At seven that evening, Misato arrived at the underground garage, humming a tune with her briefcase tucked under her arm.
Huang Zhetian had already been waiting there for quite a while, playing a game on a handheld console. When he noticed Misato arrive, he asked, "We haven't had dinner yet. Are you cooking at home, or are we eating out?"
Misato opened the car door, slid into her seat, and stretched. "At home, of course. We'll stop by the supermarket first and pick up dinner. It'll be ready in no time!"
Huang Zhetian turned to stare at Misato until she started feeling uneasy. "Instant food?"
Misato sheepishly scratched the corner of her mouth. "Uh... what's wrong with instant food? I think it's pretty convenient, and it tastes good."
Huang Zhetian covered his face helplessly and sighed. "Don't tell me you've never cooked?"
Misato gave him a guileless smile. "Nope. Whatever's easiest~ Just make do."
With no other choice, Huang Zhetian conceded. "All right, then. I'd like to see what instant food tastes like."
Misato inserted the key and started the car. She stepped on the gas, drifted out of the parking space, and sped away.
On the way home, Misato glanced at Huang Zhetian in the passenger seat as she turned the steering wheel. Ritsuko Akagi's words kept echoing in her mind: "This pilot's synchronization rate is rather high. His reactions and movements are practically perfect. The delay might be due to the experimental unit."
Misato had watched footage of Huang Zhetian's simulation on the computer at the control console.
Whether he was fighting one opponent or several, the projected movements of Huang Zhetian's unit flowed seamlessly. There were no flashy tricks; every attack perfectly anticipated his opponent's next move.
His reactions were especially outrageous. When multiple enemies fired at