Chapter Summaries

Jiang Yan Hai and Fan Tian Lei discussed recruiting Fire Phoenix and other special forces soldiers to train the Special Forces 1st Battalion, then turned to the development and production of Jiang Yan Hai’s firearm. The chapter ended with Jiang Yan Hai beginning work in his secured laboratory.

• Jiang Yan Hai asked Fan Tian Lei to arrange Fire Phoenix and a platoon of special forces soldiers to help train the Special Forces 1st Battalion, and Fan Tian Lei agreed to seek approval.
• Jiang Yan Hai promised to arrange parachute training so Fire Phoenix could experience airborne operations.
• Fan Tian Lei told Jiang Yan Hai to handle the firearm’s follow-up work and coordinate with Northern Arms Group on standardization and production.
• Jiang Yan Hai identified the hangar’s security systems, and Fan Tian Lei worried that advanced detection technology could make special forces soldiers obsolete.
• Jiang Yan Hai reassured Fan Tian Lei that technology could be countered and began working on the firearm’s plans and data in his protected laboratory.

Jiang Yan Hai explained how his Virus-style Firewall used ball-python mutation patterns to defend systems, destroy intruders, and alert the Electronic Warfare Combat Program. After finishing the program, he received orders to fly his J7 to Rongcheng for an important mission involving his computer-cracking skills.

• Jiang Yan Hai described how his Virus-style Firewall replicated across system permissions and countered intrusions with anti-tracking and virus-elimination programs.
• He explained that the firewall could destroy databases if it faced an intrusion it could not stop and could send real-time alerts to the Electronic Warfare Combat Program.
• Jiang Yan Hai noted that the firewall could be stored in the Electronic Warfare Simulation Combat Program and connected to nearby devices when needed.
• Fan Tian Lei received a serious phone call and passed it to Jiang Yan Hai.
• An old man asked whether Jiang Yan Hai was skilled at cracking programs and ordered him to fly his J7 to the Rongcheng airport for an important mission.

Jiang Yan Hai arrived at a secret base to help senior aircraft designers crack the systems of the recovered fighter. After learning about the possible built-in warning measures, he requested powerful computing equipment and a comfortable workstation to begin.

• Jiang Yan Hai handed Fan Tian Lei an encrypted hard drive containing data and blueprints, then left by helicopter to retrieve Seventh Master.
• Jiang Yan Hai flew Seventh Master to Rongcheng Airport and transferred by helicopter to a heavily guarded secret base.
• Jiang Yan Hai met Professor Liu, Academician Yang, and other leading aircraft experts in the hangar where the fighter was being examined.
• The experts asked Jiang Yan Hai to crack the fighter’s system, fearing its software contained automatic warning measures.
• Jiang Yan Hai requested a supercomputer, monitors, input systems, high-speed network lines, a comfortable swivel chair, and a properly sized desk.

Jiang Yan Hai prepared the supercomputer and began infiltrating the Stealth Fighter Jet’s drone operating system using his own firewall. He discovered hidden Super Virus bombs attempting to infect the supercomputer and began responding to them.

• Jiang Yan Hai selected his chair and desk, then arranged six independent input units and twelve screens connected directly to the supercomputer.
• Jiang Yan Hai ordered the supercomputer’s outside network connections physically disconnected, and the engineer confirmed it was in exclusive-use mode.
• Jiang Yan Hai logged in and integrated his firewall into the supercomputer while the professors watched.
• Jiang Yan Hai began cracking the Stealth Fighter Jet’s drone operating system without using the Electronic Warfare Program.
• Jiang Yan Hai’s virus triggered hidden Super Virus bombs in the drone system’s firewall, which attempted to invade the supercomputer, and he moved to another input unit to counter them.

Jiang Yan Hai cracked the viruses protecting the captured stealth drone’s system and copied its operating program. He confirmed that the system included an autonomous combat program, leaving the professors eager to study it while he advised keeping the supercomputer offline.

• Jiang Yan Hai used the supercomputer and his Electronic Warfare Program to isolate and analyze the viruses attacking the drone system.
• He explained that the viruses attempted to steal data, alter drone programs, and damage hardware, then left the supercomputer to crack them.
• After two hours, Jiang Yan Hai finished cracking the viruses and gained access to the drone’s operating program.
• He copied the operating system and removed its copy restrictions before starting the lengthy transfer.
• Jiang Yan Hai told the professors that the system contained an autonomous combat program driven by sensors across the fighter, and advised them to keep the supercomputer disconnected from the outside world.

Jiang Yan Hai oversaw the copying and dismantling of the captured unmanned stealth fighter’s control system, revealing an extraordinarily powerful computer built with ten 100 GHz graphene CPUs. The inspection left the engineers confronting how advanced and secretive the American aircraft program was.

• Jiang Yan Hai told the professors they could dismantle the aircraft after its programs had been copied, and the data transfer took about four hours.
• After the copying finished, the engineers began dismantling the aircraft’s core control section and uncovered its computing system.
• Jiang Yan Hai identified the system’s ten CPUs as likely mature 100 GHz graphene models, far more powerful than mainstream computer processors.
• The engineers carefully preserved the components as Jiang Yan Hai reflected that the unmanned stealth fighter had escaped detection despite routine satellite surveillance.

Jiang Yan Hai waited as experts processed the captured stealth fighter’s data, then attended a meeting where they thanked him for preventing its explosives from endangering them. The scientists had learned from the aircraft’s flawed autonomous combat system, and Old Liu told Jiang Yan Hai that they could not provide him with a fighter jet for now.

• Jiang Yan Hai considered the value of Skunk Works and the chance to obtain useful information, but left the experts to decide what to do with the captured aircraft.
• Jiang Yan Hai remained at the site for a week while his programs finished processing and the computers and related equipment were removed.
• Old Liu and the other experts applauded Jiang Yan Hai and thanked him for helping prevent the fighter’s self-destruct system from killing them during dismantling.
• Old Liu explained that the fighter’s autonomous combat system had flaws but offered valuable lessons for China’s research and development.
• Old Liu told Jiang Yan Hai that the fighter had been scrapped before reaching 100 flight hours and that they could not provide him with another fighter jet for the time being.

Jiang Yan Hai asked to fly the J20, but Old Liu arranged for him to train in a J10C until the J20 was ready for mass production. He then proposed using a virus to infiltrate Skunk Works and steal data, and the discussion turned to how isolated research networks handled data transfers.

• Old Liu explained that the J20 was still undergoing refinements and could not yet be made available, and he offered Jiang Yan Hai a J10C for training.
• Academician Yang said the experience from the recent mission could help bring the J20 to official mass production soon.
• Jiang Yan Hai proposed modifying the virus found in the enemy’s virus bomb to infiltrate Skunk Works and send its data back.
• Jiang Yan Hai argued that the virus’s transmissions would reach a computer in Area 51, and that misleading data could prompt researchers to verify it using a supercomputer.
• A knowledgeable official described how Chinese research institutes isolated their local networks and used intermediaries and encrypted drives to transfer data.

Jiang Yan Hai explained a stealthy virus strategy for stealing files from enemy supercomputers, leaving Old Liu and the others to consider whether to approve it. He then received orders to fly a half-month mission in the northeast, where his newly decorated fighter jet made keeping a low profile difficult.

• Jiang Yan Hai described how a virus could copy and disguise fragments of files, spread through connected computers and portable drives, and potentially carry stolen data back to its creators.
• Old Liu and the others considered using the same principle against enemy supercomputers, but said they needed to discuss the plan and decide how to design the files before approving it.
• Jiang Yan Hai returned to his unit and discovered that his J10C had been painted with four stars, putting him one star short of the recognized five-star Ace Pilot title.
• Zhang Mingwu ordered Jiang Yan Hai to fly to the northeast and carry out a mission there for half a month so he could keep a low profile.
• Jiang Yan Hai took off as Falcon to patrol the border, refuel near the target area, and land at an Air Force Base under the Northern Theater Command.

Jiang Yan Hai patrolled the northern border, met the Russian pilot Double-headed Eagle, and then landed at an unfamiliar airfield. There, a young trainee challenged his instructor’s claim that pilots his age could be better than him.

• Jiang Yan Hai met Double-headed Eagle near the border, and they exchanged greetings and chatted over the radio.
• Double-headed Eagle’s superior interrupted their conversation, and the two pilots said farewell before Jiang Yan Hai resumed his patrol.
• After reaching his fuel safety threshold, Jiang Yan Hai turned east and followed Xing'anling Control Tower’s instructions to an unfamiliar airfield.
• A veteran instructor addressed a formation of about twenty young pilots, and one trainee insisted that no pilot his age was better than him.

Jiang Yan Hai arrived at the Northern Spring City airfield, where Golden Eagle introduced him to a formation of new pilots as an example of exceptional achievement. The trainees learned that Falcon was only nineteen, had four air-to-air kills, and had flown the flight record they had assumed was impossible.

• Jiang Yan Hai landed his J10C and revealed four kill markings to the astonished trainees.
• Golden Eagle introduced Jiang Yan Hai, who gave his age and described his rapid path through military and aviation training.
• Golden Eagle told the trainees that Jiang Yan Hai had shot down an unmanned fighter in the East China Sea and flown the flight record they had thought was fake.
• Golden Eagle listed Jiang Yan Hai's merits and accomplishments, then warned the trainees against arrogance as they prepared to begin training flights.

Jiang Yan Hai attended PLA Aviation University under a vague assignment and decisively defeated four trainee pilots in a dogfight. Principal Tang hinted that the school’s publicity surrounding him had a purpose, but Jiang Yan Hai had yet to learn what it was.

• Jiang Yan Hai spent his afternoons at PLA Aviation University, where students increasingly recognized and greeted him.
• Jiang Yan Hai faced four newly qualified trainee pilots in a group aerial confrontation and took down all four in twenty minutes.
• Hundreds of trainees watched the confrontation and cheered Jiang Yan Hai as Peregrine Falcon.
• Principal Tang asked Jiang Yan Hai whether he had noticed anything about his time at the school, then began explaining the reason for the publicity around him.

Jiang Yan Hai rejected Principal Tang’s praise, insisting that fallen comrades were the real heroes, then received orders and left to carry out his next mission. After planting a disguised virus in a bait supercomputer and giving Old Liu’s group firewall software, he found a virus on his own computer and began trying to isolate it.

• Principal Tang called Jiang Yan Hai a hero, but Jiang Yan Hai said the comrades who could no longer see the blue sky were the real heroes and noted that he was not a student at the school.
• Principal Tang gave Jiang Yan Hai his orders, then saluted the door after Jiang Yan Hai left and reported to the Old Commander that Jiang Yan Hai was mature and trustworthy.
• The Old Commander approved raising Jiang Yan Hai’s rank to major, and Jiang Yan Hai drove to the airfield to continue his proposed mission.
• Jiang Yan Hai logged into a bait supercomputer, released his disguised virus among the technical data, and gave Old Liu and the others modified firewall software.
• Jiang Yan Hai scanned his computer with his virus firewall, found one virus, and activated isolation to search for it.

Jiang Yan Hai discovered a stealthy Super Virus on a military computer and warned Academician Bai, who ordered an urgent security response. Jiang Yan Hai left for Pearl City to use clean supercomputers to scan key systems while deploying his Anti-tracking Program to trace the virus and its infections.

• Jiang Yan Hai found and decompiled a hidden virus on his military computer, and Er Dan identified it as a Super Virus related to the one found on the Stealth Fighter Jet.
• Jiang Yan Hai called Academician Bai and reported the virus, warning that it might have reached the Military Network.
• Academician Bai ordered Jiang Yan Hai's firewall copied to key departments and arranged tests for infected systems.
• Jiang Yan Hai proposed using clean supercomputers in Pearl City and Wuxi to scan important military and research computers.
• Jiang Yan Hai released his Anti-tracking Program through the laptop's firewall, packed his things, and left for Pearl City.

Jiang Yan Hai flew to Pearl City's Supercomputing Center to investigate a Super Virus infecting computer systems and used the center's supercomputer to expand his search. The scan began revealing tens of thousands of infected computers as the center's staff waited for results.

• Jiang Yan Hai received the pilots' salute, took off in a J10, and reached Pudong Airport in about an hour.
• Jiang Yan Hai landed on Pudong's backup runway, transferred to a military helicopter, and flew to Pearl City's Supercomputing Center.
• Wang Jiang introduced the computing center's staff and arranged for Jiang Yan Hai to access its supercomputers and connect to Taihu Light in Wuxi.
• Jiang Yan Hai paused ongoing calculations, connected his laptop's program to a supercomputer, and started the Anti-tracking Program.
• A security engineer asked who Jiang Yan Hai was, and Wang Jiang identified him as a military computer expert who had discovered a Super Virus in their systems.

Jiang Tao confirmed that a stealthy virus had infected computer networks and warned Jiang Yan Hai that it could secretly steal intelligence. After the Armed Police sealed off the site, Jiang Yan Hai connected to the Wuxi National Supercomputing Center to search for the virus.

• Jiang Tao tested the virus and concluded that its stealth and danger surpassed conventional viruses.
• Jiang Tao compared the virus to Thomas Gable’s attempted cyberattack on the United States and explained the threat it posed to national infrastructure.
• Jiang Yan Hai ordered everyone to keep the discovery secret and learned that security measures had sealed off the site and other locations.
• Captain Liu arrived with the Armed Police, and Director Wang agreed to inform staff about the lockdown and confidentiality requirements.
• Jiang Yan Hai isolated the viruses and began searching data at the Wuxi National Supercomputing Center using three supercomputers.

Jiang Yan Hai coordinated a nationwide virus search with Academician Bai and arranged for the supercomputer centers to keep monitoring while he took a brief break. He drove to Pearl City University to surprise Li Ruo Bai and told her he was waiting outside her school.

• Jiang Yan Hai learned from Director Wang that the virus had not reached Wuxi and agreed with Academician Bai to focus the tracking program on civilian networks while the research institutes inspected their own systems.
• Academician Bai assigned Captain Liu to remain at the computer center and told Jiang Yan Hai he could leave while the program continued running.
• Captain Liu provided Jiang Yan Hai with casual clothes and an Armed Police vehicle so he could travel while staying reachable in an emergency.
• Jiang Yan Hai bought two sets of clothes and drove to Pearl City University’s Xuhui campus to surprise Li Ruo Bai.
• Li Ruo Bai answered his call in delight after Jiang Yan Hai told her he was waiting outside her school.

Jiang Yan Hai traveled to Li Ruo Bai’s Minhang campus after learning he had gone to the wrong campus, hoping to surprise her. They reunited at the school gate and embraced, with Li Ruo Bai refusing to let go as they teased each other.

• Jiang Yan Hai learned that Li Ruo Bai was at the Minhang campus rather than Xuhui and set off to meet her.
• Jiang Yan Hai drove across town and spotted Li Ruo Bai waiting outside her school.
• Jiang Yan Hai called to Li Ruo Bai, and she ran to him and threw herself into his arms.
• Jiang Yan Hai explained that he was in town on a mission and had wanted to surprise her.
• Li Ruo Bai complained that his mistaken trip had cost them time together and refused to leave his embrace.

Jiang Yan Hai and Li Ruo Bai spent the evening together, growing more comfortable as they ate and wandered hand in hand. Li Ruo Bai led him to a hotel and asked for his ID card.

• Jiang Yan Hai lifted Li Ruo Bai into his arms, then invited her to dinner and took her for hot pot.
• Li Ruo Bai held Jiang Yan Hai's hand as they walked to a restaurant, and she teased him about who had courted whom while they ate.
• After dinner, Jiang Yan Hai and Li Ruo Bai walked together for another hour, with Jiang Yan Hai leading the way at first.
• Li Ruo Bai guided Jiang Yan Hai toward a hotel and told him she was not going back either.
• Li Ruo Bai entered the hotel and asked Jiang Yan Hai for his ID card as she headed to the front desk.

Jiang Yan Hai and Li Ruo Bai booked a hotel suite together and spent the night growing closer. They talked until Li Ruo Bai fell asleep, leaving Jiang Yan Hai feeling grateful for her.

• Li Ruo Bai booked a suite for herself and Jiang Yan Hai, and he paid for the room.
• Jiang Yan Hai scanned the room for hidden cameras while Li Ruo Bai showered, then tried to hide his nervousness as she came out dressed in a T-shirt.
• Jiang Yan Hai showered and joined Li Ruo Bai in bed, where she touched his muscles and listened to his heartbeat.
• Jiang Yan Hai asked whether Li Ruo Bai's parents would beat him, and she reassured him that they would not.
• Jiang Yan Hai and Li Ruo Bai talked about travel and other subjects until she fell asleep, and he looked at her with affection.