CHAPTER 1099: CHAPTER 1079: THE SOURCE

"I’ll call Dad first!"

Shen Fei, without any hesitation, stuffed Xiao Jiu into Chen Fei’s hands and immediately took out her phone.

The people from the National Defense Star hadn’t even reacted yet. They didn’t even know the relationship between this tactical jet, which had a high compatibility with their young master, and the Northern Weapons Industry Group.

The call connected...

On the other end of the phone signal, the news reported by the daughter left the old father, the vice president of the Northern Weapons Industry Group, utterly bewildered.

What the hell is going on here?

If the young master of the National Defense Star really becomes a Sky Knight and wants the Crystal Jet that the Nangong Team is working on, should they, the Northern Weapons Industry, give it or not?

If they give it, the face of the National Defense Star would really be rubbed into the ground by the Northern Weapons Industry.

Once again, it was a completely unexpected series of events that no one had anticipated.

"...This plane is so handy!"

Immersed entirely in an unprecedented experience, Chen Shan exclaimed like this. It was totally different from the previous advanced trainer, although the performance and controllability of the advanced trainer were not lacking at all. For him, the gap between the two aircraft was clearly visible.

If he had to choose only one, Chen Shan would without hesitation pick the aircraft he was currently piloting. It seemed tailor-made for him, capable of effortlessly executing any maneuver he wished.

Even operations that used to seem very difficult can now be performed with incredible smoothness.

Yes, that’s exactly it—smoothness. That kind of exhilarating joy makes flying feel like an enjoyment.

"Little Chen, that’s enough, you can come back now!"

Ding Xiu, with a headset on, called out to Chen Shan, who was frolicking in the sky. If he kept flying, he’d likely get addicted, which wouldn’t be good for young people with not much self-control.

"But..."

Chen Shan was somewhat reluctant to give up the feeling of transforming into an aircraft and moving freely.

"Too much is as bad as too little!"

As his trial instructor, Ding Xiu emphasized in his voice.

In his eyes, Chen Shan was like a child who had just gotten his hands on a novel toy and couldn’t put it down.

Aircraft are not toys; every flight must have a purpose and plan. Accumulating flight hours isn’t done like this.

Understanding the non-negotiable tone of his senior, Chen Shan finally calmed down a bit, responding with some reluctance, "Alright!"

Chen Fei was not worried about Ding Xiu failing to call back Little Shanzi; he had a double safeguard.

The control rights of the tactical jet were not entirely in Chen Shan’s hands. Remember, the onboard AI is a cloned version of "Adam," with priority even higher than Chen Shan’s. This kid wouldn’t dare disobey.

Automatic return or ejection, it’s all up to Chen Fei.

Chen Shan behaving obediently and listening saved a lot of trouble; this kid finally learned some restraint. Elder Chen, Little Chen, felt greatly comforted—those spankings back in the day weren’t in vain!

If Little Shanzi heard Elder Chen’s thoughts at this moment, he might just eject himself right then, willing to get another beating just to confront Elder Brother Chen.

The tactical jet landed smoothly without even a wisp of smoke from the landing gear touching the ground, quickly returning to the tarmac. In fact, both taxi takeoff and vertical takeoff/landing were possible, and the takeoff and landing modes depended entirely on preference.

"Brother, where did you get this plane?"

After leaping out of the cockpit and removing his tactical helmet, Chen Shan excitedly approached Chen Fei.

He didn’t notice the hint of sympathy in future sister-in-law Shen Fei’s gaze toward him.

Chen Fei unabashedly said, "It’s mine!"

"Which manufacturer?"

Chen Shan wanted this tactical jet; it was simply too fitting for him. He had never had such an experience before—flying was actually an enjoyment, and he could perform a variety of maneuvers unrestrained by textbook descriptions.

"Didn’t you hear? Mine! It doesn’t belong to any manufacturer, it’s just mine!"

Chen Fei emphasized, raising his hand to point to himself.

"Chirp!" The little bird on his shoulder even highlighted the point for Chen Shan.

"Are you joking?" Chen Shan’s expression gradually stiffened, yet he couldn’t find any sign that Chen Fei was joking.

"If it were from any other manufacturer, don’t you think the intelligence-gathering capabilities of the National Defense would know about it?"

Chen Fei retorted.

Rivals are enemies; knowing oneself and the enemy ensures countless victories. How could intelligence gathering between them be lacking?

Moreover, the development cycle of any aircraft has always been lengthy, almost measured in years. It’s not uncommon for an entire generation of design teams to be consumed in creating a high-performance aircraft, spending most of their career on a single project, from starting work to retirement.

Products with a lifecycle exceeding a hundred years from project initiation to retirement are not rare.

"Don’t tell me you did this all by yourself?"

Chen Shan increasingly felt an urge to lose his composure.

Elder Chen, Little Chen, was truly inhuman.

"How could it be! Of course not just me!"

For Chen Fei, an economics undergraduate, to create this tactical jet alone was truly asking too much of him.

Did you really think going to college makes you an all-rounder?

"That’s better, that’s better!"

Chen Shan really feared Chen Fei would confidently admit it; such a claim would be too mind-blowing.

An aircraft is a systematic engineering feat; even the most brilliant non-human scholar couldn’t accomplish it alone!

"After all, I have a team working on it!"

Chen Fei didn’t play games, nor did he intend to keep it secret from his younger brother. They’re both Chen Family brothers, and being evasive on such matters would be belittling him.

"You have a team? From our family?"

The National Defense Star is not solely owned; his father is just the major shareholder. However, when Chen Shan referred to it as ’our family,’ in a sense, it’s not incorrect.

Among the other shareholders, there are also people with the surname Chen, who are also part of the Chen Family, although slightly distant relatives. After all, National Defense Star is an enterprise built by the Chen’s entire family effort. Without it, Chen Shan’s father, Chen Haiqing, would not have become the major shareholder and thus the chairman.

So, Chen Shan wasn’t wrong in thinking so.

Chen Fei, being part of the Chen Family, using a bit of family resources was completely justifiable,

just like this time. The National Defense Star’s technology pool was given without hesitation, and it even included the Dragoon Magic Movement Technology Pool from the Lin Family, not at all like other peers who hesitated or even refused, unlike how family is so easy to talk to.

"It has nothing to do with the National Defense Star. It was a private team I organized elsewhere."

Chen Fei glanced at his girlfriend, Shen Fei.

In a strict sense, his Crystal Jet project didn’t belong to the Northern Weapons Industry Group; it merely borrowed some manpower and resources. Besides, without an established project within Northern Weapons Industry, it’s no wonder the National Defense Star was unaware.

"A private team? Even so, is this something a private team can manage?"

Chen Shan found it incredible.

This isn’t something a few people can tinker with on a computer; it requires professional experience, assembly workers, facilities, and processing centers. If one really wants to fly, airports, ground crew, and flight permits are essential.

Without the support of a major manufacturer, a design team alone couldn’t accomplish all this.

Chen Fei truthfully said, "Of course I borrowed someone else’s facilities."

"Now, that makes sense!"

Chen Shan clapped his hands, relieved, as the logic made sense, and the thought process was instantly clear.

He continued to ask, "Whose facility did you borrow? Could it be..."

His gaze shifted to Chen Fei’s side. He almost forgot; his sister-in-law was from the Northern Weapons Industry, and the answer seemed obvious.

Chen Xiao’er, you didn’t do this right!

Isn’t the Chen Family good enough?

Why borrow outsiders’ strength when the National Defense Star can completely let you use whatever you want, and the team is just a matter of one word.

"Chen Xiao’er! We have a traitor in the Chen Family!"

Chen Shan immediately escalated the matter with Chen Fei, his voice growing louder with gritted teeth.