Chapter 12 Emergency Interception Takeoff

  As soon as Zhao Hu boarded the 157th ship, he meant to return to the base without stopping. When Sun Fan and Zhuo Yili made a bet, Zhao Hu also called Sun Qifan to one side, looked around and saw no one, then asked in a low voice: "You... do you have acrophobia?"

  "How is it possible", in response to Zhao Hu's words, Sun Qifan smiled wryly with no confidence.

  Zhao Hu did not believe Sun Qifan's words, took a deep breath, and continued to say: "Now you face your own problems, and there is still time to make up for it. Otherwise, when the time comes, especially during actual driving training, something will go wrong, and it will be too late."

  Looking at Zhao Hu's serious face, Sun Qifan fell silent for a moment, thinking to himself that he might as well take advantage of this topic and get Old Zhao to approve his transfer application, which would be the best outcome.

  He thought for a moment, then turned his head to look at the helicopter on the tail of the 157 aircraft carrier's flight deck. After a while, he looked back and said, "Yes, I do have acrophobia, so this is also one of the reasons why I desperately want to leave here. I am not suitable to be a carrier-based aircraft pilot."

  "It's good that you admit you have acrophobia, but this can't be a reason for you to leave here."

  Zhao Hu's response made Sun Qifan stunned on the spot, thinking that such a serious reason couldn't even get Old Zhao to approve his transfer application.

  Sun Qifan couldn't help but sneer, turning to look at Zhao Hu, asking in a puzzled tone: "Old Zhao, if you're not willing to help me leave the South Sea Fleet, just say so, I won't blame you. Although you seem to have a lot of authority, after all, you're just a technical expert."

  Zhao Hu responded with a cold smile, raised his hand to hold the railing, gazing out at the endless sea in front of him, and let out a long sigh.

  "Yes, I really can't help you with your transfer application now. But what I don't understand is, what's the real reason you're so determined to leave the South Sea Fleet?"

  Acrophobia.

  "Do you think I would believe what you say?" As he spoke, Zhao Hu turned his head around and looked at Sun Qifan very calmly.

  In that instant, Sun Qifan saw Zhao Hu's dissatisfaction with himself in the seemingly calm eyes of Zhao Hu.

  Sun Qifan didn't know how to express his inner thoughts, so he turned his head to gaze at the blue sky and sea in front of him. After a long silence, he spoke with a heavy heart: "Old Zhao, my acrophobia is actually very mild. As long as I can keep my mind calm, I'll be able to overcome it eventually." Sun Qifan took another deep breath, patted the railing with both hands, and continued: "To be honest, the reason I desperately want to leave here is that I'm not convinced, I don't accept that my uncle Sun Fan secretly modified my job assignment application."

  When Sun Qifan finally said the real reason, Zhao Hu was relieved and smiled: "Is Shenxian Bay really so attractive?"

  "In school, the most talked-about topic among classmates is where to go after graduation. Some hope to be close to home, some hope to have connections in a place, and others hope to go to the most remote place. Shensheng Bay may not be a special place, but from the bottom of my heart, I yearn for that place."

  "Yearning?"

  "Yes, yearning. Yearning to stand there, can see the clouds rolling and unfolding, can be accompanied by the vast snow-capped mountains, yearning for the border defense feelings engraved in the hearts of every soldier there, yearning for the thrill of making contact with death on each patrol, yearning for many things."

  Listening to Sun Qifan's words, Zhao Hu didn't say a word. He looked at Sun Qifan as he spoke, and the smile on his face was so pure and unadulterated.

  His past self was no different from this young man in front of him, with a belly full of hot blood, thinking of going to the most difficult places to temper himself. Thinking of this, Zhao Hu also couldn't help but laugh.

  Hearing Zhao Hu's laughter, Sun Qifan couldn't help but turn his head to look at Zhao Hu and asked with a smile: "What's so funny?"

  "No," Zhao Hu waved his hand, "I just remembered the past me, also like you, wanting to go to the farthest place, but I didn't want to go to Shen Xian Bay."

  "Where is it?"

  "That doesn't matter, what matters is I finally chose to come to the South Sea Fleet."

  Zhao Hu's answer left Sun Qifan stunned once again. Seeing Sun Qifan in a daze, Zhao Hu reached out and grasped Sun Qifan's shoulder, saying: "Actually, every soldier has a sincere patriotic heart, wanting to go to the most difficult places to temper themselves. But what is true hardship, do you know?"

  Sun Qifan shook his head and looked at Zhao Hu with a bewildered expression.

  "The real hardship is to stick to your post when the country needs you, regardless of wind and rain, or scorching heat."

  Zhao Hu's words were spoken very calmly, without ups and downs, but like a stone thrown into Sun Qifan's heart sea, stirring up the waves in Sun Qifan's heart.

  "I believe that your uncle modified your aspiration, not for his own selfish reasons, but to let you grow under his protection. I think he will be even more demanding of you than other students."

  Sun Qifan didn't know what to say and thought for half a day before responding: "Then tell me, why is he so eager for me to come here?"

  Zhao Hu smiled and shrugged his shoulders, "How would I know? I'm not a tapeworm in your uncle's belly."

  The topic seemed to have come to an end, and Sun Qifan didn't want to entangle with Zhao Hu again on this topic, so he smiled and asked when Zhao Hu would set sail back to the base. Just as Zhao Hu was about to say something, Zhao Neng rushed to his side with a look of urgency, saluted and said: "Report to the superior, there is an unidentified foreign military aircraft approaching our territorial waters for reconnaissance, and Minister Xue has made corresponding deployment arrangements. We need you to return now to issue corresponding orders and follow up on the situation."

  Upon hearing this, Zhao Hu immediately furrowed his brow and hastily headed towards the helicopter pad at the rear of the ship. On the helicopter, Qiu Lin was already seated in the co-pilot's seat, as the situation was urgent, she didn't want to delay matters.

  However, after Zhao Hu and Sun Qifan boarded the helicopter, Zhao Neng still smiled at Qiu Lin and said: "Although your driving skills are good, but too cautious, if it's really a battle, your takeoff and landing speed will only cost your comrades' lives." After that, Zhao Neng pulled the collective pitch lever, and when the helicopter was only one meter away from the ship, he turned the tail rotor and manipulated the helicopter to head back to the base.

  As the helicopter landed on the helipad of the South Sea Fleet headquarters, Qiu Lin glanced at the flight distance and time displayed on the instrument panel, and found that the distance had been shortened by a full five minutes.

  After getting off the helicopter, Sun Qifan found that his uncle Sun Fan and Zhuo Yi were already standing in front of the apron, wearing flight suits and standing at attention. As soon as Zhao Hu got off the helicopter, Sun Fan hurriedly stepped forward to salute and report: "Comrade Commander, pilots Sun Fan and Zhuo Yi have received an emergency takeoff interception mission and are ready to depart, please instruct!"

  "Let's go!"

  "Yes!"

  This was Sun Qifan's first time seeing his uncle Sun Fan wearing a flight suit, and he felt a sense of unfamiliarity yet admiration.

  He couldn't put his feelings into words and tell his uncle about it. He just stood in front of the apron, watching as his uncle quickly ran into the hangar, agilely climbed up the ladder and entered the cockpit of the J11-BS fighter jet.

  In the cockpit, Sun Bian gave a thumbs up to the lined-up crew on one side, indicating that preparations were complete and they could depart.

  Upon seeing the gesture, all crew members also responded with a loud and powerful "Attention!", solemnly saluting Sun's squadron as they slowly taxied out of the hangar.

  As the fighter jet taxied onto the runway, with a "bang!" from the bird-scaring gun, the engine of the plane also roared to life. The sound grew sharper and sharper, the speed of the plane faster and faster, until it was almost impossible to keep up, when suddenly, with a "whoosh!", it lifted off the ground and shot straight into the sky.

  And when Sun Fu and Zhuo Yi's warplanes completely disappeared from view, Sun Qifan finally withdrew his gaze and looked at Zhao Hu on the side.

  He wanted to ask Zhao Hu, but he saw Zhao Hu hastily leave, and the words that had reached his lips could only be swallowed back into his belly. On the other hand, Qiu Lin, because it was her first time seeing Zhuo Yi drive a fighter plane, thought that she might also drive a fighter plane with such style in the future, and couldn't help but feel a little excited.

  Sun Qifan didn't notice her little excitement, but silently understood in his heart what Zhao Hu meant by the words he said to him on the 157th ship.

  He just didn't want to say it, maybe he never wanted others to know what he was thinking at this moment. However, staying behind and staying in the South Sea Fleet to complete the truly arduous training in Zhao Hu's words had already taken root in Sun Qifan's heart and began to sprout.

  At this moment, Zhao Neng drove a Mengshi military vehicle to Sun Qifan and said to the two: "Let's go, go to the command post, Old Zhao wants you both to go over."

  "Go to the command post?" Qiu Lin stared at Zhao Neng with wide eyes.

  Zhao smiled and said, "Let's go take a look at how your two instructors are carrying out their mission. You will also encounter similar situations in the future."

  After listening to Zhao Neng's words, Qiu Lin and Sun Qifan looked at each other and got on the car, following Zhao Neng to the command center. When they entered the command center, Zhao Hu had already changed into formal military uniform, standing in front of the electronic display screen, his eyes tightly fixed on the data simulation image transmitted back from the early warning aircraft.

  The other twenty-two students were already standing by and seeing Sun Qifan and Qiu Lin, they couldn't help but quietly call the two over.

  After joining the team, Sun Qifan looked at the red and blue aircraft symbols on the electronic screen, as well as the constantly jumping latitude and longitude, and couldn't help but worry that his uncle might encounter a firefight.

  Suddenly, Sun Fan's voice came from the command post: "Report to Command Center, this is Cang Tui 1. The opponent seems to have no intention of canceling reconnaissance and leaving. Request firepower warning."

  "Fire warning!" Sun Qifan's heart was startled, thinking that if both sides really fought, it would be hard to say who would be at a disadvantage. After all, the J-11BS fighter jet is not a completely air-superiority fighter, and judging from the digital simulation screen, the performance of the opposing fighter jet is not inferior.

  However, Sun Qifan did not expect that Old Zhao would agree to Sun Fan's request, "Agree to use force to expel him from the border!"