Chapter 74: Radar Signal Disappearance
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
“Master, looking at the design of this drone, it appears to be a classified model, isn’t it?”
“Don’t glance around, and don’t speak of it. Let’s pretend we know nothing and get on with refueling quickly.”
“Master, where’s the refueling port?”
“It’s… right there.”
“I see it.”
Once they spotted the refueling port, the young man fetched a professional refueling gun and began refilling the drone.
“Master, why did this drone come here to refuel?”
“Don’t ask too many questions. Tonight, we’re simply watching TV in the duty room, haven’t left anywhere, and haven’t refueled anything, got it?”
“Don’t worry, I’m just having a chat with you here. I won’t know a thing once I leave.”
“Remember what you just said.”
The master and apprentice continued refueling the drone while chatting casually.
After a while, the refueling vehicle displayed that there was no more fuel.
“Master, we’ve run out of fuel.”
“Yes, I see it.”
“What should we do now?”
“Go back and refuel, quickly.”
The master and apprentice removed the refueling gun, hopped into the small refueling vehicle, and rushed back to replenish the fuel.
A dozen minutes later, the small refueling vehicle returned and resumed refueling the drone.
The master and apprentice stopped chatting and kept a close eye on the fuel gauge.
Earlier, their refueling vehicle had at least 1.7 tons of fuel.
Now, after refilling, there were 2 tons of fuel.
According to their calculations, it should be more than enough.
After all, fully fueling a J-10 fighter only required 3 tons of fuel.
A drone couldn’t possibly have a larger fuel tank than a fighter jet, right?
However…
They watched the fuel gauge steadily decrease, and there was no sign that it was reaching full on the drone’s side.
“Master, we’re out of fuel again.”
“Go back and top it up.”
“Alright.”
As the master and apprentice headed back to refuel, Tang Rui stared at them with boredom.
This was taking too long.
The fuel capacity of that small refueling vehicle was pitifully insufficient.
Even after two rounds of refueling, the drone’s fuel tank still wasn’t completely full.
A dozen minutes later, the small refueling vehicle returned again to continue refueling the drone.
This time, after consuming nearly a ton of fuel, they finally managed to fill the drone’s fuel tank.
The apprentice quickly removed the refueling gun.
The master also promptly drove the small refueling vehicle out of the area.
“Fish Pond calling the control tower.”
“Control tower here, go ahead.”
“Fish Pond requests permission to take off.”
“Permission granted for takeoff.”
By now, the control tower had given up; you could do as you pleased. They couldn’t see anything anyway.
You had complete freedom.
Tang Rui turned his head, spotted the two people waiting on the sidelines to watch the drone take off, and deliberately made a few control surface movements as a greeting before pushing the throttle.
Because someone was watching, he didn’t opt for vertical takeoff and landing but used the runway.
After taxiing for a hundred meters, he pulled the control stick, and the drone soared into the sky.
Once the drone vanished into the night sky, the master and apprentice returned to the small refueling vehicle and drove away.
“Master, he just greeted us, didn’t he?”
“Yes.”
“Master, so what do you think…”
“Quiet down, stop bothering me.”
“Okay.”
Back in the duty room, the master still wore a serious expression, lost in thought.
The apprentice glanced at him several times and couldn’t resist asking, “Master, what’s on your mind?”
“I’m thinking about how to account for this month’s fuel consumption.”
5,600 liters.
4.5 tons of fuel.
How could he balance the books without leaving a trace?
“Calling the control tower.”
“Control tower here, go ahead.”
“Request to retract the Longbo lens and enter stealth mode.”
H H
The control tower was growing weary; it wasn’t even their responsibility. What if they retracted the Longbo lens and had a collision?
Although the possibility was very low, it was still risky.
“Control tower here, permission granted, please stand by.”
The control tower had no choice but to report to the higher-ups.
Five minutes later.
“Calling Fish Pond.”
“Fish Pond here, go ahead.”
“Request approved. You can retract the Longbo lens upon reaching the Yellow Sea airspace. Remember to turn it on when returning.”
“Fish Pond here, understood. Retract the Longbo lens upon reaching the Yellow Sea airspace, and turn it on when returning.”
Tang Rui glanced at the map and applied full throttle.
At an altitude of 12,000 meters, the drone cruised at 2.1 Mach, flying at supersonic speed.
This speed and altitude left the ground radar stations along the way baffled.
Was this a J-20 night patrol?
Checking direction…
It was headed straight for the Land of the Rising Sun.
When the drone flew out of the land and reached the airspace above the sea, the radars of several neighboring countries locked onto the drone.
It was astonishing.
A stealth aircraft equipped with the Longbo lens, flying at supersonic speed.
“Emergency combat readiness mission, take off immediately and head to the sea area.”
“But there were no flight missions scheduled for tonight.”
“The Weilong from the west is coming.”
“What? Weilong is coming, Code Eight in the west.”
On the other side, the Japanese officials were also startled.
After all, the flight path was too straight, clearly heading in their direction.
Japan would have normally dispatched fighters and flexed its muscles in international waters when they saw an aircraft coming. But in the past two years, they couldn’t afford it.
Their pilots, who flew either their own fighter jets or bought ones, had expensive maintenance costs.
Moreover, every time they launched, they were pulled into dogfights in international waters by us.
If they lost, they felt embarrassed. If they won, it was even worse; we would come back the next day for more practice.
It was just a legend.
It wasn’t real; it was just a legend.
Back in the day, after the new pilots finished their solo training, they were brought here for special training.
When they won three consecutive rounds, they could go back, and someone else would come for special training.
Japanese pilots had been the training dummies for our new pilots.
But in the last two years, they couldn’t handle it anymore and they started playing dead.
This also left the Air Force a little helpless. This was such a good training ground, but it was ruined by the previous group of people.
They just didn’t know how to use it carefully.
But now it was different.
It was ruined and couldn’t be used anymore.
Tang Rui kept an eye on the map and, as the drone reached the boundary of the Yellow Sea airspace and was about to enter international waters, retracted the Longbo lens.
Shoop!
The drone’s radar signal disappeared.
This situation made the Japanese watchers feel a chill down their spines.
From the flight path and the sudden disappearance of the signal, it was clear that the aircraft was headed towards them… completely undisguised.
They were practically telling them about their presence.
The reason for retracting the Longbo lens was to create a loophole for denial.
On what basis could you say that our aircraft flew to your place?
Do you have any evidence?
You said the radar signal suddenly disappeared?
Where did it disappear?
It disappeared over our territory. What does that have to do with you? Are you hallucinating because your father has been hitting you too hard lately and you’ve lost your mind?
Tang Rui didn’t care about the Japanese’ intentions. After retracting the Longbo lens, he climbed to an altitude of 25,000 meters and accelerated like crazy..