Chapter 601

Chapter 601: A Few Evening Suns

Captain Feng, with dark circles under his eyes, was knocked to the ground by the commanders of various Special Forces teams. This was an act of blatant revenge, a microcosm of the post-competition banquet for the every-four-year Special Forces Military Competition.

A bunch of iron-blooded men embraced, laughing and crying, or even tearing off their shirts to fight. Those with grudges settled scores on the spot, and everyone temporarily cast aside their ranks and hierarchy, freely expressing their emotions.

They had all fought hard in the competition, each giving their all, and once the final curtain fell, the outcome became an unchangeable fact. The unfortunate lads who returned home would inevitably face harsh criticism and then be forced into intense training.

Instead of sulking, they preferred to drink a few glasses, drowning their sorrows in alcohol.

Lin Mo and the members of the Aircrew Group avoided this fate; pilots were prohibited from consuming any alcoholic or narcotic beverages that affected the nervous system while on duty. Even on rare occasions when they did drink, they were not allowed to approach any flying vehicles within 72 hours.

If any drinking behavior was discovered, their flying licenses would be revoked immediately, with no chance for re-examination, essentially being sent back to their original place – a very strict policy.

As the foreign military officers left, Lin Mo still caught a glimpse of Colonel David de Hitt casting a mysterious glance back at him.

This guy was challenging the Dragon Knights.

An individual who disregarded life, who merely issued a challenge, had prolonged a war that imperiled countless civilians.

The forces behind the "Abyss Nirvana" would likely be very pleased to witness a true king vs. king duel.

A real-life duel between the ACEs of China and America over Syria would send shivers down one’s spine.

For how many years had the Chinese pilots’ figures not appeared on the deadly arena of the "Abyss Nirvana"? This would surely create a shocking sensation.

Perhaps those billionaires willing to bet millions would stake even more in this knightly duel of a war. Compared to global gambling, the stakes of the World Cup seemed minuscule next to those in "Abyss Nirvana." Countless wealthy figures were obsessed and crazy for it.

"How about a leave? Hmm, you performed exceptionally well in this military competition, no problem. I’ll give you a month off. Take a good rest. And you can borrow the WZ-12 as a private aircraft for a while. Just remember to return it in perfect condition when your vacation ends."

Before Captain Feng returned the Night Special Forces’ base, he received Lin Mo’s leave request and generously lent him the newly obtained prize, the WZ-12. This aircraft, aside from domestic military airports, had no other place to go, so the team felt relaxed about it.

He knew that pilots spent most of their time resting and recuperating, truly unleashing their full energy only during missions. After combat, they often ended up exhausted.

Pilots were never suited for prolonged warfare. Since World War II, nations have required pilots to take time off; otherwise, they faced military discipline.

Moreover, in the past half month, Lin Mo had nearly single-handedly eliminated the Aircrew Groups of other Special Forces teams.

Zhao Zilong’s seven entries and exits at Changban Slope during the Three Kingdoms period were nothing compared to this.

"Yes, I plan to return to the Chicken Coop!"

Lin Mo informed Captain Feng of his destination.

"What? They want you back?"

Captain Feng felt a knot form in his stomach. Did the people from Team 7759 change their mind? Had they heard about Lin Mo’s performance in this Special Forces military competition and decided to recall him?

He had worked hard to request a fighter jet and a pilot from his superiors.

This was not good news.

All Special Forces teams remembered the pilot with the call sign "Number Two."

Some teams had already guessed that "Number Two" was the hidden treasure of the Night, the jet fighter pilot Dragon Knight. Faced with a fighter pilot, they surely wouldn’t need the Night’s other forces; just one fighter jet could annihilate them all.

"No, no!" Seeing Captain Feng’s anxious expression, Lin Mo quickly explained, "I want to go back to the training base."

"Back to the training base?!"

Captain Feng expressed his confusion.

To him, Lin Mo’s combat power was already formidable, even described as monstrous, so why would he want to go back for more training?

Was that not enough?

This was a Chinese ace pilot who could go toe-to-toe with foreign ace pilots; no one else would even qualify to engage in combat with them.

Captain Feng had never seen, nor even heard of, a pilot like Lin Mo growing so rapidly in skill. He seemed born for air combat, learning astonishingly quickly with every practical experience he gained.

“I’m preparing to participate in the ‘Abyss Nirvana’!”

Lin Mo said calmly, as if he were simply heading to a buffet rather than a brutal aerial knight duel.

He wanted to return and deepen his skills, drawing valuable combat experience from true experts. Playing with the inexperienced novices felt like a waste of time and contributed to his lack of fulfillment as a Dragon Knight.

“Uh, well…” Captain Feng sighed deeply. He had anticipated this but had no means to stop it.

When Intelligence Group leader Colonel Xie reported that Deputy Leader Lin Mo had received a ticket for the international pilot death match of ‘Abyss Nirvana,’ Captain Feng knew instantly that this dark event was like a bright flame, alluring the best pilots to dive in headfirst like moths to a flame.

This indicated that Lin Mo’s air combat skills had reached an exceptionally high level, a realm unattainable by ordinary fighter pilots.

“Alright, just take care of yourself and remember to come back alive.”

Captain Feng understood well that the longevity of ‘Abyss Nirvana’ was the result of governments and military forces turning a blind eye, a grotesque creation of wealth and power, with shadows of political compromise among great nations.

Often, ‘Abyss Nirvana’ served as a battleground for great powers to privately resolve disputes.

Once war broke out, many civilians would see reports in the media about unfortunate countries where armies from numerous satisfied nations would intervene under various pretenses.

Afghanistan was such a case, as was the Korean War, Iraq, and Syria. Various battles labeled as civil wars became playgrounds for superior powers, arbitrarily establishing game rules while manipulating the lives and deaths of countless individuals.

War served as a catalyst for technological advancement; limited, controlled, small-scale intense battles became testing grounds for arms suppliers from various countries.

Humanity exposed the strengths and weaknesses of war equipment at the limits of life and death while also absorbing the technology of competitors.

“Yes! Captain!”

Lin Mo saluted Captain Feng and turned toward the fully fueled WZ-12, inside which all components had been replaced with new ones, while still maintaining the Gold Coin upgrade scheme.

Despite ‘Abyss Nirvana’ being rife with humanity’s dark sides, the world needed it to maintain environmental stability.

As the Yangtze River flows eastward, washing away heroes,

Right and wrong ultimately fade: the green hills remain, witnessing the setting sun multiple times.

On the riverbank, the white-haired fishermen casually observe the autumn moon and spring breeze.

Over a jug of murky wine, joy meets old acquaintances: how many events of past and present are all reduced to laughter?

This reflects the true brutality of the world.

Lin Mo’s participation in the death match was not only due to the scheme set by Lockheed but also stemmed from the challenge invitation from Colonel David de Hitt of the U.S. Air Force 1st Squadron. Captain Feng was already aware of that American ace’s wicked deeds.

On the very day Colonel David de Hitt challenged Lin Mo, the Chinese military and intelligence department already knew the contents of their conversation.

In the national Special Forces camp, hiding some unknown little secrets was quite a challenge.

Lin Mo firmly decided to enter the international pilot death match, and domestic aerospace companies would likely cause quite a stir, especially Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group, and National Defense Star, all closely connected to him.

Other domestic manufacturers wouldn’t stand idle either; they would quickly take action, hoping to gain benefits through Lin Mo’s participation in ‘Abyss Nirvana,’ or perhaps even great benefits.

China’s previous leaps forward in aerospace advancements had all been significantly linked to ‘Abyss Nirvana.’

This was not merely a matter of personal honor or disgrace; it also involved national interests. Due to the unjust nature of the ‘Abyss Nirvana’ matches, lives there were worthless, entirely unbound by any laws or ethics, simply a dark, frenzied death competition.

Typically, pilots were supported by their countries, aided by teammates, well-equipped with logistical support, followed detailed battle plans, and were loved by family, yet entering this nameless fight, laden with bloodshed and cruelty, was not appealing to all top pilots. Why participate in such a perilous competition?

Pilots like Lin Mo, who willingly participated with no ulterior motives, were exceedingly rare. Pilots were not cabbages sold in marketplaces for mere cents per pound; there was a significant cost and resource investment in training even a qualified ordinary pilot.

Countries like America, Russia, and India either possessed advanced technological foundations or vast population bases. If it weren’t for wanting to accumulate ace pilots, no one would willingly sacrifice their precious pilot resources to such a brutal slaughterhouse, paving the way for others to become aces.