Chapter 95: Bomb Car

Given the strange movements of Blue Cosmos lately, He Kui decided not to waste any more time and set his sights on upgrading his computer.

His previous computer, though upgraded for tens of thousands, was clearly inadequate.

"The best available in the civilian market right now is Cerebras, which should cost around three hundred thousand."

Shi He's words made He Kui wince with pain.

He thought he was well-off, but it turns out the money still wasn't enough.

In fact, it was because his position required more spending as his income increased, so it wasn't enough.

"Should we buy it?"

Shi He was also quite eager to buy it. As a researcher who frequently ran data, she knew all too well the benefits of a top-tier computer.

"Let's buy it."

There was no choice; what needed to be bought had to be bought. The real war was less than a year away, and the computer wouldn't become obsolete that quickly.

"I'll place the order. It'll be delivered tomorrow."

"Mm."

He Kui nodded while frowning.

"I'll contribute half."

Shi He comforted He Kui, who was feeling the pinch, as they returned to the office together.

Upon their entrance, the beam group was abuzz with excitement.

"Director He!"

"Director He!"

The lively crowd, upon seeing He Kui, was visibly energized.

"Director He, you've kept us in the dark!"

"Yeah, turns out you were the main researcher behind the beam weapons."

"I'm different from them; I always knew about your work, Director He!"

Even the three who usually went unnoticed came forward to offer congratulations.

Originally, they thought they were there to monitor and, if He Kui failed to produce results, they would be left behind.

Little did they know, fortunes would change, and things turned out well.

He Kui was indeed the primary developer of the miniaturized beam weapons.

What did it mean to follow He Kui?

Respect, for starters.

If they said they worked under Director He Kui at ZAFT, people would surely look at them with admiration.

Money was another certainty; every project they researched came with bonuses, not to mention how He Kui had previously applied to increase their bonuses.

Such a considerate, responsible, and respectable leader was truly one in a million.

"Keep up the good work, everyone. A new project will be coming soon, so let's expedite the development of the composite beam rifle."

He Kui maintained the same attitude towards the newcomers, showing no arrogance.

"Understood!"

"Alright."

Having grown accustomed to their loud voices, He Kui nodded in satisfaction and returned to his office.

Turning on his computer screen, the data stream began scrolling once again.

The miniaturization of Artemis's Umbrella and the monophasic wave shield system fundamentally involved optics and electromagnetism.

In these two areas, he had already made strides with beam weapons and high-energy pulse cannons, making the data before him very familiar.

The energy field generated by electromagnetic waves could interact with light and physical attacks directed at the body.

The energy field would quickly respond, adjusting its frequency and wave patterns to resonate with the energy waves of the attack, allowing the attack to be absorbed and dispersed.

Moreover, this shield required a friend-or-foe identification system to avoid interfering with its own attacks.

"It will take some more time."

He Kui said, taking out an Owl. While he couldn't let it fly around the factory, holding it was fine.

This Owl seemed more agile than previous ones, tilting its rounded head as if curious about why He Kui had taken it out.

"He Kui?"

The mechanical voice of the Owl spoke.

"Shut down."

"Okay."

The conversation reached this level because He Kui had been developing AI for them.

The progress was slow, but with sufficiently intelligent AI, they could act independently and even provide intelligent warnings.

As for now, intelligent warnings were possible, but the AI was still weak and might trigger alerts at the slightest disturbance.

Naturally, this required a device to connect them, but that was no problem for He Kui.

A brand new watch-type controller had been made in recent days.

"If they can't fly, I might as well make something that runs on the ground."

With that thought, a Haro reappeared on the screen, though it was different from previous ones—this one reverted to its original state.

"There needs to be one Haro that can act as the leader with a learning AI as the main unit to keep costs down."

"The other Haros will specialize in radar, defense, and support. With just four, they can form a complete team system, much more portable than the previous ten."

"I hope they can pilot a Gundam for me someday."

"What Gundam? Is it a new research project?"

Shi He asked curiously as she entered the office, having overheard He Kui's mumbling.

"Just a name that came to mind."

He Kui smiled.

"It sounds impressive."

"I think so too."

"They've finished for the day. I've completed the optical data runs, and everything checks out. How about you?"

"It's going alright. The electromagnetic wave simulation is a bit complex, but thankfully the computer is fast. I'll write the article at home; let's eat first."

"Sure~"

Just as He Kui stood up, a sudden explosion erupted outside.

Through the window, thick smoke could be seen billowing from the entrance of the design bureau.

With the explosion, the alarms in the research institute quickly blared.

"Let's evacuate first."

Shi He frowned.

"Mm."

He Kui nodded calmly. Panicking would do no good; maintaining composure and ensuring safety for himself and Shi He was paramount.

Following the evacuation route, He Kui and the others made their way to the underground shelter.

A crowd had already gathered, anxiously waiting for developments.

"Director Pavao, do you know what's going on?"

In the bright underground shelter, the director was tense, but upon hearing the voice and seeing it was He Kui, a prominent figure, his impatience quickly dissipated.

"Not sure, it's likely a terrorist attack. Blue Cosmos has been rampant lately; maybe they opted for a full assault when they couldn't get in."

Meanwhile, the screens in the shelter began displaying the situation outside.

The surveillance footage showed three cars' charred remains at the entrance of the design bureau, billowing smoke—the source of the earlier commotion.

Guards were assessing the scene, checking for danger, though it appeared temporarily safe.

Bomb cars? But why? Did they really think they could drive straight in?

Or was there another operation behind this?

But that wasn't something he could know right now; he'd have to find out later. As long as everyone was safe, that was what mattered.

It seemed like going out freely was no longer an option.

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