As a military man,
especially a senior officer in the air force of the Great Xia Kingdom,
Zhang Weimin believed it was his duty and capability to quickly transport this Phantom-class powered mech, produced by Huarong Industry, back to the military base for the research magnates to dissect and study.
However,
as a husband and father,
he also had a responsibility to reassure his wife and daughter.
Suspended in the vast sky,
gazing at the clouds and the scattered remnants of his enemies,
Zhang Weimin patiently comforted his wife and daughter, answering their questions about military knowledge that even the most novice fans were aware of.
"Can't you just send it via logistics?"
"Is this mech's safety really reliable?"
"Do you know the flight path back to the J Province Military Region?"
"..."
Indeed,
the Qiongzhou Island resort was a considerable distance from J Province, with a straight-line distance of 1800 kilometers.
"Logistics would be too slow; I need to get back as soon as possible!"
"The safety performance should be fine. In both high-altitude hovering and rapid advance states, the fuselage didn't even tremble... its structural integrity can even rival the J-20!"
"As for the flight path, there's no need to worry. This mech even has a domestically developed Beidou navigation system, the same kind found in fighter jets... although its precision isn't quite military-grade, it's sufficient for navigation alone... Moreover, I'm an ace pilot with over twenty years of flying experience, so there's no need to worry!"
"..."
After answering all the concerns raised by his wife and daughter,
Zhang Weimin finally silenced them.
"Then, be careful on your way. Call us immediately after you arrive at the air force base to let us know you're safe!"
Zhang Weimin's wife understood.
Even though her husband loved her dearly, when it came to matters of great importance, he was always resolute and kept his word.
Resigned,
despite her deep concern, she could only utter words of care.
"Don't worry!"
"You two have fun!"
"See you in J Province!"
After the communication ended,
Zhang Weimin began setting the navigation destination.
On the mech's heads-up display, calibration parameters jumped.
[Target coordinates entered... calculating flight path... twelve engines at full power... energy load engaging... commencing activation!]
Bang... Rumble!
The Phantom-class powered mech, at full throttle, burst from the clouds, heading west, crossing the Qiongzhou Strait!
The Phantom-class powered mech, with its extremely high instantaneous speed, was enveloped in a violently churning sonic boom cloud, exuding a powerful technological aesthetic.
The immense sonic boom resonated like thunder from the heavens, exploding over the Qiongzhou resort.
A seven or eight-year-old girl, a lollipop in her mouth, pointed at the long, streaking cloud in the sky and exclaimed in a childish voice—
"Daddy, look, there's a shooting star in the sky..."
...
As an ace pilot who had flown fighter jets for many years,
Zhang Weimin's understanding of air force-related knowledge far surpassed that of ordinary people.
As the Qiongzhou Strait was crossed, the sparkling ocean surface was soon to be left behind.
The Phantom-class mech, set to "professional" mode, under Zhang Weimin's fine adjustments, gradually descended in altitude.
The Great Xia Kingdom's air traffic control regulations state—
for airspace below 120 meters, and in no-fly zones such as military bases and government prisons, flight path applications are not required.
The reason was simple.
For aircraft, a ground clearance of 120 meters is considered extremely low-altitude flight.
Military jets, often weighing tens of tons and capable of subsonic, sonic, or even supersonic speeds, flying in such low airspace, even a small stone, a fallen leaf, a plastic bag caught by the wind, or a bird the size of a fist, if encountered, could cause a severe flight accident.
Minimally, the aircraft would be seriously damaged; critically, the jet would crash and the pilot would perish.
Therefore, countries worldwide, including the Great Xia Kingdom, strictly prohibited civilian and military aircraft from flying at low altitudes... Of course, even novices who had just obtained their civilian pilot licenses would voluntarily abide by this prohibition.
Even seasoned aerial combat veterans like Zhang Weimin, when showcasing their flying skills at air shows, would only perform brief low-altitude flights below 120 meters before quickly ascending.
However,
this time was different.
To reach the J Province Air Force Base as quickly as possible, and simultaneously avoid the radar scans above 120 meters along the route,
Zhang Weimin had to fly at extremely low altitudes, skimming the ground for the entire journey.
After all,
applying for an air route would take at least three to five days to process.
Furthermore, even if he wasn't in a hurry to deliver the Phantom-class powered mech to the J Province Air Force Base and had ample time to apply for an air route, he wouldn't be able to!
Pray tell,
what kind of aircraft was the Phantom-class powered mech produced by Huarong Industry?
A civilian airliner?
A military fighter jet?
A high-altitude reconnaissance drone?
After careful consideration,
Zhang Weimin decided to opt for a low-altitude, ground-skimming flight for the entire journey.
For altitudes below 120 meters, the Great Xia Kingdom officially defaults to reserving this space for civilian drones with remote controls; the military and government pay no mind to it!
...
Fortunately, the Phantom-class powered mech is equipped with a high-luminosity visual warning module.
Flying in "professional" mode, Zhang Weimin, piloting the Phantom-class mech, narrowly avoided hundreds of high-speed bird strikes, falling stones, and other obstacles.
At this point,
Zhang Weimin, having entered the coastal airspace of the Great Xia Kingdom, was less than halfway to his destination.
...
A certain coastal base.
Radar monitoring unit.
Several dutiful technical sergeants, upholding their responsibilities, were meticulously watching the radar display screen.
Huh?
What's going on?
Is the radar malfunctioning?
The technical sergeant with the highest rank quickly recorded the anomalous situation displayed on the radar feedback and reported it to his department head.
"Lieutenant Colonel!"
"Our radar has detected strange unknown fluctuations."
"Whether it's excessive radar sensitivity, a mechanical malfunction, or an actual enemy incursion... please review and decide!"
What?
Enemy incursion?
Impossible.
As the world's second-largest military power, which foolish nation would dare to provoke the Great Xia Kingdom?
The lieutenant colonel took the report and carefully examined the fluctuations recorded by the radar.
This?
Impossible!
Based on the fluctuations recorded by the radar,
it was a flying object less than four meters long. Its shape did not match any known type of fighter jet.
Moreover,
even if we assume it to be an unknown new model of fighter jet from some country, its speed is also incorrect.
Small flying machines under four meters are mostly civilian single-seater propeller-driven fixed-wing aircraft.
These old-fashioned civilian fixed-wing aircraft, relying on propellers for thrust and lift, typically have speeds around 300 km/h... which is about a quarter of the speed of sound.
However, the radar feedback indicated that
this suspected single-seater propeller-driven fixed-wing aircraft's speed had exceeded 2 Mach!
A single-seater propeller-driven fixed-wing aircraft traveling at twice the speed of sound?
What kind of monstrous aberration is this?!