Chapter 120

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Chapter 120: Competing for Military Purchase Orders on Fighter Jets!

At four in the afternoon, just after the acrobatic teams from various countries finished their performances, Lin Mo heard the pleasant ringing of his phone on his left wrist. He swiped his wrist, and a black iPhone 4S appeared in his hand; it was an unknown call.

"Yes, this is Lin Mo!"

"What? Oh, okay, hold on!"

Lin Mo seemed to have heard something important. He quickly walked to an empty spot to answer, looking around before speaking into the phone again, "Alright, there’s no one nearby. Let’s start verifying the confidentiality code…"

"Okay, I understand! Leave it to me!"

Five minutes later, Lin Mo hung up the phone and pulled out the phone number Chen Haiqing had just given him, dialing it.

"Hello! Haiqing, that’s impressive! How did you manage this? Are you some kind of rich heir or connected to officials? Or is it a case of business collusion? You must have some serious connections! Alright, fine, we can’t discuss this over the phone. See you later."

Lin Mo hung up and shook his head. The Zhuhai Airshow involved so many departments that even an unexpected connection could facilitate things. In just over three hours, Chen Haiqing, this "Three Yellow Chick," managed to make it happen, demonstrating some serious finesse.

Lin Mo began to doubt whether Chen Haiqing was truly a rich heir or more like an official’s child, likely with strong military connections. After all, where did he get such efficiency? It was almost like being approved by the Central Military Commission.

Though Lin Mo’s speculations might not have been entirely accurate, they weren’t too far off either. Faced with a potential $900 million international military purchase order, it seemed everything would have to accommodate this. The profits from this deal would likely make many people envious and provide substantial benefits to various military manufacturing and research companies. Even the hardest obstacles would be cleared away with the joint efforts of many individuals and departments. In other words, this was the magic of money.

After agreeing on a time to visit Uncle Yan and share aircraft design diagrams, Lin Mo found Chen Haiqing and several pilots, who had changed out of their pressure suits, in the exhibition area. Luckily, nobody wore pressure suits and aviation helmets, preventing the audience from gathering around them. People on the ground weren’t interested in helmets and sunglasses.

"Ha! Lei Dong, Fan Dazhi!" Lin Mo spotted his comrades from Team 7759 and waved at them.

"Lin Mo! What a coincidence! I heard from Young Master Chen that you were here. I was searching for you during the flight earlier. Only he could spot you among so many people!" Lei Dong jumped over to Lin Mo like a big monkey.

Fan Dazhi and Ye Xiaowei, who were part of the same group of pilots as Lin Mo, also came up to greet him, some giving bear hugs and shoulder pats.

Chen Haiqing introduced Lin Mo to the older pilots from the August First team, and soon everyone felt familiar with each other.

"Tomorrow’s target positions are like this. Take a look at the diagram I’ve marked with measurements," Chen Haiqing handed a clipboard to Lin Mo, displaying a schematic of the audience areas with about six ground target positions. He pointed at the diagram, explaining, "The targets will be about six hundred meters from the audience, with two square-meter circles in chalk on the ground, surrounded by sandbags. In the center, there will be a cardboard box measuring fifty centimeters on each side, filled with shredded newspapers, a small amount of regular gunpowder, and red dye. The effect of having munitions hit it will be good."

"The spacing is fine, and the target size is okay. What about the ammunition? Will it be colored rounds?" Lin Mo shrugged, showing no concern. His previous combat missions had mostly been at night, and even then, he managed very high hit rates. Daytime would be even easier.

"Live ammunition!" Chen Haiqing, the de facto leader of this temporary arrangement, nodded at Lin Mo with certainty. "I’ve contacted the 9th Fighter Division, and they are preparing live rounds for your aircraft: two rockets, with the warheads modified to be less powerful. We’ll also add some cannon shells. That’s all we have. No air-to-ground missiles and no target drones for you to shoot at, so it’s up to you to make the best use of limited ammunition for an amazing performance. The leadership is prioritizing safety, and you only have enough for one attack—no second chances. That means you must succeed and cannot fail!"

The resources provided by this temporary plan were limited, making it a significant challenge for Lin Mo to deliver an exciting live-fire demonstration with only a few cannon shells and a limited number of rockets.

"Won’t the ammunition be too little? What if that’s not enough? You can’t use the cannon like a rifle to take potshots!" Lei Dong, who was familiar with the firepower of the J-10, remarked, with others nodding in agreement. Limited ammunition might run out by the end.

With a 23 mm caliber double-barreled cannon, the firing was intense, and in aerial combat, only a more concentrated and fierce barrage would ensure a high hit rate. As long as the caliber was sufficient, usually one or two shots could decide the outcome of a battle.

Chen Haiqing shrugged, "There’s no choice. Apart from ordinary folks, there are heads of various companies and military officials from different countries here, as well as our own military and political leaders. If something goes wrong, no one can bear that responsibility. If it weren’t for the strict orders from above, this order is just too crucial to consider using live fire to attract international buyers."

It wasn’t merely finances driving this decision. Many people were still level-headed.

"Then we can only hope Lin Mo hits every shot accurately!" Lei Dong looked at Lin Mo, clasping his hands together in a prayer-like gesture. "Lin Mo, our hopes depend on you, right?"

"Do you guys get a bonus?!" Lin Mo sensed something unusual; these guys seemed overly eager.

"What? You know about that?" The group suddenly looked serious; without incentives, who would work so hard?

"Service fee: two hundred thousand!" Lin Mo knew he couldn’t be too polite with these guys. Fortunately, he was alert and nearly became their pawn. While he worked hard in the sky, they would be splitting the profits on the ground—a deal like that was not something they could take advantage of without paying.

"Are you robbing us? You’re in a good unit with juicy allocations. How can we compete with your subsidies? You need to understand your brothers’ struggles—this paltry salary won’t even cover a funeral," Chen Haiqing complained, looking like someone enduring a great ordeal.

"Whether you give it or not, fine, you can play your own games!" Lin Mo watched Chen Haiqing put on an act without a hint of politeness.

"Fifty thousand! That’s all I can offer!” Chen Haiqing, a true second-generation rich kid, had mastered the art of tough negotiations.

"One hundred thousand!"

Lin Mo figured these guys were making a lot from this deal. With orders worth hundreds of millions, those skimming off would definitely be numerous.

"Sixty thousand! If you talk any more, I’ll do it myself!" Chen Haiqing resorted to childish antics.

"Alright, sixty thousand it is. You’re treating for dinner!"

"Deal?!" Chen Haiqing glanced at Lin Mo.

"Deal!" Lin Mo shrugged. He never expected to trick them for much; a bit was better than nothing.

“Haha, I’ll treat you tonight,” Chen Haiqing slung an arm around Lin Mo’s shoulder, though he felt a twinge of pain in his wallet, realizing he would have to be meticulous with his bonuses.

Lin Mo rolled his eyes, knowing this guy had another trick up his sleeve. If he had the business acumen, he’d end up profiting off Chen Haiqing.

"Hey, Ibrahim, did you see the Su-27 from Russia yesterday? Its performance and combat capability look great." Klim Aziz, a member of the Egyptian military purchase delegation, held a thick stack of beautifully illustrated brochures, each showcasing incredibly realistic aircraft images that could almost be considered art.

"I personally prefer the F-22 Raptor. After all, it’s a fourth-generation fighter jet. The F-22 manufactured by Lockheed Martin is more powerful than the F-16. Just think about it: what would happen if an F-22 faced a Su-27? Americans say one F-22 can take down thirty Su-27s. Do you think the cost of thirty Su-27s would be cheaper than one F-22? Why haven’t American exhibitors shown off the F-22? Should we go ask them?" Ibrahim Muhammad, dressed in a gray suit, stood beside an F-16, eagerly caressing its iron-gray wings, as if treating the F-16 like an F-22.

Both the F-16 and F-22 are part of a product series developed by General Dynamics and Lockheed Martin, but the F-22’s development included Boeing Aerospace as well.

Next to the F-16 stood a blonde model, fluttering her gorgeous eyes, suggesting a package deal of buying a fighter jet and getting a girl thrown in for free.

"How about checking out the FC-1 Fierce Dragon and the J-10 made in China? Chinese products always offer the best value for money—great quality at low prices. The F-22 is excellent, but its maintenance costs are like a noose around your neck. The F-16 isn’t cheap either. Do we look like we have hundreds of billions to spare?" Another purchasing group member expressed a different opinion.

"If I had the money, I’d buy an interstellar mothership or an alien spaceship instead of anything like an F-22 or Su-47! Haha, just kidding! Don’t get mad! Don’t get mad!" Klim Aziz added a teasing remark that sparked laughter.

"Technologically speaking, the U.S. and Russia are still more advanced. China’s technology still lags far behind! Until now, they could barely develop their first-generation fighter jets. Dawood, I know you’ve spent quite a bit of time in China and are familiar with Chinese products, but you should also see that this world isn’t just about China. The technological gap can’t be bridged in a short time; even the J-10 uses the same AL-31FN engine as the Su-27, doesn’t it?" Ibrahim Muhammad, clearly an admirer of advanced technology, firmly held his views.