Chapter 007: Celebrities of the Second Master

Comparing oneself to others can lead to feelings of inadequacy and despair

The seating arrangement for the cadres in the Second Division is quite interesting. Apart from the leaders on the podium, the cadres below are not seated according to their official ranks, but rather according to their combat formations. It is said that this is a rule set by the commanding officer. For instance, according to the requirements of the twin aircraft formation, Li Zhan is the wingman of Nie Jianfeng, and therefore he is seated to his right.

So that's how it is. Li Zhan suddenly realized.

At this moment, Li Zhan basically understood that Zhang Xueyang regarded him as his number one rival, which explained the words spoken on the playground. On the very first day, he had unintentionally established a competitor; it was uncertain whether this was a good thing or a bad thing

Li Zhan was utterly perplexed by the nonsensical remarks, and upon checking the time, he decided to leave the playground

Li Zhan smiled as he slowly smoked a cigarette

At this time, it is after dinner. Next to the pilots' dining hall is the officers' activity center. After dinner, the pilots can entertain themselves here, play cards, watch television, or have some tea and chat to exchange training experiences. Of course, there are also karaoke rooms, where singing can be organized during holidays. Essentially, all the necessary recreational facilities are available, including a gym.

Smiling and waving his hand, he signaled Li Zhan to walk slowly side by side. Zhang Xueyang said, "I am not any high-ranking official, just someone who arrived at the 2nd Division two years earlier than you. You have become a celebrity; there is no one in the 2nd Division who does not know you."

Li Zhan asked with a smile, "Squadron Leader, when was the J-7E model of the 4th Regiment modified?"

However, for him, these are nothing. During his time at the training base, the air situation in the East China Sea that he and his mentor dealt with was far more intense than this. If it were not for such experiences and his outstanding performance, how could a mere rookie like him have the qualifications to join the Air Force talent pool

Li Zhan did not see the division commander, but he noticed that others seemed to have become accustomed to it.

Nie Jianfeng suddenly remembered something and realized, "I forgot, you entered the Air Force Talent Pool and flew the J-7 with great skill."

Seeing Li Zhan's desolate appearance, Nie Jianfeng patted him on the shoulder and said, "There are gains and losses. Besides, we will soon retrofit the J-11, a brand new domestically produced model, which cannot be compared to those old fellows from the Sixth Regiment"

"Squadron Leader, you have misunderstood," Li Zhan quickly waved his hand and said, "That is not what I meant. Among our group of trainees, half of them can quickly pilot the third-generation aircraft."

At this moment, Li Zhan and Nie Jianfeng were in the tea room, watching the news while sipping tea and chatting.

Others may not know what this means, but he is very clear about it. Thus, he understands why there are so many single cadres in the regiment! Even Deputy Commander Yu Chenglin has not yet married, and he is already thirty-five years old

Upon realizing that the lifespan of an aircraft is measured in hours, Li Zhan nodded in agreement and said, "So, Zhang Xueyang was specially recruited; he must have had a pilot's license before enlisting, right?"

Zhang Xueyang? That rich young man? It must be Zhang Xueyang from the 6th Regiment, I know him, not just me, but all the officers and soldiers in the entire division know him. A second-generation rich kid, very wealthy, his flying skills are among the best in the division, and he is one of the top pilots in the 6th Regiment. He was promoted ahead of schedule last year and is now a major. Oh, he and I are from the same year." Nie Jianfeng said with a hint of envy, feeling somewhat sour.

Ultimately, it is because the headquarters of the Second Division is located here

I know that as soon as you arrived, you single-handedly dealt with the simulation of unidentified aerial situations, impressing the Hainan Airlines simulation blue army. " Zhang Xueyang said with a smile, his eyes sharp and confident, "You are the first in all these years.

Li Zhan said, "Yes. The development direction of the J-10 is towards becoming a multirole fighter, taking into account ground attack capabilities, while the J-11 is primarily tasked with achieving air superiority. I still prefer the rogue, hehe."

Returning the salute, Li Zhan said, "Li Zhan from the 7th Squad of the 3rd Brigade, greetings, Commander"

Are you Li Zhan

"Very wealthy," Nie Jianfeng said in a low voice. "Do you know what his father does? He runs a flight school, a flying club, with his own airport and several planes. Sigh, this is what true wealth looks like; buying a plane is as easy as buying groceries. Those who play with luxury cars and yachts are simply pathetic in comparison."

The result has led to a peculiar situation—one division of the Air Force has two regiments stationed in the southern region, while another regiment is located over 2,000 kilometers away in the northeast

After returning to the dormitory and taking a shower, he put on his spring and autumn uniform and a wide-brimmed hat. When the assembly whistle sounded, Li Zhan ran downstairs. All the single cadres of the Fourth Regiment lived in this area. Organized by battalion, each department completed roll call and boarded the commuter bus in an orderly manner, heading towards the auditorium.

"Unofficial nickname? Isn't it just the Raptors? It's already spread online," Nie Jianfeng said with a smile. "Now our fighter jets' nicknames are actually being given by netizens."

Nie Jianfeng stated, "No matter how expensive, can anything surpass the cost of an aircraft? Not only are there helicopters, but there are also fixed-wing aircraft, and it seems that there is a collaboration with the Civil Aviation Administration. It is a designated institution for learning to fly and obtaining a pilot's license. As for aircraft, you should be aware that the high costs are primarily due to daily maintenance and upkeep"

This year, the only pilot who has directly entered the combat unit is you. Just look at those rows behind you; it will take at least another two months for them to be ready for solo flights. In the meantime, while waiting for the arrival of the division commander, Nie Jianfeng said to Li Zhan, "Strictly speaking, they cannot yet be considered pilots; at most, they can be regarded as flight trainees."

With a smile and a wave of her hand, Zhang Xueyang ran away with her long legs

Li Zhan smacked his lips and said, "Are you very wealthy?"

Zhang Xueyang pointed at Li Zhan and said, "You are quite impressive, but you need to keep up the good work. I look forward to seeing you catch up."

Li Zhanqing is fortunate that the Xixian station is very close to the county town, and it takes only half an hour by car to get home. Nevertheless, for the pilots, time spent with their wives and children is limited. Once the troops enter a peak training period, the accompanying family members must adhere to strict management. Even at the station, it is common for children to be unable to see their fathers.

With about an hour left until the evening shift change, he decided to stretch his legs and ran to the playground to start jogging. There was a feeling of heaviness in his chest, still uncomfortable. For other trainees, having just joined the unit, to fly solo and directly participate in combat readiness duty, and successfully handle an unidentified air situation when the long-range aircraft encountered a malfunction and had to return, is something to be proud of, a resounding achievement. For other trainees, having just joined the unit, to fly solo and directly participate in combat readiness duty, and successfully handle an unidentified air situation when the long-range aircraft encountered a malfunction and had to return, is something to be proud of, a resounding achievement.

Nevertheless, for some remote stations, it remains an intimidating destination

Recalling Zhang Xueyang, who exuded an air of superiority, Li Zhan quietly asked, "Team Leader Nie, do you know Zhang Xueyang?"

Li Zhan quickly familiarized himself with the situation. Compared to the flight training base, the atmosphere here was somewhat more intense, and the flight missions were more demanding. He soon learned that, in addition to regular training, the Second Division was actually the primary combat-ready division in the southern region.

The yacht is quite expensive as well. Li Zhan couldn't help but mention this, recalling the plot of an online novel where characters effortlessly made billions in just a few months.

Patting Li Zhan on the shoulder, Nie Jianfeng said, "Excessive humility is just self-satisfaction"

Why should I chase after you? I am not into that.

As the two individuals conversed, shortly thereafter, the commanding officers took their seats one after another, while the images from several other stations were transmitted in real-time and projected onto the walls on either side.

Nie Jianfeng was taken aback, recalling the few "sticks" between the intake and the fuselage of the J-10 fighter jet. He then burst into laughter, saying, "Villain, that name... good! It fits perfectly!"

"There is no time, I haven't taken a vacation in two years," Nie Jianfeng said with a bitter smile to Li Zhan

Li Zhan stood up and said, "This year marks the fifth year. Do you think the higher-ups will quickly provide us with the upgrade to the third-generation aircraft? I will go exercise and work up a sweat."

Talent is indeed very important. Li Zhan seemed to ponder this deeply and resonated with the sentiment

Today we have moved to a new location and will stay for a year. You may not know this, but the two divisions have to relocate for training once a year. Didn't your fourth regiment send a group of people to eastern Guangdong?

Li Zhan smiled and said, "Fortunately, my home is in Xixian, so I can go back on the weekends."

After more than an hour of weightlifting, Li Zhan still felt unsatisfied

"You are also very talented," said Nie Jianfeng

Nie Jianfeng stood there in a daze, quickly understanding Li Zhan's meaning, and couldn't help but curse, "Damn it, you little brat, why do you have to bring up that which should not be mentioned!"

As his words fell, he could not help but feel uneasy within himself. First, there was Zhang Xueyang, and now another one, Li Zhan, each more talented than the last. This top ace of the Fourth Regiment found his ambition to join the ranks of the first echelon pilots of the entire division increasingly difficult.

He changed his tone and said, "However, the villain is ultimately a medium fighter, while the J-11 is a heavy air superiority fighter, which are completely in different categories. Our military equips both the J-10 and the J-11, precisely for the consideration of using a combination of high and low tier aircraft."

Li Zhan said, "This is probably the only benefit of coming to the Second Division. If I had stayed in the Northern District, I should have been able to quickly fly the J-10."

Li Zhan had heard from his master that a few years ago, a unit in the Northern Air Force was reorganized, and a J-7 regiment was assigned to the Guangzhou Air Force. From the Northeast to the southern mainland, from the Bai Mountains and Black Waters to the economically developed frontiers, this should have been a good thing. However, once it was known that the assigned airfield was located in the mountainous region of eastern Guangdong, living conditions deteriorated sharply, and the families of the regiment's officers were unwilling to relocate, no matter how much persuasion was offered.

Specifically, Xixian Airport is merely the name used by the local populace; internally, it is referred to as Xixian Air Station, which is at the deputy division level, a high rank. Consequently, there are rumors in the community that this is the second largest air force airport in the country. During the counter-offensive against Vietnam, this was a frontline airport, and thus its rank and specifications have continued to this day

Li Zhan smiled, unsure of what to say, so he simply changed the topic, "Is the Sixth Regiment not in Guizhou Province?"

"Are you a local?" Nie Jianfeng was astonished, "You are so lucky."

No," Li Zhan said, "the unofficial nickname is 'Rascal', where 'rascal' means 'evil' and 'stick'.

Li Zhan shook his head and said, "To be honest, I am not very fond of Sukhoi's fighter jets; I prefer the J-10. When I applied to become a pilot, it was specifically for the J-10. I especially like its unofficial nickname; it really appeals to me!"

With this thought, Li Zhan felt somewhat balanced in his heart. The frustration stemming from missing out on the J-10 gradually disappeared with the intense running. Furthermore, one must give up something to gain something; choosing to come to the Air Force at that time meant giving up an early 'appointment' with the 'villain'

"You brat." Nie Jianfeng shook his head helplessly, "Li Zhan, you don't need to feel disheartened. There are only a few units that have upgraded to the third-generation aircraft, and our Second Division is one of them. Many other units are still using second-generation aircraft. Take the J-7 for example; our Fourth Regiment is still using the E model, which can conduct night operations and fire PL-5 missiles. This is the latest model equipped in bulk for the units. Other divisions and reconnaissance units are still using versions from over a decade ago, and in the western region, there are still a bunch of daytime dogfight models."

Someone was calling from behind. Li Zhan stopped in his tracks and turned to look. A tall and handsome young man, dressed in branded sportswear, approached with a smile, raised his hand in salute, and said, "Zhang Xueyang, Captain of the First Squad, First Brigade, Sixth Regiment"

Li Zhan said softly, "Captain, at the training base, I merely have more flying opportunities than others. Perhaps someone else with the same amount of opportunities could perform even better than I do"

Li Zhan, there is a saying, how does it go, being overly modest is also a form of complacency, Nie Jianfeng said with a smile

Tonight, a major handover meeting will be held, attended by all the cadres of the school. This is also the last handover meeting of the year, carrying the significance of summarizing a year's work, thus it is of great importance. Therefore, all cadres are required to attend the handover meeting

Nie Jianfeng gave a thumbs up, "You guessed it. That's right, he obtained his pilot's license for fixed-wing aircraft before the age of twenty-two, worked as an instructor at his father's flying club for two years, and was later specially recruited into the military, directly becoming a captain and transitioning to the Su-27. It is said that one would typically be promoted to major after two years, but he is impressive and was promoted ahead of schedule. One cannot help but admire him; that kid is quite talented." It is said that one would typically be promoted to major after two years, but he is impressive and was promoted ahead of schedule. One cannot help but admire him; that kid is quite talented.

The duty officer organized the formation to report to Colonel Qi Hong, the political commissar of the division. The handover meeting was presided over by Colonel Fang Chenghe, the chief of staff of the division, who announced the commencement of the last handover meeting of the year

He walked towards the gym after finishing his words

Li Zhanyi, recalling the somewhat difficult economic conditions at home, couldn't help but feel a bit inferior. With a bitter smile, he shook his head and said, "I may just have put in a bit more effort than others"

Shrugging his shoulders, Nie Jianfeng smiled and said, "So, you can rest assured. It is only a matter of time before we develop the third-generation fighter jets, and it will be sooner rather than later"

Li Zhan was surprised and said, "I arrived at the Second Division today"

On the runway, there are only a few people jogging leisurely. Some family members are accompanied by children, while elderly men and women gather together to exercise. Many years ago, the station was like a small independent society, equipped with complete basic service facilities. Larger stations even had their own secondary schools. After several rounds of reform, the children of military personnel were uniformly placed in local schools for education, and all other separable living services were handed over to the local authorities

"What happened in 2003?" Nie Jianfeng asked