The Double-Edged Sword's Lifesaving Grace

"So, this must be Xu De."

Halberton, who had just interrupted his meeting, looked at the two men before him and the footage recorded by the black box of the Moebius piloted by Xu De, a gentle smile appearing on his face.

It was exactly as Xu De had seen in the plot.

It was the expression one might show to a promising soldier or subordinate.

Facing Halberton's words, Xu De stood at attention once more.

"Yes, sir!"

"Mm."

Halberton nodded in satisfaction as he took in Xu De's upright posture.

"I have already learned the specific situation from Cook."

"I guarantee your military merits will not be buried, though publicizing them widely is out of the question."

Hearing this, Xu De replied.

"I do not mind."

He truly did not care whether anyone knew or not.

He had always been accustomed to this.

In his past life, he could silently protect the things important to him without ever seeking fame.

In this life, he had not yet decided what to protect or what to fight for, but he did not care for empty titles either.

The benefits he could secure and his future were what mattered most.

What did it matter if one was a hero? Dead heroes were merely propaganda material to those in power.

Compared to a hero, Xu De preferred to be a warlord in these chaotic times.

Heroes may be remembered for eternity, but it is the warlord who is the one left standing at the end.

"Mm."

Halberton looked at Xu De's resolve and found him increasingly pleasing to the eye.

Xu De's lack of desire for empty fame earned him a high score in Halberton's estimation.

"So, what are your plans for the future?"

Hearing this, Revil stepped forward.

"Forgive my presumption, Admiral, but Xu De actually wishes to pilot an MS."

Halberton looked toward Xu De and asked.

"Is that true?"

"Yes!"

Xu De said in a resonant voice.

"Hmm..."

Halberton pondered for a moment, and only when the atmosphere in the office had grown increasingly heavy did he continue.

"I will consider it."

"I will also notify you separately regarding your rewards."

"You are dismissed."

Having said this, Halberton saluted the two of them, effectively ending the conversation.

Hearing this, Xu De did not press for a definitive answer; he simply returned the salute alongside Revil and turned to leave.

"Judging by the Admiral's expression, the MS development plan from the meeting just now likely made some progress."

"You kid have arrived just in time for the hot stuff."

"It looks promising, though it will likely require further evaluation before a decision is made."

As soon as they stepped outside, Revil's expression became eager.

"Thanks to you."

Responding to Revil's words, even someone as calm as Xu De felt the corners of his mouth lift slightly.

This step was more than halfway completed.

Now, the next phase would be targeted training for MS operation.

Although it was generally said that Naturals could not control an MS before the appearance of Kira and Lowe.

But he was not an ordinary Natural; even if he wasn't a Coordinator, he still had a chance to learn.

However, this step would be a massive undertaking.

It would not be completed quickly, but at least now, he had the time.

Now, all that remained was to wait for Halberton's reply.

Thinking of this, Xu De added.

"However, sir, have you considered transferring to Halberton's command?"

The Third Fleet was not a place to stay for long; he was also planning to have Hans and the others transferred to other fleets.

As for which fleet, they were all dangerous in reality.

But the Eighth Fleet had Halberton. As long as he could become a Gundam pilot and attain a higher status, he would naturally be considered one of Halberton's direct subordinates.

If the conditions allowed in the future, he could certainly ask Halberton to take the others in temporarily.

As for the Eighth Fleet being wiped out during the orbital operation, that was a matter for later.

One must eat one bite at a time and walk one step at a time.

It was enough to know that this was a good opportunity for now.

"The Eighth Fleet, you say?"

Revil was stunned by the words, then shook his head.

"To be honest, I haven't decided yet."

"Understood."

Hearing Revil's reply, Xu De did not say anything more.

The man was a Lieutenant Colonel; although kind, there were six or seven ranks between them.

No matter how talented he was, he was currently just a lowly Corporal.

Anything more he said would only make Revil feel that he was meddling or ignorant of the situation.

In reality, aside from major events, he indeed lacked knowledge of many specific military details, so it was best to leave it at that.

Just as Xu De was planning, Bella, who had been waiting outside in the corridor, arrived before the young man with a gust of fragrant wind.

"Xu~ how did it go! Did you become an MS pilot?"

Bella walked up naturally and enthusiastically, hands behind her back, leaning her body slightly forward.

Her smile was as bright and clear as the morning sun.

"Not yet, it's currently in the consideration stage."

Xu De said.

"Eh, but you're so amazing!"

On Bella's beautiful face, her full lips pouted slightly, creating a sense of contrasting cuteness.

Bella's thoughts were very simple.

Xu De was a hero who had taken down two Ginn units single-handedly; the fact that they wouldn't let him pilot an MS was simply unreasonable.

"The Admiral has his own considerations."

"Alright, Xu is tired too. Let him go back to his room to rest first."

Cook, standing to the side, seemed satisfied that Xu De hadn't tried anything untoward with the young lady, and stepped forward to speak.

"Xu, see you later~!"

Hearing this, Bella waved her hand reluctantly and said.

"Take care, Miss Bella."

"Just call me Bella~"

As she spoke, Bella seemed to remember something; she reached into her jacket pocket, pulled out a slip of paper with a string of numbers written on it, and held it out in her fair, delicate palm.

"My number. See you on the moon~!"

"I will definitely repay you for saving my life~!"

After saying this, without waiting for Xu De's reply, she shoved the note into his hand, turned around with a blushing face, and ran off.

"I'll see you two out."

Cook gave Xu De a deep look and said.

The coldness in his tone had dissipated slightly, and the contempt was gone, though he remained neither overly eager nor sycophantic.

Of course, it would be inconceivable for a field-grade officer to fawn over a mere Corporal.

Field-grade officers were not exactly common street goods.

Not to mention that Cook was clearly a combat veteran similar to Revil; everyone in that circle had guaranteed connections and personal strength.

At most, Cook could only be said to have given him a preliminary acknowledgment.

Therefore, Xu De did not dwell on it too much.

Respect is something one earns for oneself.

Value is something earned through one's own strength.

Xu De did not believe he would stop here.

"Then let's go; we should head back and get some good rest."

Revil patted Xu De on the shoulder, a gentle, honest smile appearing on his face.

Though the smile was faint, it conveyed a sense of genuine care.

"Sorry for the trouble, sir!"

"Thank you!"

Xu De replied with vigor.

"It's nothing; you're one of our own from the Third Fleet, after all."

"With the fleet reorganization taking who knows how long, you've helped us make a name for ourselves—that counts as a legacy."

As Revil spoke, his smile faded slightly, and he leaned in to whisper a word of caution.

"As for the matter with Bella, I'll look into it for you. Don't make any other moves for now."

"I understand."

Stowing away the note that still carried a faint, youthful fragrance, Xu De lowered his eyes and spoke.

He didn't harbor any wicked thoughts toward Bella; he didn't know her yet, nor did he feel any love at first sight.

Even for a blind date, people share a few meals first, let alone the fact that he knew absolutely nothing about the connections behind her.

Compared to a pie falling from the sky, this felt more like a double-edged sword.

The trope of a poor boy being sought out by a wealthy heiress and turning his life around overnight existed mostly in fairy tales.

Unless that wealthy woman was spending money she earned herself.

Otherwise, in most cases, the family behind a wealthy heiress was a factor that could not be ignored.

Families, after all, are driven by interests.

Or rather, it is precisely because they are families or corporations that they prioritize interests above all else.

Therefore, to sum it up, whether starting from emotions or from the perspective of stakes, the first step was to gain a deep understanding of the other party's character and background before making any plans.

And ultimately, the most important thing remained his own strength; most of his time still needed to be spent on training.

"I'm relieved to hear you say that."

Hearing Xu De's overly calm response, Revil shrugged, feeling reassured.