You're Trying to Reach the Heavens!

"Just as expected. Aside from the materials and the newly replaced communications module having relatively strong attributes, the rest were pretty poor—especially the speed."

Looking at the attributes of this turbojet model aircraft, Chen Yi sighed inwardly.

He had assembled this turbojet model aircraft two months ago when he had been preparing to change directions. Its shell had been stamped from the best aerospace titanium alloy he could obtain through connections.

But the turbojet engine was simply too outdated. Chen Yi had neither the channels nor the technical expertise to improve it. Once assembled, the turbojet model was slower even than ordinary ducted-fan models, and he had ultimately declared his transition a failure.

After all, when it came to model aircraft, the biggest reason for switching from ducted fans to turbojets—besides the more exhilarating roar of jet exhaust—was that turbojet models were faster and could perform more flight maneuvers.

A turbojet model aircraft with the speed of an elderly relic.

Unless all his customers had gone insane, nobody would buy it.

"Xiaoyu, watch the shop. I'm taking this upstairs to modify it."

After giving the instruction, Chen Yi grabbed some parts and carried the model aircraft, which weighed over seventy pounds, up to the second floor.

"The most important attribute of a turbojet model is speed. When livestreaming or recording videos, speed is also the most shocking and intuitive thing to show.

"With 2,689 consciousness waves, I'll keep 400 in reserve. That leaves me with 11 attribute points to adjust.

"No need to think about it. Most of them should go toward increasing speed.

"If it can produce a sonic boom cloud, I'll make a fortune just selling engine modules!"

Chen Yi studied the model aircraft's attributes, then decided to take 4 points from appearance out of the 11 points.

This time, speed was his main selling point. It did not matter whether it looked good or not; raw brutality was a man's theme.

Then he took another 5 attribute points from the material—or rather, strength.

The model aircraft was currently made from aerospace titanium alloy.

He had only managed to get some scraps of that material through connections before stamping them into this aircraft shell.

Using top-tier aerospace materials to build a model plane was far too extravagant. Its attribute value was clearly excessive.

By removing 5 points and leaving it at 9.4, it would be enough for the model aircraft to make a few flights.

For the last two points, Chen Yi planned to squeeze them out of the communications module.

The communications module installed this time cost several thousand yuan each. Supposedly, as long as the ground antenna was properly set up, communication would remain smooth even if the model aircraft flew into space.

Its 12.5 attribute value would still be sufficient after reducing it by two points to 10.5.

As for energy, stability, radar, avionics, and the rest—

Energy determined how far and how high the model aircraft could fly. Stability determined whether it could fly at all. Avionics represented control over the aircraft, while radar imaging determined the quality of first-person-view footage.

If this flight was going to become an instant hit, none of those could be reduced.

After confirming the adjustment plan, Chen Yi got to work.

Whoosh!

Seven-colored light bloomed across the model aircraft's surface.

Its originally sleek, glossy shell instantly turned dull and grayish white, eventually becoming a layer of gray steel.

The steel surface was covered in bizarre weld marks, along with uneven, warped dents and pits.

It looked less like an industrial product and more like something hammered out by a seventy-year-old village blacksmith with failing eyesight.

Chen Yi examined the model aircraft before him. It had grown much larger, with a wingspan exceeding one meter and more streamlined proportions, but its appearance had become hideously ugly.

"These weld marks and dents are ugly, sure, but they seem to fit certain aerodynamic configurations."

Chen Yi lifted the model aircraft by its tail, revealing two engine nozzles in completely different styles.

Their dark gold surfaces, rings of quenched patterns, and more than three layers of mechanical interlocking structures all told anyone who looked at them—

These were two engines capable of independently adjusting their nozzle diameters, packed with high technology and absolutely no gimmicks.

[Item: Fixed-Wing Model Aircraft Drone]

[Attributes: Energy x7.3, Speed x13.8, Stability x4.9, Strength x9.4, Communications x10.5, Radar Imaging x6.1, Avionics x8.7, Appearance x2.1]

[Consciousness Waves: 489]

[Adjustable Attributes: 0]

[One attribute has exceeded its initial value. Would you like to read the information? Yes/No!]

[Note: This is a boldly designed, shockingly ugly model aircraft drone that combines the characteristics of turbojets and ramjets.

If you can fill it with oxidizer, perhaps it can bring you a few other surprises!]

"Holy shit, oxidizer. Can this thing really fly into space?"

Seeing the note about adding oxidizer, Chen Yi could not help opening the model aircraft's fuel compartment.

Sure enough, besides a kerosene filling port, there was another port resembling the hydrogen refueling port on a hydrogen-powered car.

Clearly, that port was specifically for filling oxidizer.

"You really are trying to reach the heavens, huh? But can these materials and this structure handle it?"

Chen Yi looked at the model aircraft's remaining 9.4 strength attribute and its mere 4.9 stability attribute.

Though he was not a professional, he understood that for anything meant to enter space, material strength and structural design were crucial.

Whether it was Big Brother's rockets exploding in the past or the several failed launches of Long March 5, both had been related to material strength and structural design.

"Whatever. Later, I'll find a construction site that uses acetylene and fill it with some oxygen. Then I'll fly it out toward the ocean. Even if it fails, it won't hit anyone. I'll treat it like setting off fireworks."

"It has a first-person-view camera installed. As long as it can show off how badass the engine is, that'll be enough!"

After pondering for a while, Chen Yi simply stopped thinking about it and read the information related to the model aircraft's speed.

Boom! Countless pieces of information flooded into Chen Yi's mind.

This information included the design and design principles of the model aircraft's engines, the ratios and processing structure of its materials, as well as data on the aircraft's aerodynamic layout.

More than ten minutes later, Chen Yi opened his eyes and looked at the dented model aircraft before him.

"I never expected these ugly dents and marks to actually be related to certain aerodynamic layouts.

"Looks like an item's attributes form an integrated whole. If one attribute is adjusted too extremely, it affects the other modules.

"For example, after adjusting the speed attribute, not only did the engines become more powerful, but the model aircraft's proportions and aerodynamic layout changed as well."

As Chen Yi digested the information in his mind, he found that aside from the engine designs and the aircraft's aerodynamic layout—

There was also a new material technology and process: low-temperature thermally reinforced stress material.

It was a material created through low-temperature smelting. Its initial strength was ordinary.

But as the ambient temperature rose, the thermal stress inside the material increased, and its strength would rise exponentially.

According to the information he had read, the engines on this model aircraft now used low-temperature thermally reinforced material.

At first, the engine material's strength was relatively low, not even comparable to threaded steel.

Once the engines started, combustion began inside them, and their temperature kept rising, the material's strength would continuously increase.

In the end, it would reach the strength of titanium powder alloy, while its heat resistance would surpass that of ordinary nickel-based alloys.

The benefit was that it eliminated the engine's complicated cooling system, making it highly suitable for small drones like model aircraft.

However, this material was not without drawbacks.

Its durability could not compare to genuine titanium powder alloy, and once formed, it could not endure damage or disassembly.

Because of the thermal stress, once it was damaged or dismantled, the stress inside would erupt.

The entire material would shatter in an instant, like Rupert's Tears when their tail was snapped.

Furthermore, once its strength rose to a critical level for a certain period, or its temperature remained at a critical level for too long, the stress inside the material would become impossible to suppress, and it would still irreversibly crumble.

"This material has insane confidentiality properties, but it doesn't fit the current mainstream of reusable rockets."

"Still, its manufacturing cost is quite low—only a fraction of titanium alloy materials. Its initial strength is also low, so if the system adjusts the precision of factory processing equipment, even Wing Fly's small workshop can make it."

Chen Yi noted down the kinds of metals needed to manufacture the engine material, mixed in several other types, and sent the list to Qin Xiaoyu, telling her to place an order with suppliers and have it rushed over.

After arranging the work, Chen Yi dragged the new model aircraft out of the shop, preparing to fill it with aviation kerosene and liquid oxygen before test-flying it to see what these surprises were.