Chapter 351

Chapter 351: Departure of the Shilang

Even if a motorcycle rider wielding a machete charged at him, it would hardly be more challenging for the Dragon Knight than facing a crazy water buffalo.

“You were attacked?” Director Su’s eyes widened in shock. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

To her, an unidentified attack on a Chinese Air Force pilot, especially an instructor, could stir significant repercussions between China and Thailand.

“What’s the big deal? Besides, someone stepped in for me. That guy couldn’t harm me,” Lin Mo replied nonchalantly about the incident, which made Director Su feel that his remarkable mental resilience seemed a bit over the top. How could such a significant issue not faze him?

Since Lin Mo began to form memories, he had faced various attacks and received corresponding training, and he had long been at ease with such events. To him, they were just ordinary civilians; even armed with an AK, they couldn’t pose any real threat to him.

“You… I really don’t know how to express this. This isn’t a trivial matter. What if you got hurt? Do you still want to fly?” Director Su said, looking distressed. Captain Lin seemed to regard such a life-and-death situation with indifference. She continued seriously, “You were lucky this time; someone came to your rescue. They didn’t shoot you from behind. Just remember, if this happens again, always ask for help quickly or escape immediately. Others on the ground will help you. In general, it’s not shameful for a pilot to flee on the ground. Try not to go out lightly if it’s not necessary.”

No way! The report must include a note to prohibit Instructor Lin from leaving the base. It would be best to keep him on the aircraft carrier until returning home. Otherwise, that rough-and-tumble guy might find himself taken out unexpectedly.

“I’ve told you; they can’t hurt me. Are they tougher than a buffalo?” Lin Mo spread his hands and shrugged.

The brave native large water buffalo of Thailand, which dared to charge at the Dragon Knight, was now skinned on the grass outside, destined for delicious grilled meat.

“Even if you are invulnerable, can you compare to bullets? How about poison? A small C4 bomb or a radioactive device? They don’t even need lethal weapons; simply creating a civil unrest and public outrage could force our own people to execute you. Don’t be so careless; this world is very dangerous!” Director Su felt a mix of laughter and frustration at Lin Mo’s response.

Killing a buffalo with one punch might sound like a fantasy to ordinary people, but it wasn’t impossible for someone with special training.

World champion boxer Mike Tyson could deliver a punch with a force of 500 kilograms with his left hand and up to 800 kilograms with his right. Peter Aerts, a K-1 heavyweight champion known as the “Fighting Tyrant,” could land a kick with a force of 836 kilograms. Brazilian martial artist Capoeira’s experts could produce nearly 1000 kilograms of striking power, while Chinese martial artists could even reach a terrifying force of 2000 kilograms.

For a robust adult, getting hit by Tyson’s left punch might result in immediate unconsciousness and severe bleeding; the unfortunate ones could even die on the spot. A pilot with excellent physical attributes wouldn’t be inferior to professional fighters and might possess a certain special skill to kill a water buffalo directly.

Director Su’s thoughts didn’t dwell on Lin Mo’s ability to punch out a buffalo; instead, she was concerned about who would dare to be bold enough to attack a Chinese military officer.

“You said they weren’t Thai officials. What evidence do you have?” Director Su wanted to gather more information. While Lin Mo may not be anxious, she was quite worried. This wasn’t an issue she could let go easily. Chinese soldiers had been attacked near the base; this was serious.

“If they were Thai officials, they wouldn’t communicate with me so freely. The Thai woman who shot the motorcycle rider even invited me to lunch. I turned her down and ignored her, then returned to the base,” Lin Mo summarized the situation at the time.

“Humph!” Director Su sneered. “That Thai woman is certainly not a Thai agent. The safety personnel list the Thai side sent us only has a few women, and they are with a naval tourism group in Phuket. All the local Thai agents in Songkhla are male. Clearly, this was a planned trap waiting for you, but you didn’t fall for it, which is good. Just keep it up—don’t talk to strangers, don’t eat their food, and definitely don’t stay with strangers for too long. Later, you need to describe the physical traits of the people you encountered today, and I’ll arrange for someone to conduct follow-up investigations. Instructor Lin, you brought very bad news today. It seems our vacation is about to end.”

Director Su’s tone mirrored that of a parent earnestly warning a naive child to be wary of the world’s dangers.

“Okay!” Regardless, these intelligence workers gave Lin Mo a sense of scheming rather than investigative prowess like Sherlock Holmes. Analyzing one devious intention after another in front of Lin Mo indeed made him feel on edge.

This was the nature of intelligence work—always lacking trust and security. Even one’s own mother or father might not be reliable. The person closest could very well be the one to betray you, leading to an exceptionally cautious and meticulous approach in intelligence personnel.

“Is there anything else that needs reporting?” Director Su asked, worried Lin Mo might have overlooked something.

“Nothing more!” Lin Mo shook his head and pushed the metal box toward Director Su. “Please handle this for me.”

“Alright; I’ll keep the box here and have it technically processed. I hope there’s no issue—it might even bring you a small financial gain, right? You should attend the Sino-Thai naval officers’ party tonight. I hope you have fun,” Director Su smiled gently at Lin Mo.

“Looks like I’ll need to wear my ‘Dragon General’ gear when I return!” After receiving that subtly meaningful smile from the intelligence department head, Lin Mo felt a chill and no longer had any desire to attend the party.

Director Su was right; even if bullets wouldn’t affect him, there were countless deadly weapons and methods that could take Lin Mo’s life. Even the invulnerable gold giant dragon Gold Coin knew that this world was fraught with dangers. Recently, he had indeed been acting too carelessly.

The most deadly elements in this world were not merely various weaponry but rather human intelligence.

The last embers of sunset faded into darkness, and the sun vanished over the horizon. In a large lawn at the Sino-Thai joint base in Songkhla, several bonfires blazed brightly. The venue was filled with various drinks and fruit snacks, and the air was rich with the aroma of grilled meat.

All the enticing scents intertwined, making everyone feel joyful and effortlessly relieving their accumulated fatigue from work, freely sharing their thoughts, enjoying delicious food and drinks, as the officers from the Chinese and Thai Navies chatted merrily.

To be honest, the water buffalo Lin Mo “hunted” wasn’t the best quality meat. Water buffalo meat is coarse and loose, with a dark red color and high water content. The flavor is mild and far inferior to that of yellow cattle. However, as the main dish for the evening’s festivities, the grilled beef, meticulously prepared by Chinese and Thai chefs, was very well received.

The gathering, orchestrated by the higher-ups from both sides, achieved the desired effect and strengthened the friendship between the naval officers as they sang and danced together.

The intelligence department of the Shilang aircraft carrier training group issued a communication that interrupted the long holiday for the officers and soldiers. The following day, all navy personnel enjoying leisure in nearby tourist areas received notice from the command center: all vacations were canceled, and everyone was to return to the Sino-Thai joint base in Songkhla immediately.

This matter involved the safety of the first group of invaluable “seeds” from the Chinese aircraft carrier strike group. There was a risk that foreign forces might attempt to wipe out these vital assets, prompting the Chinese military’s higher-ups to take the situation very seriously.

The last groups of resting personnel were not able to satisfy their desires, and a few officers regrettably missed out on the beauty of Thailand. They could only enjoy some leisurely time at the base, swim in the bay, fish, and savor delicacies prepared by Thai chefs, just to manage a semblance of enjoyment. They would surely have plenty of opportunities to return to Thailand as future formal crew members of the aircraft carrier.

Only the kitchen staff had to bear the sudden surge in demand due to thousands more people requiring meals. The temporary resting area immediately reached full operational capacity, with daily food and drink needs calculated by the ton.

Although the Shilang aircraft carrier had recalled all personnel earlier than planned, during the resupply and resting period, they were still unprepared to set sail fully. As a conventionally powered aircraft carrier, its consumption was also quite impressive, and maintenance was extremely complicated.

After all, this was a second-hand refurbished aircraft carrier, sufficient for training purposes, but far from adequate for serving as a frontline combat vessel.

On the sixteenth day of the Shilang aircraft carrier training group’s stay at the Sino-Thai joint military base in Songkhla, the fleet finished their visits and resting work and sounded their horns collectively, slowly departing the port under the guidance of the Royal Thai Navy’s KHAMRONSIN-class patrol boats.

The docks were filled with officers and soldiers from the Guangdong Military District, as well as Thai personnel, all lined up in neat formations to salute their farewell. Similarly, on the sides of the Shilang aircraft carrier fleet, many people stood along the railings, also bidding farewell with military salutes.