Chapter 411

Chapter 411: The First Challenge

A week had passed since the highest-level aerial combat simulation challenge at the Fifth Aerospace Training Center, but the shock and impact it caused exceeded many people’s expectations. It could be compared to poking a large hornet’s nest.

That day, everyone was ordered to maintain silence. The data storage devices that contained all simulation data from the giant simulator over the previous week were immediately dismantled and thoroughly checked to confirm that no remnants remained. The nation’s powerful tool had such flaws, and someone had even developed corresponding tactics. This was a terrifying situation.

Who knows how many people were scared out of their wits on the spot?

Fortunately, the background information of the involved parties was completely clear and easy to investigate. Within a day, the layers of reports classified Lin Mo as a fighter ace with experience in assembling and disassembling the J-10, as well as the protégé of a retired expert from the 611 Institute, specializing in aerodynamics. The revelation of such strategic skills was not impossible. If one put in enough effort, it was highly likely for a single person to figure it out.

After all, individuals with diverse expertise were quite rare, making such an unexpected event difficult to foresee.

Lin Mo received a verbal warning that his tactical insights posed a threat to national security and was strictly ordered not to privately teach anyone.

This tactic was comparable to top secret techniques known only to aircraft designers. If it spread to foreign nations, it would easily provide another method to deal with China’s main combat aircraft. Therefore, this technique was classified under the highest confidentiality level.

As a new initiative, a team was formed to investigate similar flaws in other domestic and foreign aircraft using the same line of thought.

Even if someone wanted to utilize such maneuvering tactics, only the pilot codenamed "Dragon Knight" could execute them. After all, he was already an ace with real-world combat achievements. It was no surprise that he could create such a stir; at least it was within the realm of common sense.

The secret techniques of modifying the spin and stall of MiG fighters were indeed discovered by China’s own aces. At that time, even the Soviets had yet to master such skills.

Since such maneuvers could be performed by humans, they were no longer just mythical legends; there was a possibility they could be disseminated and learned by others. The Ministry of Defense, the security department, and even the J-10 design unit at the 611 Institute were implicated. This unexpected disaster could be blamed entirely on Lin Mo’s whimsical idea.

To solve the problem, the Air Force’s high command dispatched a squadron of J-11 fighters to the Fifth Aerospace Training Center in Jiuquan to retrieve the J-10 modification plan from Lin Mo. They immediately issued production orders to manufacturers, initiating the production of special replacement components for the currently in-production J-10 fighters.

Without this action, it would be like holding the Sword of Damocles over everyone’s heads, causing many to lose sleep.

Cracking this tactical maneuver was relatively simple; it just required strengthening certain components, adding cushioning, adjusting structural details, or setting up monitoring devices to avoid the issue. Even small adjustments could disrupt resonance points, changing the load-bearing structure, and rendering the original tactic ineffective.

However, this was a brand new tactical idea, illuminating new avenues for aerial combat maneuvers. Excitement quietly bubbled within the aircraft design department and the Air Force, prompting the intelligence department to scramble for information.

While pandemonium erupted outside, the Fifth Aerospace Training Center quickly returned to calm. The selection of astronauts could not tolerate any disturbances; not even the highest-ranked authority could interfere. Everything proceeded according to the original selection plan without deviation.

After inadvertently stirring the hornet’s nest, Lin Mo continued like nothing happened, engaging in physical conditioning with others. It was all about good food and excellent hospitality. He followed the fitness coach to perform various exercises, enhancing muscle strength, endurance, and reaction training. Each day included a physical check-up, with both traditional Chinese and Western medicine practitioners available, and nutrition specialists tailored meal plans for everyone, which the chefs cooked according to strict guidelines for quantity and seasoning.

The food was by no means exquisite, but it was flavorful enough. It couldn’t be blamed on the chefs; the star-rated chefs at the aerospace training center would excel even in top five-star hotels, using only the highest quality ingredients.

The cooking oil was cold-pressed camellia oil from designated farms. The milk was premium supply from San Yuan, and delicacies, including cordyceps and rhodiola rosea, were used to create medicinal dishes. This was just the tip of the iceberg, along with many rare resources the public might not even access.

The candidates didn’t need to worry about washing their training uniforms. New clothes were placed in their wardrobes daily, while worn garments were tossed into a laundry bin, taken away by designated personnel.

The treatment was akin to a presidential suite. The candidates had to fully comply with orders and focus on their physical conditioning. Some astronaut candidates, unaccustomed to such treatment, felt a little overwhelmed, almost being treated like royalty. This level of comfort might just be what the wealthy experience.

People consume grains and vegetables and, inevitably, have unbalanced diets, irregular schedules, and toxin accumulation that could lead to various diseases. The first week at the aerospace training center focused on holistic detoxifying to achieve an optimal physiological state.

Not just physiological adjustments, but specialized psychologists provided assistance, ensuring mental stability to avoid performance breakdowns.

On the seventh day of grouping, the training center conducted a Physical Fitness Test to assess everyone’s potential after just a short time of physical conditioning. This was the first selection hurdle they faced.

Many arrived at the testing grounds with anxiety, as the all-day test was partially indoors, partially outdoors, involving both mental and physical tasks covering intelligence, memory, attention distribution, imitation ability, hand-foot coordination, endurance, and explosive power—qualities essential for aviation.

“Boss, I didn’t sleep well last night. I have a bad feeling that I might not pass,” mournfully expressed Meng Yinan, sporting dark circles under her eyes. Despite having the psychologist and daily massage therapists to help, she couldn’t shake off the tension. Major General Sun had mercilessly announced the elimination of candidate number six, Jin Hongbao, indicating that the selection of astronauts was no easy feat.

The elite candidates at this facility often hid their true abilities, making the young lieutenant feel immense pressure. If he were to be sent home this early, he would probably never hold his head high again.

Lin Mo understood his junior’s concerns and reassured him, “Don’t worry! You’ll definitely pass.”

He felt some pressure regarding astronaut selections himself, but he believed stress was motivation, and motivation required full effort. This was also an opportunity to challenge himself and prove his worth.

Everyone faces a first time, and it’s common to feel unsettled during such experiences.

Not everyone could adapt smoothly to the "reared" lifestyle at the Fifth Aerospace Training Center. While ordinary people might see it as paradise, those who have lived it knew that reality was far from the surface’s glamour.

For Lin Mo, the daily psychological guidance from the psychologist had become somewhat of a lullaby; both he and the psychologist were caught off guard by its effects.

Among the Dragon Knights, Lin Mo’s mental strength could rival that of an intermediate level magician. Whenever he lay on the psychological therapy chair, guided by the psychologist to relax and open his mind, relaxation came, but so did issues.

Once the fighting spirit of a Dragon Knight slackened, their vigilance would wholly dissipate, akin to a baby returning to the womb, inexplicably falling into slumber. The special conversational methods and psychological guidance inevitably turned into a form of hypnosis.

A nearly uncontrollable snoring erupted, leaving the training center’s psychologist both amused and exasperated. Even after employing hypnosis, the outcome remained the same.

Everyone is unique, and while such bizarre scenarios might be new, they were not unheard of. There was at least one positive aspect: it wasn’t easy to hypnotize Lin Mo and extract information, as he slept like a dead pig and likely wouldn’t divulge a thing.

The psychologist abandoned the hypnotic technique and ended up engaging Lin Mo in casual conversation, doing some simple mental relaxation exercises.

Perhaps the psychologist didn’t realize that if he injected Lin Mo with a truth serum, it would yield unexpected results.

Fully rested from the scientific diet, lifestyle, and conditioning, Lin Mo felt completely renewed, reaching an unprecedented high in energy and achieving excellent physical fitness.

Meng Yinan frowned, saying, “But I am still nervous!” This was her first time in such a high-stakes selection process, and anxiety was inevitable. This selection might be even more stringent than the Olympics, possibly carrying even greater significance.

Do Olympic champions get to enjoy lifelong support from their country? The answer was clearly no, but astronauts do, and the public willingly funds them with their taxes.

Lin Mo sighed helplessly, motioning for the still anxious Meng Yinan to calm down.

If she continued to feel this tense, it might hinder her performance during the morning tests. After all, she was young, and her mental resilience couldn’t compare with those seasoned soldiers who remained unflappable regardless of the situation. The opportunity to be selected as an astronaut was precious; it would be a shame if she got eliminated due to the pressure.