Chapter 652

Chapter 652: Gotcha!

"Gotcha!"

In a daze, Yuri heard Lin Mo’s whisper, as the Forward-Swept Wing Fighter Jet executed the Herbst climbing wall maneuver as if centered around Yuri’s cockpit.

With ultra-small radius circle strikes, any weapon could knock Yuri out of the sky.

Yuri almost turned into a Gallic Rooster like the French who first witnessed the J-11 dancing the Aerial Waltz.

No one expected the Herbst climbing wall tactical movements to serve as a close-quarters strangulation attack, nor could anyone foresee how agile the Forward-Swept Wing Fighter Jet could be with all its firepower unleashed.

Stunned and paralyzed with fear, Yuri didn’t even think to push the control stick to escape the encirclement of the X-1 Forward-Swept Wing Fighter Jet. The super-maneuverability of the forward-swept wings allowed the fighter jet to perform all kinds of unfathomable air combat skills.

He had no way out; the X-1 skimmed past the side of his aircraft, and any slight miscalculation could lead to a terrifying collision.

When the Dragon Knight merged with the aerial knights of this world, Lin Mo always turned the unexpected into something miraculous, effortlessly unleashing a series of one-of-a-kind top-tier air combat techniques that had never been seen in this world.

This seemed to always be Lin Mo’s style; common sense was meant to be broken by the Dragon Knight.

The aerodynamic shape of the X-1 Forward-Swept Wing Fighter Jet left a profound impression on various fighter jet manufacturers and air forces worldwide.

The Chinese produced an exceptional fighter jet, even stronger than the J-14 and J-20.

Of course, no one would compare the single-engine J-10 to the X-1; the J-10 was merely the best value fighter jet achievable based on China’s existing aviation and industrial capabilities, not the best fighter jet in China, even compared to the J-20.

The stunning debut of the X-1 completely transformed the spectators’ perceptions of the Chinese Air Force and the aviation industry. It was shocking that the Chinese kept such a treasure hidden; was it all along to maintain a low profile?

Now, with the strength to compete internationally with countries like the U.S., Russia, and France, this possibility seemed highly likely based on the Chinese’s understated character.

Considering how to approach the Chinese in future diplomatic dealings might require some changes.

The army may want to take action, but it must consider everything: logistics, terrain reconnaissance, and preparation, among other aspects. However, the air force can strike whenever it wishes, ignoring mountains, rivers, and oceans, capable of launching a saturated attack in the shortest time.

This has always been why no one could underestimate air superiority.

Otherwise, Lin Mo would not be allowed to freely participate in such deadly competitions, casually taking a national fighter jet outside the country.

Unless there’s a special mission or war, domestic fighter jets venturing outside without authorization could lead to severe consequences, possibly even igniting large-scale conflict.

War is an extension of politics, and the organizers and participants of "Abyss Nirvana" are inevitably tied to the political interests of various countries.

This delicate shift in international relations is precisely what the Chinese Government and military would want to see.

If Lin Mo’s original "monstrous" self were here, this knife-like Herbst climbing wall maneuver could easily have disintegrated opponents in the sky without firing a single shot, announcing the arrival of the aerial knights’ melee combat era.

Poor Yuri was utterly perplexed; although he possessed excellent tactical awareness and reaction ability, he could not compare to a Dragon Knight who treated combat as a way of life. The mastery of air combat skills felt like the difference between kindergarten kids and PhD students.

Only by specializing a fighter jet to the level of art could anyone hope to stand against a Dragon Knight, and with the X-1, Lin Mo was like a tiger with wings, capable of unleashing at least 40% of his combat prowess, which was enough to make Lin Mo disregard ordinary fighter ace pilots.

It was only after Lin Mo’s X-1 finished its combination attack and departed that Yuri snapped back to reality.

The fighter jet remained airborne only due to his deeply engraved instinctual controls; if he continued flying forward for another ten minutes, he would likely be intercepted by Lebanese air defense missiles or fighter jets. That wouldn’t be a competition, but rather a full-on assault, with the organizers of "Abyss Nirvana" unable to pull him out.

The viewing hall and betting points of "Abyss Nirvana" erupted in wails; discarded betting slips littered the ground, creating a sea of white. The cleaning crew quickly got to work, while some people joyfully waved their fists at the sky, cheering loudly.

However, among the crowd, the majority were disheartened losers.

It seemed many believed Yuri would be the ultimate winner; they were more confident in a mid-tier pilot capable of taking down an ace than in a newcomer just entering the competition, despite the slim chances of an upset.

In the end, the unlikely event happened; the reality contrasted sharply with what many had expected. Number 13 from China toyed with Yuri for a while before decisively knocking him out, leaving him utterly defeated without a chance to fight back.

An upset had occurred, and a dark horse had emerged.

Number 13 was clearly no ordinary participant from the novice tier; he belonged in the intermediate group, battling it out one-on-one with ace pilots or taking part in group fights.

Those who underestimated Lin Mo’s strength were seething with anger. However, soon they began to ponder whether they should place another bet on Number 13’s next fight, wagering on how long he could survive.

Sally kept her smile; for her, this victory was expected.

There was no doubt she would profit greatly. Sally sincerely thanked Lin Mo for inviting her to watch the event. She enjoyed the closeness of sharing moments with him and witnessing him duel with enemies like an invincible warrior.

How could Azrael, the keeper of mortal lives, possibly lose to a mere human? Sally was not the only one who viewed Lin Mo as the embodiment of Azrael, the angel of death from the Quran; even Abik, the former leader of mercenaries and now the defense commander of Gem Valley and Dragoon consortium, confidently claimed that he had seen Lin Mo’s angelic wings during the great battle of Gem Valley.

But he did not witness the strike that belonged to a being beyond mortals.

On the broadcast, the Anti-Government Forces were notably grim. Many mid-tier and even high-tier pilots wore dark expressions.

The recent live broadcast had delivered some bad news: a remarkable young talent had newly joined the ranks of the government army.

"Eagle King, we made a mistake. Had we known, we should have spared no expense to keep Number 13 here!"

A sturdy, chestnut-haired white man sat next to Eagle King David de Hitt with a worried look. His posture remained upright, exuding a soldier’s demeanor.

Ludwig Heisenberg from Germany, code-named "Destructor," was on the verge of upgrading from intermediate level four to high level three. He had formed a close-knit circle with strong pilots like the Eagle King from America within the Anti-Government Forces.

The organizers of "Abyss Nirvana" ignored the pilots’ self-formed circles, but this spontaneous group could play a crucial role in team battles.

"Destructor, don’t you think it’s too late to say that now?"

Eagle King David de Hitt turned to glance at Destructor.

He had entirely concluded that Lin Mo was the one who took down his team member.

Only someone with that level of skill could eliminate his fighter.

Damn it, this guy was incredibly skilled, completely wiping out his bodyguard team. It was hard to find another pilot as terrifying as Lin Mo in the world.

"Damn it, Eagle King, maybe we should find a few more experts and take our chance to defeat him while he’s still in the novice tier."

Yuichiro Fukuda, known as "Daisho" and still bearing bruises from the encounter, was another of Lin Mo’s victims. This unfortunate kid had served as Lin Mo’s shield, taking a beating with his own bodyguard team from a group of strong European and American men.

Everyone knew that beating was utterly pointless, and there was no way to retaliate; their target had boarded a transport aircraft right under their noses and safely arrived in Damascus, even to the point where the pilot sent to find an opportunity to ambush was driven back and received stern warnings from the organizers.

There was once an opportunity presented to them; they simply missed it, and this avoidance drove everyone within the Eagle King’s circle into a frenzy.

"Forget about coming from behind to ambush him; that’s a terrible idea. We’re too far away. Everyone, focus on gathering intelligence on Number 13’s combat style. We have to find a way to counter it and prepare for battle. I believe this guy will soon reach the high tier; I’m waiting for him."

Eagle King David de Hitt scoffed at using underhanded tactics to settle this feud; Air Knights had their pride. Humph, that yellow-skinned monkey from the island didn’t deserve to be called a pilot.

During World War II, Japanese pilots rarely carried parachute packs. How could those who didn’t respect their own lives learn to respect their opponents?

Only after reaching the level of high-tier pilots could they truly look down on others, equivalent to the trump card forces in every country. In nuclear nations like America, China, and Russia, they even had the authority to carry nuclear weapons into the sky in times of crisis.