Simulation drill, burnout launch

The powerful, ringing words touched everyone's heart.

Men did not shed tears lightly, yet now tears filled countless eyes.

Luo Bing and Zhu Guodong, the two chiefs from the Southeast Theater Command, were also moved to tears.

After a brief, deathly silence, Li Guozhong shot to his feet, trembling all over, clapping hard, clapping wildly.

Countless others rose to their feet after him and applauded.

The two chiefs from the Southeast Theater Command put on no airs either, rising to applaud.

The applause lasted a full five minutes.

Only at Luo Bing's signal did it subside.

Luo Bing praised her loudly,

"Well said!"

"Comrade Wang Yixue, that was well said!"

"There are no peaceful years-only people shouldering the burden as they march forward for us!"

"But rest assured, and let our soldiers rest assured as well: our Southeast Military Region will absolutely give Comrade Xu Fan the most generous terms and the highest commendations!"

"I might as well let you in on a little news. Decorations and appointments from the research side are already on their way, but that still isn't enough!"

"Our Southeast Military Region will show even greater sincerity. We will never let any defense researcher feel bitterly disappointed!"

Only after Luo Bing's reassurances did the soldiers' emotions settle.

Wang Yixue also smiled for the first time in a long while.

Luo Bing's words also became the final summation of the commendation ceremony.

The ceremony ended successfully.

Everyone went to the dining hall to eat.

Wang Yixue and Tong Yao were covered in award medals.

Li Guozhong quietly told Wang Yixue that in a few days, Xu Fan would definitely be wearing no fewer award medals than she was.

He would even be wearing an order of merit!

At the words "order of merit," both Wang Yixue and Tong Yao froze.

A single word's difference put them a thousand miles apart.

An order of merit carried more than dozens of times the weight of an award medal!

Only those who made outstanding contributions to the nation qualified to receive an order of merit.

Elder Wang and Elder Hua, for instance, were both recipients of the Nation-Protecting Medal.

Only then did Wang Yixue understand that perhaps Xu Fan had not been commended today because some truly weighty honors were still on their way.

When Xu Fan received his decoration, what a glorious scene that would be.

At that thought, Wang Yixue grew a little uneasy again.

The more outstanding Xu Fan became, the more inexplicably agitated and unsettled she felt.

It was as though she feared losing something that had originally belonged to her.

Lunch ended.

At the two chiefs' urging, the group arrived at the multifunction combat command room.

The relevant personnel were already in position.

Someone was operating each instrument.

At the front stood an enormous display over two meters tall.

There were secondary screens on either side.

The main display was divided in two.

On the left was the live feed from Wang Yixue's holographic helmet; on the right was the live feed from Tong Yao's holographic helmet.

The lower-right corner of each feed showed the respective mech's data panel.

The smaller screens at the sides displayed live exterior footage of the mechs.

This way, both the insides and outsides of the mechs could be seen clearly.

Seeing that everyone had long since finished preparing,

Luo Bing shot Li Guozhong a fierce glare.

"So you brat had everything ready already."

"Haha, when my old chief wants to inspect the troops, of course I'll give it my all!"

After saying that, Li Guozhong could not help feeling a surge in his chest.

These two old bast-no, old chiefs hadn't believed me before. Today, I'd open their eyes!

He picked up the microphone.

"Yixue, Tong Yao, you may begin the simulation drill."

Both acknowledged the order at the same time.

They yanked their control sticks.

The engines roared, spewing blue flames.

The tremendous thrust instantly carried both women and their mechs out of the hangar.

Friction against the ground sent fierce showers of sparks flying.

This "burnout launch" they had learned from Xu Fan instantly captured Luo Bing's and Zhu Guodong's attention.

Although they did not believe the mechs could be as awesome as Li Guozhong claimed, their fondness and curiosity were genuine.

After sitting down, both hurriedly lifted their teacups and gulped down a couple of mouthfuls.

Even while drinking, their eyes remained glued to the screen, afraid of missing a single detail.

Beside them, Li Guozhong did not forget to explain,

"Chiefs, this is called a burnout launch. The more exciting stuff is still to come."

He had barely finished when another air-rending sound came from the feed.

After sliding out, Crimson Sky No. 1 and No. 2 slammed on their brakes and stopped abruptly.

They swiftly adjusted their posture to face upward.

They yanked their control sticks.

Boom, boom-

Two fierce waves of blue flame blasted across the concrete.

Conical sonic clouds simultaneously enveloped the backs of the mechs, and with a sound that tore the sky apart, they became two streaks of fire shooting into the heavens.

The sudden, wild spectacle nearly blasted the two chiefs' eyes out.

Pfft-

Luo Bing violently spat out the tea he had just gulped down.

His eyeballs nearly popped out of their sockets.

He raised an arm and pointed at the screen.

"S-s-s-sonic boom!"

Beside him, Zhu Guodong sprang to his feet, both arms trembling.

His jaw quivered slightly.

He was also stammering, "S-s-s..."

They had thought the excitement would come later, yet they were getting a jolt right at the start.

Li Guozhong remained expressionless, even feeling a hint of disdain.

Look at these country bumpkins coming to town.

One takeoff had you squeaking already. What would you do later?

Though that was what he thought, outwardly Li Guozhong reassured them,

"Chiefs, please stay calm. This is nothing. It's only a sonic-boom takeoff; it doesn't count as a drill event."

Luo Bing's face twitched madly, and his gaze at Li Guozhong brimmed with indignation.

No matter how I looked at this brat, he was asking for a beating.

A sonic-boom takeoff didn't even count as an event.

Did only a nuclear explosion qualify as presentable to you?

Would it only count as a big spectacle if one bang blew all of Zhonghai off the map?

"Wait!"

Zhu Guodong suddenly called out in a trembling voice,

"Old Luo, look at the data panel!"

Looking puzzled, Luo Bing turned his eyes to the panel in the lower-right corner of the screen.

[Current mode: Master]

[Combined thrust: kilonewtons+, minor thrust data omitted]

[Hull temperature]

[Speed: Mach 13]

[Assessment: All normal!]

"Good heavens!"

"Mach 13!!!"

Luo Bing's pupils abruptly contracted almost to pinpoints.

He cried out, his expression changing drastically.

His graying hair stood on end.

His face was filled with disbelief.

The fastest fighter jet in the world could currently only reach Mach 3!

And this thing could hit Mach 13 in a vertical climb??

"I don't believe it!"

"Absolutely not!!"

"This is impossible!"

Zhu Guodong also kept shaking his head.

"This data is fake!"

Helplessly, Li Guozhong picked up the microphone.

"The chiefs say you're too slow. You can go a little faster!"

"You got it!"

Joy appeared on Wang Yixue's and Tong Yao's faces at almost the same moment.

The leadership had always forbidden them from going too fast.

This time, they could finally go faster!

They pressed the climb buttons down again.

The data panels' readings jumped rapidly.

Visibly, the sonic clouds around the mechs gradually thinned.

Then they disappeared.

Luo Bing looked as though he had caught Li Guozhong by the pigtail.

Watching the screen, he laughed.

"Guozhong, the sonic clouds outside the mechs are gone now. That means they aren't even supersonic!"

"Yet the data panels dare show Mach 24. This fakery of yours is far too..."

He never finished.

The smile on Luo Bing's face froze stiff.

His entire body stood rooted in place like a clay or wooden statue.

Even the air seemed to congeal.

As the mech turned around,

a brilliant planet wreathed in a blue halo was reflected in Luo Bing's pupils.