Recaps

Elder Zhang persuaded Lin Chenran to have the 077 Machinery Military Factory design a new missile destroyer by offering to merge Jiangnan Shipyard, code-named 704, into the factory. Lin Chenran accepted and promised to complete the design within a month and a half.

• Elder Zhang asked Lin Chenran to assess the shipyards’ missile destroyer proposals, and Lin Chenran said they were inadequate.
• Elder Zhang asked the 077 Machinery Military Factory to design a new missile destroyer, but Lin Chenran initially refused because the factory lacked shipyard facilities, funding, and warship specialists.
• Elder Zhang revealed that the navy would merge Jiangnan Shipyard, code-named 704, into the 077 Machinery Military Factory, on the condition that it take on future warship design projects.
• Lin Chenran accepted the deal and agreed to deliver the new missile destroyer design within a month and a half.

Lin Chenran visited 704 Shipyard and presented plans to merge it into the 077 Machinery Military Factory, modernize its facilities, and improve employee benefits. The shipyard’s executives accepted the takeover and were excited to receive a new guided missile destroyer project from the Flame Nation Navy.

• Lin Chenran toured 704 Shipyard, assessed its outdated equipment and lack of orders, and discussed the takeover with Elder Zhang.
• Elder Zhang introduced Lin Chenran to 704 Shipyard’s senior executives and announced that the 077 Machinery Military Factory would take over the shipyard.
• Lin Chenran outlined plans to buy modern equipment, improve infrastructure and employee benefits, and revitalize production at 704 Shipyard.
• Lin Chenran persuaded most of the executives to accept the merger by explaining the factory’s salaries and benefits.
• Lin Chenran assigned 704 Shipyard the task of designing a new guided missile destroyer, prompting the executives to welcome the merger.

Lin Chenran presented the design for the Aegis missile destroyer, winning 704 Shipyard and the Navy’s support, though its propulsion system remained a major obstacle. Elder Zhang gave the shipyard a month and a half to complete the design and urged Lin Chenran to secure an advanced gas turbine and its technology.

• Lin Chenran outlined the Aegis missile destroyer, including its dimensions and stealth features, impressing 704 Shipyard’s senior staff and Elder Zhang.
• After three hours of discussion, 704 Shipyard settled the destroyer’s general design concept and began preparing to draw up complete blueprints.
• The Navy and 704 Shipyard recognized that Flame Nation’s limited warship power technology was the project’s key obstacle, and Lin Chenran considered seeking a suitable propulsion system from Mao Xiong Country.
• Elder Zhang told Lin Chenran that he had suppressed competing shipyard proposals and required 704 Shipyard to finish the Aegis design within a month and a half.
• Elder Zhang urged Lin Chenran to obtain an excellent gas turbine and its related technology, and Lin Chenran promised to meet the deadline.

Lin Chenran proposed introducing Eagle Country’s LM2500 gas turbines and production technology for Flame Nation’s warships, with a plan to negotiate with Eagle Country if efforts in the Bear failed. After returning to the 077 Machinery Military Factory, he discussed the navy’s transfer of the 704 Shipyard with Song Xiyun and admitted he had wanted to acquire a shipyard.

• Lin Chenran urged Elder Zhang to seek the LM2500 gas turbine, its technology, and production lines from Eagle Country.
• Elder Zhang agreed to pursue the introduction and prepare to purchase more than twenty turbine sets if the technology deal failed.
• Lin Chenran returned to the 077 Machinery Military Factory to prepare for a business trip to the Bear to seek gas turbines.
• Lin Chenran complained to Song Xiyun that Elder Zhang had maneuvered the factory into taking over the 704 Shipyard.
• Song Xiyun silently welcomed the factory’s rapid growth, while Lin Chenran acknowledged he had long wanted the 077 Machinery Military Factory to acquire a shipyard.

Lin Chenran traveled to Vladivostok to assess 077 Machinery Military Factory’s trade operations and seek gas turbines for its Aegis missile destroyers. After meeting Kovalevitch at the Red Romance Tavern, he began discussing the purpose of his visit, leaving Kovalevitch astonished.

• Lin Chenran assigned senior executives to oversee 704 Shipyard and told Song Xiyun that he would travel to Mao Xiong Country to pursue gas turbines and assess their trade route.
• Lin Chenran arrived in Vladivostok, met with the executives managing the trade route, and learned that business was profitable as Mao Xiong Country grew more unstable.
• Lin Chenran called Kovalevitch and arranged to meet at the Red Romance Tavern.
• Lin Chenran and Kovalevitch greeted each other at the tavern, ordered vodka, and drank with the 077 Machinery Military Factory executives.
• After several rounds, Kovalevitch asked why Lin Chenran had come, and Lin Chenran’s answer left him astonished.

Lin Chenran asked Kovalevitch to help him acquire GTZA-674 steam turbines, related technology, and production lines. Kovalevitch agreed to report the proposal to his superiors, then headed to the Far East Fleet’s base to tell General Leo about the deal.

• Lin Chenran and Kovalevitch left the Red Romance Tavern and continued their discussion at Kovalevitch’s apartment.
• Lin Chenran asked Kovalevitch to help acquire GTZA-674 steam turbines and their technology and production lines.
• Kovalevitch said he could introduce a seller of finished turbines but needed his superiors’ approval for the technology and production lines.
• Lin Chenran agreed to wait in Vladivostok for a week while Kovalevitch reported the proposal.
• Kovalevitch went to the Far East Fleet’s base and told General Leo that a big deal had come in.

Leo Gago agreed to sell Lin Chenran the GTZA-674 steam turbine technology and production lines, but ordered Kovalevitch to raise the price and include finished turbines if possible. Kovalevitch and Lin Chenran haggled over the deal, but the chapter ended before revealing their final agreed price.

• Kovalevitch told Leo Gago that Lin Chenran wanted to buy the GTZA-674 steam turbine technology and production lines.
• Leo Gago agreed to sell them but instructed Kovalevitch to demand a high price and consider adding finished turbine sets.
• Kovalevitch quoted Lin Chenran 300 million US Dollars for two sets of turbines, the technology, and the production lines.
• Lin Chenran rejected the quote and offered at most 120 million US Dollars, while Kovalevitch refused to go that low.
• Lin Chenran and Kovalevitch haggled over the price, but the chapter ended before stating what they agreed on.

Lin Chenran finalized an $180 million deal with Kovalevitch for GTZA-674 steam turbine technology and production lines, then returned to Flame Nation and argued that the navy should also pursue Eagle Country’s LM2500 gas turbine technology. Elder Zhang agreed that the opportunity might not last, but asked whether Eagle Country would allow the deal.

• Lin Chenran and Kovalevitch agreed to an $180 million price, split between cash and light industrial goods, for two GTZA-674 steam turbines and their technology and production lines.
• Lin Chenran celebrated the deal with Kovalevitch at the Red Romance Tavern and announced that he would leave Mao Xiong Country the next day.
• After returning to 077 Machinery Military Factory, Lin Chenran received a call from Elder Zhang, who praised how quickly he had secured the GTZA-674 technology.
• Elder Zhang asked whether the navy should still pursue the LM2500 gas turbine, and Lin Chenran argued that Flame Nation should seek its technology while relations with Eagle Country remained favorable.
• Elder Zhang agreed that Flame Nation should try to obtain the LM2500 technology and asked whether Eagle Country would give them the opportunity.

Lin Chenran persuaded Elder Zhang that the navy needed to help fund the introduction of gas turbine technology, then learned the navy had selected 704 Shipyard’s Aegis missile destroyer design. Elder Zhang later visited 077 Machinery Military Factory with news about Eagle Country, leaving Lin Chenran and the factory’s executives stunned.

• Lin Chenran argued that the navy should bear most of the cost of introducing gas turbine technology, and Elder Zhang agreed to seek funding.
• A month and a half later, Pan Xueming presented 704 Shipyard’s Aegis missile destroyer design to navy leaders, who approved it as meeting their needs.
• The Flame Nation Navy announced that 704 Shipyard had won the new missile destroyer design selection, and rival shipyard leaders were convinced by the design’s specifications.
• Elder Zhang visited 077 Machinery Military Factory to discuss an important matter, and Lin Chenran and the executives were stunned when he began explaining what Eagle Country wanted to do.

Lin Chenran and Elder Zhang discussed Eagle Country’s demand for the Xuanwu Special Steel Material formula in exchange for LM2500 gas turbine technology, and Lin refused to surrender the formula. The Navy considered other suppliers as Lin revealed that 077 Machinery Military Factory was researching gas turbines itself.

• Lin Chenran rejected Eagle Country’s demand for the Xuanwu Special Steel Material formula, saying Flame Nation could export the material but would not disclose how to make it.
• Elder Zhang explained that Eagle Country remained firm because it had failed to reverse-engineer the armor steel from an Apocalypse Tank and wanted the formula in exchange for LM2500 technology and a production line.
• Lin told Elder Zhang that the Navy could seek gas turbine technology from other countries, including the Bear Country, rather than accept Eagle Country’s terms.
• Lin revealed that 077 Machinery Military Factory had begun researching gas turbines and had hoped to use the LM2500 as a reference to speed up development.
• Lin and Elder Zhang discussed how GTZA-674 steam turbines could power Aegis destroyers and future aircraft carriers, as well as supply steam for aircraft catapults.

After Eagle Country demanded Xuanwu Special Steel Material or an exorbitant price for LM2500 gas turbines, the Flame Nation Navy left and secured second-tier gas turbine technology and production lines from John Country. Three months later, officials and Sha Country representatives gathered at the 077 Machinery Military Factory for the first flight test of its replicated Chinook heavy helicopter.

• Eagle Country demanded the Xuanwu Special Steel Material formula for LM2500 technology and quoted the Flame Nation Navy 50 million US Dollars per turbine set, so the navy delegation left without agreeing.
• General Electric Company executives expected the Flame Nation delegation to return, but the navy instead flew to John Country.
• After a month and a half of negotiations, the Flame Nation Navy acquired second-tier gas turbine technology and production lines from John Country for 120 million US Dollars, with the 077 Machinery Military Factory paying half.
• Lin Chenran invited Flame Nation military officials and Sha Country representatives to the 077 Machinery Military Factory three months later, where its first replicated Chinook heavy helicopter was about to undergo flight testing.

077 Machinery Military Factory completed an improved Chinook heavy helicopter and named it the Zhi-20 Heavy Helicopter. After introducing it to Abdul and the other representatives, Lin Chenran ordered its first public test flight to begin.

• Wang Shicun and his engineering team adapted the Chinook design to Flame Nation's capabilities, and Abdul praised the factory's speed.
• Lin Chenran named the helicopter the Zhi-20 Heavy Helicopter to avoid trouble with Eagle Country.
• Lin Chenran led Abdul and the other representatives to inspect the Zhi-20, and Wang Shicun described its features and capabilities.
• The inspectors cleared the helicopter for flight, and Lin Chenran gave the test pilot the order to begin.
• The test pilot activated the controls, and the Zhi-20's rotors began spinning as the spectators cheered.

Lin Chenran showed Abdul the Zhi-20 heavy helicopter's successful test flight, and Abdul agreed to buy 50 aircraft from 077 Machinery Military Factory. The chapter ended with Abdul urging the factory to complete testing and begin production quickly so Sha Country could strengthen its rapid-response force.

• The Zhi-20 heavy helicopter took off, performed a ten-minute test flight, and landed smoothly as the engineers celebrated.
• Lin Chenran asked Abdul what he thought of the helicopter, and Abdul praised it and expressed interest in buying it for Sha Country.
• Lin Chenran quoted a base price of 12 million US dollars per helicopter, which surprised Abdul because Eagle Country had quoted Sha Country 30 million dollars for a Chinook before refusing the sale.
• Abdul agreed to start with an order of 50 Zhi-20 heavy helicopters, worth 600 million US dollars for the bare aircraft.
• Lin Chenran welcomed the order, and Abdul asked 077 Machinery Military Factory to finish testing and begin large-scale production quickly.

After securing a major Zhi-20 heavy helicopter order from Sha Country, Lin Chenran met with Flame Nation military officials to discuss a domestic purchase. The officials were shocked by his price of twenty million Yan currency per helicopter and worried about the cost of buying the hundred they needed.

• Lin Chenran promised Abdul that the Zhi-20 would enter large-scale production in about half a month.
• After Abdul's convoy left, Lin Chenran led 077 Machinery Military Factory staff into a meeting to coordinate with Flame Nation's military.
• Old Wei and Elder Zhang applauded Lin Chenran and his team for developing the Zhi-20 and securing an order worth over 600 million US Dollars from Sha Country.
• The meeting discussed adapting the Zhi-20 for naval use and purchasing helicopters for Flame Nation's military.
• Lin Chenran quoted a price of twenty million Yan currency per helicopter, and Old Wei objected that buying the hundred helicopters the military needed would cost two billion Yan currency.

Lin Chenran negotiated a lower price and a phased purchase of Z-20 heavy helicopters with the Flame Nation military, while 077 Machinery Military Factory prioritized Sha Country’s first delivery. After Sha Country formed a rapid reaction force without buying more weapons, Shane Carl received intelligence explaining why and sent agents to investigate.

• Lin Chenran defended the Z-20’s price by comparing it with the Flame Nation military’s costly purchase of civilian Black Hawk helicopters, then lowered the quoted price to 18 million Yan currency.
• Lin Chenran suggested that the Flame Nation military buy Z-20 helicopters in batches, and the military officials accepted the compromise.
• Lin Chenran revealed that the first Z-20 helicopters would go to Sha Country, which 077 Machinery Military Factory prioritized as a major customer.
• A month later, 077 Machinery Military Factory began mass production and delivered the first ten Z-20 helicopters to Sha Country, whose leadership ordered Abdul to form a rapid reaction force.
• Military-industrial companies offered Sha Country weapons, but Sha Country declined, saying it had enough equipment.
• Shane Carl received a top-secret report about Sha Country’s plans, sent agents to gather intelligence, and showed the report to Valerie Burner, who reacted with shock.

Valerie Burner and Shane Carl discovered that Sha Country in the Camel Region possessed helicopters resembling Eagle Country’s Chinooks and suspected they had been reverse-engineered. Flame Nation and Sha Country then announced a deal for fifty Zhi-20 helicopters, and Flame Nation insisted they were independently developed and merely looked similar.

• Valerie Burner and Shane Carl examined photos showing Sha Country in the Camel Region had Chinook-like helicopters despite Eagle Country rejecting its purchase request.
• Valerie Burner pointed out differences between the helicopters and Eagle Country’s Chinooks, leading both men to suspect that the technology had been reverse-engineered.
• Shane Carl ordered Valerie Burner to find out which country had copied the Chinook, while warning that the consequences could be severe.
• Sha Country in the Camel Region and Flame Nation announced a deal for fifty Zhi-20 heavy helicopters for Sha Country’s rapid response force.
• Countries around the world noted the Zhi-20’s resemblance to the Chinook, but Flame Nation’s representative claimed it was independently developed and only similar in appearance.

Valerie Burner and Shane Carl discovered that Sha Country had Chinook-like helicopters despite Eagle Country rejecting its purchase request, and feared the aircraft had been replicated. Flame Nation and Sha Country then announced that Sha Country would buy fifty Zhi-20 helicopters from Flame Nation, which insisted they were independently developed despite their close resemblance to the Chinook.

• Valerie Burner and Shane Carl examined photos showing Chinook-like helicopters in Sha Country's hands and wondered how they had obtained them.
• Valerie Burner pointed out differences in the helicopters, leading Shane Carl and him to suspect that someone had replicated Eagle Country's Chinook.
• Shane Carl ordered Valerie Burner to investigate who had copied the helicopter and vowed to make the alleged thief pay.
• Sha Country and Flame Nation announced a deal for Sha Country to buy fifty Zhi-20 heavy helicopters from Flame Nation.
• Countries around the world noticed the Zhi-20's resemblance to the Chinook, while Flame Nation's representative denied that it had copied Eagle Country's design.

Eagle Country investigated the Zhi-20 Heavy Helicopter and learned that Sha Country had publicly released some of its specifications, while Flame Nation claimed the helicopter was independently developed. The Zhi-20 attracted foreign buyers and unsettled Boeing Company, and the chapter ended with good news emerging from 077 Machinery Military Factory.

• Shane Carl received intelligence showing that the Zhi-20 outperformed the Chinook and appeared to be an improved design rather than a simple imitation.
• Valerie Burner told Shane Carl that Sha Country had released basic Zhi-20 specifications to deter foreign agents, and Shane sent his gathered intelligence back to Eagle Country.
• Eagle Country's leaders questioned how Flame Nation had developed the Zhi-20 so quickly, while Flame Nation's representatives denied copying the Chinook and the two sides traded accusations.
• Countries seeking high-performance helicopters sent representatives to Flame Nation to discuss buying customizable Zhi-20s.
• Boeing Company worried that the Chinook could not be sold overseas and accepted Eagle Country's offer of larger purchases if it developed a new multipurpose helicopter.
• A month later, good news came from 077 Machinery Military Factory.

077 Machinery Military Factory completed the Osprey multi-purpose transport aircraft and prepared to begin testing, drawing the interest of Flame Nation’s military. Lin Chenran also sought permission to export it, while chief designer Yao Zhicheng began presenting the aircraft to the visiting delegation.

• Lin Chenran told Old Wei that the Osprey had been developed and would begin testing in three days, and Old Wei arranged to attend its maiden flight with Elder Zhang.
• Lin Chenran asked Old Wei to approve overseas sales so the factory could recoup its research costs, but Old Wei said the decision would depend on the test results.
• Old Wei and the military delegation arrived at 077 Machinery Military Factory, where Lin Chenran joked that the factory could build an atomic bomb if supplied with the necessary equipment and materials.
• At a conference, Lin Chenran introduced chief designer Yao Zhicheng, who began explaining the Osprey to the attentive delegation.

After Yao Zhicheng’s presentation, Lin Chenran led the Flame Nation military leaders to inspect the Osprey multi-purpose transport aircraft at the testing grounds. The leaders showed particular interest in its shipboard potential, but its 28-million-Yan-currency price raised concerns, so Lin Chenran offered to lower the price if sales reached a sufficient scale.

• Yao Zhicheng finished explaining the Osprey multi-purpose transport aircraft, and the military leaders applauded his presentation.
• Lin Chenran led the leaders to the testing grounds, where they inspected the folded Osprey and admired its design and potential for Navy deployment.
• Elder Zhang asked to examine the aircraft up close, and Lin Chenran brought the group to it before the test was due to begin.
• Old Wei asked about the aircraft’s price, and Lin Chenran said it cost 28 million Yan currency.
• Lin Chenran offered to reduce the price for the military if Osprey sales reached a sufficient scale.

Lin Chenran oversaw the successful test flight of 077 Machinery Military Factory’s Osprey multi-purpose transport aircraft, demonstrating its vertical takeoff, transition to level flight, and high speed. The Flame Nation military purchased ten aircraft, most for its navy, while an Eagle Country intelligence report about the aircraft caused a stir back home.

• Lin Chenran ordered final inspections of the Osprey before its test flight, and engineers confirmed it was ready.
• The test pilot started the aircraft, raised it vertically, and demonstrated its maneuverability as Lin Chenran explained how its propellers worked.
• The pilot transitioned the Osprey into level flight and demonstrated its maximum speed of 509 kilometers per hour, drawing cheers from the spectators.
• Old Wei congratulated Lin Chenran, who credited the aircraft’s development to the work of the 077 Machinery Military Factory team.
• The Flame Nation military bought ten Ospreys, with most assigned to its navy.
• Eagle Country intelligence personnel sent a report about the aircraft home, causing a major uproar.

Boeing and Bell Helicopter Company learned that Flame Nation had developed and flight-tested an Osprey foldable tiltrotor aircraft before their own project had left the design stage. Gary O'Reilly and Sorel Konos agreed to gather more intelligence and accelerate development of their aircraft.

• Gary O'Reilly convened an emergency meeting and told the joint research team that Flame Nation had completed a test flight of its foldable tiltrotor aircraft.
• Sorel Konos questioned the intelligence until he examined Gary O'Reilly's document and saw the satellite photographs.
• The research team read the document and accepted that Flame Nation had developed an aircraft with the Osprey codename.
• Sorel Konos urged the companies to keep gathering intelligence and step up their own development.
• Gary O'Reilly said Boeing would continue tracking Flame Nation's aircraft and warned that the project could be canceled if they did not make progress.

Countries around the world questioned Flame Nation’s ability to develop the Osprey multi-purpose transport aircraft, while Sha Country’s Abdul traveled to Flame Nation to negotiate a purchase. Lin Chenran welcomed him at the 077 Machinery Military Factory, and Eagle Country official Shane Carl began investigating the visit.

• The Osprey’s unveiling drew global attention, and foreign agents set out to investigate Flame Nation’s aircraft and obtain its technical data.
• Abdul contacted Lin Chenran, who invited him to Flame Nation, and Sha Country’s leaders approved funding to purchase Ospreys.
• Abdul led a delegation to Flame Nation, eager to see the aircraft and join import negotiations.
• Lin Chenran welcomed Abdul at the 077 Machinery Military Factory and noted that Flame Nation’s military had approved Osprey exports with reduced specifications.
• Shane Carl learned that Abdul had traveled to Flame Nation and sent a telegram back to Eagle Country.

Lin Chenran and Yao Zhicheng presented the Osprey multi-purpose transport aircraft to Abdul and the Sha Country of the Camel Region delegation, impressing them with its capabilities. Lin Chenran invited them to a test flight, and Abdul agreed to board the aircraft with him despite his colleagues’ concern.

• Lin Chenran welcomed Abdul and the Sha Country of the Camel Region delegation to 077 Machinery Military Factory and introduced the Osprey aircraft presentation.
• Yao Zhicheng explained the Osprey’s performance, layout, and foldable tiltrotor design, drawing strong interest from the delegation.
• Abdul asked Lin Chenran when the delegation could inspect the aircraft up close, and Lin Chenran invited them to the testing site.
• Lin Chenran offered to board the Osprey with the delegation during its test flight, reassuring Abdul that the aircraft was safe.
• Abdul agreed to fly with Lin Chenran and silenced the other representatives when they tried to dissuade him.

Eagle Country decided to secretly import Flame Nation’s Osprey multi-purpose transport aircraft to study its folding technology, while Flame Nation left the decision to sell to 077 Machinery Military Factory. After Abdul test-flew the aircraft, Sha Country in the Camel Region signed a contract to buy twenty.

• Boeing Company and Bell Helicopter Company persuaded Eagle Country to approve a secret Osprey import despite opposition from Gary O'Reilly, Sorel Konos, and their research team.
• Flame Nation’s senior officials debated whether to reject Eagle Country’s request or sell the aircraft for foreign currency, and the top leader left the decision to 077 Machinery Military Factory.
• Lin Chenran took Abdul and the Sha Country representatives on an Osprey flight, which impressed them and strengthened Abdul’s resolve to buy it.
• Abdul requested the Osprey’s technology and production line, but Lin Chenran refused, and Abdul accepted that Sha Country would buy completed aircraft instead.
• Lin Chenran quoted a price of 21 million US dollars per aircraft, and Abdul signed a contract for twenty Ospreys.