explanation.
The Miniature Minovsky Flight Device was excluded since they couldn't risk exposing that the Mobile Suit used Minovsky Particles, and the I-Field powered by Minovsky Particles naturally couldn't be equipped either.
After all, if a Mobile Suit capable of using Minovsky Particles appeared in South America, everyone would immediately know it belonged to the New Misurugi Kingdom, since other factions were still in the early stages of Minovsky Particle research.
The Mobile Suit's armor would naturally use the standard AC Gundanium Alloy. Since this unit was equipped with the Mirage Colloid System, like the Mystic Lightning, it wouldn't lack Mirage Colloid, allowing for many creative applications with the Lambda Driver.
For armament, the Beam Shields on both arms were directly retained.
The main weapon for the right hand, originally the 72E4 "Blitz" Beam Rifle, was replaced by Reid with an ultra-long-range Beam sniper rifle that used VSBR Technology to compress beams.
To ensure sniper capability beyond the visual range of ordinary Mobile Suits in atmospheric environments, this rifle requires dual-wielding. When not in use or in MA Mode, it can be mounted on the backpack.
As for the two cannons on the Raijin Pack, they were modified from the original 71-XX Type Curved Beam Cannons to the CE version Magnum Beam Cannons designed by Nein.
Since Reid can achieve beam curvature using Mirage Colloid, there is no need for an additional curved firing system.
For close combat, Reid installed Beam Crutches identical to those on the Aegis Gundam beneath the Beam Shield generators on both arms, and Leg Blades were also equipped.
Subsequently, two Beam Boomerangs were added to both shoulders, completing the close-combat armament.
Finally, following convention, the head Vulcan Guns were installed, finalizing the design of this Gundam Eclipse.
After having the Factory Module manufacture it, Reid immediately piloted the Mobile Suit for several flights over the New Misurugi Kingdom.
Due to the extensive armament, the cruising speed of this Gundam Eclipse in MA Mode is only Mach 1, and it cannot achieve single-unit atmospheric re-entry.
However, its performance is certainly sufficient for rescuing Lacus's team. After briefly testing several weapons and confirming they were functional, Reid informed Ange and the others before piloting the Mobile Suit straight to the Amazon rainforest.
Upon entering South America, Reid arrived at Manaus, the primary gateway city for ordinary people entering the Amazon rainforest, based on intelligence from Terminal.
As South America is currently in a state of war, this tourist city has seen a drastic decline in visitors, leading to a collapse in public order and a mix of unsavory characters.
Reid now wears a half-cover mask identical to Zechs Marquise's, yet it aroused little suspicion in this city.
After all, the place has almost become an underground black market for intelligence and human trafficking groups, so one more masked eccentric is hardly noteworthy.
Reid's target for this trip is Ashley Oliveira, mentioned in Terminal's intelligence. Reports indicate she has recently been active in Manaus again, procuring various medical supplies.
Combined with the fact that Lacus and the others are hiding in the Amazon rainforest and Athrun is injured, it can be inferred that Lacus's side is running low on medical supplies, and this young girl is likely out replenishing resources.
However, according to Terminal, this girl is highly vigilant. Terminal has attempted to make contact with her, but each time, she has escaped by leveraging Manaus's complex terrain and her own small but agile physique.
Manaus is now filled with people involved in illicit activities, and roadside surveillance has long been destroyed, so Terminal has yet to pinpoint Lacus's location.
Thus, Reid has no intention of actively approaching this highly cautious girl and instead plans to set a trap.
Reid first posed as a foreigner to purchase black-market laborers in the black market.
These laborers are essentially locals displaced by the war in South America. Some sell themselves for food, while others are captives sold by bandits and militias who can no longer support them.
There are also cases like Lacus, where people rescued from the battlefield were entrusted to the wrong hands and ended up here after changing hands multiple times.
These modern-day human traffickers naturally no longer use terms like "slaves" to handle these individuals. Women with some attractiveness are typically sold to adult entertainment venues under the guise of job placements or refugee resettlement.
As for men, it depends on the situation. If they're already physically weak, they're killed directly to sell their blood and organs. Those who still have some strength are sold to black-market factories as disposable cheap labor to be exploited until exhausted. (The author has read some foreign news reports—not sure if they're true—but these civilians who end up "disappeared" are truly tragic.)
As for children, they're generally taken in by human experimentation labs in various countries, and their outcomes are usually miserable.
Reid is currently posing as an Orb national to purchase black-market laborers. After all, Orb is in a state of rebuilding with severe population loss and needs such workers for road construction and reconstruction projects.
Honestly, these black-market laborers hired to cut costs on government contracts are among the best-treated. At least they aren't "killed after the grindstone is worn out" once their purpose is served. They usually get three meals a day and a meager severance pay to return to South America after their work is done.
With Terminal's professional guides, Reid, posing as a boss, quickly purchased a batch of workers.
Then, Reid placed these workers in an area frequently visited by Ashley Oliveira, even renting a warehouse stocked with food and medicine, using the excuse that transporting the workers back to their country required some procedures and time.
To make it convincing, Reid didn't treat the workers too well—dozens were crammed into a small room without air conditioning or fans, and they were forbidden from going outside. Terminal even assigned two armed guards to help Reid maintain the act.
In such conditions, illness is common, so Reid stocked plenty of anti-inflammatory drugs among the medical supplies.
This was precisely what the injured Athrun needed.
It didn't take long—on the very night Reid arranged the medicines, a slender figure skillfully scaled the two-meter-high wall and entered the courtyard where the workers were held.
What Ashley Oliveira didn't expect was that in Manaus, someone would install expensive micro-cameras to monitor a group of cheap black-market laborers.
After all, those who hire such workers are trying to cut costs and wouldn't spend heavily on surveillance.
Given South America's current state, escapees couldn't survive anyway, and human traffickers, to maintain their "reputation" for a sustainable business, refuse to take back runaways—usually killing them and selling their organs if the original boss doesn't want them.
Thus, Ashley Oliveira was unknowingly targeted by Reid.
She was very cautious: after stealing a large bag of medicine and food, she didn't return to the Amazon rainforest immediately. Instead, she went to an abandoned shack in an uninhabited slum, unpacked and inspected all the medicine to check for tracking devices.
However, Reid hadn't tampered with the medicine or food. Instead, nano trackers had been attached to her clothes when she entered the warehouse.
From there, things proceeded smoothly. Reid piloted the Gundam Eclipse and followed Ashley Oliveira deep into the Amazon rainforest.
The girl was impressive—alone, she piloted a small boat for two full days before reaching a dense forest of towering trees.
This area had to be where Lacus and the others were hiding, as Reid spotted the Archangel, Raider Gundam, and Skygrasper patrolling the nearby airspace.
However, the Amazon rainforest's vegetation was exceptionally dense, making it impossible for high-altitude patrol planes and Mobile Suits to spot a small girl like Ashley Oliveira weaving through the forest below.
If not for the tracker providing her location, Reid admitted that even the Gundam Eclipse's electronic equipment would lose track of her.
Fortunately, Ashley Oliveira remained unaware that such a large, invisible Mobile Suit was watching her from above.
After her position stopped changing, Reid landed in her area late at night.
To be honest, Lacus and the others were hiding extremely well. Even though Reid had confirmed their location, he still couldn't spot the small mothership he'd given them from high altitude.
It wasn't until he approached the ground that Reid used his Newtype psychic perception to lock onto them, only to discover that Lacus and the others had long buried the ship under countless vines, with massive tree shade covering it from above. Anyone who could spot something wrong visually from high altitude should be thoroughly investigated for cheating.
Then, Reid noticed something different from the report: the ship he'd provided for Lacus and the others was severely damaged, with visible harm to the thrusters—likely only one remained functional.
No wonder Lacus and the others had been trapped in the Amazon rainforest for so long without being able to relocate. It turned out the ship couldn't support long-distance flight anymore. Abandoning the mothership to move with a severely injured person would have been suicidal.
However, as the Gundam Eclipse touched down, even the Mirage Colloid System couldn't conceal it completely.
After all, the Amazon rainforest floor was covered with vegetation, and the sound of the Mobile Suit crushing plants upon landing was enough to alert the night watch.
Jane Houston was on watch tonight. Hearing the noise, she immediately woke everyone, and Kira even maneuvered the MBF-P04 Gundam Green Astray out from the side of the ship.
Luckily, Reid had no intention of startling Lacus and the others. Upon landing, he deactivated the Gundam Eclipse's Mirage Colloid System and crouched halfway down.
Seeing an unfamiliar Mobile Suit, Kira didn't act rashly, while Lacus, upon waking, quickly guessed that the pilot must be there to rescue them. Otherwise, if he'd found them, he would have just ambushed them directly instead of landing and disabling the stealth system.
Soon, Reid emerged from the cockpit, removing his helmet and mask. Looking down at the noticeably sun-tanned Lacus and the others, he greeted them, "Hey, looks like I made it in time, at least all of you are still in one piece."
After saying this, Reid jumped straight down from the cockpit.
He was met with Lacus leaping into his arms, her voice choked with tears as she said, "Thank goodness, Reid, you're finally here. Athrun can be saved now."
Hearing this, Reid immediately set Lacus aside, asking seriously, "Is Athrun on the verge of death? Quickly, take me to see him."
The others had already withdrawn their weapons and stood down. Seeing Reid's urgency, Andrew Waltfeld quickly explained, "It's not that extreme. Athrun has multiple metal lacerations from his Mobile Suit's self-destruction. Previously, due to a lack of medicine, he developed inflammation symptoms accompanied by a high fever."
"I wondered how Ashley Oliveira managed to get so much anti-inflammatory medicine—you must have deliberately baited her with it, right, Reid?"
"Don't worry, after taking the medicine, Athrun's condition has improved. Coordinators are quite resilient against illness."
After hearing this, Reid nodded and personally went to check on Athrun's condition. The actual situation was pretty much as Andrew Waltfeld had described - Athrun's fever had already subsided.
At this moment, Reid asked in confusion:
"Speaking of which, I remember I prepared a lot of emergency medical supplies. Why did we end up running out of medicine?"
After Reid finished speaking, both Lacus and Kira lowered their heads simultaneously.
Alright, no need to say more - it must have been these two bleeding hearts who distributed all the medicine to refugees, leaving none for their own people when needed.
Reid couldn't be bothered to lecture Lacus and Kira right now, planning to wait until after the South American mission was over and review their summaries during the debriefing.
So Reid turned to Kira and said:
"Alright, since Athrun is temporarily fine. I declare your South American trip concluded. Judging by your appearances, you must have suffered quite a bit, and should have gained some understanding of how cruel war is for ordinary civilians."
"Now, Kira, let's discuss how to help you break through the encirclement. My Mobile Suit can't carry seven people. We must deal with the Atlantic Federation forces currently surrounding you and prevent them from tracking your location again."
-Support me in Patreon for more chapters 35+ chapters in there
patreon.com/LegendaryTL
Thanks!