Go back in time and be a chaebol

Chapter 2474 This World Has Many Madmen (Third Update, Please Subscribe)
11 month 27 day.

In Moscow, the air was thick with the scent of winter, and snow was falling heavily.

On the tarmac, a row of silver-gray fighter jets stood in neat rows, gleaming with a cold light under the high-latitude sunlight.

Unlike ordinary fighter jets, these aircraft feature elegant lines and a twin-tail configuration. They are advanced Soviet-made fighter jets – the MiG-29!

This fighter jet was developed by the Soviet Union to counter advanced Western fighter jets. Its development began in 1971, with Mikhail Waldenburg as the chief designer and internal code name "Product 9". Due to the very smooth progress of the development, the Soviet Air Force placed an order for the pre-production MiG-29A in 1974, while the prototype was still under construction, code name "Product 9-11".

That summer, the first MiG-29 prototype, number 901, underwent ground testing and made its maiden flight on October 2. Prototypes 902, 903, and 904 quickly joined the flight testing program, significantly accelerating the progress.

Following the prototype, the Soviet Union manufactured pre-production aircraft, which were essentially identical to the "Product 9-12" production model and made their maiden flight three years ago in December. Compared to "Product 9-11", the pre-production model had a longer nose, a higher tail, and a simplified canopy.

Two years later, the Labor Flag Factory in Lukhovesi, southeast of Moscow, began producing the MiG-29, with the first production model rolling off the assembly line at the beginning of the following year.

The MiG-29's entry into service gave the Soviet Union a new generation of fighter jets comparable to the F-15, F-16, and F-3. At the end of last year, it performed solo and four-aircraft formation flight demonstrations in Finland, showcasing its maneuverability.

This was also the first time it had been unveiled, and it was after it was shown to the world that Syria requested to purchase the MiG-29 from Moscow.

Logically speaking, the Soviet Union would not have been willing to sell this advanced fighter jet to other countries so early, but times have changed.

Syria is now the only ally of the Soviet Union in the Middle East.

In an effort to appease this ally, after lengthy discussions, the Kremlin agreed to sell it MiG-29s.

"This is the world's most advanced fighter jet!"

Air Marshal Kutakhov looked at the fighter jets in front of him and said to Major General Suleiman Hassa beside him, "This Syrian Air Force and Air Defense Commander has come to Moscow to receive these 12 MiG-29s."

"My friends, you are the second country in the world to possess it, which fully demonstrates the friendship and trust between us."

This acquisition makes Syria the first country outside the Warsaw Pact and the second in the world to acquire such advanced fighter jets. The main purpose is to counter the air superiority brought by the US-made F-15 and F-16 fighter jets acquired by neighboring countries.

Suleiman naturally expressed his gratitude for the Marshal's words. He knew the value of these 12 fighter jets. The Marshal told him that the Soviet Union's own equipment was also limited, and the navy needed to equip itself with dozens more carrier-based aircraft.

"Comrade Marshal, I believe that with it, we will be able to deter any Western country from violating Syrian airspace."

What was on Suleiman's mind when he looked at these planes?
Of course, this was immediately displayed to the outside world upon returning to Damascus, thereby showcasing Syria's military strength and making Western countries hesitant to act rashly.

Although it's only a mere 12 fighter jets, it's still a symbol!

"I believe they will definitely back down in the face of the powerful Syrian army..."

Just as the marshal was saying this, an air force colonel rushed over. As soon as he got out of the car, he ran to the marshal's side and whispered something in his ear.

Although he couldn't hear clearly, Suleiman vaguely heard words like "Beirut" and "shelling." Before he could figure out what was happening, he heard Air Marshal Kutakhov say:
“Commander, considering the current severe weather, I believe this batch of aircraft should be deferred until the weather improves before being transported to Damascus.”

"what!"

Suleiman looked at the other person and screamed:
"Comrade Marshal, the Kremlin has agreed to deliver these aircraft to us. You cannot breach the contract!"

Facing the agitated Suleiman, Air Marshal Kutakhov calmly stated:
"Comrade Commander, I think you should return to Damascus immediately, after all... war has already broken out!"

The marshal's words stunned Suleiman. He stared at the other man in astonishment and asked in a trembling voice:
"What, Marshal? What's going on? War? What war?"

Faced with Suleiman's bewilderment, Air Marshal Kutakhov said in an extremely helpless tone:
"You... have no idea what kind of person you've angered!"

He said that because he was well aware of the other party's strength. Of course, he really couldn't understand how these people could be so arrogant!

……

A few hours earlier, at Beirut International Airport, planes were constantly taking off and landing, with chartered civilian airliners continuously transporting coalition troops to Beirut. On the other side of the runway, heavy tanks roared out of the cabin of a C1 transport plane from its open ramp.

Soldiers holding colored light sticks guided tanks, armored vehicles, and truck-mounted artillery towards the assembly area, while officers and soldiers who arrived earlier received their weapons immediately.

Over the past two weeks, an air corridor has been established, allowing troops and heavy equipment to be transported to the country from the sea to the air. Several coalition military bases have also sprung up around Beirut, with the international airport being the most prominent. The airport is surrounded by a long blast wall made of gabion mesh, providing maximum protection for the coalition troops.

With the assistance of loaders, blast walls can be deployed in a short time using a small number of personnel. The emergence of these military bases composed of blast walls, while providing protection for coalition troops, has also put unprecedented pressure on the locals, or more precisely, nearby armed groups and organizations.

For those who are used to being domineering, what are they most afraid of?
It means losing one's own power.

"They demanded that we all disarm!"

Inside a building in western Beirut, Halim looked around at the people and said:
"We not only have to hand over our weapons, but we also have to surrender and cooperate with their investigation..."

Before he could finish speaking, someone excitedly said:

"They weren't investigating at all; they just wanted to put us in jail so those damn Marlons could take our homes..."

At this moment, they had clearly forgotten that the land they were in once belonged to the Malone they spoke of, and that it had been taken away during the civil war.

"And now General Ali Habib is very likely to betray us."

The General Habib they were referring to is the Syrian commander in northern Lebanon, and it was with his support that they were able to fight against the government forces in the past few years.

"And PLO, they'll betray us too, to make us scapegoats!"

The reason these people say this is because since the terrorist attacks, all parties in Lebanon have been trying to distance themselves from the attacks. Whether it's Syria or the PLO, they have all said that they were not responsible. However, given that the terrorists all come from training camps in places like the Bekaa Valley, they imply that these events may have been planned and carried out by small groups.

In short, they didn't want to get themselves into trouble.

That's why all the groups are now on tenterhooks, afraid of being implicated, but who will listen to their grievances?

Moreover, they all knew very well that in the end, someone would have to take the fall.

The only question is who will take the lead and who will be betrayed.

"Damn it, we absolutely cannot let them betray us like this!"

Almost instinctively, one question that came to Halim and the others' minds was—they absolutely could not let those who could easily slip away.

In the valley northwest of Beirut, near a Syrian army camp, three pickup trucks painted in the color of sand rolled over a gravel road, their tires kicking up clouds of dust behind them. Amidst the swirling dust, the three Wuling pickup trucks came to a stop in the woods near the camp, the vehicles obscured by the dense foliage.

The two were at most 100 meters apart. The armed men in the truck bed were wearing headscarves, and their eyes were filled with a kind of fanaticism. The AK rifles in their hands swayed slightly with the bumps of the truck.

As soon as the car stopped, the armed men jumped out. The dozen or so men had a clear division of labor. Some were responsible for guarding the surroundings, with their guns pointed at the camp on the other side of the woods; four men worked together to drag the 107mm multiple rocket launcher off the vehicle using a ramp.

For many years, this lightweight and compact multiple rocket launcher has been a favorite among armed personnel. Although its shells are not as powerful as those of a 120mm mortar, its rockets are more secretive. In the Vietnam War, Vietnamese special forces used it to attack US airfields on multiple occasions, causing serious losses to the US military.

The rocket launchers were quickly set up. The remaining two men rapidly adjusted the firing angle, pointing the barrels southeast towards Beirut. In the darkness, the twelve dark muzzles resembled lurking venomous snakes.

"Loading complete!"

The low shouts were carried away by the wind. The commander swung his arm down sharply, pressing the launch button. In an instant, a deafening roar erupted from the woods as twelve rockets, trailing orange-red plumes, soared into the sky, piercing the inky night, their trajectories like shooting stars heading straight for Beirut International Airport.

The flashlight illuminated the militants' tense faces, and the smell of gunpowder quickly filled the humid air. The rocket launcher, still slightly warm after firing, was immediately loaded back into the pickup truck with even greater speed by the militants.

The next second, the engines roared again, the tires kicked up clouds of dust, and the three cars sped off one after another along the road they had come from.

The woods behind us fell silent, with only lingering smoke still curling within them, as if the thunder had never happened. Only the faint sound of explosions echoing from the distant horizon hinted at the consequences of this surprise attack.

Behind them were Syrian soldiers who were still in a daze and didn't know what was happening. They stared blankly at the woods. They heard the sound of the rocket launch and saw the rocket.

An officer saw the direction the rocket had gone, but he didn't think much of it, assuming that the militants were killing each other again.

He never imagined that this time the militants' target wasn't their own people, but the international airport a few kilometers away, which... was the base of the multinational coalition!

(End of this chapter)