Chapter 715: The Battle of XXOO

The X-1 Forward-Swept Wing Fighter Jet released its missile without having enough time to adjust its angle, but it was still a fraction too late. The X-31 did not fall into the attack geometric angle of the fighter jet, and the missile flew away from one side, out of monitoring distance.

When the X-31 executed its first break-S maneuver, the incoming medium-range air-to-air missile immediately malfunctioned, and even the targeting module of the Dragon General tactical helmet couldn’t relock onto the target in time.

After all, the small chip inside the missile simply could not compete with human processing power, and many pilots used close-range detonation missile techniques based on this principle.

This issue is common with high-speed missiles: fast speeds and high G-forces, but they have weak maneuverability. Their turning radius often can’t keep up with the target fighter jet; only by seizing the perfect attack geometric angle can they ensure a high hit rate.

Medium-range air-to-air missiles can only act as all-aspect missiles, and after flying out over five thousand meters, they began to circle back. By this time, there was nothing to stop the X-31 from defiantly cutting in. If “Eagle King” had hesitated for just half a second longer, the missile would have locked onto him.

Faced with “Eagle King” unexpectedly taking a risky approach, Yuri had no time to think. He turned the control stick and charged aggressively toward the X-31.

He could not allow “Eagle King” to get close, or else that would give him the chance to defeat them one by one, allowing Lin Mo to hesitate again.

Yuri had made up his mind; he could no longer cling to “Number 13.” As a fighter ace, he needed to face the enemy to the death, not hide behind a strong ally like a timid woman.

The sacrifice tactic was the only means to restrain the dogfighting king, the X-31.

If the “monkey” could sacrifice his life, what was there for Yuri to hold back?

Until the last moment, no pilot would willingly resort to a sacrifice tactic, but Yuri was fully worthy of Lin Mo’s trust.

God is always fair; those who dare to fight can drive fighter jets that are even scarier than missiles.

The opponent even used a collision tactic—didn’t they fear death?

"Eagle King" wore a frosty expression. Before his defensive break-S maneuver had finished, he quickly executed another break-S maneuver. The X-31 unleashed its full post-stall maneuverability, with vector propulsion allowing for all kinds of incredible maneuvers.

No pilot would maintain a stiff flight posture in air combat, turning themselves into a live target.

A fighter jet that was highly similar to the F-22 nearly brushed the wings of the X-31, barely missing it, exposing the great gap between Near Special Tier and intermediate tier.

Yuri had reached a point where he acted without hesitation, thinking only to open fire.

“Die!”

Although he did not hit the opponent, Yuri had successfully turned the nose of his aircraft, bringing the X-31 into the attack angle. He pressed the cannon fire button and unleashed the remaining cannon shots, even though the X-1 and X-31 were in a straight line.

Such resolute fighting spirit was terrifying; it was as if he had risked the lives of himself and his comrades, determined to take the enemy down with him.

At this moment in the Death Team Battle, both sides had exhausted their ammunition, and it was impossible to create the spectacular missile barrage seen at the beginning. Even the Gauss electromagnetic shells from the X-1 Forward-Swept Wing Fighter Jet had been squandered in a frenzy of Gold Coin usage.

Both sides were left with the final blow of their attack power, making the timing of their fire even more cautious.

Yet “Eagle King” did not dare to completely give the rear hemisphere of the X-31 to Lin Mo. He quickly executed an evasive maneuver, evading the attack while preparing to counterattack.

A wave of unavoidable rain of bullets struck the wings of the X-31, tearing away several metal skins. Despite the excellent strength of the X-31’s double delta wings, it nearly lost aerodynamic balance, with black smoke rising from the wings.

This was the first time Yuri had hit "Eagle King," and it came at a significant cost.

If he could survive this battle, Yuri’s air combat skills would leap to a new level.

“Good job!”

Facing the stray bullets that had passed through the X-31, coming from the 10 o’clock direction, Lin Mo showed no surprise, instead revealing a satisfied smile. Yuri had remembered his words and executed them without hesitation.

Sometimes, a man should be tough; if he doesn’t know how to make sacrifices, he will willingly give away the victory that is within reach.

A warrior does not fear shedding blood and sacrificing but fears dying in vain, with blood wasted.

Lin Mo reacted quickly; the X-1 Forward-Swept Wing swiftly rolled into a spin, evading the incoming trajectory while launching a second attack. He wanted “Eagle King” to understand that this sneaky maneuver was not so easily executed.

The Gauss electromagnetic railgun preheated once more, outputting at 5%. Although this power could only guarantee a range of 2000 meters, it was more than enough for the enemy fighter X-31, which was now so close.

Without traditional propellant, the 30-millimeter Gauss electromagnetic shells had a generous amount of explosive material, with a blast power equivalent to 200 grams of TNT and a shrapnel kill radius of 12 meters. The destructive power was similar to that of a close-range combat missile—hitting a vital spot would definitely create a massive fireball.

"Now’s the time!"

The targeting reticle of “Eagle King” would in the next second be aimed at the X-1 Forward-Swept Wing Fighter Jet.

“Yuri! Eject!”

Lin Mo let out a cold snort. In the moment both noses of the aircraft faced each other, the cannon fire was unleashed, but unexpectedly, he ordered Yuri to eject. What trick was he playing?

Many spectators were confused by this order—eject? Why eject? But they quickly found out the answer.

The three fighter jets engaged in combat at an unprecedentedly close distance, making Lin Mo’s earlier duel with “Zorro” seem a lot more dangerous.

The cannon fire whips composed of projectile trajectories fiercely lashed toward the enemy.

Both fighter jets had already sustained damage, and their flight postures were no longer stable; they had to rely on their fierce skills to control the crafts. But in the instant they both brought each other into their fire geometric angles, a portion of their firepower struck home, severely wounding both aircraft.

Kings clash!

Blood spills!

Flames and black smoke erupted simultaneously.

This was a deadly exchange, trading lives for injuries.

At such close range, no air combat skills mattered. "Eagle King" recognized this point and dared to take the risk of placing both sides in this dangerous situation.

Lin Mo clearly understood this as well; the opponent’s cunning and daring compensated for their lack of physical fitness and air combat skills. The aggressive approach of risking one’s life was a significant disadvantage for the Dragon Knight.

In this high-speed maneuver, the fleeting opportunity for attack lasted less than a second. Yet, both “Eagle King” and Lin Mo seized it, pushing their attack geometry to the limit.

Where the fighter jets were hit, countless fragments of oddly shaped metals and internal components shattered. At this moment, the condition of the fighter jets was hardly sturdier than a cookie, as the massive warheads violently tore through the skin, burrowing deep into each other’s bodies to cause further destruction.

If it weren’t for the extensive use of special alloys, composite materials, and advancements in nanotechnology, the two fighter jets would certainly look precarious and utterly battered. However, they were still quite a bit away from being blown apart or shot down.

Various alarm sounds erupted in the cockpit, permeated by a burning smell. In that brief second, Lin Mo and “Eagle King” kept their eyes glued on each other, even as flying shrapnel threatened to claim their lives in the next moment, they had no intention of stopping their firepower.

A loud bang rang out above Lin Mo’s head as the bubble-shaped pod of the X-1 Forward-Swept Wing Fighter Jet shattered again, with sharp, oddly shaped fragments piercing into the cockpit and striking the Dragon General tactical armor. If Lin Mo had still been wearing a regular pressure suit, he would have likely been severely injured.

The X-1 Forward-Swept Wing Fighter Jet was further disadvantaged by the sunroof opened by “Zorro.” The gold giant dragon felt utterly helpless; it was not metal and not the Transparent Metal canopy possessed by Lin Mo’s own X-8 “monstrous” creation. Gold Coin had only control over bathtub-style cockpit armor. Just as Lin Mo couldn’t stop it from controlling the fighter jet, it couldn’t prevent Lin Mo from fighting to the death; everything was for the sake of that ongoing paycheck.

After all, the Dragon Knight had the upper hand, and the X-1 Forward-Swept Wing Fighter Jet had a slight advantage in attack timing over the X-31 fighter jet.

This tiny difference played a crucial role in determining the outcome of the battle. Suddenly, the X-31’s wing facing Lin Mo exploded into fragments from a Gauss electromagnetic shell, but Lin Mo thought it was a pity.

Had the wing not perfectly blocked the Gauss electromagnetic shell, that strike would have hit right toward the opponent’s cockpit.

With half of its wing lost, the X-31 immediately entered a stall state. “Eagle King,” quick on his feet, controlled the vector nozzle to maintain dynamic balance, barely stabilizing the aircraft. Realizing the danger, he fully accelerated the remaining half of the engine to escape. His choice was undoubtedly the correct one.

The attack from the Gauss electromagnetic shell had not ceased. Following that, the tail of the X-31 suddenly erupted in flames as three thrust vectoring fins providing stability were shattered by another Gauss electromagnetic shell.

Unexpectedly, perhaps the carbon-carbon vectoring fins were merely destroyed by physical impact without triggering the Gauss electromagnetic shell’s explosion. What turned into a stray projectile crashed into another fighter jet separated from the X-31.

Accidental hit! “Eagle King” had anticipated this event, and it finally happened; three fighter jets were just too close together.

Though the X-31 avoided the risk of being blown to pieces, it still found itself in a bad situation. Completely losing aerodynamic control, the X-31 spiraled downwards, dragging a trail of thick black smoke toward the ground.