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Sometimes, people are alive, yet their hearts have already died.
Chen Fei would definitely not admit that he had subconsciously mistaken the MiG-28 jet that swept over from above as Squadron Leader Chekhov Big Bear's ride.
After all, they were both MiG-28s, and the paint schemes looked roughly similar.
Looking back now, a bit too presumptuous, mwah!
"Craft 213 reporting, the enemy plane has withdrawn!"
"Craft 214 reporting, same here, the remaining MiG-28 has fled!"
Almost simultaneously, in different airspaces, the battles came to an abrupt halt as the enemy jets retreated without an agreement.
It was over!
Not only the pilots of the "Genuine Fragrance" Combat Flight Squadron but also many at Aircrew Base 911 collectively let out a long sigh of relief.
They had finally defended their air superiority!
In the event of defeat, with no intact eggs under an overturned nest, none would have a happy ending. The victor of corporate warfare would show no mercy to the vanquished, eliminating any chance of a resurgence.
Although the war was not over, everyone seemed to see a glimmer of hope.
At least the current situation wasn't too dire, and with a bit of luck, they might be able to give the Merman Brothers Consortium a dirty face.
"Congratulations everyone, please return to base as soon as possible!"
The woman executive manager of the base said this over the communication channel and then flopped down into her chair, not wanting to move at all.
Not only was she mentally exhausted from monitoring the "Genuine Fragrance" Combat Flight Squadron's combat status, but the fatigue from earlier engagements with the enemy was also hitting her. Now, as she relaxed slightly, all her accumulated exhaustion rushed over her like a tide, crushing her into her seat, too tired to even lift a finger.
Fighting for life and death while maintaining a calm command, this kind of physical and psychological pressure was unbearable for anyone.
Half an hour later, pairs of beacon lights appeared in the western night sky, and the roar of engines could be heard from afar.
One after another, returning A-39B "Big Mouth Monster" lightweight turboprop attack aircraft circled around Aircrew Base 911 before descending one by one, smoothly landing on the main runway.
Aside from Squadron Leader Chekhov's MiG-28 Jet Fighter, the second-to-last "Big Mouth Monster" to land was Chen Fei's 211, with reminders from deputy squadron leader "Devil Pepper" Irinei Rusios occasionally reaching his ears.
Even with one-on-one guidance from a high-level gamer, the process of landing still left the youngster with jelly legs, his heart almost leaping out of his throat.
After all, when playing flight games, he would crash nine times out of ten landings, truly a risk of death and survival.
For Chen Fei, landing safely was more difficult than being chased by missiles. At least with missiles, there were predictive trajectories to guide him, but for landing, there was no system assistance, relying solely on his own control and a little bit of luck.
When the landing gear touched down and the turboprop began to decelerate, he almost collapsed inside the cockpit, drenched in sweat, completely worn out.
Thank heavens, he had safely returned the fighter without having to pay for damages.
Following him, deputy squadron leader "Devil Pepper" Irinei Rusios's 212 landed gracefully.
The last to land was the MiG-28 Jet Fighter, piloted by Squadron Leader Chekhov himself.
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All the returning fighters gradually rolled into the parking apron, surrounded by a round of warm applause.
The "Genuine Fragrance" Combat Flight Squadron defended the base against a strong enemy from the outside, earning the applause of everyone present.
Tearing off the safety belt, peering out of the cockpit, he saw a big crowd on the tarmac, excited about something or other, making Chen Fei instantly lose interest. Yawning, he stretched lazily, shrank back inside, smacked his lips a few times, and the snoring sound resumed.
Forget a bunch of crazies, not even the Jade Emperor himself would stop his sleep.
Watching the constantly cheering crowd, the female executive manager's mood was not the slightest bit affected.
Sometimes, ignorance is a kind of bliss.
The corporate war waged by the Merman Brothers Consortium against the Apocalypse Defense Group, this Aircrew Base 911 was just a microcosm. As a subsidiary unit under the Apocalypse Defense Group, there were more than just one 911.
This night, it wasn't just Aircrew Base 911 that got hit.
Even as a large military contractor ranked 27th in the industry, it's not quite up to snuff in front of a real behemoth ranked 8th.
Overnight, in just a few hours, Apocalypse Defense Group suffered heavy losses.
Though Aircrew Base 911 managed to repel the enemies once more and successfully defended their turf, such a victory was trivial in the clash between two titans.
The reason Hanna Gagel could secure such a substantial bonus was that amid a flood of bad news for Apocalypse Defense Group, Aircrew Base 911 brought in a rare piece of good news.
The female executive manager from the group headquarter knew the crisis was just beginning for Apocalypse Defense Group and all its subsidiaries, yet she had no one to confide in, had to keep it all to herself, watching the happy employees, standing aside out of place, silently.
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After who knows how long, Chen Fei was nudged awake.
Yawning, he opened his mouth, and as he recognized the person, he said weakly, "Big Brother Xiao, what's up?"
He was still in the cockpit, and it was still dark outside. He wasn't sure what time it was, but the crowd on the tarmac had long since dispersed.
The chief mechanic Xiao Ming said, "MiG-28 number 211 is ready to go."
"Oh, got it. Thanks, boss!"
Chen Fei knew the maintenance crew must have put in an all-nighter again, but he was just too tired to be of any help. Even now, his limbs were still weak; he probably couldn't even turn a screw.
"It's too cold here, go back to the dorm to sleep."
Big Brother Xiao turned his head, gesturing to the howling cold outside the cabin.
If it weren't for the cockpit canopy being down, the wind might have chilled Chen Fei by now.
A playful gust of cold air squeezed in, as if to prove Xiao Ming's point, instantly sweeping away the last bit of warmth from Chen Fei, causing him to shiver uncontrollably and dispelling much of his sleepiness.
Big Brother Xiao was right; this definitely wasn't a good place to sleep.
He immediately crawled out of the cockpit, greeted the chief mechanic, and headed towards his dormitory.
After just three or four steps, he touched his head.
Of course, his head wasn't what he felt, but rather his pilot's helmet—it's what kept the wind out and him warm while he slept drowsily. He was grateful for it.
It finally dawned on Chen Fei that his "Little Bird" wasn't in the dormitory; it was still in the steel shelter where the Energy Tower was located.
Thinking of the shelter of the Energy Tower, the old Neanderthal man came to mind.
A few hours ago, the old gentleman's voice and smile were still present, but now, they were separated by life and death—the elder had passed away.
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Chen Fei took a deep breath, wiped away the moisture from the corner of his eyes, and continued walking toward the steel shelter deep within the container complex.
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