Chapter 62: The Victorious Swallow—Could Such a Pilot Truly Exist?

Seeing the Lightning Team arrive, Qiao Zhe spoke up to help me out of my predicament, “We can discuss personnel matters later. Right now, we need to disperse the typhoon!”

“Qiao Ji, how long until the typhoon is expected to make landfall?”

Di Cheng looked at the cup on the floor with concern, but did not blame me.

Following Qiao Zhe’s words, Shishi and the others turned their attention to the typhoon.

I breathed a sigh of relief and took the initiative to clean up the shards of glass on the floor.

At this moment, Qiao Ji, having finished scanning the typhoon with the detection system, reported, “The typhoon’s speed has increased again!”

“In about three hours, the Kanto region will enter the storm zone!”

“My god, look at this weather map!” Dunzi, standing beside Qiao Ji, let out a cry of alarm.

Shishi and the others couldn’t help but step forward to look. On the screen, the shape of the typhoon looked like a devil’s face.

Qiao Zhe joined them, his gaze turning to the Lightning Team. “The Celestial Machine is located at the eye of the typhoon. What we need to do now is launch missiles to attack the Celestial Machine!”

“That’s the only way to disperse the typhoon, but for the pilots, this will be an incredibly tough challenge.”

As he spoke, Qiao Zhe’s eyes lingered on Kashio.

“Meng, explain to the Lightning Team exactly what to do.”

Seeing me approach, he handed over the detailed procedures for me to explain. In this area, I was the expert—after all, I had designed the Lightning Team’s jets.

“You want the jets to enter the eye of the typhoon?” I quickly gathered my thoughts, pulled up the typhoon simulation at the computer, switched it to the main screen, and frowned slightly.

“To attack the Celestial Machine in the eye, we’d have to descend vertically from the calm zone. But that would make the jet’s maneuverability extremely sluggish. It’s far too dangerous!”

“Wait a minute.” Kashio understood my meaning, but he had a better idea.

Stepping to the main screen, he traced out a plan over the calm zone. “If we use the width of the calm zone to enter at a V angle, we can launch missiles as soon as we see the target, then immediately pull up at full speed.”

Kashio’s explanation was mainly directed at Okawara and Kitada.

Shishi thought Kashio’s method was feasible, but as Qiao Zhe had said, it could easily cost the pilot’s life.

“Meng, if the jet is pushed to its limits, how far do you think it can descend?”

“About three thousand meters,” I replied, glancing at Kashio, reminding him, “But the g-force during the climb could be extreme—I’m not sure the pilot can handle it.”

Even with anti-gravity systems installed, this maneuver was risky; after all, pilots aren’t made of steel.

Kashio looked at me, then stepped up to Shishi. “Commander, let us go!”

Shishi didn’t agree immediately. His face thoughtful, his gaze swept over Qiao Zhe and me before finally settling on Kashio.

“Lightning Team! Move out!”

“Yes, sir!” Kashio and his two teammates saluted and went to prepare for action.

To be precise, Okawara and Kitada’s piloting skills were not yet up to par.

This time, only Kashio in Lightning One would enter the typhoon’s eye.

With the mission underway, Qiao Zhe turned to Shishi. “In that case, Meng and I will board the EX.”

Heiwa would be piloted by Di Cheng and Kamiyama—no way could we call out Platinum Star and knock them on the head to get them to comply.

“Thank you,” Shishi agreed to Qiao Zhe’s proposal.

The EX’s cockpit and the jet could be separated; swapping in a two-seater cockpit was simple.

The team quickly finished preparing.

Qiao Zhe took the seat behind me, acting as co-pilot—giving the impression of a doomed duo.

Lightning Three and Lightning Two were carried by Heiwa.

EX and Lightning One launched from the airborne base, transforming mid-air into two fighters, heading straight for the typhoon!

Kashio’s voice came over the squad channel: “Is it true this typhoon is washing away all man-made pollution?”

“It’s true,” Qiao Zhe replied, feeling the atmospheric changes. “But as it cleanses the air, it’ll wipe out humanity too.”

“Then we can’t let it continue!” Kashio’s tone was resolute.

The two jets quickly reached the calm zone, surrounded by towering white clouds forming a giant circle.

I still felt uneasy and cautioned Kashio, “Once you drop to three thousand meters, even if you don’t see the enemy, pull up immediately. That’s the limit!”

Kashio opened the jet’s targeting system, adjusting his focus.

“Tell me, did you expect I’d insist on this approach?”

“From what I know, you’re a genuine ace pilot,” Qiao Zhe said, affirming Kashio’s skill and understanding his character. “So the odds are good you’ll pull this off.”

If it were Shinjou, the infamous pilot, Qiao Zhe would never feel at ease. But Kashio was different.

Everything is relative. Other than his less-than-perfect aim, Kashio’s skills were impeccable.

I added, “I believe you can do it too!”

Acknowledged by both scientists, Kashio smiled faintly and took Lightning One into a dive.

Qiao Zhe’s status as a scientist—after today’s performance in the XIG command room, and with his acquaintance with Fujimiya—probably convinced Shishi and the others that he was a genius scientist like me.

Lightning One entered the typhoon, plunging into a corridor of black clouds, battered by powerful turbulence.

Under Kashio’s control, Lightning One’s course remained steady, barely shuddering.

Yet the lower he flew, the more violently the jet shook, and under the immense energy, it seemed on the verge of coming apart.

“Are we there yet?” Kashio glanced at the instruments—he’d descended more than two thousand meters.

“Kashio! Get back now!” My voice shouted through the comms.

But Kashio’s gaze was locked on the path ahead.

There, a swirling mass of black clouds churned ominously.

The alarm screamed—warning the jet was at its limits!

“Fire!”

Two laser Vulcan missiles shot from Lightning One’s underside, plunging into the black cloud and erupting in flashes of blue light!

Kashio yanked the stick, and Lightning One surged upward with tremendous force!

The sudden g-force distorted his face, his body wracked with pain.

The typhoon halted. The churning clouds grew still. Lightning One ascended from the eye, racing for the calm zone. But just then—

The Celestial Machine at the typhoon’s center spun rapidly upward, aiming straight for Lightning One’s tail!

My face changed. “Kashio! Behind you! Dodge!”

“I see it!” Kashio tried to maneuver, but the pressure and g-force made it nearly impossible. “Damn, I can’t move!”

“Kashio!” I was still shouting, and hadn’t yet pulled out the Blue Gem.

At that moment, Qiao Zhe, seated behind me, silently raised his arm.

I switched off my communicator, finally producing the Blue Gem, opening my mouth—“Ul—”

Ding—

A silver-white radiance burst forth!

The brilliance blinded me, cutting off my shout, leaving my face frozen in astonishment.