Chapter 380

Chapter 380: The Gift from the Aircrew Group

It was time to find a way to boost the combat power of the Night Special Forces, helping them achieve a good ranking in the military competition held every four years.

Due to long-term participation in actual combat, even the kings of soldiers faced a battle for youth. Despite having various nutritional supplements and equipment support, most soldiers had a short golden combat life, just over ten years, after which they inevitably experienced physical and mental decline, needing to retire and transition to other jobs.

Some were left with permanent injuries, supported by the state. Given their backgrounds in secret units, they were seen as more dangerous than ordinary civilians, and it was unacceptable for them to slip into society unchecked.

Every four years represented a shift in talent within the Special Forces. Once the high-ranking officials of the domestic military recognized the Night Special Forces, they would have more opportunities to secure additional resources.

The annual performance rankings affirmed the capabilities of each commanding officer.

"Hey, Captain Lin! Oh, Major Lin, congratulations on your promotion!"

The soldiers and officers who once shared the same rank as Lin Mo dutifully saluted him.

With a new officer’s ID and dressed in the insignia of a Major, Lin Mo walked through the halls of the Night base where soldiers stood at attention and offered warm congratulations.

"Major Lin, congratulations! If you have time, come visit us in Squadron Three! You can be our deputy squad leader. I heard that Squad Four has managed to bring back your armor, and it’s now in the honor room of the unit. It’s really beautiful! If it weren’t verified as modified from aircraft parts, we might have thought it was an ancient artifact. Such craftsmanship! If you have time, you could make me a set too; the price is negotiable."

Major Chen Renkai, leader of Squadron Three, bumped into Lin Mo as he returned from a mission with his team. After a manly embrace, he playfully punched the lucky pilot.

“Hello, Major Lin!”

The soldiers of Squadron Three halted in unison, saluting Lin Mo. He noticed some new faces among them; as the squad handling the most dangerous tasks, personnel changes were the most frequent here. However, only the most elite soldiers remained, sometimes transferred to other squadrons for reinforcement.

In the northern mountainous region of Afghanistan, this guy had managed to return alive—not just alive, but full of vigor, stirring up the situation in Northern Afghanistan.

Captain Chen really admired this young Air Knight who could soar and dive, entering the sea and sky.

“When you have some free time, take me sniping! Your squad mentioned it before, but you haven’t followed through. Do you think my marksmanship is too poor?”

The Dragon Knight lightly retaliated with a jab, nearly sending the old soldier against the wall.

“Hey, hey, take it easy! My old bones can’t handle your roughhousing. Youth has its perks—full of energy and spirit at their peak. A good man doesn’t boast about past glory. I used to be a mighty hero myself,” Captain Chen said, downplaying his embarrassment. “We in Squadron Three specialize in tough missions. Recently, we’ve had quite a few hard fights. How could I dare to call you in? What if something happened? Captain Feng would never let me off the hook! Don’t put me in a tough spot. I heard we’re getting a batch of digital tactical armor soon, which can withstand 12.7mm bullets. It’ll greatly increase survival chances on the battlefield. I’ll reach out to you when I have an easier task.”

“Sure! I’ll be waiting.”

Lin Mo and Captain Chen high-fived and went their separate ways.

“Novices, look! That’s our fighter pilot, an absolute ace! His cannon firing is as precise as a sniper’s. If he says he’ll hit your left eye, you won’t want to see your right. The cannon bullets might hit anywhere on your head! Let me tell you, Lin …”

Captain Chen’s voice trailed off as Lin Mo walked away, fading into the distance.

Finding his bike in the hallway, Lin Mo wiped the dust off the seat and quickly pedaled toward the Aircrew Group’s hangar.

As he arrived at the hangar, he heard Old Pan’s familiar gruff voice from afar.

“Bring both Mi-17s inside, first drain the fuel and check the fuselage for bullet holes. Little Deng, you’re in charge tonight of clearing out hangar areas 7 and 8. Tomorrow, a ground-effect vehicle will arrive, and that thing takes up a lot of space. Everyone hurry; we might get a chance to catch our breath…”

The hangar was as busy as usual. Aside from his unfinished “monstrous” fighter jet still covered with plastic and the model resting quietly in the corner, the spot where the J-10 should have been was empty.

Seeing the vacant space in the hangar felt like the shadow of the fighter still lingered.

Lin Mo let out a long sigh. His beloved “big wife” had perished in Afghanistan, taking with it much of his affection and effort. He felt as if a part of him was missing, a sense of longing that wouldn’t fade.

“Hey, kid! Welcome home!”

A strong arm wrapped around Lin Mo’s shoulders, and he heard Old Pan’s rugged voice nearby. “What are you looking at?”

Lin Mo hadn’t noticed when Old Pan had appeared by his side.

“Just admiring my beloved aircraft!” Lin Mo exhaled deeply, staring blankly at a corner of the hangar.

After losing a combat partner, Lin Mo took a P-51 Mustang for a spin in the South China Sea to ease his heartache, but the pain remained. In his heart, the J-10 was almost like a living being, not just a cold piece of machinery.

“Cheer up, my deputy leader! Although we have lost comrades, they continue to live in our hearts. We must live better, more boldly, and more vibrantly, carrying on in their memory. We don’t live for just one person.”

Old Pan, the leader of the Aircrew Group, tightened his arm around Lin Mo’s shoulder. As a seasoned veteran, he understood the feeling that came after losing a battle buddy in combat.

“Deputy leader? What deputy leader?”

Lin Mo was about to nod in agreement with Old Pan when he suddenly realized there was more to Captain Pan’s words.

“Ha ha, you didn’t know? Oh, I forgot to inform you! Congratulations, Major Lin Mo! You are now the deputy leader of the Night Aircrew Group. Ha ha, do you have any special gestures? An appropriate bribe for everyone would be nice!”

Old Pan laughed like a blooming flower, rubbing his shiny bald head.

“…”

How did I become the deputy leader? Lin Mo was completely baffled.

“Hey! I know what you’re thinking. You are a Major, and I’m a Major too. It’s not like a Major can lead another Major, right? They won’t promote me either. Your achievements are solid. There’s no need to endure the long wait like us old-timers. Of course, you will be the deputy leader. Who could complain? Isn’t that right?”

Captain Pan’s explanation left Lin Mo with no chance to speak, and a deputy leader title had been placed firmly on his head.

“What does a deputy leader do?” Lin Mo, suddenly wearing the deputy leader’s hat, felt quite unaccustomed.

Old Pan chuckled, released his grip, adjusted his work hat, and said, “Just keep doing what you’ve been doing. Don’t worry about anything else; focus on your tasks. We don’t have many people in the Aircrew Group, and the work isn’t much. There are just a few transport and combat tasks. Can you not find ways to keep busy? Don’t worry; I’ll handle things.”

Thump! Old Pan slapped his chest confidently, putting Lin Mo’s mind at ease.

“Alright then!” Lin Mo sighed in relief. He could hardly take care of himself, let alone anyone else. Though fighter pilots had plenty of spare time, most of it went into supplementary learning.

Pilots, whose qualifications depended on flight hours, paid great attention to learning efficiency. Once they took off, it was time to showcase their skills—preparing soldiers for a decisive moment.

“Come on! Little Lin, follow me!” Old Pan, as if he still had more to say, pulled Lin Mo along briskly, unwilling to let him off the hook so easily.

“What’s going on?”

As Lin Mo was dragged along, he kept asking, curious about Old Pan’s mysterious intentions.

“I have a gift! Hehe, it just arrived three days ago, and you’re going to love it.”

Old Pan was enjoying the suspense, leaving Lin Mo feeling anxious. What could it be? Old Hu knew about it, Captain Feng mentioned it too, and now Captain Pan had confirmed it—a gift that everyone seemed excited about.

What could it be?

Old Pan and Lin Mo arrived in front of a gigantic wooden box. It was a large rectangular crate, so big that, with some holes drilled in it, it could become a small house. However, its material was hard to identify.

“What is this?” Lin Mo stared at the enormous object that seemed large enough to fit a main battle tank, feeling totally bewildered as he had never seen anything like it. Was he being reassigned to be a tank soldier?

“Dum dum dum! Let’s open the gift prepared for Comrade Lin Mo!”

Old Pan shouted, and at some point, the busy members of the Aircrew Group gathered around, each holding various tools and preparing to open the box.

“The moment of witnessing a miracle has arrived!” At once, Old Pan transformed into a magician, waving his hand. “Brothers! Begin!”

A dozen members surrounded the giant box and started working together. The box opened easily, much lighter than expected, revealing a large object inside.

“Uh!” Lin Mo’s eyes widened in shock as he inhaled sharply.