Ten days later, the training of the Twelfth Independent Technical Division was terminated because a clue regarding the location of the Flanagan Institute had finally been found. Although the person responsible for tracking eventually lost Kycilia Zabi, they were able to confirm the general area.
Having received the intelligence, Yang Hui immediately led the Twelfth Independent Technical Division to depart for SIDE5, also known as the Reef Starfield.
"Everyone, our target this time is here, the Reef Starfield," Yang Hui said to the members present in the command room of the Luna, pointing at the operational map.
"The Reef Starfield..."
Seeing the Reef Starfield on the map, the battle-hardened Jung and others furrowed their brows in concern.
SIDE5 Loum—because of the Battle of Loum, a massive amount of debris from warships, MS, and fighters floated within this sector. Amidst the constant collisions of the wreckage, electrical discharge phenomena occurred. Not only would fierce lightning appear from time to time, but the electromagnetic environment of this sector was completely destroyed. All electromagnetic detection equipment was useless here; even warships and MS specifically designed with electromagnetic shielding would be affected.
"Is there a problem?"
"With all due respect, Colonel," Athrun stood up and said, "the situation in the Reef Starfield is too complex. Isn't it too dangerous to perform a search mission there? It might be better to act after gathering more intelligence."
"Hmm." Yang Hui waved his hand for Athrun to sit down while simultaneously pulling up the intelligence on the Flanagan Institute. "According to reliable intelligence, Zeon's Newtype Research Institute was built within the Reef Starfield. A Newtype Research Institute... you should all understand what that represents."
"A Newtype Research Institute..." Hearing this, expressions of anger appeared on everyone's faces, because Rita Bernal had been in a Federation Newtype Research Institute before coming to the Twelfth Independent Technical Division.
"Before this, the Intelligence Department lost a large number of agents without finding a single clue. Now, we finally have a slight opportunity. Once missed, if the Flanagan Institute moves again, we may never find its location. Furthermore, we are all aware of the dangers of the Reef Starfield. If it is full of danger for us, what about other units? How high a price would they have to pay to find the Flanagan Institute's location?"
Hearing this, everyone fell silent. The Reef Starfield was indeed dangerous, but they were already the Federation's strongest unit. Every one of them was an elite, every one of them was an ace. If they considered a mission dangerous, wouldn't sending another unit to execute it be the same as sending them to death's door?
"Moreover, you have all witnessed the power of an NT," Yang Hui said to everyone with a serious expression.
Everyone remained silent. During combat, they had encountered troublesome enemies whose movements were completely different from others, possessing what felt like a near-instinctive level of reaction.
Then there was Rita Bernal, also an NT. Although they hadn't seen her in combat, one could not hide their thoughts in front of Rita Bernal at all; it felt as if one were being seen through completely from top to bottom. This feeling was truly terrifying.
And this time, they would most likely face NT enemies. Ordinary units would simply be no match for them.
"Therefore, this mission is very dangerous, but it must be executed. Is that understood?"
"Understood!" they shouted in unison.
"Next, I will begin assigning the tasks for each team..."
Ten minutes later, the assignments for each squad were concluded. Everyone dispersed with heavy hearts, needing to convey the mission to the team members below them.
...
On the other side, Kycilia Zabi, having finished her daily inspections, returned to her office. She sat in her chair wearily, rubbing the bridge of her nose with both hands to try and relax.
At the Flanagan Institute, Newtype research naturally involved various human experiments. In particular, Dr. Flanagan, the head of the Newtype research project, had discovered that in addition to brainwaves, the human thinking process simultaneously produced another product he called Psychic Waves. Compared to ordinary people, NTs were more sensitive to such spiritual energy and could generate extremely strong self-psychic fluctuations through resonance.
With this discovery, Dr. Flanagan proved that NT abilities actually existed and that the presence of these Psychic Waves could be detected through instruments. So...
He began inhumane experiments. The detection process required the subjects to produce intense emotional fluctuations—mostly through painful torture—to then attempt to identify the source of these Psychic Waves and artificially create more NTs through his methods.
The theory had been proposed long ago, but the actual results were unsatisfactory. So far, countless people had died on the research table, yet the successful results were few and far between. Moreover, most of those successful cases were experimental subjects predicted to be NTs from the start; ordinary people, without exception, all failed.
Kycilia Zabi didn't care how many people died. Even if ten thousand died for just one success, it was worth it. What truly exhausted her were the words Degwin Sodo Zabi had said to her before she left.
"Gihren has gone mad, Kycilia. If you still have a shred of humanity left, you should stop him."
Kycilia Zabi naturally knew Gihren Zabi was a madman. He dared to use a Colony to bomb the Earth and dared to use G3 Poison Gas to murder the residents of an entire Colony—was there anything he wouldn't dare to do?
But Kycilia Zabi's worry wasn't that. She already had plans to replace Gihren Zabi and lead the Principality of Zeon herself; she just hadn't found the right opportunity yet.
What truly troubled Kycilia Zabi was Degwin Sodo Zabi's attitude. Although he hadn't said it explicitly, she could see that Degwin Sodo Zabi wanted to surrender—to surrender to the Federation.
This was something Kycilia Zabi could not accept. She was also a hawk, believing that the Federation's suppression and marginalization of the Principality of Zeon were too severe. If they didn't prove Zeon's strength to the Federation through a war, how could they obtain sufficient status?
As for wiping out the Federation... Kycilia Zabi was still clear-headed. She had known from the beginning it was impossible. The lead in MS was indeed a massive advantage, and the Battle of Loum had dealt a heavy blow to the Space Fleet the Federal Army had painstakingly prepared for ten years, but...
The Federation's foundation was right there. Their manpower, material, and financial resources far exceeded Zeon's. They might be caught off guard at first, but once the Federation got serious, it was inevitable that they would catch up to and surpass the Principality of Zeon.
Therefore, Kycilia Zabi never thought Zeon would achieve ultimate victory. She simply wanted the Federation to recognize Zeon's strength and grant them status equal to the Federation. Otherwise, even if she rebelled against Gihren and became the master of the Principality of Zeon herself, she would merely be a dog for the Federation.
However, Degwin Sodo Zabi told Kycilia Zabi that the current Zeon no longer had a chance to turn the tables. Failure was certain unless Gihren Zabi went even more insane and dragged the Federation and Zeon down together.
This was difficult for Kycilia Zabi to accept. She believed Degwin Sodo Zabi had grown old and lost his courage, leaving only cowardice and submission.
But she also had to admit the validity of Degwin Sodo Zabi's analysis regarding the Federation and Zeon, especially after the appearance of the Twelfth Independent Technical Division. Zeon's Blitzkrieg had been interrupted midway, and the war situation on both the Earth and Space fronts had taken a turn for the worse.
Then, there was the matter of the restoration of the Zeon Republic, which completely tore Zeon in two and pushed the tottering Principality of Zeon straight to the edge of the abyss.
Among the information, Degwin Sodo Zabi had shared several spine-chilling pieces of intelligence with Kycilia Zabi. Gihren Zabi seemed to be secretly relocating the residents of the SIDE1 Shangri-La Colony. What was he planning? One could guess with a single thought.
Furthermore, the residents of a Colony in SIDE3 had also been cleared out, seemingly to construct some kind of secret weapon.
There was also the matter of the military budget that Kycilia's Agency had secretly investigated. A large portion of the funds could not be traced. To make it so even Kycilia's Agency could not find the destination, only one person could be responsible: Gihren Zabi. This amount of military funding was enough to build five full Space Fleets. For such a massive budget to have an unknown destination indicated that Gihren Zabi was preparing some kind of trump card.
This made Kycilia Zabi shudder, inwardly cursing that madman Gihren Zabi. He really intended to engage in a desperate struggle with the Federation, completely destroying the Earth and exterminating humanity!
Kycilia Zabi could not accept this outcome. Anyone with a brain knew that if the space dwellers lost the Earth, only destruction awaited them—unless they could raise their level of technology infinitely in a short time to reach the level of interstellar travel and find a life-bearing planet suitable for humans.
Of course, Kycilia Zabi knew this was impossible. So she was very troubled now. Degwin Sodo Zabi's thoughts shook her, while her own goals and pride refused to give up. Consequently, she could only pin her hopes on the Flanagan Institute producing results as soon as possible, betting everything on the unknown NTs and grasping the power to turn the current situation around.
However, reality was cruel. Time would not slow its flow for anyone's thoughts.
"Lady Kycilia."
"Enter."
"Lady Kycilia, the Flanagan Institute may have been discovered by the Federation."
"What?" Kycilia Zabi was shocked. The Flanagan Institute was in the Reef Starfield. The Reef Starfield was extremely dangerous; without electronic detection and guidance, it was impossible to arrive unless following a designated route.
"This is footage sent back by the outer wired cameras. Please look."
Kycilia Zabi immediately took the PAD. The footage was very blurry, even for a camera with a wired connection, but... seeing the blurry outline of a warship, Kycilia Zabi could no longer sit still.
"Immediately cut off all wired equipment! Everyone stop all work and prepare to move..."