"Kira, what's wrong?" Yang Hui noticed Kira staring blankly at the street and asked.
"Is this... really the Desert Tiger's stronghold?" Kira looked at the scene before him, finding it hard to believe. "It looks lively and peaceful."
"It's not bad, actually." Yang Hui nodded in agreement. There was no denying it—this place was peaceful, at least on the surface.
"Hmph, that's just a facade. Follow me."
Yang Hui and Kira were taken aback for a moment before following Cagalli into a dimly lit alley. Passing through it, they were met with the sight of gruesome craters and ruins.
"This is the cruelty hidden beneath the glamorous exterior," Cagalli said to them, barely containing her anger. "That's the ruler of this city."
Hearing this, the two shifted their gaze from the craters, looking past the city to the Lessep-class Land Battleship docked outside—Andrew Waltfeld's flagship, the Lessep.
"Anyone who dares resist is executed without mercy. This place is firmly in the grip of ZAFT's... Desert Tiger."
"I don't see anything wrong with that," Yang Hui shrugged, indifferent to Cagalli's words.
"What did you say!?"
"Isn't it obvious? Have you forgotten that this is enemy-occupied territory? The war between ZAFT and the Earth Forces isn't over yet. What's wrong with enforcing strict control?"
"Yang Hui! You—"
"Junius Seven."
"Wha—"
"If it were the Earth Forces occupying... no, wait, the Earth Forces wouldn't occupy a PLANT Colony. They'd just destroy it outright—especially the Atlantic Federation. Compared to that, the Desert Tiger's methods are downright merciful."
"But... but... does that give him the right to kill indiscriminately?" Cagalli argued.
"Of course it does. Because he's... the victor."
With that, Yang Hui turned and walked away. There were still plenty of things to buy, and he wanted to have a proper conversation with the Desert Tiger. He didn't have time to waste on trivial matters.
"You bastard..."
Unlike Cagalli, who was seething with anger, Kira just sighed and followed. He didn't understand these things, nor did he want to. His battles had never been for some grand cause—only to protect his friends.
Under Cagalli's guidance, the three spent about an hour gathering everything on their shopping list. Yang Hui and Kira's backpacks were stuffed full, and they even carried two or three extra bags in their hands.
"Whew..."
With the shopping done, it was time to relax. Kira dropped his backpack and slumped into a chair at a nearby restaurant, feeling like he had carried an unbearable weight.
"You're so weak," Cagalli teased, looking at Kira's exhausted state.
"We're the ones carrying everything. Do you even have the right to say that?" Yang Hui rolled his shoulders and neck, shooting Cagalli a sidelong glance.
"Uh... haha, let's just order something to eat! The Turkish kebabs here are amazing!" Cagalli quickly changed the subject, knowing she was in the wrong.
Yang Hui & Kira: (→_→)
Soon, three plates of Turkish kebabs were placed in front of them. Kira, seeing this dish for the first time, had no idea how to eat it.
"Is this your first time?" Yang Hui asked.
"Yeah, I went to space when I was very young."
"Then you've really missed out. Earth's cuisine is far more diverse than what's available in space, especially in Yanhuang of the East Asian Federation—it's truly a paradise of food. I'll take you there to experience it if I get the chance."
"Sure, if there's an opportunity... But how do you eat this?" Kira looked at the Turkish kebab in front of him and asked Yang Hui.
"Well, this—"
"Like this!" Before Yang Hui could demonstrate, Cagalli jumped in, reaching for the chili sauce. "You pour this chili sauce—"
"Wait! Hold on a second!"
Just then, a middle-aged man wearing sunglasses, a round hat, and a brightly colored shirt rushed over, stopping Cagalli and grabbing the yogurt sauce instead.
"How could you put chili sauce on kebab? Yogurt sauce is the standard, isn't it?!"
"Huh?"
"No, forget standard—skipping yogurt sauce is practically sacrilege for this dish!"
"What's your problem?" Cagalli snapped. "I don't even know you! Who are you to lecture me about my taste?!"
With that, she dumped a generous amount of chili sauce onto the kebab. The bright red sauce radiated heat so intense it looked like it could make someone breathe fire. Unfazed, Cagalli wrapped the meat in flatbread and took a big bite, her face lighting up with bliss.
"Oh no! How could you...?" The man groaned in agony.
"Haha, old man, save your breath. Ever since this girl tried Chongqing hotpot in Yanhuang, her taste buds have been ruined—she won't eat anything unless it's spicy." Yang Hui shrugged, signaling the man not to take it personally, while also snatching the yogurt sauce from his hands. "By the way, I'm on your side."
Drizzling the yogurt sauce, rolling up the flatbread, Yang Hui savored the flavors with relish.
"Ahhh~! Now this young man has good taste! So, kid... want some yogurt sauce?" The man happily patted Yang Hui's shoulder in approval, then held the yogurt sauce out to Kira.
"No! Kebab should have chili sauce!" Cagalli stubbornly pushed the chili sauce toward Kira, locking eyes with the man.
"Stop! Wait! Are you trying to lead him astray?"
"What's it to you? Back off!"
"I could ask you the same thing!"
"Ugh! Fine, whatever!"
Neither could win the argument, both eager to impose their preferred sauce first. The result?
A stark contrast of red and white, each claiming half the kebab, creating a vivid clash of colors.
"Sigh…"
Yang Hui and Kira sighed in unison. Well, no need to argue now—it was inedible either way.
Yang Hui wouldn't suggest Kira just tough it out. He'd once tried Turkish kebab with both sauces mixed together, and the experience was like...
Ultraman fighting a Kaiju, Super Saiyans brawling, Godzilla versus King Kong, Gipsy Danger slaying [Kaiju] and [Slattern], the Big Bang, the origin of species... In short, it was an epiphany that felt like uncovering the ultimate truth of existence.
"Waiter, another serving, please."
Kira, not wanting to waste food, was about to force it down, but Yang Hui swiftly rolled it up, split it in half right in front of them, and stuffed one portion each into Cagalli's and the man's mouths before they could react.
"Chew chew chew chew... gulp~"
Kira watched as the pupils of the two people before him began to dilate, their bodies stiffening before trembling uncontrollably. Silently, he dismissed the idea of mixing their food together.
"Wah~! I think I just saw my father waving at me from across the river," Cagalli exclaimed, snapping back to reality with lingering fear in her voice.
"I've attained enlightenment—the truth of the world," the middle-aged man also regained his composure, wearing an expression as if he had seen through life and death.
"Cagalli, your father is still alive..." Yang Hui remarked, nodding in agreement with the man's sentiment while inwardly wondering how Uzumi would punish Cagalli for this. He couldn't wait to find out.
Thus, the man and Cagalli became somewhat acquainted—after all, they had shared a near-death experience. Since he wasn't in a hurry, the man sat down at their table and struck up a conversation with Yang Hui and the others.
"You've bought so much stuff. Are you throwing a party?" the man asked.
"Something like that. There are quite a few people," Yang Hui replied, taking a sip of tea.
"Is that so? Ah, youth is wonderful."
"It's alright. But aren't you going to introduce yourself...? Never mind, seems unnecessary."
"What—"
Cagalli noticed Yang Hui's demeanor shift, sending a chill down her spine. Just as she was about to ask, the man suddenly kicked the table away. Yang Hui and Kira immediately pulled Cagalli behind the overturned table.
As the three crouched down, a rocket-propelled grenade streaked overhead, landing in the courtyard behind them with a deafening explosion.
"BOOM—!"
Flames erupted, thick smoke billowed, and the peaceful street descended into chaos.
The rocket was just the opening act. From across the street, several armed men burst through the crowd, charging toward them while firing submachine guns.
"Are you all alright?" the man asked, drawing a pistol from behind his back.
"We're fine," Yang Hui replied, pulling out his own gun and returning fire. He had anticipated an attack—only a fool would go unarmed.
"Oh? Seems you're no ordinary guy," the man teased, though his estimation of Yang Hui rose another notch. His grip, stance, and use of cover were all textbook-perfect.
"Die, Coordinators! Monsters from space!"
"For a pure, azure world!"
The attackers shouted their fanatical slogans between gunfire, their affiliation unmistakable.
"They're from Blue Cosmos!"
"Yeah, a bunch of lunatics," Yang Hui smirked, his eyes turning dangerously sharp. Then—
"Wait, what are you doing?"
To everyone's shock, Yang Hui snatched the man's pistol and charged out of cover with the swagger of a gunslinger.
"Bang! Bang!"
Kira and Cagalli had no idea what was happening—only that gunshots and screams filled the air before gradually fading.
The man and his subordinates stood dumbfounded. The moment Yang Hui left cover, both pistols fired simultaneously, blowing bloody holes through the foreheads of two attackers.
His legs moved in a blur, never staying in one spot for more than a second. He weaved an elegant path through the bullets, darting between cover points. Every time he emerged, more bodies hit the ground. In under three minutes, all the assailants lay dead—each shot a perfect kill through the forehead.
But it wasn't over yet. Yang Hui walked up to each attacker and fired two additional shots into their chests before finally ending the battle.
"Hey hey, kid, that's something else." Seeing Yang Hui's actions, not only were Cagalli and Kira shocked, but even the older man and his subordinates broke out in cold sweat. At this moment, Yang Hui seemed like Death himself wearing human skin, chilling to the bone.
"Not bad. When dealing with enemies, especially those who want to kill me, I never show mercy." Yang Hui said with a smile, yet his grin seemed to drop the surrounding temperature by several degrees.
"Though I didn't expect this—the legendary [Desert Tiger] turns out to be an interesting old man." As he spoke, Yang Hui tossed both guns toward Andrew Waltfeld.
"Hmm?"
"Don't tell me sharing our table was just an excuse to argue with Cagalli about which sauce goes best with Turkish kebabs?" Yang Hui asked with a laugh.
Andrew Waltfeld paused for a moment before suddenly bursting into laughter.
"Hahahaha, amusing! You're truly amusing! Since you've seen through me, how about coming to my place as guests? Your friends are welcome too, of course."
"Um..."
Taking in the situation, Cagalli and Kira had already guessed Andrew Waltfeld's identity. Kira protectively moved Cagalli back step by step.
Yang Hui, however, remained completely calm—after all, he wouldn't have thrown his guns away otherwise.
"Do we really have the right to refuse?"
No sooner had he spoken than the Adjutant Dakosta arrived with security forces, surrounding Yang Hui completely.
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