Chapter 123
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Chapter 123: Orders? Let’s Secure Them!
Some impatient foreign military personnel with deep pockets directly inquired when the J-14 and J-20 would be available for sale.
It was clear that the J-14, still under improvement and development, would not be publicly revealed, let alone sold. Currently, China, Russia, and the United States primarily offered older models of military aircraft for international sale, maintaining military superiority while providing stable after-sales service and handling surplus outdated aircraft.
Unaware of the chaos at the J-10 exhibition area, Lin Mo flew his J-10 back to the air force base in Foshan, never intending to land at the air show for the audience to see.
From takeoff to return, communication with the Foshan control tower never ceased. Lin Mo mumbled about running out of ammunition, altitude, speed changes, and the feedback from the scene, causing cold sweat to pour down the faces of the monitoring personnel at the tower.
His skills were truly impressive—perhaps he didn’t even know how to write the word "death." The sheer lack of backup munitions left everyone worried, making them think Lin Mo was preparing to execute the aircraft’s ultimate move: a suicide crash.
“Almost there, time to change the paint scheme!” Lin Mo thought as he noticed the audience’s excitement and the cameras. True combat troops should not seek the limelight; the lower the profile, the better.
Lin Mo didn’t like the attention he garnered today, though it was seemingly expected that there would soon be a small spike in J-10 exports.
As the J-10 came to a stop on the runway, Lin Mo heard a delightful ringtone inside the cockpit. An iPhone 4S fell from the wall into Lin Mo’s hand; the previous Cobra maneuver had even earned him a backup from Gold Coin.
“Hey! Is that you, ‘Three Yellow Chick’? How did it go? I didn’t mess it up for you, did I?”
“I tell you, brother, you were incredible!” Chen Haiqing on the other end was barely able to contain his excitement. It was evident that the crowd at the J-10 exhibition had completely surrounded the area. Clearly, the live shooting demonstration was a huge success.
“If it worked out, that’s enough. I did my best. If I had to do more, I wouldn’t have anything left up my sleeve. Should I turn the J-10 into a Transformer?” Lin Mo joked lightly with Chen Haiqing.
“That’s already quite impressive. Honestly, you could have skipped shooting the last target; you were limited on bullets from the start. It was truly unexpected. How did you pull off that last move? Teach us; we don’t dare attempt that super-stall maneuver! It’s even more thrilling than the August First team’s acrobatic flight!” Chen Haiqing marveled at Lin Mo’s almost miraculous low-altitude Cobra maneuver coupled with tailfire, showcasing a level of imagination that was truly unmatched. At this moment, the pilot’s talent was evident.
“Haha, don’t try that move! My J-10 has been specially modified; I’ve mastered its performance. Don’t try such maneuvers carelessly; it’s not that simple,” Lin Mo advised Chen Haiqing, dissuading him from attempting to imitate his move.
“Modified? You’re my idol! While others are being imitated and cannot be surpassed, you’ve made it so no one can even imitate you. By the way, what about those two kill markings?”
Chen Haiqing seemed particularly interested in the destruction marks that shocked everyone present, even startling the host.
“That’s a military secret! Buddha says, ‘Can’t say, can’t say.’ Alright, I’m about to enter the signal blackout area, so I won’t chat with you. When the bonus comes through, don’t forget to transfer it to my card. The account number is in the message I sent you yesterday.”
In the air force base, there were various areas designated as wireless signal blackout zones due to military secrecy, where mobile phone signals would be entirely intercepted. Lin Mo quickly reminded Chen Haiqing.
“Got it! If there’s more, can I increase my share proportionately? You’re such a money-grubber!”
“Haha, this is just a straightforward brotherly transaction. I need to provide for my family and maintain my aircraft—plenty of uses for the funds.”
The two laughed for a moment before ending the call.
As soon as Lin Mo got off the plane, he received another warm welcome from the 9th Fighter Division. The exciting videos of the Zhuhai Air Show had immediately been intercepted by the military. The sniper-like cannon shots and the computer-generated visuals of the low-altitude Cobra maneuver were already on track to become part of the J-10’s operational maneuver history, making for the best promotional video.
With the freshly acquired spectacular video in hand, the 9th Fighter Division, adhering to the principle of "feather-pulling when the wild goose passes," immediately invited Lin Mo into their classroom, eager for him to teach all the J-7 and J-8 pilots about aerial sniping and the Cobra maneuver.
Leaders from the fighter division at the Foshan base had crafted a brilliant strategy. Experienced pilots had long been cherished like treasures and kept under wraps, rarely seen, making it nearly impossible to poach them. Anything from the textbooks was forever static. However, if a talented aerial ace could pass down valuable flying experiences, it would greatly benefit their pilots. With proper training, the J-9 Fighter Division might very well produce several ace pilots capable of flying the J-10.
After all, not everyone possesses the innate physical qualities, quick reflexes, and potential to fly the J-10 like Lin Mo. Each standard J-10 pilot builds their skills through extensive theoretical study, gradually progressing through various training aircraft up to the J-8, before finally reaching the J-10. Without this progression, the maneuverability of a fighter jet could easily overwhelm their brains, leading to crashes.
Piloting, after all, is not a job for just anyone.
Seeing how the 9th Fighter Division actively covered the costs for Lin Mo’s self-guided tour, providing free replacement parts and filling the J-10’s fuel tank, as well as offering dedicated helicopters and cars for transport, Lin Mo agreed to their request. He would share his knowledge without reservation, speaking freely to the pilots about the key points to accomplishing these maneuvers—of course, he wouldn’t disclose the Light Mirror Technique.
While on stage with the accompanying video, Lin Mo illustrated sketches and detailed every operational step, yet the audience below continually gasped in awe.
As Chen Haiqing had said, Lin Mo’s experiences were simply irreplicable. The rigorous physical requirements to withstand high G-forces alone were enough to set apart all active pilots. Physicality and skills are complementary prerequisites—neither can be neglected. One can’t achieve success by relying on one leg alone.
Until China develops more advanced cockpits with practical significance for high-overload maneuvers, the ability to control high-performance fighter jets will still heavily depend on the pilot’s robust physical condition.
In a quiet home, over seventy-year-old Yan Guoqiang was clicking through recently recorded video clips on his computer. His grandson had specially edited them and stored them in a folder labeled with the air show name and date.
Ding dong!
“Could it be little Lin? So soon!”
Yan Guoqiang set down his reading glasses and walked to the main door of the living room, grabbing the phone connected to the doorway’s access system.
“Uncle Yan, it’s Lin Mo!”
“Ah! How did you get here so quickly? I’ll come open the door for you!”
Uncle Yan smiled widely, pressed the doorbell button, and heard a click as the security door at the bottom of the stairs opened.
Just after placing the phone down, a knock came at the door.
“Little Lin, I didn’t expect you to move so quickly.”
Living alone, Uncle Yan was especially pleased to have a visitor, seemingly in line with every elderly person who can’t stand solitude, wishing for more interruptions.
“Ha ha, I arrived by helicopter! Otherwise, it would have taken half a day to come from Foshan,” Lin Mo replied, not arriving empty-handed but rather with a bag of fruit.
“Why buy anything? You shouldn’t have spent so much.”
“It’s nothing. I couldn’t come empty-handed, could I?”
“We don’t have so many rules here. Come in and sit down. Would you like something to drink?”
“Just plain water is fine.”
“Alright, I’ll pour it for you. You sit for a moment.”
“Thank you, Uncle Yan.”
Although he knew Yan Guoqiang was a professor-level expert, Lin Mo still endearingly called him "Uncle," making the old expert feel valued.
As Uncle Yan went to pour water for Lin Mo, the latter took the opportunity to survey the place where the 611 Institute expert lived. It was a two-bedroom, one-living room apartment of about seventy square meters. Old cabinets filled every corner with books about aircraft, in Chinese, Russian, and English. There was also a multi-layer cabinet showcasing many airplane models, including the J-10A Lin Mo flew, displayed prominently. Wherever there was blank wall space, large posters of fighter jets adorned the walls: fighters, attack aircraft, and bombers.
Carrying a cup of water, Uncle Yan noticed Lin Mo staring in awe at the roomful of aviation-related items and chuckled, “These are from my time at work, gathered during my spare time and after retirement. You see these models? They cost me quite a bit—many are limited editions straight from the factory. Like the F-35, it’s a commemorative edition model released by Lockheed Martin and brought back by my son from abroad. And that J-10, you recognize it, right? It’s the original version A I kept as a keepsake.”
As he spoke about the impressive collection of books, posters, and models, Uncle Yan lit up with excitement, sharing each item’s story as if conducting a live lesson, flowing effortlessly through the myriad of collectibles.
It was only after a while that Uncle Yan noticed Lin Mo’s dazed expression. In the presence of such a true expert in this world, the newcomer felt like a naive child.
