Legendary Captain

Chapter 395 Will I never be able to come back?

"Fourth-generation fighter jet? There is indeed a claim that Konbaung has an A22, but this news hasn't even been verified, so it can't be considered intelligence. Whether based on factual confirmation or rational speculation, the authenticity of this news is unreliable." Li Cheng tapped the table, carefully analyzing the rumor about the existence of a fourth-generation fighter jet in Konbaung with Xu Xian.

Li Cheng had indeed heard the rumor, but a rumor is just a rumor. Whether it's a bold guess or careful verification, it can't support the authenticity of the news.

A fighter jet costing a whopping 800 million—can a country like Konbaung afford to play with that? Is it even worthy of playing with it?

Across from Li Cheng, Xu Xian still had some concerns: "Is the C42 still not fully operational?"

"That's right, the C42 hasn't officially entered service yet, so you should give up your fantasy of being able to deploy a C42. If you really insist, you can switch to a C20 for the mission. However, you haven't undergone C20 conversion training, so you won't be able to participate in this mission," Li Cheng said. "Whether you want to carry out the mission yourself or switch to a C20 is the decision you make."

Xu Xian holds flight qualifications for the C-15, C-16, and C-18. The C-20, however, is completely different from the previous three aircraft; it's a near-fourth-generation fighter with stealth capabilities. It can only be described as an attempt by China's military industry to develop a fourth-generation fighter. This aircraft has a significant advantage over ordinary third-generation fighters, but it struggles considerably against a true fourth-generation fighter like the A-22.

Therefore, switching the aircraft used for the mission to the C20 certainly provides a certain degree of security. However, if it really encounters an A22, there is actually no fundamental change.

Only the C-42, following the C-20, can truly rival the A-22. However, the debate over whether to develop the STOVL version of the C-42 lasted for a long time, slowing down the service entry of the basic and carrier-based C-42 models. Now, although the C-42 is close to large-scale deployment, it's just one final step away.

In fact, if there were concrete evidence proving that Konbaung possessed fighter jets like the A22, the higher authorities might have made an exception and allowed the C42 to enter the war ahead of schedule. But Xu Xian currently lacks concrete evidence; in fact, he doesn't even have any plausible evidence to begin with. So, on what basis could the higher authorities make an exception and allow the C42 to enter the war ahead of schedule?

"Forget it! I'll do it myself." Xu Xian waved his hand. "If Konbaung really has an A22, then it should be the aircraft of that pilot named Wu Wen, right?"

The best fighter jets should be paired with the best pilots; a fine sword should be paired with a hero—that's the natural order. But now this so-called top air combat ace has defected to the government forces; I wonder if he took the A-22 with him.

Thinking about it that way, the chances of them encountering an A22 sniper are indeed very small.

Firstly, it's already quite absurd for a country like Konbaung to possess an A22. Secondly, the A22 would need to be in the hands of the rebels. Thirdly, even if the above two conditions are met, the rebels would still need to be willing to use such a trump card against them.

The A-22 is a trump card weapon for any country, let alone a nation like Konbaung, which is virtually unstoppable. It's better to keep it hidden rather than use it against them, so it can deliver a fatal blow to the government forces.

If you constantly brandish your trump card, it's no longer a trump card. Furthermore, even a world-class fighter like the A-22 isn't truly indestructible.

At least in the history of world warfare, there are instances of the A22 being shot down, and it wasn't even a fourth-generation fighter that shot it down.

Although the probability is extremely small, the A-22 can indeed be compromised, whether by an attack from elsewhere or due to its own mechanical failure. It's clear that even if Kampong Thom had the slightest chance of acquiring an A-22, it would only have one. If it possessed two, Xu Xian felt his intelligence had been insulted.

The probability of having an A22 in Kampung is like the probability of being struck by lightning when you go out. If there are two of them, doesn't that mean you'll be struck twice in a row? It approaches zero infinitely, which is mathematically equivalent to zero.

Assuming nothing unexpected happens, Konbaung will likely only have one A-22 at most. To maximize its own interests within the relatively short lifespan of a fighter jet, it must perform the most important missions possible, such as attacking government command systems or power systems. Using an A-22 to deal with a defenseless civilian airliner is probably not an idea that a carbon-based life form would come up with.

So it seems that if I really encountered something as unlucky as A22, it was probably just me scaring myself.

After this mental analysis, Xu Xian felt a surge of pride in his own cleverness. It was all Wang Qi's fault for spreading rumors everywhere, causing him such panic. But upon closer inspection, the rumors didn't hold up to scrutiny. Wasn't this simply spreading rumors and creating panic? Coupled with Wang Qi's trespassing on his private property, it was enough to report him to the security department.

"You know Wu Wen? I haven't even told you yet!" Li Cheng's expression turned serious as he mentioned Wu Wen. "This man is indeed a major threat to this operation. Konbaung's top air combat ace is not just a boast. Konbaung not only has internal strife, but also poor relations with its neighbors, with frequent border conflicts. The conflicts with North Shan are particularly intense. In the clashes between Konbaung and North Shan, Wu Wen shot down fourteen North Shan fighter jets, which is almost a third of North Shan's air force."

"Fourteen?" Xu Xian wasn't too concerned. He looked down on the air combat capabilities of the weaker countries surrounding Konbang. Their air combat was at best a battle of wits, and shooting down fourteen was indeed impressive, but it didn't put Xu Xian under any real pressure.

According to international standards, a pilot can be called an ace if he shoots down five or more enemy aircraft. Wu Wen shot down a full fourteen, so it's only natural that he was called the top air combat ace in Gongbang.

However, the results of low-level battles were not worth considering; the only thing that worried Xu Xian was the A22. As long as Konbaung did not have the A22, Xu Xian had nothing to fear.

Li Cheng stared at Xu Xian for a long while, then gave a wry smile: "You don't seem very surprised either. Does that mean the result of fourteen aircraft isn't significant enough to you?"

"I didn't say that." Xu Xian smiled. "Captain Li, did you specifically call me over for something?"

Actually, it wasn't Xu Xian who came to find Li Cheng this time; on the contrary, it was Li Cheng who came to find Xu Xian. However, Xu Xian took the initiative and asked A22's question first.

"Oh, there are some things." Li Cheng pointed to the map hanging behind him: "We just received news that the Konbang rebels have been making frequent unusual movements at their missile positions near our border. For safety reasons, the evacuation route will be changed. The exit from Lin Song will be changed to Lijiang."

"Leaving the River?" Xu Xian stepped forward and stood before the map. The map hanging behind Li Cheng wasn't an aeronautical chart, but a regular map. However, an experienced pilot like Li Cheng didn't need an aeronautical chart; even a plain map without any markings was enough for him to pinpoint waypoints with a quick comparison. Xu Xian, on the other hand, possessed an astonishing memory. He had the entire southwestern region's air routes and aerial charts memorized, etched into his mind. By comparing the map, he could pinpoint waypoints. Xu Xian pointed on the map: "Going to Leaving the River means crossing Leaving Bay first, then heading north into Konbang? Isn't that a huge detour?"

Originally, the international corridor from the southwest region to Konbaung was the Lin Song route point. But now, if you go through Lin Song to enter Konbaung, you have to pass through the rebels' air defense zone.

Originally, the government forces and the rebels had reached a tacit agreement not to touch the planes evacuating citizens from the country. However, just before the evacuation, the rebel ground-based missile units near the Lin Song flight path were extremely active. The government was completely baffled as to what these people were trying to do. Was it normal troop movements, or something else entirely?

For safety reasons, the higher-ups decided to bypass the rebels' air defense zone. As a result, Lin Song could no longer fly through this corridor and had to head south first, crossing the border at Lijiang.

The Li River is a river that flows from north to south across the entire Nam Minh Province, eventually emptying into the South China Sea. The Li River itself is a shipping route point located directly above its estuary.

If a plane wants to leave the country from Lijiang, it must first fly south, and after crossing the border, turn from south to northwest over Lijiang Bay, and then enter Konbaung country from the eastern coastline.

This detour would add at least half the time. Under normal circumstances, flying for an extra minute wouldn't matter. But Konbang is basically a den of dragons and tigers; every extra minute spent there increases the danger, which Xu Xian cannot accept.

"There's no other way. The flight path after the Lin Song corridor passes right through the rebels' air defense zone. We have no idea about the rebels' attitude, so it's better to be safe than sorry given the uncertainties." Li Cheng sighed. "There are only two exit corridors in the entire southwest region, Lin Song and Lijiang. It's not that we don't want to, but we have no other choice."

"Lin Song." Xu Xian was speechless for a moment, and could only vent his anger on the Konbang government army: "Is the Konbang government army just a bunch of useless trash? For more than ten years, the rebels have only grown bigger and more numerous, really."

Li Cheng said with some helplessness, "Xu Xian, I know that the longer we stay in Konbaung, the more dangerous it becomes, but it's still safer than crossing the rebels' air defense zone, right?"

"What if the flight encounters problems within Konbaung? Are we supposed to circle around and enter Konbaung airspace? Wouldn't that cause delays?" Xu Xian questioned. "Well... we might need to circle around. Xu Xian, the situation demands it, so you can't act impulsively! The Konbaung rebels have a very comprehensive air defense system; don't just test it."

Li Cheng's biggest fear was that if the flight encountered any problems, it might be manageable if it wasn't a life-threatening emergency. But he feared a life-or-death situation where a single second could mean the difference between life and death. For someone as passionate and principled as Xu Xian, if things came to that, he might very well choose to fly straight through the rebel air defense zone.

Li Cheng summoned Xu Xian this time for two reasons: first, to inform Xu Xian of the change in the flight route, and second, to give Xu Xian a heads-up in case Xu Xian disobeyed orders.

Could a mere reminder really change Xu Xian's mind? If so, he wouldn't be Xu Xian.

"If life and death are hanging in the balance, would I really want to circle over Lijiang Bay?" Xu Xian's gaze sharpened. "Captain Li, if it really comes to that, I will definitely cross the rebel air defense zone. At that time, whoever stands in my way will be my enemy!"

After Xu Xian finished speaking, he left Li Cheng's office directly.

"Xu Xian!" Seeing Xu Xian walk away, Li Cheng immediately chased after him, saying, "Xu Xian, if you keep acting like this, I'm going to replace you."

Xu Xian, who had already reached the outside, immediately stopped. He slowly turned around and stared at Li Cheng: "Captain Li, you can't do this!"

At this moment, on the parade ground outside, almost all the pilots of the Luohang fleet had already gone for their routine morning exercises, led by Wang Chenchen, the captain of the second squadron. However, Xu Xian and Li Cheng ran out separately, and the tense atmosphere between the two immediately attracted the attention of all the pilots who were doing their exercises.

"But if you don't obey orders, I'll have to replace you." Li Cheng confronted Xu Xian sharply, completely disregarding the other officers nearby: "This isn't the place for you to throw a tantrum!"

Xu Xian's gaze gradually darkened: "Captain Li! In terms of rank, we are no longer subordinate to each other. In terms of military rank, we are both Air Force Majors. On what basis do you replace me? The higher-ups assigned you to select personnel for the mission based on ability. I want to hear what you have in mind to replace me!"

As Xu Xian spoke, he suddenly turned his head and shouted at the pilots who were doing morning exercises: "Who among you thinks they can replace me? Who is better than me?"

For a moment, the entire playground fell silent.

Li Cheng stared at the young man in his twenties before him, as if he were a complete stranger: "Xu Xian, you shouldn't talk like that!"

"Captain Li! I know you're doing this for my safety. But if I can't protect those I deem worthy of protection, what's the point of my life?" Xu Xian said, enunciating each word clearly. "If we really have to cross the rebel air defense zone, I'll do it alone, and the other two will proceed as planned. My mind is made up. If you want to change people, then let's go to the commander and discuss this!"

After Xu Xian finished speaking, he left without saying another word.

Once Xu Xian's figure had completely disappeared, Wang Chenchen hurriedly ran to Li Cheng's side and advised, "Captain Li, Xu Xian has lost his mind. Don't take him seriously."

"He's really gotten too big for his britches, I can't control him anymore. A year ago, he was just a recruit, and now he's half a rank below me. I really can't manage him." Li Cheng chuckled self-deprecatingly, patted Wang Chenchen on the shoulder, and sincerely sighed, "You think he's talking back to me? No, no, no! He's scared."

Office of the Director of Advanced Technology R&D Department, Luoyang Aerospace Industry Headquarters.

"Who said they want to see me?" Ye Qing was genuinely taken aback when he heard that a man named Xu Xian was coming to see him unexpectedly. "Are you sure it's Xu Xian?"

"Yes, Director!" the assistant said. "He's in the reception room now. Should we let him in?"

"Come in, come in, come in! Let him in, quickly!" Ye Qing instructed his assistant while quickly tidying up the documents on the table. He was usually quite sloppy, and his office was always cluttered with documents. He had tidied up beforehand when Xu Xian came to collect the flight data disk. This time, however, Xu Xian hadn't given any prior notice and had come as a surprise, so the office was still a mess.

Ye Qing was the type who still cared about his reputation, and he really didn't want Xu Xian to see his messy office.

To Ye Qing's surprise, Xu Xian was in a very efficient and hurried manner. His assistant had only been gone a short while before Xu Xian entered. Ye Qing was carrying a stack of documents when Xu Xian came in.

"What are you doing? Cleaning during work hours?" Xu Xian looked at Ye Qing uncertainly. "You're not slacking off at work, are you?"

"How could someone as diligent as me slack off at work?" Ye Qing coughed twice. "It's just that I can't stand things being left out in a mess, so I tidied things up a bit."

"Can't stand things being left out in the open?" Xu Xian sneered. "I've been to your house before, it's a complete mess, like a doghouse. Who are you trying to fool?"

"Hahahaha!" Ye Qing feigned amusement, inwardly cursing. He put the documents aside, picked up the water glass on the table, and prepared to take a few sips to ease the awkwardness: "What brings you here this time? You didn't even give me a heads-up, that's rare!"

"This is due to an urgent matter!" Xu Xian didn't bother arguing with Ye Qing any further: "Ye Qing, do you have any high-powered microwave bombs here?"

"A high-power microwave bomb?" Ye Qing squinted. "You don't mean an EMP, do you?"

"That's right! It's an electronic pulse weapon. Do you have any here?" Xu Xian stared intently at Ye Qing. "Your advanced weapons research lab should have finished high-power microwave bombs, right?"

EMP, or Electron Pulse, is a weapon that uses an electron pulse to destroy enemy electronic equipment. Electron pulses can be generated by nuclear or non-nuclear explosions. Xu Xian naturally wouldn't use an electron pulse generated by a nuclear explosion; what he needed was a non-nuclear electron pulse weapon—a weapon that uses explosives or chemical fuels as its energy source, converting it into high-power microwave radiation energy through microwave devices.

Electron pulse weapons are not particularly lethal to humans, but they have a near-devastating effect on electronic equipment. However, while the concept of electron pulse weapons has existed for some time, finished products are still relatively rare.

If you want to acquire new concept weapons, then going to the Advanced Technology R&D Department, which is known as the "black technology factory," is definitely the right choice.

"A high-powered microwave bomb? Your information network is really impressive!" Ye Qing shook his head with a wry smile. "What do you plan to use it for?"

"Is paralyzing the electronic systems of a missile site enough?" Xu Xian asked.

"Hahahaha! Are you kidding me?" Ye Qing sneered. "My advanced high-power microwave anti-electronics missile can paralyze all the electronic systems of a small town for at least half an hour with a single launch. You're asking if that's enough to deal with a missile site?"

The Advanced High-Power Microwave Missile (APMS) is a type of high-power microwave missile. It uses high-energy explosives to deform the armature tube, thereby generating a short-term ultra-high current. This current stimulates a virtual cathode oscillator, which then generates high-power microwave radiation into the space, destroying the enemy's electronic systems in a short time.

A glint of light flashed in Xu Xian's eyes: "Can it be implemented?"

"Tell me where you're going to use it?" Ye Qing asked.

Xu Xian whispered, "The rebel army of Gongbang!"

Ye Qing was taken aback for a moment, but when he connected it with what Xu Xian had said earlier about destroying a missile site, he roughly understood what the situation was.

"I can provide live ammunition, but you must apply for permission to allocate weapons from above. I don't do things that don't follow the procedures." Ye Qing was quite straightforward, directly admitting that he had high-power microwave bombs.

"I understand." Xu Xian nodded. "Then thank you."

After saying that, Xu Xian actually made a move to leave. Ye Qing quickly stood up and grabbed Xu Xian, asking, "Xu Xian, are you alright?"

"What could possibly happen to me?" Xu Xian smiled, but it looked worse than he was crying.

"You look very anxious. I'm not kidding you. What's wrong with you?" Ye Qing grabbed Xu Xian's arm, clearly wanting a definite answer from him.

Xu Xian's face fell instantly. He seemed to have lost all his strength, slumping into a chair. "Ye Qing," he said, "I heard that Konbang has an A22. I know it's ridiculous, but if it's true, we're just going to our deaths. Also, the Konbang rebels, who seemed to have reached a private agreement, now appear to be going back on their word. Their air defense units are frequently redeploying; the signal is quite clear. If the flight crashes, I'll have to cross the rebels' air defense zone. Ye Qing, I'm wondering if I'll ever make it back?"

(End of this chapter)