Chapter 001: The Wings Have Hardened

Soon, the waiting Iveco picked them up and took them to the Air Force Command of the Military Region, where they completed the necessary procedures just before the end of the workday. They then rushed to catch a train, and after a bumpy ride of more than seven hours, they disembarked.

A novice with two third-class merits is not an ordinary novice

The atmospheric pressure is 760 millimeters of mercury.

It was just yesterday's anomaly that left Li Zhan in low spirits, filled with unease.

The lens freezes, capturing the final photograph of him and the No. 37 aircraft, which he has accompanied for a year, in the winter days of the northern country

As they watched Li Zhan's figure gradually recede, the two new trainees simultaneously saluted him from a distance

The training base has maintained top-notch performance throughout the year of training

This is the briefing room, where Li Zhan sits in the position he has occupied for a year, facing the window and gazing at the flight area. Dressed in a winter flight suit, the black flight jacket appears somewhat bulky but is very warm. The white flight helmet rests on his right thigh, with his right hand pressing down on it, and the red five-pointed star in the center of the helmet glimmers in the sunlight.

"I have some news to share with you. Following the 44th Division of the Northern Air Force, the Northern Air Command will soon be upgrading to domestically produced new fighter jets, which you may have heard of, the J-10. If you stay, you will have the opportunity to be among the first in your group of trainees to pilot the new domestic fighter jets. Haven't you always longed to soar through the blue skies in a domestically produced fighter jet?" Chen Zhengwei said in a solemn tone

Wasn't the self from a year ago also like this

"I want to take a photo with the war eagle and send it back home!" exclaimed the new recruit, Jia.

For the past five years, has not his goal been to pilot the legendary "Villain" J-10 soaring through the blue skies

Walking along the taxiway in front of the arched hangar, Li Zhan was dressed in combat attire, holding his flight helmet in his right hand, striding forward with his head held high, yet feeling a mix of anxiety and disappointment in his heart. He stopped in front of Hangar No. 3. Two new trainees were posing for photos at the nose of the J-7 trainer aircraft No. 37.

The basic air combat training subjects were completed first

The student who was taking a photo with a thumbs-up saw Li Zhan and was filled with surprise. He quickly tugged at the student who was fiddling with the camera, and they both ran over together, standing at attention and saluting.

Treat her well

Li Zhan quickly regained his composure, feeling a bit embarrassed and blushing, "Yes, I understand"

Meanwhile, the atmosphere in the office of the political commissar of the base headquarters is charged with tension. Commissar Chen stands behind the desk with his hands clasped, his expression grim. He is facing an Air Force colonel who is seated calmly, wearing a gentle smile. The oppressive atmosphere stems from Commissar Chen.

A warrior vehicle picked them up and drove for two hours, entering the urban area of Xixian County. Accompanying Li Zhan was a major, who was sitting in the passenger seat. He turned to Li Zhan and said, "Comrade Li Zhan, we will arrive at our destination in just over ten minutes."

The journey has been incredibly arduous, yet reflecting on it now brings a smile to my lips. After numerous rounds of eliminations, I have finally obtained the "pre-flight certificate," which is indeed a cause for celebration. Among the cohort of candidates for flight recruitment, many were eliminated along the way for various reasons and transitioned to ground handling specialties. Only a small portion managed to reach the end, which underscores the difficulty of this process. Among the cohort of candidates for flight recruitment, many were eliminated along the way for various reasons and transitioned to ground handling specialties. Only a small portion managed to reach the end, which underscores the difficulty of this process

"You have also seen it, in the honor room of the base, his photo is hung on the wall of honor," said New Cadet A in a deep voice.

Just last week, the training base awarded Li Zhanji a third-class merit

Because Li Zhan is the most outstanding among the trainees in this session

"You speak more sweetly than you sing. He is a local born and raised in the western county where your second division's headquarters is located; who wouldn't want to serve close to home? Asking for his opinion? Just look at that generous and selfless facade of yours," Commissar Chen said, pointing at Fang Chenghe's nose in anger

For this reason, the Second Division, like the Third Division, is essentially unlikely to be prioritized for the modification of the J-10 fighter.

The new recruit B stared at the one-point-three on Li Zhan's shoulder, then looked at his own red shoulder insignia, his eyes filled with envy, and said, "Senior Brother, let's take a photo with the Battle Eagle before we leave!"

"Political Commissar, I want to go to Guangkong." Li Zhan made his decision instantly

The fellow trainees left the training base yesterday, heading to various combat units. In a few months, they will become fighter pilots capable of independently flying combat aircraft to carry out missions. However, his name was conspicuously absent; the political commissar of the base summoned him to the briefing room today

There is no doubt that this method is effective for Li Zhan. The leaders are well aware that Li Zhan, as a trainee, has a very strong desire for domestically produced new fighter jets. When he applied for the recruitment of pilots, during the report on his motivation for joining the military, Li Zhan candidly stated that it was precisely the news of the successful maiden flight of the domestically produced new fighter jet that inspired him.

In the distance, one can see the flat flight area, the main runway, the taxiway, the emergency landing strip, the parallel road, and further away, the neatly arranged trees that have completely shed their leaves.

... ...

The first takeoff and landing can be described as perfect

You are fortunate, at least you have the opportunity to serve right at your doorstep. In your local terms, this is referred to as bringing honor to your ancestors said Zhang Wei with a smile

He slowly raised his hand to salute the war eagle, and Li Zhanqiang, suppressing the bitterness in his nose, softly said, "Old buddy, take care."

The new student nodded excitedly and said, "Yes! Senior brother!"

Commissioner Chen strode in, and Li Zhan stood up, turned his body, and saluted.

"Fang Dama Zi, I will speak frankly with you. This soldier has already been reserved by Beikong, and their receiving officer is living right next to you. In everything, there should be a principle of first come, first served. You Guangkong should not be too barbaric!" Commissar Chen, in a fit of anger, pointed at Fang Chenghe, whose face was covered with large pimples, and shouted.

I reviewed your profile; your hometown is in Xi County, Nankang, where the elite 2nd Division of the Air Force is stationed. However, if you remain in Beikong, you will have the opportunity to engage with domestically produced new fighter jets. " Comrade Chen said in a deep voice, "The Party Committee of the academy and the Party Committee of the training base have deliberated extensively and ultimately decided to seek your opinion.

Who would be willing to let go of such a talented individual

"No problem, I will wait for you at the guesthouse to bring the people and the paperwork over," Fang Chenghe said confidently, saluting Commissioner Chen before leaving decisively.

Li Zhan felt angry and thought to himself, "If I had known, I would have become a political commissar. 'Report, I don't know!'"

After two years of preparatory school and two years at the flight academy, I graduated and arrived at this training base, where I have flown for a whole year. Finally, my wings have become strong. As I prepare to leave, a sense of inevitable sadness washes over me, making it hard to part. On a winter morning, the sunlight is still quite pleasant, yet my mood remains anything but cheerful

Commissioner Chen stated, "You must make a decision now. Whether to stay or leave, you must depart from the base this afternoon"

Zhang Wei chuckled and fell silent.

Li Zhan was suddenly taken aback, "The south? Guangkong?"

Undoubtedly, being caught in the middle is the most difficult position. On the other hand, since the training base is located in the north, although it is directly under the Air Force Headquarters, it often requires the support of the local military district, which naturally leans towards the Northern Air Force. You, Guang Air, are two thousand kilometers away; even if you were the first to arrive, you would still have to wait on the sidelines.

He was a young man with a chiseled face, beneath his sword-like eyebrows were a pair of bright, piercing eyes, and his tightly pressed lips indicated that his entire body was in a state of readiness

"Please take a seat," Commissar Chen gestured towards Li Zhan, who stood there with his hands behind his back, scrutinizing Li Zhan. "Do you know why you were kept here alone?"

He heard some rumors that the Second Division would soon be transforming into a rogue unit. Often, rumors are more timely and accurate. He has his own judgment; a batch of 24 SU-27SK aircraft purchased from the former Soviet Union was given to the Third Division in Wuhu. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, another 24 aircraft were purchased from Russia, and the technology was also acquired back. This batch of SU-27SK was given to the Second Division

Li Zhan opened his mouth and smiled, his white teeth contrasting sharply with his darkened face, which appeared darker due to the higher exposure to ultraviolet rays than that of an average person

Commissioner Chen turned around, cast a cold glance at Fang Chenghe, and said in a deep voice, "Give me an hour, I will have a talk with him"

However, Fang Chenghe merely took Li Zhan to the airport and handed him over to the waiting staff there, and in the blink of an eye, he disappeared without a trace. Li Zhan didn't even have the chance to exchange more than a few words with his future superior.

He felt a surge of anger again, picked up the documents on the table and threw them down, saying, "Except for Li Zhan, you can choose anyone in here, and I guarantee I will handle the paperwork for you without a second word"

It turns out that these two individuals were senior and junior students at the same academy, with Commissioner Chen being one grade higher than Fang Chenghe. Both of them attended Peking University for their preparatory studies. In fact, their experiences over the first fifteen years were quite similar, after which Commissioner Chen transitioned from a military position to a political work position

Li Zhan's mood improved slightly; even if he were assigned to the other two regiments, the distance from home would still be much closer than the more than 2,000 kilometers to Beikong.

Is a mere novice worth such attention

The graduation assessment score was twenty points ahead of the second place

Having been away from home for five years, he has only visited his parents once during this time. The guilt that Li Zhan feels towards his parents has accumulated over the years, making it impossible for him to find peace of mind

Hmm. Commissioner Chen nodded slightly

He looks forward to being able to stay in Xixian, not only making "going home on weekends" a possibility, but also being able to fly the SU-27—flying the SU-27 is certainly much better than flying those old models like the J-8 and J-7.

Li Zhan said, "Political Commissar, my younger brother is attending university in another province, and my sister is married. Our parents are not in good health, and there is no one at home to take care of them. By coming to Guangkong, I can be closer to home."

This took Commissioner Chen by surprise, and his expression turned rather unfavorable

A very good flying day

Fang Chenghe slowly retracted his smile and let out a deep sigh, "Brother, times are changing. Reforming the current training model is inevitable, and the determination from above is also significant. Rather than allowing the top talents to remain in the background, it is better to place them in the forefront to exert a greater influence. As for Liu the madman, he can hardly take care of himself, so do not let him worry about this unnecessary matter."

Li Zhan found himself in deep entanglement

In the final confrontation assessment, he successively defeated three instructors

He does not know what has happened

Wind direction 170 degrees, wind speed 3 meters per second

Li Zhan instinctively said, "I know"

The two new trainees stood in solemn respect, gazing at the No. 37 War Eagle

Thus, a very clear signal emerges from this situation—Guang Kong's demand for personnel is imperative, unless the trainees themselves raise objections. In that case, the academy and the base can seize upon the principle that "trainees are generally not assigned back to their original units" as a reason to refuse Guang Kong's request

He understands the feeling of being unable to enter his own home. If it were him, the performance would not be much better.

Commissioner Chen let out a deep sigh, turned to look out the window, and after a long silence, said with emotion, "The roots of the old flight school are so few; you take a little, he takes a little, and I cannot keep anyone. Before Liu the madman left, he instructed to keep Li Zhan, as he has great potential to become an excellent instructor. Over more than twenty years since the transition to the flight training base, only seven individuals have entered the Air Force talent pool, and Li Zhan is the seventh. I want to keep him, but unfortunately, I lack the ability to do so."

Li Zhan had already been awarded a third-class merit while at the Flight Academy

The briefing room also serves as the standby duty room, and it is the last stop for pilots before their flights. Here, they receive their assignments, gather their respective equipment, and either take a shuttle to the boarding area or run directly to board, followed by takeoff, rushing towards the training airspace or mission airspace.

Li Zhan was extremely agitated in the scene, and he kept trying to control himself. However, when the warrior vehicle passed by his doorstep, he could no longer hold back, and tears streamed down his face. He wiped his tears haphazardly, his voice choked with emotion, "Chief Zhang, I am from Xixian. It just passed by my home."

Li Zhan returned the courtesy, his gaze shifting from the body of No. 37 to the two new trainees, who were full of excitement and had flushed faces, and asked, "What are you doing?"

Both the academy and the training base have a say in the direction of the trainees

The sky is clear for thousands of miles, the sun is just right, with few clouds.

"The south side is calling for you," Commissar Chen said, "but I still want to hear your opinion"

Major Zhang Wei, the staff officer, was taken aback for a moment. He raised his wrist to check the time, and his expression dimmed. With an apologetic tone, he said, "There are only half an hour left until the reporting time, so you cannot return for the time being. If you stay in Xixian, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future. You can apply to go home and visit on weekends."

Finally, he made such a decision— the J-10 cannot run, but his parents are increasingly aging

The JiaoJiao 7's twin aircraft formation soared past at high speed. Although it did not exceed the speed of sound, the sharp roar produced by the WP-7B jet engine operating at full load still caused discomfort to the ears

Fang Chenghe appeared to be quite confident as he spoke in a gentle tone, "Old Chen, if I did not have this confidence, I would not be sitting here chatting with you for so long. This soldier, I must take him away; if I cannot take him, no one else can. Of course, unless he has his own thoughts. If he is very determined not to go to Guangkong, I will not force him. The Second Division does not want soldiers who are indecisive." If he is very determined not to go to Guangkong, I will not force him. The Second Division does not want soldiers who are indecisive.

It is also quite rare to achieve a third-class merit based solely on military training before being deployed to the troops

Li Zhan packed his luggage and completed the formalities, after which Commissioner Chen handed him the transfer order. In the end, Commissioner Chen did not personally take anyone to Fang Chenghe; he found Fang Chenghe to be bothersome.

After a long while, he let out a light sigh and said, "Indeed, it is difficult to balance loyalty and filial piety. Enough, enough. Although I can understand, I must say, you have grown wings. Go ahead, pack your things and find Fang Chenghe, the Deputy Chief of Staff, at the guesthouse. Go with him."

Worth it

"Chief of Staff Fang! Your behavior puts me in a difficult position!" Commissar Chen glared at the Air Force colonel, "Your Second Division is so impressive, why do you have to come here to poach my soldiers?"

Li Zhan understood that, in principle, trainees would not be assigned to their place of origin. This regulation is the same across other military branches and has been in place for decades. The leadership did not have concerns because of this; rather, they were reminding Li Zhan that he was a pilot trained in the north and hoped he would take the initiative to request to stay in the north

Going to the Guangkong Conference is very close to home, and it is possible that he could be assigned to the base of the 2nd Division, which is only a dozen kilometers away from home. However, this would mean that the days of meeting with the villain would become indefinitely distant

Looking at these two radiant smiles, Li Zhan felt an inexplicable tightness in his heart

"Report! I never enter the briefing room in non-combat attire!" Li Zhan replied

On one side is home, and on the other side is the goal that has supported him for the past five years; he finds it difficult to make a choice.

The new student B asked, "Do you know him?"

"Like Liu the madman, they are all stubborn mules!"

Do you know? The major was somewhat surprised

From their eyes, there is no sign of regard. Li Zhan said solemnly, "She has served for fifteen years, training one hundred and one pilots, among whom are seven generals and seven martyrs. Remember, she is a meritorious figure"

"Alright." Li Zhan agreed and walked to stand in front of the head of machine number 37

The Chief of Staff of the Second Division, Fang Chenghe, smiled and pressed his hand down, saying, "Senior brother, Chen senior brother, there is no need to rush, please have a seat, sit down first."

The first order is placed for independent flight

Moreover, Li Zhan is the seventh trainee in the history of this training base to be selected for the Air Force Talent Pool before graduation in several decades

Commissioner Chen fell silent

In response, Commissioner Chen said, "You no longer have any training tasks, so why are you in combat attire?"

A CJ-6 trainer aircraft flew across the airfield, and Li Zhan's gaze followed it until it disappeared into the distance, watching it slowly ascend in altitude, quickly becoming a small dot, until it was barely visible.

In the end, I was unable to fly again at the training base

Senior brother

Fang Chenghe glanced at the time, stood up, and said with a serious expression, "Of course I will investigate and understand all the circumstances. My friend, I must take the person away today"

Novices ascend to the skies, while veterans engage in their final revelry

The day when he encounters the villain and rides it will be near. Even if the political commissar does not say anything, Li Zhan can roughly guess the situation. He knows that with his achievements, he will definitely be assigned to the ace unit. Clearly, the ace unit will be the first to modify the villain.

Between words lies a sense of helplessness and desolation

The temperature is 12 degrees Celsius

Fang Chenghe said, "Senior brother, I will not hide it from you. Before I came here, the leader specifically named this soldier. Everything else is negotiable, but this Li Zhan, I must take with me"

The Boeing 737 swiftly carried them away from the northern land, landing at Guangzhou International Airport two and a half hours later. He didn't even have time to inform his classmates about the changes.