Above the clouds, beneath the moonlight, a large business jet with a W-shaped tail fin flew swiftly from east to west. Its fuselage was painted black and accented with thin red lines.
This 75-meter-long, 64-meter-wingspan, 19-meter-tall behemoth was actually a customized A340 variant specially built by Airbus for Atlas.
Moreover, Airbus had delivered this "Black Phantom" to Atlas before the A340 Civilian Model officially entered service.
Based on the original A340, much of the passenger space and facilities had been removed, while the cargo hold capacity had been increased. Its typical empty weight and maximum takeoff weight had been adjusted from 177 tons and 368 tons to 164 tons and 370 tons respectively.
The Black Phantom's performance and safety standards far surpassed every civilian aircraft of the present era. If not for its status as a private jet and the restrictions of confidentiality agreements, Airbus would have long since bought up media coverage to publicize it extensively and "mock" Boeing.
As the buyer, Sui Yang had chosen Europe's Airbus over American airliners—especially Boeing, which had maintained a strong partnership with Atlas—primarily out of concern for his own safety.
At this moment.
Inside the Black Phantom's upper cabin.
The floor here was carpeted, while the wallpaper and lighting used warm tones. Flight attendants in black formal attire occasionally moved through the corridors, providing drinks, desserts, and other services to Hunter soldiers, researchers, and personnel resting in rooms or lounge areas.
And inside a private office near the cockpit.
Sui Yang wore a fitted white shirt and dark gray dress pants as he sat leisurely on a fixed sofa.
Holding a tablet, he browsed through carefully organized documents and contracts, allowing him to handle work matters and approve projects and partnerships even while in transit.
However...
"Haha! You lost!"
"Roboute! You cheated!"
There was also the sound of children arguing in the office.
To Sui Yang's right, his two Primarch sons sat on the carpet with their backs against the cabin wall. They were playing handheld consoles that were two sizes smaller than tablets, but easier to hold.
The two had only just turned one. After all, Sui Yang had "picked them up" on June 8, 1993, and today was July 12, 1994.
But what kind of one-year-old could grow to be 1.2 meters tall?
Though individual differences existed, children generally began imitating adults' speech four to five months after birth, started babbling around seven months, could say simple syllables at eight to nine months, and attempted to toddle at ten to eleven months. They usually only became steadier after turning one.
Yet these two, Sanguinius and Roboute...
They were weaned in February.
They started talking in April.
They were running around with ease in June.
By August, they were already climbing and jumping everywhere, practically no different from children with hyperactivity.
Especially at their current stage, they could already snap steel bars with their bare hands. And with Sanguinius able to fly as well, Alexia and the researchers responsible for helping look after them were utterly helpless unless Sui Yang personally stepped in to "capture" them.
Those who knew they were just over a year old knew better. Those who did not would have thought they were "eight."
The two also wore matching black T-shirts and shorts. The only difference was that Sanguinius's shirt had two symmetrical openings on the back for his wings.
From the bird's-eye view displayed on the handheld screens, along with the scaled-down ancient buildings, soldier units, and so on, it was not difficult to guess that the two Primarchs were playing some kind of real-time strategy game.
And from their expressions—one smiling, the other angry—it was clear that Roboute had successfully defeated the army controlled by Sanguinius in their simulated battle just now.
"I didn't." Hearing Sanguinius accuse him of cheating, Roboute immediately became displeased and retorted, "Didn't Father tell us to observe more carefully and pay closer attention? You were the one who failed to notice the gap in your lines. Besides, I had already maxed out my elite units' morale, and they had thirty seconds of invincibility. It only looked like cheating...
Forget it. There's no explaining it to an idiot like you. Anyway, I didn't cheat."
By the end, Roboute did not forget to throw in one more jab.
"You!" Seeing Roboute's smug provocation, Sanguinius immediately set his handheld console aside and sprang to his feet.
"Hey? Hey! Talk all you want, but don't start hitting me!"
Roboute stood up as well, but hurriedly took two steps back to keep a safe distance from Sanguinius.
"Ahem."
But with Sui Yang's seemingly casual cough, the two Primarchs immediately fell silent.
Yet Sanguinius's clenched fists and unwilling expression showed that this "angel," who was still a child in both body and mind, seemed to particularly hate Roboute's words...
More precisely, Sanguinius was extremely displeased that Roboute had called him stupid in front of their father.
Naturally, beneath that anger was a sense of "fear," because Sanguinius worried that his father would truly be influenced by Roboute's words and come to believe that he was somewhat "foolish."
"..."
Sui Yang, who vaguely sensed his sons' emotions and thoughts, merely rubbed his temple with his right hand. Then he looked at Roboute and asked,
"If you and Sanguinius played Mortal Kombat, who would win?"
"Sanguinius..." Roboute answered honestly.
"Then you're pretty stupid too."
"I'm not—!"
"Not stupid?" Sui Yang did not give Roboute the chance to argue. He sped up and said, "Going by what you just said to Sanguinius, doesn't losing a game mean someone is stupid?"
"I... uh... I guess that's true..." Roboute was briefly at a loss for words.
Seeing this, Sui Yang returned his attention to work and reminded them, "I don't care how the two of you argue among yourselves. But if outsiders dare to provoke or bully you, and you still dare to sulk and fight each other, don't blame me for slapping you both. Understand?"
"Understood, Father," the two Primarchs replied in unison.
But once Roboute calmed down—and even Sanguinius, who had been angry—they immediately understood why their father had asked that question.
Moreover, Roboute said to Sanguinius, "I was wrong just now. I shouldn't have spoken like that. After we get off the plane... I'll treat you to a meal with my allowance, or buy you a new game. Okay?"
"There's no need for a meal. There's food on the plane." Sanguinius crossed his arms and turned away, refusing to look directly at Roboute. However, his tone softened considerably afterward as he added,
"One game isn't enough. At least nine."
"Nine it is!" Roboute laughed heartily, then shamelessly threw an arm around Sanguinius's shoulders and led his brother through the automatically opening side door, leaving the office.
Before the sensor door closed, their murmuring could still be heard outside.
"Let's go find something to eat. I'm a little hungry."
"What does you being hungry have to do with me?"
"Ten games."
"Let's go."
Once the sensor door closed, Sui Yang finally had an environment quiet enough to continue working in peace.
He had brought his two Primarch sons back from Ghana to the United States in order to attend a press conference jointly hosted by Atlas Communications Technology and the Private R&D Department.
As for the series of products to be unveiled at this conference, they would redefine "personal communication" and usher in a new era.
After all, the Mate 60 Pro Sui Yang had just bought had been kept intact by him all the way until 1960 in this world.
These chapters are transitional ones. I need to show everyone Atlas's development and various structures in this world, otherwise things may feel too vague.
Chapter 21 will bring a new "conflict."
Lastly, thank you all for your support, especially for the recommendation votes, monthly votes, and tips. Thank you all so much~!
(End of Chapter)
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