The young soldier saluted him, his eyes bright astonishingly.
"My brother is on the second line of defense. It was your machine that blocked those Tank-classs for them. He has contacted me just now. He said that if the Dauntless Ones are one minute late, their entire squad may not be able to evacuate."
Suzaku's throat suddenly seemed to be blocked by something.
"I... was just performing tasks in accordance with the requirements of the war zone."
"But you really did it!"
The young soldier grinned.
"I used to think that you had completely sided with Britannia. Today, after everyone watched the battle video, we realized that you have never forgotten us."
Suzaku raised his head suddenly.
No.
Not so.
He always believed that he stayed in Britannia in order to change the destiny of Area 11 through internal reforms in the empire. He was not prepared to prove his loyalty by defecting to another empire.
But these people in front of him didn't ask him to explain this at all.
They just saw: Genbu Kururugi's son, a young man who once wore the Britannia military uniform, now drives Special Knightmare Frames of Great Han, fights on the defense line responsible for the Area 11 army, and really saves their people.
These facts are enough in their eyes.
Someone started applauding.
Afterwards, the entire preparation area burst into applause.
"Shumu-kun!"
"Welcome back!"
"Kaguya Sumeragi Your Highness will definitely be happy if he finds out!"
Suzaku instinctively wanted to retreat. He had even thought about how to explain and how to tell everyone that he was actually threatened by Lin Cuo before he came here.
But a veteran on crutches stepped forward and held his hand. The hand was somewhat deformed due to long-term holding of guns and battlefield injuries.
"We old guys still have a lot to figure out about your father."
Suzaku's expression changed instantly.
"But today I at least saw that the children of the Shumu family are willing to block the enemy for Area 11. This is enough. Survive first, and we will talk about other things later."
Suzaku's lips moved several times, and finally, he just lowered his head.
"... thank you."
This was the first time he discovered that he was so afraid of these people's gratitude.
That night, the Area 11 government-affiliated radio station began to broadcast Dauntless One's battle footage, which had been reviewed for military secrecy.
What the audience saw was Dauntless One slowly advancing in the barrage and BETA cluster. The huge spread of Radiation Fluctuation spread along the road, and Tank-class fell down in pieces. The rear Combat Engineers dragged the energy supply cable, and Mobile Power Supply Station kept moving forward.
The host of the program kept emphasizing. "Suzaku Kururugi, the son of Genbu Kururugi, today drove the new heavy-duty KMF provided by Great Han Common Defense System and completed an important defense mission on the position responsible for the Area 11 unit."
After this sentence entered Area 11 through the broadcast, it quickly took on another meaning.
Some people think that Suzaku finally realized that Britannia cannot really change the fate of Area 11.
Some people also believe that he originally stayed in the Imperial Army to learn the Empire's advanced machine technology.
Some Kyoto businessmen even began to discuss privately whether the descendants of the Shumu family had been waiting for the right time to bring imperial military knowledge back to their homeland.
The next day, a local newspaper used an even more exaggerated headline.
"The Knights of the Empire in the Past, the Great Wall of the Motherland Today".
By the third day, the story had begun to change. Suzaku Kururugi endured humiliation and served in the imperial army for a long time. Now he finally used advanced military technology to protect the soldiers of his homeland. Some people even compared him to those generals in ancient times who temporarily served foreign monarchs for the benefit of their homeland.
Things are getting more and more outrageous, but the official press release never clearly states that Suzaku has given up his imperial military membership.
This is the scariest and most effective part of the whole thing. Everyone is discussing why he came back, and no one seriously asks whether he has come back.
And Suzaku himself was lying on the medical bed in the maintenance area, listening to the sound coming from the radio next door.
"He proved the courage of a son of his country in the most difficult battle."
Suzaku pulled the quilt up to his chin. He wanted to be angry. In fact, he had been angry all day long, but when the broadcast began to read the names of the rescued people on the second defense line, he couldn't help but put the quilt down.
If I really did something wrong, why are those people still alive?
If I had done nothing wrong, why did I have to bear the abominable threats of Lin Cuo?
He remembered Major General Katase.
Thinking of Kaguya Sumeragi.
Thinking of Lelouch.
Finally, I remembered the abuse I suffered in the past for joining Britannia Army.
He once thought that as long as he endured and gained the approval of the empire, he would one day be able to change the fate of Area 11 from within. But now, on Great Han's Dauntless One, he was called a hero for the first time by so many soldiers of his motherland.
Suzaku Suddenly had an idea that made me feel uneasy.
Since he can join Britannia Army in order to change Area 11, why can't he fight together with Great Han for the same goal?
Lelouch is there.
Kaguya Sumeragi is there too.
Area 11 The government even has a real military and administrative machinery.
This thought did not make him forgive Lin Cuo. He still hated those threats and control, but for the first time, he did not rush to deny the path of Great Han and Area 11 Government-in-Exile in his heart.
He turned down the volume on the radio and finally fell asleep.
Next, Persia Theater played for three full days.
In the early morning of the third day, Great Han United Broadcasting Station announced new campaign statistics.
The announcer first announced last night's Heavy Artillery consumption, then introduced the two Mountain Passs that India Front Army had recaptured, and finally announced that since BETA has formed a stable underground production system, Common Defense Executive Office decided to adjust the attack phase that was originally expected to end within ten days to a long-term blockade and continuous consumption operation.
After the announcement was polished by the propaganda department, the title became "Persia Battle Achieved Decisive Defense Result".
Li Xingke When I saw the title, I no longer had the energy to get angry.
"What is our decisive outcome?"
Chou Xianglin took a look at the cutting-edge records provided by Lin Cuo.
"Our two railway stations are still operating normally, Third Transportation Corridor has restored one-way traffic for military vehicles, three divisions completed their rotation last night, and no theater-level command organization has lost contact."
"So?"
"So our defenses didn't collapse."
Li Xingke glanced at her, and after a moment, he actually nodded.
"This is indeed cause for celebration."
This sentence was recorded in the summary of the meeting that day by the young staff officer.
At noon that day, the propaganda department extracted another sentence from the summary and added it to the national broadcast.
[Western Common Defense The highest military Commander-in-Chief Li Xingke General pointed out: Persia The defense system has proven itself to have decisive advantages.]
Li Xingke When I saw it for the second time, I finally couldn't help but send a telegram to the propaganda department.
[Please do not expand the meaning of my speech without authorization.]
The publicity department responded quickly.
[Have received instructions from General on publicity discipline. Our department will continue to strengthen Unified Messaging.]