"You truly are remarkable, having conquered Black Whale City. I admire you greatly and genuinely wish to join you on the battlefield. Haha. Regarding what you mentioned, I will speak to Uncle Jason immediately. I anticipate the technicians you require will return by tomorrow. Moreover, I will instruct the Bromm sub-factory in Black Whale City to dispatch workers to assist..."
"Ha! That's excellent. If our X Legion wishes to grow, the foremost necessity is to possess the most advanced aerial forces," Xiao Feng said confidently, smiling.
Kerry nodded and replied, "Indeed, we shall provide you with our fullest support."
"Then contact Mr. Jason at once. The sooner we complete this, the greater the advantage for us."
"Understood. I will reach out to Uncle Jason right now."
Gazing upon the brightly lit hangar, Xiao Feng smiled to himself. He fully understood what these dozens of fighter jets truly signified. With these jets, the X Legion's military power would become unprecedentedly formidable. Yet, as this thought crossed his mind, Xiao Feng realized the most pressing matter was still to expand the legion's infantry forces. After seizing the first secondary city, the Alliance troops would undoubtedly unleash relentless military pressure to reclaim Black Whale City. Their decision was evident, having deployed one of the Seven Gods of the Alliance. Without rapidly strengthening the X Legion, the city would likely be lost again.
Even if the Alliance failed to retake Black Whale City, Xiao Feng felt certain they would deliver devastating blows to it.
As he pondered this predicament, his wrist communicator suddenly lit up. A member of the Mark team appeared on the screen, urgently shouting, "Commander Xiao Feng, trouble! Five hundred kilometers southwest, an unidentified flying object of massive size has been detected. It might be a heavy bomber!"
Xiao Feng furrowed his brow—just as he feared. He activated the communicator and connected with Lin. "Lin, are you asleep?"
Lin held a bottle of liquor. "Not yet, just drinking... What's up?"
"Can you fly a plane?"
"Of course! Anything piloted by humans, I can handle it, haha..."
"Forget it. Even if you can fly, you're too drunk to do so."
"Who says I can't? I'm at the airport. Wait three minutes; I'll be at the hangar. I insist on giving you a demonstration." Lin ended the call abruptly.
Xiao Feng hesitated but had no better option. He connected to Brada. "What are you doing? Are you at the airport?"
"Yeah. After setting up the missile units, I stayed here. No use elsewhere."
Xiao Feng chuckled, "You're smart. Order two fighters equipped immediately."
"What's your plan?"
"Stop wasting time. A colossal unidentified flying object is approaching from the southwest. We suspect it's a heavy bomber—enough to destroy Black Whale City."
"Understood. I'll give the orders."
Less than ten seconds after Xiao Feng ended the call, the airport staff sprang into action. Missile trolleys were towed swiftly beneath the jets, arming them. Lin's car roared alongside Xiao Feng's.
Lin stepped out, bottle in hand, astonished by the sleek vehicle beside Xiao Feng. "Whose car is that? Damn, it's insanely cool."
Xiao Feng met Lin's amazed gaze with a knowing smile. "Forget whose car this is. Can you fly this fighter?"
"Absolutely. I've undergone comprehensive pilot training. Not just fighters—spaceships too."
"You're full of it. Keep bragging..." Xiao Feng walked toward a fighter jet, donning his combat gear.
Lin stared in disbelief. "What are you doing?"
Xiao Feng grinned, "You think you're the only one who can fly a fighter?"
"Wait, you're a free hunter from the streets, and you can pilot a fighter? Don't joke with me."
"Do I seem like I'm joking?" Xiao Feng answered as he skillfully suited up. He didn't understand why the knowledge of flying was embedded in his mind—just as he never questioned how he knew how to drive a car. The information was innate, triggered only when needed.
Xiao Feng knew now was no time for introspection. His focus remained fixed on that "bomber."
Lin was bewildered. "If you can fly, why did you call me?"
"I fear my combat power alone might not suffice," Xiao Feng said, grabbing his helmet and rushing to a fighter. Without climbing the ladder, he leapt into the cockpit, fastened his helmet, connected the oxygen supply, and gave a thumbs-up to the ground crew—ready to launch.
The canopy slid shut, the engine roared to life.
Lin, astonished by Xiao Feng's proficiency, hastily changed and boarded his fighter. His engine ignited with a thunderous blast.
Lin shook his head, dizziness from the alcohol swirling. "Damn. Since the dawn of flight, probably no one dared to drink before flying. I might be the first..." Before he finished, Xiao Feng's voice crackled in his earpiece, "Watch yourself! These fighters are precious. I'm going in first..."
Xiao Feng's fighter expelled a powerful blast of air as it accelerated out of the hangar. He glanced at the pitch-black sky and activated radar, night vision, and weapons systems, steadily increasing speed. Soon, like a sharpened arrow, he pierced into the dark night.
Lin refused to be outdone, following closely, climbing swiftly.
The two jets rapidly escaped Black Whale City's air defense zone, racing southwest. Xiao Feng broadened his radar scope, locating the enormous unidentified object. It moved far too slowly.
Minutes later, the night vision screen revealed the colossal unknown—no bomber, but a massive flying magical beast.
Xiao Feng's radar confirmed: a Class C monster—a demonized giant vulture, its wingspan nearly tens of meters, slow and cumbersome in flight. The beast's head gleamed metallically, as if artificially enhanced.
Xiao Feng told Lin, "Damn, it's a monster."
"Haha! A Class C beast! We're in for a fortune! Xiao Feng, I'm telling you, we'll split the magic crystals fifty-fifty."
"Damn it, you're drunk. Two fighters might barely take this thing down, let alone think about selling crystals." Before Xiao Feng could finish, Lin fired two air-to-air missiles, both striking the beast's chest with twin explosions. The vulture screeched, veering away—clearly frightened.
Xiao Feng frowned, realizing the missiles had little lasting effect. Even if they depleted all their missiles, killing the beast might be impossible.
He told Lin, "As long as it's not a bomber, it's fine. Hold it steady. I'm contacting Black Whale City's command center for cruise missile support."
Lin scoffed, "Cruise missiles cost hundreds of thousands of alliance credits, you know that?"
"Hundreds of thousands is nothing compared to the value of this Class C beast's magic crystals." Xiao Feng initiated contact with the command center.
"Commander Xiao Feng, what are your orders?"
"I told you, no need to call me commander—just Xiao Feng. The bomber-like object is a Class C beast. Our missiles have little effect. Requesting cruise missile support."
"Understood. Black Whale City's defense system will launch cruise missiles in thirty seconds."
"Good." Xiao Feng told Lin, "Thirty seconds until launch. At missile speed, about two minutes to impact. We must hold this beast steady."
"Got it." Lin's fighter began circling the beast. His flight was erratic, far less steady than Xiao Feng's—no surprise given his intoxicated state.