Chapter 29
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Chapter 29: Metal Egg’s Alteration: Metal Beast
“Very good! Lin Mo, your flight awareness is exceptional, you are truly a natural pilot!” The old pilot in the back seat praised as he monitored Lin Mo’s flying. Giving students encouragement during flight helps boost their confidence and maintain a stable mindset, and this time, the admiration was genuine.
Although he couldn’t see the details of Lin Mo’s operations, the plane’s stable and smooth flight indicated that he was not a beginner; he flew like a seasoned pilot, even suggesting he was not inferior in skill.
“Haha, of course! When he registered at the flight school, he had already flown a Boeing 737 and saved hundreds of lives!” Major Shen’s hearty laughter echoed in the cockpit, followed by a chorus of surprised voices from the students.
“Lin Mo, you’ve really been hiding your skills! You should be more generous!” The loudest voice came from Lei Dong, who was from Qinhuangdao, determined to pull Lin Mo down from the sky.
Everyone on the ground looked at each other in confusion. One thing was certain: none of the students had a pilot’s license, which implied that the young man flying was likely someone with an unlicensed driving history—albeit a legal one.
It was clear he had already gained an advantage from the start, sparking envy and jealousy among the students!
Minutes later, the aircraft landed expertly, roaring as it approached the runway, slowly exiting onto the tarmac. In contrast to the other students, Lin Mo had flown the entire time after the old pilot released control, ensuring another perfect landing.
“Great job!” The old pilot gave a thumbs-up to Lin Mo as he climbed out of the cockpit.
A+, Major Shen wrote Lin Mo’s score in the evaluation list for his first flight and noted "excellent flight awareness." Initially assessed for his physical strength, Lin Mo likely had even more surprises in store for Major Shen to uncover.
As the L-15 Falcon carrying Lin Mo landed smoothly, anyone looking at Major Shen’s assessment would understand that among this group of students, Lin Mo was the closest to being a qualified pilot—without question. It wouldn’t be long before he could start independent training.
When returning to the dorm, the students buzzed with excitement. Lin Mo found himself overwhelmed by their enthusiasm and was subjected to a relentless barrage of questions and praise. He couldn’t help but admit, somewhat sheepishly, that he had flown before. The other students could only envy him, aware that the hectic cockpit environment filled with turbulent air was no easy place to be. After getting to know Lin Mo, they realized he was the most physically exceptional among them, someone who could even save others during crises.
After a few flights with impressive performance, Lin Mo was permitted to take off and land independently. His operational and responsive abilities were impeccable, showcasing an innate flying instinct that led other pilots to almost perceive him as a veteran—if not for his student status. As a result, he earned the qualification for independent flying without meeting the standard training hours.
As a model student, the others studied tirelessly. They practically occupied the simulator for 24 hours, and during breaks on the training aircraft, they practiced flight maneuvers with model planes, creating a competitive and learning atmosphere where everyone made significant progress.
In the first assessment, Lin Mo undoubtedly passed with flying colors, qualifying as an official pilot. Along with a few others who also passed, he began formal pilot training subjects. For them, this was just the starting point of their many lessons ahead.
These newly qualified pilots—no, they should be referred to as "new pilots"—collectively received their second lieutenant ranks, adorned with a blue bar and a small silver star, commonly known as “One Cent,” marking their promotion. They also received single accommodations in the base’s apartment complex, a generous benefit for official pilots, surpassing the treatment given to standard civil or transportation pilots.
While it may seem easy for the air force to promote, in reality, the odds are no different from those in the army. Air force pilot selection is rigorous and represents a highly technical branch, requiring strict standards for both skills and physical condition. As long as one becomes a pilot, they typically start as a junior officer, and advancing ranks isn’t particularly difficult.
With one bedroom, one living room, and one bathroom, this 50-square-meter apartment, though not big, was more than enough for Lin Mo and provided him with rare personal space. The base had several such apartments allocated for official pilots and ground crew.
The furniture and supplies in the room were all ready for use, and Lin Mo quickly settled in with his personal belongings. He lay back comfortably on the sofa and reached for his small satchel, suddenly freezing.
“Damn it, my magic silver!” Lin Mo muttered as he rummaged frantically in his bag, finally pulling out a gleaming metal coin with a frustrated cry. He tossed it onto the sofa, where it bounced twice on the soft surface before rolling into a corner, motionless.
The titanium chain that Chen Haiqing had given Lin Mo as a protective charm had been devoured by the strange metal coin.
Before this, Lin Mo had been quite curious about the metal egg’s ability to consume—such a small size capable of swallowing metals many times its volume, without any noticeable change in weight or size. Fortunately, metal smelting technology was advanced in this world, and metal products were common, even including many discarded items. Lin Mo often picked up scrap metal to feed the metal egg, hoping to learn when its insatiable appetite would finally be satisfied. In nearly two months, it had gobbled up nearly five to six tons of metal, including steel, stainless steel, copper, and even bits of coins. The sheer amount of discarded metal in this world was overwhelming, and sometimes he even scavenged from junkyards to feed the curious metal egg that had come with him from another realm.
“Damn it, are you ever going to be satisfied, you glutton?” Lin Mo fished a one-yuan coin from his wallet and threw it hard at the metal egg hiding in the sofa’s corner.
Like a drop of water disappearing into the sea, the one-yuan coin vanished silently upon touching the metal egg’s surface, hardly experiencing any resistance. It seemed to hit a critical point, as mysterious runes on the metal egg glowed with a dark red light, pulsating as if alive.
Lin Mo was taken aback, “What’s happening? Has this guy finally eaten enough?” The metal egg’s strange behavior seemed like it was ready to move after having consumed enough.
Crack… The surface of the metal egg split open, sounding like footsteps crunching on snow, and numerous small cracking noises filled the air. The splits multiplied, yet contrary to Lin Mo’s expectations, no monster burst forth from within. Instead, a dazzling transformation occurred as it swelled, growing and reshaping into a bizarre skeletal creature.
Seeing this unfamiliar, metal-composed beast, Lin Mo’s wariness intensified. He immediately gathered the little battle energy he had left and sprang off the sofa like a carp leaping out of water.
As soon as the metal beast was formed, it eagerly scanned the surroundings. When its red-glowing eyes locked onto the flipping Lin Mo, it roared, “Morin…” and lunged at him.
“It’s the Gold Coin?!” Lin Mo realized with alarm. This rebellious creature had previously been forced to help Akka and had also been consumed by the Forbidden Spell along with him. He never imagined it would turn into a metal egg and accompany him to this world. With its ferocious nature, it surely wanted nothing more than to rip him apart. A surge of force slammed into Lin Mo, sending him crashing against the wall of the room and rolling to the floor with a painful groan.
The metal beast, covered in sturdy steel-like bone, bore sharp blades where its joints connected, with spikes protruding from its back and a pair of sharp horns on its head. The Gold Coin bolted from the sofa like a flash, crashing directly into Lin Mo, who was unable to evade. Its razor-sharp claws tore through Lin Mo’s clothing with ease, and he felt a clear cut on his skin where blood began to seep out. His meager remaining battle energy was no match for the furious assault, and locking eyes with the beast’s eerie red gaze, he strained to muster a smile through the pain: “Hey, Gold Coin! Long time no see!”
“Morin! Morin! Morin!” The Gold Coin’s menacing fangs danced around Lin Mo’s neck, whispering his name, as if searching for a vulnerable place to bite. With a mocking tone, it remarked, “Oh dear, my noble knight, how have you become so weak? You’re just like a commoner now; whatever happened to your former glory?”
The metal beast tilted its head, toying with him as if it were a predator playing with its prey, knowing that once it had tired of the game, it would be terribly cruel.
