Chapter Summaries

Jiang Yan Hai guided Number 1 to evade an SA-11 missile and led the response against two approaching enemy fighters. After the enemy missile position was destroyed and Control Tower authorized engagement, Jiang Yan Hai launched missiles at the fighters and pursued one as Er Dan guided a missile toward the other.

• Jiang Yan Hai instructed Number 1 to dive and maneuver until the pursuing SA-11 ran out of fuel and crashed.
• Jiang Yan Hai reported that the enemy missile position had been destroyed and received permission from Control Tower to engage the approaching fighters.
• Control Tower ordered Brown Bear and Number 1 to withdraw, while Jiang Yan Hai accelerated toward the enemy alone.
• Jiang Yan Hai launched two Medium-Range Air-to-Air Combat Missiles as the enemy fighters launched missiles at him.
• Jiang Yan Hai evaded the incoming missiles with maneuvers, Chaff Countermeasures, and infrared decoys, causing the enemy missiles to self-destruct.
• The enemy fighters split apart to evade, and Jiang Yan Hai pursued one while Er Dan guided a missile toward the other.

Jiang Yan Hai shot down one Russian fighter and forced the other pilot to surrender, then escorted him toward an emergency landing. The Russian fighters arrived and surrounded both aircraft as the captured pilot followed Jiang Yan Hai’s instructions.

• Er Dan guided one missile to destroy a fighter after the other evaded Jiang Yan Hai’s missile with infrared decoys.
• Jiang Yan Hai pursued the remaining MiG-29 and locked it with his fire-control radar while trying to preserve the aircraft and its data.
• Jiang Yan Hai contacted the enemy pilot in Russian and threatened to launch a missile unless he surrendered and landed.
• The enemy pilot surrendered, and the Control Tower approved an emergency landing on Runway Three.
• Four Russian fighters arrived, with two flanking Jiang Yan Hai and two positioning themselves beside the surrendering fighter.

Jiang Yan Hai landed safely after helping stop the hostile aircraft, then told his general he suspected an enemy mole at the Russian base. The joint investigation began, Jiang Yan Hai was declared the competition’s winner, and he realized he had gathered five stars and could summon the Divine Dragon.

• The hostile fighter landed under escort, and Jiang Yan Hai returned to the base after receiving thanks from the Russian pilots.
• Ground crews and pilots cheered Jiang Yan Hai as he climbed from his fighter, and the general praised his actions.
• A joint team questioned Jiang Yan Hai and the others about the attack, while praising Jiang Yan Hai’s composure and command.
• Jiang Yan Hai privately told his general that he suspected an enemy mole was inside the base.
• The general said Jiang Yan Hai had won the competition and could skip the remaining events, though Chuniao and the others would continue the exchanges.
• Jiang Yan Hai realized he had gathered five stars and could summon the Divine Dragon, with one extra star remaining.

After the exchanges in Russia ended, Jiang Yan Hai returned home in a J10C and was welcomed as a hero for his combat achievement. He then flew his Azure Dragon back to his own airfield, where the logistics team awaited him.

• Jiang Yan Hai spent three more days at the Russian base while the follow-up exchanges were completed, ignoring the Russian girls who showed interest in him.
• Jiang Yan Hai and seven other pilots flew J10C fighters home, escorted by Russian jets until they neared the border.
• At a nearby Air Force Base, Major General Wang Xing welcomed Jiang Yan Hai and praised his accomplishments before he headed to the hangar.
• Jiang Yan Hai discovered that Azure Dragon had gained two more kill markings, bringing its total to six, then inspected it and flew toward the capital.
• Jiang Yan Hai landed safely at his own airfield in the latter half of the night, where Dong Kejiang and the logistics personnel were waiting.

After returning from a mission with six stars painted on his fighter, Jiang Yan Hai praised his ground crew and asked Dong Kejiang’s team to transfer to the 9th Rapid Reaction Brigade. Dong Kejiang declined because of his family responsibilities, but promised to stay with the Qinglong until its finalization, and Jiang Yan Hai vowed to help him return home as soon as possible.

• Dong Kejiang and the ground crew saw that Jiang Yan Hai’s fighter had gained two stars, bringing his total to six, and congratulated him on becoming an ace pilot.
• Jiang Yan Hai thanked the ground crew and credited them with half his success before they returned to work.
• Jiang Yan Hai asked Dong Kejiang and his team to transfer to the secret logistics unit supporting the 9th Rapid Reaction Brigade.
• Dong Kejiang explained that his wife cared for his partially paralyzed mother and their two children, so he could not accept a posting that would keep him away for months.
• Dong Kejiang chose to remain with the Qinglong through its finalization, and Jiang Yan Hai promised to help reunite him with his family afterward.

After returning to National Defense University, Jiang Yan Hai applied to accelerate his studies and take on night-flight missions, hoping to make better use of his time. Principal Zheng consulted senior commanders, who approved his coursework but worried about his health and planned to ensure he rested.

• Jiang Yan Hai returned to National Defense University after greeting Wu Zhenjiang and decided to make up the classes he had missed.
• Jiang Yan Hai asked Principal Zheng to let him audit courses in other departments and fly night missions while sleeping only four hours a day.
• Principal Zheng agreed to arrange an auditing ID and told Jiang Yan Hai he would give him an answer about the night flights at noon.
• Principal Zheng told senior commanders about Jiang Yan Hai's request, and they discussed his workload, recent combat achievements, and Li Ruo Bai's security.
• The commanders approved Jiang Yan Hai's accelerated coursework and planned to find him a chance to take a vacation.

Jiang Yan Hai worked on engine design by day and pushed the J10S Azure Dragon through intensive flight tests each night. After a week of extreme testing, Old Liu warned him about the cost to his health, but Jiang Yan Hai asked whether his flight data had been useful.

• Principal Zheng told Jiang Yan Hai that his application had been approved and that he should focus on finalizing the J10S Azure Dragon's data.
• Jiang Yan Hai studied the Phantom Engine's design, redrew it, and spent his free daytime hours working on engine design.
• Jiang Yan Hai flew the J10S Azure Dragon for hours each night, while Lu Xiaoran could only manage two hours of adversarial training and marveled at his discipline.
• Jiang Yan Hai had Er Dan scan the fighter's electronic systems and design for flaws, then used the analysis to target his test flights.
• Old Liu called Jiang Yan Hai after receiving the flight data and warned him not to damage his health by overworking.
• Jiang Yan Hai asked Old Liu whether the data he had collected was useful.

Jiang Yan Hai asked Old Liu to let him study the internal designs of the J10, hoping to use them in his own fighter aircraft research. Old Liu agreed to grant him server access to the J10S Azure Dragon and J20 files, and Jiang Yan Hai chose to avoid viewing other designs until he had developed his own.

• Old Liu told Jiang Yan Hai that his flight data had helped bring the current design close to completion, with only another week or two of work expected.
• Jiang Yan Hai asked Old Liu for access to the J10's internal circuits and electronic equipment designs so he could pursue fighter aircraft design after his engine research.
• Old Liu offered to show Jiang Yan Hai the overall blueprints, but Jiang Yan Hai said he only needed the internal designs.
• Old Liu agreed to authorize Jiang Yan Hai to view the J10S Azure Dragon and J20 data on a secure server.
• Jiang Yan Hai declined to view other designs, explaining that he wanted to finish his own design before using existing aircraft as references.

Jiang Yan Hai arranged to stop Azure Dragon’s test flights for now and set out to recruit Bei Chen Xiang for his information unit. At a temporary base, Shao Xiao Jia complained that Black Hawk had made him review porn.

• Old Liu agreed to help Jiang Yan Hai apply for equipment and told him Azure Dragon had gathered enough flight data for the time being.
• Jiang Yan Hai decided to travel to Jinhai City to recruit Bei Chen Xiang, a skilled former Hacker Alliance member who had failed a military background check.
• Hound reported that Black Hawk was adapting well to military life and that Shao Xiao Jia was teaching him formations and drills.
• Jiang Yan Hai arrived at the temporary base and found Shao Xiao Jia and Black Hawk working in a shabby office.
• Shao Xiao Jia complained to Jiang Yan Hai that Black Hawk had made him review porn while enhancing his skills.

Jiang Yan Hai discussed recruiting Shao Xiao Jia’s apprentice and revealed that he had identified Bei Chen Xiang through Pantheon. After describing Pantheon’s attack on an American military base, he left Shao Xiao Jia thrilled and Black Hawk uneasy about how dangerous their work was.

• Black Hawk proposed recruiting Shao Xiao Jia’s apprentice, and Shao Xiao Jia endorsed the idea, believing the group was the Strategic Deception Bureau.
• Jiang Yan Hai said they would go to Jin'gang City to find Bei Chen Xiang and explained that he had learned the hacker’s identity from Pantheon.
• Jiang Yan Hai claimed he had hacked Pantheon’s servers and stolen the information, astonishing Shao Xiao Jia and Black Hawk.
• Jiang Yan Hai described Pantheon obtaining submarine launch codes and attacking a Dane Military Company base with Cruise Missiles through the American military command network.
• Black Hawk regretted joining the group, while Shao Xiao Jia eagerly asked to take part in future operations, and Jiang Yan Hai agreed.

Jiang Yan Hai planned to reach Bei Chen Xiang by arranging for four people to be placed in neighboring prison cells, then recording an instrumental track to influence him. After finishing the backing track in Jin Gang City, Jiang Yan Hai received a call from Li Ruo Bai, who said she was in the city and wanted to meet.

• Jiang Yan Hai reviewed Bei Chen Xiang's file and told Hound to transfer four people into the same prison and put them in neighboring cells.
• Jiang Yan Hai introduced himself as fighter pilot Haidongqing, surprising Black Hawk and Shao Xiao Jia.
• Jiang Yan Hai ordered the group to go to Jin Gang City and record a song as part of his plan to approach Bei Chen Xiang.
• Jiang Yan Hai wrote out the score, had a professional studio produce an instrumental track, and left after Hound paid.
• Li Ruo Bai called Jiang Yan Hai and said she was in Jin Gang City and would come find him, leaving him looking toward Hound in surprise.

Jiang Yan Hai learned that Principal Zheng had put him on ten days of leave and arranged for Li Ruo Bai to know about his work. After Li Ruo Bai arrived, Jiang Yan Hai introduced her to Hound, Black Hawk, and Shao Xiao Jia before their mission to recruit Bei Chen Xiang.

• Jiang Yan Hai asked Hound why Li Ruo Bai knew where he was, and Hound said someone higher up had notified her.
• Principal Zheng ordered Jiang Yan Hai to take ten days of leave, explaining that classes were suspended and his flight-data task was complete.
• Jiang Yan Hai agreed to the leave and sent Li Ruo Bai his location while waiting with Hound, Black Hawk, and Shao Xiao Jia.
• Li Ruo Bai arrived in a Bentley and leaped into Jiang Yan Hai's arms, surprising Shao Xiao Jia.
• Jiang Yan Hai introduced Li Ruo Bai to Hound, Black Hawk, and Shao Xiao Jia, and Li Ruo Bai blushed and pinched him for not warning her.

Jiang Yan Hai brought Li Ruo Bai along to a lounge bar for a mission centered on Bei Chen Xiang, then took the stage to sing a song he had written. The chapter ended as he dedicated it to Li Ruo Bai and to people worn down by life in an unfamiliar city.

• Jiang Yan Hai introduced Li Ruo Bai to his teammates and invited her to accompany them on their mission.
• Jiang Yan Hai, Li Ruo Bai, and the team arrived at a lounge bar, where Shao Xiao Jia and Black Hawk waited while Hound monitored outside.
• Hound reported that Bei Chen Xiang had arrived, and Jiang Yan Hai waited until the target appeared absorbed in his thoughts.
• Jiang Yan Hai told Li Ruo Bai he would sing for her, then arranged with the bar owner to take the resident singer's place.
• Jiang Yan Hai addressed the bar and announced that his song was for Li Ruo Bai and for people struggling in an unfamiliar city.

Jiang Yan Hai sang “Old Boy” at the lounge bar, moving the audience and helping Black Hawk approach Bei Chen Xiang about his mission. He then returned to Li Ruo Bai, who treated the outing as a date, while Shao Xiao Jia watched them flirt.

• Jiang Yan Hai performed “Old Boy,” and the song left many listeners, including Bei Chen Xiang and Black Hawk, deeply moved.
• Black Hawk sat beside Bei Chen Xiang and began speaking with him while Jiang Yan Hai sang.
• Jiang Yan Hai declined requests for another song and returned to Li Ruo Bai, who praised his singing and asked him to sing love songs for her.
• Jiang Yan Hai told Li Ruo Bai that his mission was done, and the two continued their date while Black Hawk handled the conversation with Bei Chen Xiang.
• Shao Xiao Jia watched Li Ruo Bai feed Jiang Yan Hai and silently complained about being subjected to their affection.

Jiang Yan Hai wrapped up discussions with Black Hawk about recruiting skilled prisoners and began his vacation with Li Ruo Bai. Li Yun Feng asked them to pick up Li Ruo Bai’s cousin when she arrived in the capital and show her around.

• Jiang Yan Hai learned that Black Hawk had reached a good understanding with Bei Chen Xiang and left the negotiations in Black Hawk’s hands.
• Jiang Yan Hai assured Black Hawk that the four imprisoned hackers were reliable and discussed a plan to recruit them as specially hired personnel.
• Jiang Yan Hai and Li Ruo Bai returned to the capital and began their vacation.
• Li Yun Feng asked Jiang Yan Hai and Li Ruo Bai to pick up Li Ruo Bai’s cousin when she arrived in two days and take her sightseeing.
• Jiang Yan Hai agreed to host Li Ruo Bai’s cousin on Li Yun Feng’s behalf.

Jiang Yan Hai and Li Ruo Bai welcomed her cousin Su Ya Xuan back to China after agreeing to include her in their plans. The cousins reunited at the airport, and Su Ya Xuan announced that she intended to return to China after graduating from Cambridge.

• Li Yun Feng arranged for Jiang Yan Hai and Li Ruo Bai to meet her returning cousin, and Jiang Yan Hai persuaded Li Ruo Bai to welcome her.
• Jiang Yan Hai learned that Su Ya Xuan was a high-achieving Cambridge student whose mother was a scientist who had returned to China.
• Jiang Yan Hai and Li Ruo Bai toured the Forbidden City together before going to Daxing Airport to meet Su Ya Xuan.
• Li Ruo Bai and Su Ya Xuan excitedly embraced, and Jiang Yan Hai helped with Su Ya Xuan's luggage before they introduced themselves.
• Su Ya Xuan joked that her heart remained in China and said she planned to return after graduating, though Li Ruo Bai pointed out that she still had four years left.

Jiang Yan Hai and Li Ruo Bai took Su Ya Xuan to lunch, where she questioned him about his work and intentions toward her cousin. Su Ya Xuan apologized after upsetting Li Ruo Bai, and the couple reaffirmed their commitment to each other.

• Su Ya Xuan questioned Jiang Yan Hai about how he met Li Ruo Bai and what he did, and he said he flew planes.
• Su Ya Xuan probed whether Jiang Yan Hai knew about Li Ruo Bai's family situation, prompting Li Ruo Bai to warn her to stop.
• Su Ya Xuan explained that she had been testing Jiang Yan Hai because she worried he might be an unsuitable match, then apologized to him and Li Ruo Bai.
• Jiang Yan Hai and Li Ruo Bai arrived at a Peking Duck restaurant, where Su Ya Xuan left them alone in a private room.
• Jiang Yan Hai told Li Ruo Bai she did not need to apologize, and she smiled and vowed he would never escape her.

Su Ya Xuan tested Jiang Yan Hai during a meal and then kept fishing for information as they set off to visit the Great Wall. Jiang Yan Hai deflected her questions, while Li Ruo Bai defended him and let Su Ya Xuan continue probing.

• Su Ya Xuan used a restroom break to give Li Ruo Bai and Jiang Yan Hai time together and gauge how they treated her afterward.
• Su Ya Xuan decided to go sightseeing immediately, and Jiang Yan Hai handled her probing questions throughout their meal.
• After the meal, Li Ruo Bai called out Su Ya Xuan for repeatedly testing Jiang Yan Hai, but refused to tell her anything about him.
• Jiang Yan Hai drove the cousins toward the Great Wall, and Su Ya Xuan asked whether he and Li Ruo Bai had taken leave from school to pick her up.
• Jiang Yan Hai said Li Ruo Bai had to pick up her cousin and noted that Su Ya Xuan had not told her in advance that she was returning.

Jiang Yan Hai drove Li Ruo Bai and Su Ya Xuan to Badaling, where he impressed them and other tourists with his detailed knowledge of the Great Wall. The chapter ended with a history teacher praising his accuracy and a nearby guide deciding to let him keep explaining.

• Su Ya Xuan urged Jiang Yan Hai to spend time entertaining her, and he said he could take only a week off work.
• Li Ruo Bai changed the subject to Su Ya Xuan’s life in Britain after their playful exchange made Su Ya Xuan suspect they were flirting.
• Jiang Yan Hai took Li Ruo Bai and Su Ya Xuan to Badaling and explained the Great Wall’s history and military purposes.
• Other tourists gathered to listen to Jiang Yan Hai, and a history teacher confirmed that his explanation was accurate.
• A nearby guide abandoned his plan to criticize Jiang Yan Hai and decided that letting him explain would save effort while still earning money.

Jiang Yan Hai carried Li Ruo Bai down from Badaling while Su Ya Xuan struggled to keep up, and the three shared a meal before returning to Li Ruo Bai’s home. After Su Ya Xuan teased her about the unmade bedrooms, Li Ruo Bai explained that Jiang Yan Hai had respected her choice to wait before taking their relationship further.

• Jiang Yan Hai carried Li Ruo Bai down Badaling while Su Ya Xuan complained about being left to walk.
• Li Ruo Bai and Su Ya Xuan traded teasing remarks as they ate dinner and discussed where Su Ya Xuan would stay.
• Su Ya Xuan noticed that only the master bedroom had been made up and assumed Li Ruo Bai and Jiang Yan Hai had slept together.
• Li Ruo Bai told Su Ya Xuan that nothing had happened between them and that Jiang Yan Hai was willing to wait until she had made up her mind.