Chapter 85: Assault Equipment Zaku

"He Kui, what are you busy with?" 

After finishing her shower, Shi He emerged from the officer quarters, the lingering scent of her bath products wafting through the air. She curiously glanced at He Kui, who was focused on the screen displaying a Zaku, along with design diagrams for owls and Haros.

"I'm looking for some funding to upgrade the Zaku and also enhance the radar systems for these little guys," He Kui explained.

His information engineering was steadily progressing, and the knowledge he had gained from previous mineral radar projects had enriched his understanding.

At this point, he was capable of upgrading the sensory range of these small machines on both the software and hardware fronts.

Especially for the reconnaissance-oriented owls, it would be best to equip them with a scanning device to automatically detect the approach of harmful objects.

However, these scanning devices would require a considerable amount of money, and currently, his funds were nearly depleted, leaving him to wait for the next round of bonuses.

Plus, there was also the research related to Lacus.

"Don't overwork yourself; after we return to PLANT, we'll be heading to Earth, and you'll get to see your friends," Shi He encouraged.

"Hopefully," He Kui replied.

According to Ed, he was supposed to be fighting under the command of the 'Desert Tiger,' and the African front was indeed the Desert Tiger's territory.

But at this moment, hiding in the desert seemed like a good idea; it would make it challenging for them to execute assassinations.

Of course, he should remain safe until word of the pulse cannon reached the higher-ups in the Alliance.

"Every time we go to Earth, it feels like we end up in a difficult position," Shi He lamented.

With the tropical rainforests and deserts, it was hard to determine which was preferable.

"Indeed."

The tropical rainforest at least provided fish to eat, while in the desert, who knew what could be consumed—perhaps mosquito cakes?

"By the way, where did you live on Earth, He Kui?"

Shi He bent down, her soft form pressing against He Kui's back, the scent of her bath products filling the air.

"In Asia."

"That place isn't too harsh on Coordinators, right? There are still quite a few Coordinators there, aren't there?"

"Something like that."

The region had fewer religious adherents, and while there were supporters of the Blue Force, they mainly opposed Coordinators out of self-interest, unlike the Atlantic Federation, where the higher-ups used religion to persecute Coordinators. Such situations were usually far more radical than those based on self-interest.

"He Kui."

After Shi He spoke, she gently wrapped her arms around him from behind.

"Speaking of which, there's quite a bit of delicious food there."

He Kui replied softly, "I think what you make is quite delicious."

Her tender voice floated into He Kui's ear, almost as if hinting at something.

"Is that so~"

Caught in the fragrant atmosphere, He Kui turned his head, and the two shared a kiss.

The long kiss seemed to draw the very air from Shi He's mouth.

"Now isn't the time; we'll have to wait until we're back at PLANT," Shi He whispered breathlessly in He Kui's ear.

"I know."

This time, He Kui was prepared; he was determined to ensure Shi He was satisfied.

After unloading the asteroid from the previous New Star operation, He Kui and the others finally returned to PLANT's territory.

"You've done a great job this time," Erin said warmly in her office.

"Is it because of the success of the weapon?" He Kui asked.

"That's one reason. The other reason is the captives you brought back; they hold a lot of information, including the locations of several traps near L4. While we can't trust everything, it will certainly help diminish their influence in space."

"What about—"

"Don't worry; it was indeed a mistake on the higher-ups' part. You will receive compensation for this."

"Thank you for that."

"To ensure PLANT's safety, this is merely a small matter. But I have a small request."

He Kui's expression grew serious.

"I wonder what it could be?"

"As you know, the equipment on that Zaku is too heavy and not suitable for operations on Earth."

"I can apply for a set of assault equipment for you."

Assault equipment would involve adding external armor, large balancing wings to the legs, and additional thrusters on the back, all with their own power supply.

With the assault equipment, a Zaku could briefly achieve hovering capability in the atmosphere, making it a quintessential powerhouse.

It was also an external upgrade that had initially been developed to enhance the Kin's capabilities.

However, with the development of the Zaku, the equipment had somewhat become redundant.

Nevertheless, modifying it for the Zaku could still significantly enhance its maneuverability.

"Additionally, I need two new beam-resistant shields."

"Two? The assault equipment already comes with two shields integrated with vulcan cannons," Erin explained, believing He Kui was unaware.

"No, the shoulder armor has plenty of room for modification. Plus, as our beam Zaku already has experience with back-mounted beam cannons, the frame can easily support the design for four shields."

He Kui pulled out a new design diagram featuring the Zaku with assault equipment.

The Zaku was now entirely different from the standard model.

With the already shielded arms and the shoulders modified to carry shields, it would have a total of four shields, with the shoulder shields appearing pristine white, resembling angelic wings. This design was not only aesthetically pleasing but also aerodynamic and stable, ensuring control and stability at high speeds.

However, seeing those four shields made Erin's lips twitch.

"Plus, these two shields can incorporate a thruster and a beam cannon, serving dual purposes as weaponry and balance thrusters. According to the simulation, the kinetic energy loss is only 15%!"

"I understand," Erin said quietly.

As the one responsible for developing the Zaku's frame, she could certainly comprehend He Kui's design.

But the most pressing issue was the budget.

One shield costs forty million; two would be eighty million.

Not to mention the two shields already in use, which would also need upgrades. In total, the cost of just the four shields would nearly exceed two billion.

If the previous design was still experimental, then after upgrading according to He Kui's design, it would be a fully elite special machine.

It was impossible not to feel a twinge of pain.

"The Sara faction can assist you in applying for this."

After a long pause, Erin finally bit the bullet and agreed.

He Kui had indeed performed well, continuously helping them overcome two weapon designs.

Given this display of talent, they would consider He Kui's request carefully.

In simple terms, it was also a way to further bond with He Kui. Moreover, considering He Kui and his fiancée's current capabilities, they could barely qualify.

"I understand."

He had no issues aligning himself with the Sara faction; after all, he had no intention of doing anything detrimental to them.

"Good, then I look forward to Director He achieving further success."

Although she had secured the deal, Erin didn't appear particularly happy; two billion was a hefty amount, even if it wasn't her money.

"Thank you."

Unlike Erin, He Kui was delighted to have secured the new equipment budget.

Their Zaku had not been upgraded for a long time, and now with the addition of four shields, its safety factor increased exponentially.

The next step was adapting the equipment to their Zaku.

The back thrusters of the assault equipment were enlarged. This wasn't very friendly to their currently modified Zaku, so they would need to revert it to its original state.

"The beam cannon on the back needs to be removed," Shi He remarked curiously as she looked at the design diagrams on He Kui's desk.

"Not at all; it's just concealed within the shield."

He Kui explained as he magnified the shoulder shield on the Zaku's assault type.

Those two shields were two-thirds the height of the unit, and within them was a beam cannon.

"We can reconfigure the two shields into a single small beam cannon."

"But we'd have to shrink the beam cannon to two-thirds its original size and integrate a battery. At a distance, it would be tough to penetrate the enemy's hull," Shi He pointed out.

"No worries; we'll just use the high-energy pulse cannon as an external weapon to compensate for any deficiencies in long-range attacks."

"The arm-mounted vulcan shield can be replaced with a beam-resistant coated shield. Two equipped shields with integrated vulcan cannons, two beam cannons, plus a high-energy pulse cannon for long-range support. It's fine to sacrifice a bit of maneuverability for that."

He Kui continued enthusiastically.

"Sounds good."

Shi He, being proficient in shooting, was satisfied with the weaponry on this unit.

This Zaku was designed to incorporate both of their characteristics.

Shi He wanted long-range weaponry, while He Kui focused on enhancing defensive capabilities.

This resulted in a long-range support unit.

They could even jettison the external armor if necessary, allowing the unit's power to reach its peak.

"For close combat, we'll also equip it with two small knives on the shoulders as melee defense weapons, just in case."

"That sounds perfect."

"Then let's wait for the equipment to arrive before we get to work!"

He Kui was filled with enthusiasm at this moment.

"Mm!"

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