Simultaneous Time Travel: Gundam? All Teammates are Old Six

Chapter 35: The Ghost's Afternoon Tea: Tiger, Your Dog Needs a System Change

【CE71.2.16. African Community - An Oasis】

On the distant horizon, the flashes of artillery fire flickered silently like muffled thunder on a summer night.

The black Gene—"Ghost"—was crouching silently on the shady side of a massive sand dune, like a lurking black beast. Inside the cockpit, Ling Yu, with his legs crossed, watched this textbook-perfect "desert hunt" with great interest through a high-magnification optical lens.

"Tsk tsk, Kira is still too green. Facing a seasoned ground combat veteran, you think you can outmaneuver him? He'll just use geography and tactics to completely outmaneuver you." Ling Yu clicked his tongue, like a coach pointing out the flaws in the game. "See that? That's called kiting, that's called baiting out skills. It's a shame that this guy, Bartfield, isn't playing esports."

Of course he has the ability to save the day. If he rushes out now, cosplays as Char, and disrupts the situation at three times the speed, he might not be able to turn the tables, but he could at least rescue Kira unharmed.

But that's not the optimal solution.

[System notification: Side quest triggered – "The Desert Tiger's Tea Party".]

Mission Objective: To make an "informal" contact with Andrew Bartfield.

[Mission Rewards: System points will be awarded based on the depth of engagement, with a chance to unlock special intelligence.]

"That's more like it." Ling Yu turned off the battlefield live stream and brought up another map.

On the map, a flashing green dot marks "Coffee Time".

This was a "top secret" he obtained from a guerrilla fighter by infiltrating the outskirts of "Dawn Desert" and exchanging two packs of compressed biscuits and a story about "future ZAFT executives' secrets".

Andrew Bartfield, the Desert Tiger, is a man with an extreme passion for coffee. It is said that unless something truly terrible happens, he enjoys his afternoon tea every day at three o'clock in the most comfortable oasis nearby.

"Why should working people make things difficult for each other? You swipe your card, I'll slack off on my fishing." Ling Yu chuckled and pushed the joystick.

The Ghost's engine noise was turned down to the lowest setting, and the massive machine glided along the shadows of the dunes with a lightness that was completely disproportionate to its size, silently slipping towards the tranquil oasis.

-

The oasis may be small, but in this desolate yellow world, it is already paradise.

A small, clear lake, with a few tenacious palm trees casting dappled shadows. Andrew Bartfield leans back in a chaise lounge, eyes closed in rest. Beside him, Aisha elegantly brews him a fragrant cup of coffee. Two Baku tanks, acting as guards, lie quietly nearby, like loyal hunting dogs.

The battle just now was merely a light appetizer.

Just then, Bartfield's ears twitched slightly. He opened his eyes and looked towards the entrance to the oasis.

A man dressed in an Earth Alliance pilot's uniform emerged leisurely from the shade of a palm tree. He was unarmed and even wore a relaxed and contented smile, as if he were visiting a neighbor rather than intruding into an enemy commander's rest area.

Aisha instantly drew her gun, and the electronic eyes of two Baku cameras simultaneously lit up red, locking onto the uninvited guest.

"Don't be nervous, beautiful." Ling Yu raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, but his smile grew even brighter. "I'm just passing by. I smelled the coffee and thought I'd ask for a drink."

Bartfield waved for Aisha to lower her gun. His gaze was sharp as an eagle's as he sized Ling Yu up and down. There was not a trace of hostility in this man, only an almost absurd composure that he could not fathom.

"The Earth Alliance pilots aren't here just to ask for a drink of water, are they?" Bartfield's voice was deep and magnetic.

"Sigh, identity is just a shell." Ling Yu walked to the opposite side of him and sat down naturally on a smooth stone. Then he took out a small, vacuum-sealed tin foil package from the pocket of his driver's suit. "My true identity is an 'arms dealer'."

He placed the foil packet on the makeshift table between the two of them and pushed it across.

"Captain, your coffee is good, but everyone's taste is different. Yours is a little lacking." Ling Yu commented seriously. "Try this. It's an espresso I got from the department head. It's a must-have for staying alert, traveling, and even murder and robbery."

For the first time, a flicker of emotion crossed Bartfield's eyes. Not because of the packet of coffee, but because of the other man's smooth and skillful maneuvering.

He didn't touch the packet of coffee powder, but stared at Ling Yu: "Who exactly are you? That black Gene, you were driving it, weren't you?"

"That was my 'sample'," Ling Yu admitted frankly. "Captain, let's not beat around the bush. I watched your battle just now; it was spectacular. Your Baku has top-notch mobility and a reasonable firepower configuration. But it has a few minor flaws."

He held up his finger: "First, the joints aren't properly protected against sand. Prolonged combat in this environment will result in an alarmingly high wear and tear rate. Second, the target acquisition system relies too heavily on optics and heat; in a sandstorm, it's practically blind. Believe it or not, give me half a day, and I can double their combat effectiveness."

Barr-Tefeld's pupils contracted slightly. These were all technical problems within ZAFT, yet the other party had pinpointed them in a single sentence.

What do you want?

"I told you, I'm a businessman." Ling Yu leaned forward, lowered his voice, and wore a mysterious smile. "I'll provide you with technology upgrade plans, and you provide me with some... 'market information.' For example, I heard that the coalition forces have recently reinforced their base in Panama, making quite a stir. There's also a group of lunatics calling themselves 'Blue Cosmos,' who are very active in Africa. Captain, you're stuck in this desert; I'm afraid your information network isn't very good."

With each word he spoke, Bartfield's gaze grew more serious. This intelligence, though vague, precisely pinpointed a blind spot in his strategic plan.

Ling Yu leaned back against the rock, lazily summarizing, "The Archangel was nothing more than bait thrown out by the Alliance to draw your fire. What's the point of shooting down a moving target? The real storm is where you can't see it. Sticking to a project that doesn't make much money will bankrupt you, Captain."

The entire oasis fell into a deathly silence. Only the rustling of the wind through the palm leaves could be heard.

Bartfield remained silent for a long time, then suddenly laughed.

"Interesting. You're the most interesting 'businessman' I've ever met." He picked up his teacup and raised it towards Ling Yu. "I'll consider your offer. But, from a business perspective, how can I be sure your 'product' is genuine?"

"Simple." Ling Yu stood up, brushing the sand off his clothes. "I'll give you a 'gift' within three days. You'll understand then."

He turned around, waved casually, and walked out of the oasis without looking back.

"Oh, right, Captain." He suddenly turned around as he walked into the shadows, grinning.

"The wind is quite noisy today."

Ling Yu's figure disappeared into the palm grove.

Aisha hurried to Bartfield's side, her expression tense: "Captain, are we just going to let him go like that? He..."

“A real ghost,” Bartfield interrupted her, his gaze falling on the packet of “distilled coffee powder” left on the table.

He picked up the foil packet, tore a small opening, and brought it to his nose for a gentle sniff. A rich, overpowering aroma of soybeans, unlike anything he had ever smelled before, instantly filled his nostrils, invigorating him.

For the first time, the composure and confidence that belonged to the "Desert Tiger" on his face was replaced by an emotion called "surprise and doubt".

He paused for a moment, then gave Aisha instructions.

"Send people to investigate, at any cost, to find out all of Panama's recent military movements."

"And..." He paused, his eyes becoming more profound than ever before, as if trying to pierce through the endless sea of ​​sand.

"Notify our new 'technical advisor.' Tell him that someone even more ghost-like than 'Ghost' has arrived in the desert."