Chapter 249
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Chapter 249: When Hope Overcomes Fear
“Let’s go, grab your gear, Hafar, and help me hold the antenna.” Lin Mo didn’t want to linger in the exposed position any longer. He quickly spoke into the walkie-talkie, “Calling Gem Valley, calling Gem Valley, this is Khalifa 2; listen, kid, we have come under attack, and we almost lost our lives. There’s a sniper, and they have reconnaissance personnel scouting the area. I need to retreat and inform the other reconnaissance teams to be cautious.”
“Gem Valley received; be careful, uncle.”
The voice was clear enough, and the child on the other end, perhaps too young to grasp the gravity of the situation, remained blissfully unaware of the fear that surrounded them.
What a lovely child.
“Sorry, sorry!” The woman’s voice chimed in from the other side.
By then, Lin Mo had lost his frustration; at least he had ensured the message went through.
Hafar clutched the broken antenna, struggling to maintain the signal with the exposed metal.
Lin Mo ended the call, and he and Hafar quickly moved to find a more concealed position for reconnaissance.
“Quick! The enemy has appeared. They are likely to launch a probing attack tonight and a full-scale offensive tomorrow.”
This news spread quickly after being reported by mercenary leader Abik, sweeping through everyone in Gem Valley. Nearly everyone operated like a well-oiled machine, reinforcing their defenses as much as possible, digging deeper, thickening barriers, and constructing obstacles.
Every soldier preparing for battle stopped their training and began to conserve energy, resting in place. The elders started butchering cattle and sheep and roasting flatbreads.
These were not ordinary bandits; they were a significant force that wouldn’t care about any humanitarian concerns, aiming to wipe out the people in the valley. This paradise had become their dreamland.
No one needed to urge them; if they wanted to survive, they had to work swiftly.
Standing outside the cave, Lin Mo held the satellite phone again, dialing the secret phone number. This time, he used Chinese character codes along with coordinates pronounced in a special dialect from Jinyun County in Lishui, Zhejiang Province.
This Jinyun dialect had been used during the self-defense counterattack against Vietnam. It was akin to the unrecognizable language spoken by the Navajo in the movie “Windtalkers”; the rapid speech was incomprehensible to outsiders, making it an extraordinarily effective encryption method.
Lin Mo’s knowledge of the Jinyun dialect included only numbers, hours, and coordinates, making the dialect difficult to learn even for the locals (the author included).
In fact, the watch discreetly hid a GPS module, but since there was no suitable location to report from and to avoid being monitored by American forces, Lin Mo had never revealed his coordinates.
Now with Gem Valley being significant due to the Lapis Lazuli mine, Lin Mo used this means to send out his coordinates, hoping that if a rescue team was looking for him, they would be able to find him, thus ensuring a bit more safety for himself.
The Dragon Knight wasn’t invincible; when support was needed, it was unwise to act recklessly. The battlefield was where brothers helped each other, and the more one acted like a solitary hero, the faster one would meet their end.
It would be best to have a few fighter jets; the coalition of “Taliban,” “Jamaat al-Tableeg,” “Holy War Army,” and “World Uyghur Congress” outside the valley would make perfect targets since these groups had issues with China.
“Knight, Knight!” Hark called out from outside the cave but did not enter because of Lin Mo’s warning against anyone coming in without permission.
“Come in, Hark!” Lin Mo was wiping down the aircraft with a cloth, preparing to start painting after ensuring the surface was clean. This was the last task.
With Gold Coin helping, it was like having a divine tool for the mechanics; a job that would normally take a person nearly a week to complete was finished in just four or five hours.
“Khalifa, we discovered the enemy twenty-one kilometers outside the mountain pass; there are at least seven hundred of them,” Hark reported, bringing some troubling news. The Pashtun youths outside the cave trembled at the news, instantly filled with anxiety.
After conveying the grim news to Lin Mo, Hark asked, “The chief wants to know when the plane will be ready.”
“Hmm, it’s ready now!”
Lin Mo tossed aside the cloth and jumped into the cockpit to start the engine. The propeller at the nose of the aircraft began to spin swiftly, and the machine roared to life. The exhaust pipe released a thick plume of black smoke, quickly filling the cave with a choking scent of exhaust fumes.
The violent airflow sent the curtain hanging at the entrance flying, creating chaos inside the cave.
The massive engine’s roar was steady and powerful, with the pulsating power within ready to explode at any moment.
This star fighter from World War II revived once more; although it was old, it displayed the strength of a seasoned warrior, glowing with new life.
Lin Mo patted the aircraft, grinning at the disheveled Pashtun mercenaries who were covering their hats, “See? The engine is normal. This beast has been dormant for nearly half a century; now it’s rejuvenated—definitely an excellent warplane.”
If the gold giant dragon Gold Coin is willing, this P-51 Mustang can instantly transform into a wild supersonic fighter at any moment.
A supersonic piston-driven propeller fighter will surely capture the attention of countless onlookers.
The gold giant dragon’s innate Void Magnetism enhancement on the P-51 would allow this “Mustang” to soar at double its speed as if it were on a stimulant.
“Awesome! Awesome! You’re truly amazing! I’ll report to Chief Abik immediately; he will be overjoyed,” Hark said, giving Lin Mo a thumbs up, his disheveled appearance failing to mask his happiness.
As long as there’s a fighter jet, even an antique from over sixty years ago, it can secure absolute air superiority in the mountainous regions of northern Afghanistan. The aerial firepower often places immense psychological pressure on the enemy, causing them to retreat in fear.
International rumors suggested that America intended to restart the production of the P-51 Mustang to combat Taliban forces in Afghanistan.
No need to pull out the big guns; there’s no requirement to use advanced fighters like the F-22 for something like this.
After all, the well-established P-51 Mustang is sturdy, durable, and, most importantly, easy to operate and affordable.
Both the U.S. military and Lin Mo found a surprising mutual understanding regarding this aspect.
As Hark joyfully rushed to report to mercenary leader Abik, Lin Mo instructed the Pashtun guards outside the cave to pull back the curtain blocking the view. He then slowly piloted the long-dormant P-51 Mustang out of the hangar.
All the instruments on the dashboard functioned properly, and the LCD screen displayed that the installed modules were working as designed.
The plane rolled onto the makeshift runway, marked by rows of gravel on either side.
Gently increasing speed, Lin Mo opened the throttle, and the P-51 Mustang picked up momentum on the runway.
Being an old-fashioned fighter, the aircraft was light, requiring only a short distance to take off.
The old steed, dormant for over sixty years, roared back to life and soared into the blue sky, performing a smooth roll to demonstrate that its performance was just as impressive as a brand-new plane.
Everything operated normally, with only one regret: the parachute pack had expired, made of nylon that no longer held its integrity. In fact, even without any wear and tear, after ten years, it had turned into nothing but scraps.
However, Lin Mo didn’t worry about this. Unlike the J-10, it had no black box or other monitoring systems. The air force wouldn’t pay for this plane’s maintenance, meaning it really belonged to Lin Mo as his personal fighter jet.
Civilians were not allowed to own such military weapons, but air force pilots were exceptions. With Lin Mo’s authority, as long as he was in service, there would be no problem owning this big toy.
If he wasn’t concerned about appearing ridiculous, continuing to use the old “Mustang” for missions would suffice.
Until Lin Mo’s new jet fighter arrived, this P-51 might just become the best toy in his hands.
In Gem Valley, not far from the mountain pass, the migrants heard the roar of the engine and spotted the approaching black dot; the old propeller plane captured everyone’s attention.
“Look, it’s our plane!”
“Wow, how beautiful!”
“Yes, it’s magnificent! We can win; those damned bastards will be defeated by our air force.”
“Long live the air force! We have an air force now!”
“Allah bless!”
The people on the ground, including the mercenary soldiers, were ignited with fervor, pointing at the low-flying P-51 Mustang and cheering loudly.
In the end, everyone knelt down to collectively pray in the direction of the holy city of Mecca.
“This Knight is truly impressive!”
Mercenary leader Abik had praised Lin Mo sincerely multiple times. This single test flight unintentionally resolved his greatest worry about plummeting morale.
Despite all the motivational efforts made, the sheer number of enemy forces had weighed heavily on their hearts.
The oppressive feeling brought on by the terrible news of seven hundred enemy troops vanished completely, replaced by hope as they beheld their own aircraft, even for the most ignorant among them.
Lin Mo’s first test flight had clearly achieved unexpected extra results. Everyone’s confidence reignited, and they were filled with combat enthusiasm. In the air, it felt as if the P-51 Mustang was not just a fighter jet but a tangible symbol of hope.
