Simultaneous Time Travel: Gundam? All Teammates are Old Six

Chapter 5: Professional Game Companion Falls into the Tiger's Den Again

Ling Yu was locked in solitary confinement.

The cold metal walls shut out the noise from the outside world, and he was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief, collapsing onto the bed and feeling the exhaustion of surviving a disaster.

【Ding! 】

A playful electronic voice, like heavenly music, rang in his mind.

[Main Quest: Survive (Phase 1 - Heliopolis) Completed!]

[Overall Rating: A+. Your incredible survival and successful boarding of the key plot vehicle have the entire theater watching with awe.]

[Task rewards settled...]

[1. Gained 800 System Points. (Bonus Reward: 300 points from the "Theater Manager" for a brilliant performance reminiscent of O. Henry, totaling 1100 points.)]

2. Unlock new gacha pool: [R+ Gacha Pool], with a chance to draw more powerful ace pilots or rare skill cards.

[3. Obtain the mission achievement: [The most outrageous surrender in history] .]

Ling Yu looked at the information refreshing on his retina and let out a satisfied sigh.

This was a good deal.

Although he was locked up in a dark room, he survived and even received a large sum of starting capital, enough to "spend money" on in-game purchases. More importantly, he successfully planted a seed of "doubt and curiosity" in the heart of the beautiful captain, Maru Ramias.

He didn't need Maryu to believe his nonsense; he just needed her to think, "This guy is weird, but he seems to know something we don't, and he might be useful."

That's what you call... professional!

"System, open the gacha pool. It's a waste not to use your money. Give me a ten-pull!" Ling Yu commanded in his mind, displaying the extravagance of someone who had just received their salary and was ready to splurge.

[The R+ gacha pool is now open. Performing a 10-pull will cost 1000 points. Confirm?]

"confirm!"

A flash of light appeared before my eyes, and ten cards emerged. Nine of them shone with a normal white light, while only one emitted a faint blue glow.

Congratulations to the driver for obtaining:

[White Card: Colonial Security Guard's Combat Skills (Better Than Nothing) x3]

[White Card: MS Basic Repair Manual (Chapter 1) x2]

[White Card: Quick-Cook Military Rations Review (Utterly Useless) x4]

【as well as……】

[R Card: [The Deceiver's Smile] (One-time Skill Card)]

[Card Effect: When used in negotiation or deception, it temporarily and slightly enhances your persuasiveness and charisma, making your lies sound more plausible. Note: This card cannot distort the truth; it only adds to your already strong arguments.]

"...Africans are Africans no matter where they go." Ling Yu looked at the nine useless cards and his lips twitched.

However, this "The Conman's Smile" card is quite interesting. Perhaps it could be used during interrogation?

He put the cards away and lay down comfortably. He was safe for now; there was food and drink on the ship, and this confinement cell was practically a VIP suite. He decided to get some sleep first; even if the sky fell, he'd deal with it after he woke up.

Meanwhile, on the bridge of the Archangel.

The atmosphere was as oppressive as solidified lead.

"Port-side ammunition depot inventory complete; ammunition remaining less than 30%!"

"Cooling water levels have reached the yellow alert level! Food and medicine supplies can only sustain the entire workforce for a maximum of 72 hours!"

Every report from the CIC operator struck Maru Ramias's heart like a heavy hammer. This warship, a culmination of Earth Union's highest technological achievements, was now a desolate island adrift in space, out of ammunition and supplies.

"Where is the nearest supply point?" Maru's voice was slightly hoarse.

“It’s a resource satellite controlled by the Eurasian Federation, ‘Artemis’,” Lieutenant Natar Bakiruru replied immediately, her tone efficient. “But… there’s ‘Artemis’s Umbrella’ there, renowned for its absolute defense.”

Maru remained silent.

She knew what it was, of course. An "umbrella of light" that was almost impossible to breach from the outside. But similarly, once you entered the protection of that umbrella, you were handing over your fate entirely to someone else.

"Captain, a ZAFT warship has been detected in the rear! It's the 'Vesalius' from the Kruze squadron!" The radar operator's exclamation broke the silence.

"They've caught up!"

This became the last straw that broke the camel's back.

"There is no other choice." Maru closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, only resolute eyes remained.

"Order Mr. Mu to prepare for attack and establish perimeter surveillance! Maximum speed, turn, target—Artemis!"

As she gave the order, a thought uncontrollably popped into her mind.

That young man who called himself the "King of Keyboards"... his absurd "game testing" rhetoric...

He mentioned "testing OS bugs and compatibility," "clearing elite monsters," and "new player tutorials"...

Will it also include a walkthrough for the "Game Level" of "Artemis"?

Maru was startled by her own absurd thought, then shook her head with a wry smile. She was probably under too much pressure and was starting to overthink.

On the other side, aboard the ZAFT warship "Vesalius".

"Aslan, your friends are on that long-legged ship, right?" Xiao Ran's eyes remained sharp and insightful.

"Captain Xiao Ran, I..." Aslan opened his mouth,

"Alright, I understand. I'm sorry to trouble you. You don't need to participate in the subsequent operations for now. Go back to China with Captain Kruse and rest for a while."

Therefore, Xiao Ran used Aslan's "mental state" as a reason that he was not suitable for the front-line battlefield.

He was allowed to take the Aegis mech back to his country for a temporary rest and recuperation.

After Aslan left

Xiao Ran stood in the center of the bridge, coldly watching the dot representing the Archangel on the tactical screen, which was frantically changing course.

"Report, target course confirmed, pointing to the 'Artemis' space region."

"As expected." A meaningful, cold smile appeared on Xiao Ran's lips.

On the ZAFT Armory System interface in his mind, a high-speed simulation was underway.

[Analysis Objective: [Anomaly-01] Action Logic Analysis.]

[Input variables: Target piloting Zeon, attacking friendly forces, protecting the Strike Gundam, boarding the Archangel by ramming.]

【分析结论：1.随机叛逃（概率11.8%）。2.精神失常（概率4.3%）。3.深度渗透作战（概率83.9%）。】

"Surrender? No, this is not surrender." Xiao Ran muttered to himself, his eyes gleaming with the excitement of a chess player discovering his opponent's brilliant move.

"This is... infiltration."

"【Anomaly-01】, you're no mere brute after all. Are you trying to dismantle that ship from within? Or... are you planning to use the Archangel to accomplish something even we can't do so easily?"

For example, how to break through the "Artemis Umbrella"?

"Interesting. Well then, let me see what kind of surprises you, this 'Trojan horse' planted inside the enemy, can bring me."

He turned around and gave an order that his adjutant could not understand.

"Order the entire squad to maintain distance, harass with fire, drive them away, but do not sink them. 'Escort' them to Artemis!"

Several hours later.

The battered Archangel finally broke free of ZAFT's pursuit and appeared within the gravitational pull of "Artemis".

The enormous ring-shaped structure floats silently in space, like a guardian crown, emitting a reassuring glow.

"This is the Archangel, requesting emergency port entry and refuge!" Murrue sent out a communication.

A moment later, a steady male voice responded: "This is the Eurasian Federation Space Force, Artemis Fortress. Entry permitted. Please follow the guide cursor number three and disable all weapon systems."

"We're safe!"

"Very good!"

On the bridge, cheers erupted from those who had survived the ordeal.

Maru finally breathed a sigh of relief, leaning back in the captain's seat, feeling utterly exhausted.

The Archangel slowly entered the designated channel. In the distance, the legendary "Umbrella of Light" force field barrier seemed to her to be the most reliable shield in the world.

However, just as the ship entered the narrow port passage, something unexpected happened!

"Warning! High-intensity beam force field detected! It's Artemis's Umbrella!"

"What?!"

Om-!

A massive light membrane instantly closed behind them, cutting off their escape route. At the same time, another light membrane lit up in front, completely sealing the entire ship inside the passage.

The piercing alarm sounded throughout the entire ship.

"Main gun power supply interrupted!"

"MS catapult forcibly locked!"

"The entire ship's armament systems have been forcibly deactivated from the outside!"

The bridge, which had just been filled with cheers, instantly plunged into an abyss of deathly silence.

The steady male voice rang out again, but this time, it was filled with cold arrogance and unquestionable authority.

"The Archangel, belonging to the Eighth Fleet of the Atlantic Federation. I am the Commander of this fortress, Gerald Garcia."

In accordance with the special decree of the Eurasian Federation, your ship is hereby forcibly detained.

"Welcome to Artemis. Now, please lay down your weapons and submit to inspection."