Chapter 858

Chapter 858: Only Those Willing Will Hook On

The cafeteria of the fighter division stationed at Quzhou Airport began to prepare special meals for the trainees in the intensive training course, providing abundant nutrition for the pilots according to wartime standards.

Fresh vegetables and meats flowed into the cafeteria endlessly.

With over forty new hungry mouths to feed, the local farmers around the airport made quite a windfall.

Throughout the tactical exercise phase, Major Lin Mo from the instructor group behaved like an unbeatable dark lord. Whether it was one-on-one duels or group battles, he effortlessly crushed the challengers without exception.

The instructor’s undefeated record stood tall like the Himalayas, growing more substantial in the minds of all trainees, impossible to overturn.

Those pilots in the cockpit, fighting in their mystic steel armor against the Dragon Knight, compared to their stamina, were like a Little Chicken facing a Bull.

With an efficiency that allowed him to defeat half the trainees each day, the instructor group thoroughly cycled through all the trainees in just two days.

This ensured everyone settled down.

This was just the beginning…

The trainees, whose confidence was shattered, found themselves rising again under Lin Mo’s sarcastic remarks and the waving of tempting checks, continuing to charge forward like they were fueled by adrenaline, refusing to back down even when faced with defeat.

Lin Mo had personally written and verified a cash check of one million RMB, securely placed in the office safe of Commander Tang, the head of the fighter division. All they had to do was take it to the bank, and the money would arrive in no time.

Even though fighter pilots enjoyed excellent treatment, who wouldn’t want this free fortune?

Compared to that unruly Giant Dragon, the trainees were clearly no match for experienced Dragon Knights.

The outcome was predictable.

Weak and pale, the trainees were dragged out of the cockpit to rest for a day or two, yet they still struggled, driven by a mix of desperation and determination, howling as they hurled themselves toward the aircraft once again.

Money is hard to earn, and dignity is even harder to regain; they could only fight like real men.

Major Chen Jun and Colonel Cao Yueyang, witnessing this brutal scene, felt a chill at the nape of their necks.

Such tactics reminded them of John Boyd, the father of energy combat techniques in America.

This legendary figure never lost a match in six years and over 3000 hours of combat flight at Nellis Air Force Base, often letting opponents catch his six o’clock position before turning the tables within 40 seconds to claim victory, earning the nickname “40-Second Boyd.”

Lin Mo’s training methods bore a resemblance to John Boyd’s, with even more ruthless intensity and tempting bait.

The challengers, driven by luck and reward, kept failing repeatedly. Major Lin Mo, known as “number one,” embraced every challenge without hesitation.

The participants had long discarded their morals; they no longer cared as long as they could win once, which would bring them fame. Unbeknownst to them, every last bit of their potential was being squeezed out.

Aside from Lin Mo, it was nearly impossible to find another top pilot in all of China who could withstand such relentless training.

This was very close to high-intensity real combat, clearly enhancing the trainees’ air combat skills.

Flight time and actual combat experience are the best ways to improve; learning in combat is the most effective method of growth.

Major Chen Jun and Colonel Cao Yueyang did not miss this opportunity. After each day of challenges, they would provide feedback to all trainees, reviewing the successes and failures of that day’s participants.

With their rich experience and comprehensive knowledge, combined with the clarity of outside observers, the trainees gained immense benefits, achieving rapid improvements in their skills.

At this point, there was no need to worry about the trainees being lazy or careless. The instructors no longer merely lectured; they provided strategies and valuable advice to help the trainees defeat that terrible dark lord.

This goal-driven subjective initiative accelerated the learning speed of the trainees, far surpassing the course materials prepared by the three instructors. Their mastery of air combat techniques and battlefield experience significantly improved.

As jet fighters replaced propeller fighters, the air force stepped into the era of supersonic and super maneuvers. Since humanity first assigned military value to aircraft, air combat tactics and techniques have emerged like bamboo shoots after spring rain. Yet, ultimately, those techniques that validated themselves through life and death have become hidden treasures, kept secret by nations.

Compared to various ground battles, there aren’t many air battlefields where pilots can gain real combat experience. Once they ascend into the skies, it means half a foot has stepped into hell. The combat loss rates, training death counts, and the difficulty of pilot selection mean that the blood, sweat, and tears of the air force have gone into the legacy of every pilot.

Even the Americans, who flaunt their financial power and hegemony, could not hide the fact that they lacked ace pilots, no matter how wealthy or technologically advanced they were.

During the entire Vietnam War (1961-1973), the Americans could only send two ace pilots into battle, while facing 16 ace pilots from the Vietnamese Air Force—a tragic one-to-eight ratio.

It was comparable to just finishing a large-scale war; the tactical exercise lasted for two full weeks. Although the dark lord still handled each challenger easily, the high-intensity confrontations and post-battle analysis transformed the spirits of all the trainees dramatically.

Even a beginner could become skilled after such rigorous training, and the benefits were even more evident for the already elite pilots among the trainees.

The 30-day intensive training had now entered its final assessment phase, where the three instructors would evaluate each trainee and award certificates to those who qualified.

The exam content was simple: theory, practical skills, and individual performance in the training course were the three criteria for grading.

Instructor Lin did not need to worry about the theoretical part; the other two instructors could handle it proficiently. He only needed to prepare for the practical assessment.

For an entire afternoon, over thirty trainees focused on their exam papers for a solid hour and a half. No one submitted early, and they reluctantly handed in their papers only when the exam time was up.

After the exam, nearly all the trainees wore confident expressions—some gathered in small groups outside, quietly discussing the questions and estimating their scores. Although they were unsure of their final marks, they felt they would be satisfied with their results.

The next morning, three J-10B fighter jets appeared on the Parking Area, ready to take off as usual.

After the ground crew moved the fighter jets to the Parking Area, the mechanics, who were running on little sleep, finally dispersed to catch up on rest.

The Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group engineers and the two aviation division mechanics had been worked hard over the past half month.

Especially during the two weeks when the trainees launched a wheel battle against Major Lin, maintenance on the three J-10B fighter jets often continued deep into the night, comparable to the high-intensity operations of wartime.

Despite their exhaustion, the mechanics’ maintenance skills, like those of the trainees, improved dramatically. They believed that the strong-attack division at Jianqiao Airport would soon be fully capable of self-maintaining the three J-10B fighter jets.

The final practical assessment had an unusual setup.

At the Parking Area, the plasma television was gone; only a whiteboard remained, listing the order of assessments and the names of trainees grouped randomly. There was no extra information.

Only Major Chen Jun was present to maintain order; “number one” Instructor Lin and Instructor Cao were nowhere to be seen.

The entire assessment exuded a sense of the bizarre.

Yet the assessment began rather uneventfully.

The first group of trainees, consisting of two members, piloted two J-10B fighter jets in a dual aircraft team taking off from the runway.

However, the third J-10B remained on the Parking Area, showing no signs of preparation for takeoff; the cockpit was completely empty.

Where did the dark lord go?

Who was in charge of the practical assessment? Was it Major Lin or Colonel Cao?

The Parking Area fell silent, with trainees exchanging confused glances, waiting quietly for the outcome.

The waiting time felt exceptionally long. An hour later, the two newly launched J-10B fighter jets returned.

The two trainees climbed silently from the cockpit.

Major Chen Jun announced the end of the first group’s assessment and instructed the second group of trainees to prepare to board.

The trainees who hadn’t taken the assessment were puzzled about its content, while the two who had just completed it remained tight-lipped, shaking their heads in silence.

When pressed for information, they claimed it was classified, leaving the others bewildered.

What was happening? Were they abducted by aliens for brainwashing? Suddenly, they were like this!

If ordinary civilians were in their shoes, they might have cooperated after a few inquiries. However, for soldiers, secrecy regulations were strict—anyone who dared violate them faced dire consequences.

The pilots who completed the assessment refused to speak, making further questioning pointless.

Those waiting for their assessments could only watch the others board the aircraft with puzzled expressions.

The dual aircraft team of J-10B fighter jets returned after a similar duration as the previous round, again bringing back a pair of mutes with strange expressions.

The trainees grew increasingly anxious about the unknown assessment.