Chapter 291: Winds of Change (Part 6)

Sicily, three days had passed since Li Boyong's fleet captured the Sigonella Alliance Base.

Three days ago, under the attack of Li Boyong's fleet, led by a large number of Gundam-type MS, this Mediterranean Alliance hub base had been captured after resisting for a mere two hours.

Subsequently, the process of Li Boyong's fleet taking over the base was extremely smooth. After controlling the high-ranking officers of the original base, the lower-ranking soldiers were very cooperative with Li Boyong's fleet, which possessed the moral high ground.

As for the Alliance ground security forces stationed in the suburbs, faced with Li Boyong's ultimatum and the fact that the situation was already lost, they chose to abandon resistance.

Thus, after a mere three days, although traces of the battle remained at the base and its surroundings, order across all of Sicily had been successfully restored.

As news of Li Boyong's fleet capturing Sicily spread, the already turbulent European continent completely boiled over.

The resistance organizations' actions became more radical, and the Alliance security forces' suppression naturally became more brutal.

The confrontation became increasingly intense.

Sicily, Archangel bridge.

Li Boyong convened an emergency meeting, and Wang Liumei, who was in charge of intelligence, gave a detailed report on the situation across the European continent to everyone present.

"... In summary, the conflicts spreading from Paris and Berlin as centers have reached a white-hot state." Wang Liumei, dressed in an Alliance uniform, offered her opinion after finishing the intelligence report. "The situation there will clearly become the focus of the world. I believe our next move should be to set that as our target."

After hearing Wang Liumei's detailed intelligence analysis, everyone present showed expressions of agreement, including Cagalli and Lacus, who had been invited to attend.

Due to Li Boyong's influence, many units originally from the Eurasian Federation began to openly cooperate with the resistance organizations. However, they remained at a disadvantage in terms of equipment and military strength. If Li Boyong didn't intervene, being wiped out was only a matter of time, which wouldn't be a good thing for Li Boyong.

Li Boyong nodded in agreement and then asked, "Does ZAFT have any moves?"

"According to current intelligence, ZAFT doesn't seem to have any signs of taking action. However, covert intelligence gathering has become very frequent. It's hard to guarantee that ZAFT won't intervene at a critical moment," Wang Liumei replied, shaking her twin tails.

"Therefore, the Archangel will remain outside the combat sequence." Li Boyong turned his gaze to Lacus. "As long as the Archangel, carrying Miss Lacus, doesn't directly participate in the battle as a friendly force, ZAFT will maintain restraint."

Yes, although Li Boyong and Cagalli's Orb expeditionary fleet had established a common front, they hadn't let the Archangel participate in the fighting.

This approach was naturally to prevent the "fox" Chairman from making any unexpected moves.

After all, it was hard to say whether the Chairman, who wanted to deal with Lacus, would change ZAFT's restrained combat operations if he saw Lacus getting so close to another major force.

Lacus and the others agreed with this arrangement; the assassination attempt on Lacus at the Orb coastal villa had left them with significant wariness toward the Chairman.

So, although Li Boyong never spelled it out from beginning to end, both sides seemed to have reached a consensus on treating the Chairman as a potential enemy.

"Then, the next combat objective will be the liberation of Berlin and its surrounding areas," Li Boyong made the final decision. "Natarle, I'll leave the combat planning to you."

"Understood." Natarle Badgiruel stood up solemnly and saluted Li Boyong to accept the order.

Although he knew this was Natarle's personality and style, Li Boyong still felt a hint of distance. It wasn't obvious, but he did have this vague, indescribable feeling. It seemed their relationship was reverting to that of comrades-in-arms who had faced life and death together, rather than the lover he believed he could entrust his life to.

This... how could this be!!!

After the meeting ended, Li Boyong followed Natarle into her office.

But soon, he, being clumsy and handsy, was kicked out by Natarle, who was busy with military affairs...

A depressed Li Boyong began to wander around the ship. After Natarle took over as captain of the Archangel, the flagship of Li Boyong's fleet changed from the Jones to the Archangel, and all Gundam-type units were moved to the Archangel.

He habitually went to the hangar and chatted nonsense with the maintenance chief, an old hand.

Then he wandered to the living area and, while passing the cafeteria, unexpectedly saw the Xia sisters, Yufang and Yulan.

Beside these poker-faced sisters were six or seven children around ten years old; judging by their clothing, they should be children rescued from the Enhanced Human facility. The Xia sisters were teaching the children how to play cat's cradle.

Keeping the children rescued from the Enhanced Human facility on the flagship was a helpless move. After all, it was safer to keep this moral high ground firmly in his own hands, and the safest place in the fleet was the Archangel.

However, these children rescued by the Xia sisters seemed to have developed an unexpected degree of affection for them because of that rescue operation.

Although the sisters remained poker-faced and didn't have any heartwarming playful interactions with the children, Li Boyong still felt a hint of fatherly gratification from the scene, because the sisters' cold red eyes ultimately held a hint of warmth when they were with the children.

Not wanting to disturb them, Li Boyong passed through the cafeteria and entered the living area.

Soldiers preparing for shifts or finishing their duties passed by in the corridor. Li Boyong waved his hands repeatedly, telling the soldiers preparing to salute to relax.

Walking past the living area for ordinary soldiers and passing two checkpoints guarded by numerous military police, he entered the living area for Enhanced Humans and related research personnel.

"Colonel!"

The director who had been responsible for Enhanced Human maintenance on the Jones came up to him. After Li Boyong declared war on Logos, he chose to work for Li Boyong and was fortunate enough to survive after Wang Liumei's investigation.

As for the assistants who had originally followed him, they had been "cleansed."

"How is the situation?" Li Boyong asked.

"Yes, keeping the Colonel's instructions in mind, we are only performing minimal maintenance and absolutely not performing any operations on their memories," the director replied cautiously. "As for how to let the children break their dependence on maintenance without damaging their physical functions, the doctors who escaped from the facility are conducting research according to your instructions."

"What are the results..."

"Currently, it seems there are still many difficulties to overcome. And..." the director paused, seemingly choosing his words carefully, "even if successful, there will be an unavoidable decline in combat capability."

"No matter. After this battle to crusade against Logos ends, I hope the children can return to the lives of ordinary people," Li Boyong patted the director's shoulder. "Tell them that I am different from those guys in Logos; don't have any similar concerns. The Enhanced Human project will not be allowed to continue in the future. What they are doing now is not research, but atonement."

The director was silent for a while, then nodded heavily. "Yes, I will definitely convey your exact words to them." ===== CHAPTER 292 =====