Chapter 5: Full Favorability

February was approaching, and Valentine's Day was just around the corner.

He Kui couldn't help but wonder if this year would be different. Many plot points had blurred in his memory, and he was unsure about the distribution of military strength among the various Earth Alliance nations, their formations, and which ship carried the nuclear weapons. Even if he reported to ZAFT, they might not believe him; even if they did, they couldn't guarantee they could prevent an attack. If nothing happened, he would be accused of spreading false information. With so many variables in play, everything felt uncertain.

With the savings he had accumulated over the past few days, He Kui returned to the Waste Merchants' Guild branch in May City.

The entrance remained as familiar as ever. Upon entering, the muscular man at the counter greeted him enthusiastically.

"Hey, He Kui! Back again?"

Although it had only been a little over a week, He Kui had visited often, consistently buying the same materials in significant quantities. As a C-level operator at the Helan Design Bureau, he had become familiar with the man.

At this age, a C-level operator—especially for a Coordinator—was considered a talent. Most students graduating from military academies were still at D-level. Of course, since He Kui wasn't specifically trained in this field, a D-level was sufficient for temporary repairs on mobile suits.

"I'll take ten sets of materials for the bomb-proof shields and Haros."

"You've come at the right time! We just received a new batch of high-quality materials—perfect for crafting even better products!"

"I saw your announcement and came over."

He Kui smiled as he raised his wrist.

The information notifications were like a membership group; becoming C-level allowed him to join, where the guild shared real-time updates about pricing fluctuations—essentially a small privilege, as C-level members were their real customers with purchasing power.

"I completely forgot!" The man scratched his head sheepishly.

"But the situation has been unstable lately. We had a resource warehouse attacked by pirates at L3, so prices are likely to rise soon. If you want to buy, now's the time!"

"Then I'll buy five more sets."

He Kui trusted the man's information. Notifications about price increases only came when the prices were confirmed to be rising; no one would warn customers before a price hike. The man's gesture likely was a personal favor, considering He Kui's purchasing power, which he doubted could clear out the entire warehouse. Plus, the anticipated increase didn't seem too drastic.

He Kui bought some slightly cheaper meat and vegetables as well. Since he was buying groceries after work, he returned home to prepare a simple meal for the two of them.

"Sorry, I bought extra materials because I heard prices might go up."

"It's okay."

Shi He smiled warmly, happily accepting the meat He Kui placed in her bowl. This was a rare treat for them, a luxurious weekly meal.

The next day, He Kui arrived at the high-tech factory, where the sounds of metal parts being polished filled the air.

As soon as he clocked in, a middle-aged man stopped him. It was the HR manager who had spoken at their orientation.

"He Kui, I remember you're C-level now, right?"

"Yes."

He Kui replied with confusion; he assumed this information was already recorded.

"I've looked over your work records. As a C-level operator, you're quite skilled. What do you think about applying for a promotion?"

C-level did allow for technical positions that involved more complex processing, such as enhancing the radar for reconnaissance GINNs, rather than just working on standard GINN components.

Getting promoted in just half a month seemed a bit exaggerated, but Coordinators were known for their rapid learning abilities, and there were no strict rules for promotions—if your skills warranted it, you could advance. Given He Kui's improvement rate and being seen as promising, even without strong connections, he met the criteria for a promotion.

"Sure!"

Promotions came with bonuses. Although he had considered waiting another week to solidify his position, upon hearing this opportunity, He Kui agreed immediately.

Once he established himself at B-level, he could apply for an assistant engineer position, which would involve verifying parts for cutting-edge new technologies, giving him more free time.

With that thought, He Kui returned to work in the factory.

His promotion application was quickly approved, and his new role would be in the radar development department's separate facility.

However, he was surprised to find himself under the supervision of Sule, the A-level engineer he had met before.

"Hello."

Facing his new superior, He Kui found Sule to be small and cute but undeniably an A-level engineer, making it hard not to respect her.

"You're the newly promoted one, right? I remember you started last month?"

"Yes."

"Do your best."

After nodding, Sule inspected the facility before returning to the development department.

That evening...

"Congratulations!"

Shi He emerged from the kitchen, presenting a spread of dishes, each one visually appealing and aromatic. Her cooking skills had improved significantly, rivaling He Kui's, and as for the grocery money, they had initially planned to split the costs, but Shi He decided to chip in more for the celebration.

This was also a result of He Kui's guidance. Coordinators naturally learned quickly, and with a mentor, they learned even faster.

"Thank you!"

"In three months, you should be able to apply to our department!"

Shi He smiled. New technologies required at least an assistant engineer to participate.

She had no idea that given He Kui's current rate of experience gain, he might reach B-level in less than two weeks.

But Shi He was still delighted. Being with He Kui made her happy, and the idea of working together in research thrilled her even more.

He Kui didn't respond but walked over to Shi He and gave her a warm hug.

"It's all thanks to you, Shi He."

"That's not true."

He Kui was the one working hard, using his spare time to practice relentlessly. Yet he attributed his success to her. Hearing his words, Shi He felt a rush of warmth in her heart, and her body softened under the warmth of his affection.

[Shi He Hanivis Current Favorability 100]

[Experience Bonus 5]

[Micro Component Processing C-level: (705/1000)]

Finally, her favorability had reached 100.

After they parted, He Kui noticed a glimmer of emotion in Shi He's usually gentle eyes, making him smile even more warmly.