Chapter 527

Chapter 527: Multiple Choice

Until the arrival of airplanes, what once was a tool for sports competition became stained with blood and life, ultimately evolving into a weapon for large-scale warfare.

After World War I ended, the international pilot death match "Abyss Nirvana" began to take shape.

Although it was semi-public, civilians and general media had no right or ability to access such events. Even attempting to investigate could lead to serious consequences, and those who were well-informed often chose to keep such secrets to themselves, never daring to reveal them.

Like knights in the Middle Ages, pilots fought in fighter jets, either in one-on-one battles or in group skirmishes. From the start, participating pilots in these death matches needed immense courage, for few ever returned alive, whether from injuries or aircraft damage.

On one side, there were national contests; on the other, events driven by individual pilots or the interests of powerful organizations. In essence, there was no significant difference.

Along with the pilots’ lives, there were also enormous bets placed by wealthy individuals.

In both Europe and Asia, throughout ancient, modern, and contemporary times, arms dealers have been intertwined with the relentless history of war, illegitimately supplying weapons to both sides and igniting conflicts for massive profits.

Profit from drugs and human trafficking pales in comparison to that from arms.

Launching a war meant expanding the market.

Many factions relying on war for their livelihoods gathered together, seeking to exploit the profits behind every conflict, capable of extracting substantial gains even from the most remote and barren lands.

This is also why numerous impoverished areas remain embroiled in constant conflict.

War is a continuation of politics, and politics is an extension of wealth. Perhaps wealth reaches a point where the overflow manifests as politics.

Domestic fighter manufacturers have participated in international pilot death matches, proving that war drives technological advancement.

The invaluable combat experience and techniques gained from the lives of the best pilots have significantly boosted the technological prowess of local manufacturers, resulting in advancements like the J-8II improvements and the birth of the JH-7, all benefiting from the immense gains of the death matches.

"Abyss Nirvana," known as a hub for experimental machines and air combat skills, possesses countless new technologies and aircraft that surpass human imagination. These creations, representing the apex of human wisdom, are showcased openly during the competition.

With enough determination, even individual participants and small groups can shine in this arena.

Numerous cases of exchanging and purchasing various technologies occur during the competition.

The competition can provide great insights for developers, acting like a guiding light, illuminating their way and helping airplane designers avoid many detours.

Almost every edition of "Abyss Nirvana" ignites a wave of upgrades and technological innovations in fighter aircraft.

After all, it is a one-way street that defies both morality and law; Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group and Shenyang Aircraft Corporation only reluctantly participate after sacrificing a few elite pilots under immense pressure.

After all, every pilot is someone’s child, raised with great effort and resources. It pains the top figures in the domestic aviation industry to see talented pilots sacrificed in such illegal competitions. Warriors should perish on the battlefield, not in meaningless contests, becoming victims of battles for wealth and power between conglomerates.

Indeed, it is a fascinating event, and Lin Mo grew increasingly interested. However, he did not expect Professor Yan to react so strongly.

He was not a civilian raised in a time of peace, but a warrior who had grown up in another world, surviving fierce competition from a young age amidst the flames of war.

Moreover, he had endured horrendous wars, making him desensitized to death; even the bloodiest scenes could hardly move him.

Thus, to some civilians, Lin Mo resembled a Shura emerging from hell, truly viewing human life as insignificant.

Currently, Lin Mo’s country does not face much conflict, and even within the Night Special Forces, tasked with special operations, he seldom gets the chance to see combat. His leisurely schedule could be described as three days of fishing and two days of drying nets; switching to a regular air force unit would reveal even more free time, for even fighter jets cannot handle daily flights without wear and tear.

Being kept like this is tough for a battle-hardened Dragon Knight.

If he had the conditions and opportunity, Lin Mo would be very willing to participate in such deadly competitions. With the gold giant dragon by his side, taking him down wouldn’t be an easy feat.

However, he did not want to join the event so simply, as there were still some matters to settle with a certain big shot in the international aerospace community.

After enduring several provocations from this individual, who almost pushed Lin Mo to the brink, he could not simply let them off the hook. It would not quell the fury of the Dragon Knight without a few well-deserved consequences.

Leaving the Night Special Forces base, Lin Mo’s tactical tablet automatically switched to civilian-level WIFI mode, turning off some special functions by itself.

The teahouse where Lin Mo was located actually served as an intelligence station for Night. Some mid-to-senior military officers enjoyed coming here to relax with tea, play a few rounds of poker, or indulge in some small games of mahjong.

A teahouse overseen by national agents ensured safety and confidentiality, preventing important secrets from slipping out in unsuitable conversations.

This small town had many such commercial establishments—bars, hotels, and internet cafés—closely tied to civilian life, with eyes everywhere. Residents blended in, living normal lives while only executing their duties at special times. Even if they retired, those around them would never discover their second layer of secret identity.

The town, attached to the Night Special Forces base, operated under a slightly militarized management, accommodating retired intelligence personnel and their families. As soon as any outsiders entered the town, their identity and background would be thoroughly investigated, making it quite difficult for external forces to infiltrate.

Since Lin Mo was promoted to the rank of Major and became the deputy leader of the Aircrew Group, he enjoyed increased vacation time and more permissions to go out.

Old Pan, the seemingly gruff group leader, didn’t push too much work onto Lin Mo just because of his new role as deputy leader; in fact, Lin Mo found his job much easier. With the help of the gold giant dragon’s separate core control robot, Lin Mo only needed to give verbal instructions to complete maintenance tasks for the "Red Eagle" and his still unfinished "monstrous" aircraft.

After checking his email again, Lin Mo found that Lockheed Martin remained silent. Since returning from Paris, he had peered into his secure inbox multiple times, but it still contained nothing.

It appeared that they weren’t responding quickly. Lin Mo was not anxious, as he understood that for such a large corporation, and with the non-negligible conditions he proposed, accepting them would pose significant risks for Lockheed Martin and the American government and military.

However, considering the pressure Lockheed must be facing after his recent display in Afghanistan, they, along with the U.S. military, likely never anticipated that China could develop a J-18 fighter jet bearing a striking resemblance to the F-22, with stealth capabilities intact.

The F-22 specialized engine in Lin Mo’s hands served as excellent camouflage for the J-18, and the probability of such a coincidence was nearly unbelievable.

As a professional in the aviation industry, Lin Mo knew how to identify fighter jets’ hidden features and methods. The level of imitation on the J-18 was remarkable; Lockheed Martin must have felt frustrated, unable to voice their grievances.

Although Lin Mo’s secure email to Lockheed yielded no news, he discovered three emails in his exclusive military correspondence.

None of them were from within Night or high-ranking military officials. After layers of checks and evaluations, these messages reached Lin Mo two days later; ordinary information experienced delays due to computer searches and manual reviews.

However, it was unusual for three external emails to arrive all at once; under normal circumstances, he might not even receive one in a month.

The three emails came from Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group, and National Defense Star—quite a surprise to him.

Having all three domestic aircraft manufacturers reach out to him at the same time was indeed rare.

Opening the emails, Lin Mo’s face broke into a smile.

They all discussed the same event.

Boeing was hosting a test flight demonstration of the sixth-generation fighter design, the F/A-XX, inviting renowned fighter jet design teams from around the world to attend.

What intention lay behind making such an announcement to international industry experts?

Outsiders might miss the significance, but professionals could quickly discern the aircraft performance; Boeing’s actions seemed like a self-revelation of capabilities.

If domestic aviation giants were in their place, they likely wouldn’t even reveal the model to outsiders.

Lin Mo found himself puzzled for a moment; Boeing’s strange move felt odd. Why flaunt a design that wasn’t even finalized? It might have been better to keep it under wraps until production to catch their opponents off guard, aligning with strategic military significance.

Was it an attempt to gather improvement suggestions from experts for free or to showcase their strength?

The event would surely draw a crowd, making it quite lively. Lin Mo faced a conundrum: with whom should he attend?