Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
"Level One Readiness!"
"Level One Readiness!"
War was imminent, and the highest command in our country had issued a full military order for Level One Readiness. All soldiers were required to keep their weapons close, even while sleeping. The mobilization for combat was already in full swing, and all operations had begun.
Chen Zijing climbed into the cockpit of the aircraft, where a middle-aged Colonel was watching him intently from outside the cabin.
"Alright! You should head back! It's just a quick flight under their noses, right? We've done this kind of thing before; why all the fuss?" Chen Zijing smiled as he urged the Colonel to leave. He really didn't want to see someone close to him at such a moment; it might disrupt the calm he had managed to achieve.
Seeing Chen Zijing so relaxed, the Colonel sighed helplessly. "You shouldn't have come back. With your abilities, you could shine even while hiding abroad as a puppet master. Why did you have to return?"
Without a second thought, Chen Zijing closed the cockpit door and said with a serious yet playful tone, "Because I am a soldier. Defending my country is my duty. Why wouldn't I come back?"
"You’re just pretending to be oblivious. If you go like this, it's likely to end badly for you. They won't let you off easily. If... if you die, have you considered how they would feel? Even if you don't care about them, have you thought about your lover's feelings?" The Colonel took off his military cap, and the strong wind at the airport tousled his not-so-long hair.
Chen Zijing maintained his smile, showing no sign of seriousness. "What about Sister Li? Come on, we only have a superior-subordinate relationship. You’re thinking too much; we’re just using each other. I need her, she needs me; it’s that simple."
"Hey, I’m not arguing with you. You know the situation well enough; the principle of 'killing a thousand enemies while losing eight hundred of your own' is something you can't possibly misunderstand. You're just pretending. I won’t hold it against you; do as you wish." The Colonel looked at Chen Zijing with resignation, took a step back, put on his military cap, and saluted him with a standard military gesture.
Chen Zijing returned the salute and gestured for him to leave quickly while chuckling softly, "Even if it’s like yours, I can’t help it; who told me... I’m a soldier?"
The co-pilot led twenty oddly dressed soldiers into the cabin. This cargo plane was independently produced by the military; the cabin was spacious and directly connected to the cockpit. The twenty fully armed soldiers occupied about half of the cabin.
Although the aircraft appeared old, its performance was anything but subpar. On the contrary, it was currently one of the best models of transport aircraft in service with the military. While it carried no weapons, its performance and stealth capabilities were world-class, even surpassing any other military transport aircraft in terms of endurance.
Under orders from General Staff, Chen Zijing was tasked with piloting this aircraft to deliver these twenty soldiers dressed in camouflage to enemy waters without being detected. As for Chen Zijing himself, he had been specifically named as the captain of this flight—its deeper implications were clear.
The twenty Special Forces soldiers wore solemn expressions, knowing they bore a heavy burden while still managing to smile—a feat not easily achieved by those with nerves of steel.
Most of the equipment they wore was still in the experimental stage. Regardless of whether it would be effective, everything had been brought over; the battlefield was the best testing ground. Moreover, if they could successfully execute their mission with this equipment, it would indeed be a significant success.
Chen Zijing glanced at his watch; there were five minutes until takeoff. The weather outside was terrible, with dark clouds gathering as if a heavy rain was imminent, foreshadowing that their journey would not be smooth sailing.
"Brother Chen, do you think we can succeed?" The co-pilot, Major, handed Chen Zijing a cigarette, his heavy breathing betraying his inner tension.
"What’s wrong? Are you scared?" Chen Zijing teased as he took the cigarette.
"How could I be... scared?" Major replied awkwardly, taking a few deep puffs before suddenly changing his tone. "Actually, I am scared. I have parents who are not successful businessmen; they are just ordinary farmers. I have a younger brother who is still in high school, and I have a fiancée..."
Chen Zijing interrupted Major. "Enough with the nonsense! Are you so confident we’ll succeed that you’re ready to die out there? Come on! Who do you think I am? The King of Hell wouldn’t dare take me!"
Major paused for a moment and then smiled lightly. "Yeah, I really don’t believe we’ll die out there either!"
The plane took off, and a black Mercedes rushed into the military airport, prompting sentries and security forces to hurry over.
A young girl jumped out of the driver's seat of the Mercedes. Upon seeing the Colonel by the runway, she rushed over and grabbed his collar, shaking him as she shouted, "Where is he? Where is he!!!"
"He left! Just left!" the Colonel replied calmly. "I’m sorry; you came too late. I couldn’t keep him here."
The girl crumpled to the ground like a deflated balloon, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably. "Why? Why! Why..."
"To live as Han subjects and die as Han ministers. That’s what he wanted to convey to you and those above," the Colonel said softly, his tone clearly tinged with sadness.
Suddenly, thunder rumbled as lightning flashed across the sky. Large raindrops began to pound against the airport runway. Two people by the runway seemed oblivious to it all—one stood quietly while the other sat dazed.
***
"We are about to reach our destination; all personnel prepare!" Chen Rui shouted. Due to the size of the plane, there was no need for an intercom in the cabin; raising his voice slightly was enough for everyone in the cabin to hear.
Twenty Special Forces members stood up in unison and saluted the two pilots before turning towards the back of the cabin.
"There are only thirty-five seconds left; we have to hurry!" Chen Rui urged again, his right hand already on the switch for the cabin door.
"Go!" With a command, Chen Rui pressed the button, and the door at the rear of the cabin slowly opened. Twenty Special Forces members swiftly jumped out.
The plane was flying close to the sea, so parachutes were unnecessary. Instead, each person carried a mini-submarine for approaching the coast.
"The target has been deployed! Prepare for return." The Major said happily. So far, they hadn't encountered any unexpected issues; everything was going perfectly.
Chen Rui quickly pulled the plane up, made a turn, and pushed all four engines to maximum power as they headed home.
Everything felt too normal—no, it was too smooth, almost unbelievable. Even if the enemy had not detected them, their superiors would not let them off easily. But why had nothing happened so far? At their current speed, they would normally return to base in two hours.
Something was wrong! There must be something they overlooked. What could it be?
Suddenly, an alarm blared. Engines one and four emitted a slight explosion before billowing black smoke, completely losing power.
"Damn it!" Chen Rui quickly checked the fuel gauge. It still showed eighty percent fuel remaining, which was consistent with their readings as they approached the target. They had been flying back for ten minutes; it should have decreased by now. Clearly, there was an issue with the fuel gauge.
"I'm sorry for dragging you into this!" Chen Rui sighed lightly and helplessly addressed the Major beside him.
"Bang!" Another explosion sounded—this time from engines two and three. The entire plane lost power completely. As Chen Rui and his team had been flying low to remain undetected during twilight, the powerless aircraft plunged directly into the ocean...
Comment 0 Comment Count