Xiao Ran boarded the Yamato with his personal machine, Dawn. Saki Maski, Zechs, Luo, and Basak also came aboard the Yamato. As for Renard, he had left alone with Riddhe after the fleet departed Tokyo-3 and had not continued acting alongside Xiao Ran's group. Where he had gone remained unknown for the time being.
After their departure, more precise intelligence reached Xiao Ran through various channels. Leaving aside why New Zeon intended to attack the Federal Council Headquarters, it seemed that the Federation had deliberately given New Zeon the opportunity to strike. In the coming days, the Federation's council members would hold a massive conference. Countless powerful and influential figures from across the Federation would gather in a place called Dakar.
More crucially, the Federation already knew that New Zeon would launch an attack when the conference began. Yet they had no intention whatsoever of changing its schedule. They proceeded methodically with preparations, and all those attending had already arrived there.
After receiving the intelligence, Xiao Ran merely glanced over it before sensing an undisguised open scheme—or perhaps a hidden plot—within it. He could also see the Federation's tough stance in this world and how much importance it placed on saving face.
Yet despite the fact that anyone could see something was wrong, New Zeon still insisted on attacking the conference site. To Xiao Ran, it was utterly baffling. But when he considered that the one currently in charge of New Zeon was Char's clone, Full Frontal—a man who hated the world, who fought for New Zeon in name but was actually trying to destroy the world—it was hardly surprising that he would deliberately send New Zeon's forces into a trap to die.
Xiao Ran was not the only one who saw the problem. The others participating in the operation