Li Yuxuan stared blankly at the helicopter as it let out a roaring sound, slowly rose into the air, circled once, and then sped off back in the direction it had come from, gradually disappearing from sight. Only then did he turn his somewhat stiff neck to look at Sun Lingfei, who was equally stunned, and ask, “Xu Ze… who is he?”
Sun Lingfei shook her head slightly with a hint of disappointment and sighed softly, “I don’t know… Last year, he was just a really outstanding student and doctor… but now… I just don’t know anymore!”
With that, she looked up at the tiny black dot that had vanished in the distance, her face full of melancholy, and murmured softly, “A-Ze… hang in there!”
The helicopter quickly landed at a military airport. Right next to the runway, just as Lieutenant Colonel Li Bai had said, a white J-10 fighter jet was already waiting.
After Li Bai and Xu Ze jumped off the helicopter, Li Bai guided Xu Ze as they ran toward the J-10. The canopy of the J-10 was already open, and the pilot was already seated in the cockpit, ready to go.
Seeing this fighter jet in front of him, Xu Ze couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement. He had never experienced riding in a fighter jet before. And right before his eyes was this aircraft, representing the country’s most advanced technology, waiting for him to get a feel for it.
The two ran up to the jet, where ground crew members quickly came over and signaled for Xu Ze to climb up the ladder. Xu Ze didn’t hesitate. He scrambled up the ladder in a few moves and sat down in the weapon systems officer’s seat behind the pilot.
Li Bai climbed up after him, stood on the ladder, carefully helped Xu Ze fasten the straps on both sides, then took a flight helmet from the ground crew below and carefully placed it on Xu Ze’s head. After that, he gave a final warning: “This is the weapon systems officer’s position. Remember, don’t touch the control panel in front of you. Got it?”
Once Xu Ze nodded in agreement, Li Bai nodded to the pilot in front and climbed back down the ladder.
After the ladder was quickly removed, the canopy sealed shut. Watching the glass canopy close, Xu Ze started to feel a little nervous. He really had no idea what riding in a fighter jet would be like.
Just then, a voice came through his helmet: “Major Xu Ze… we’re about to take off. Please sit tight. I’ll try to keep it as smooth as possible, but you’ll still feel some discomfort. Just hold on for a while… Estimated flight time is 35 minutes…”
“Okay… I’m ready. Cleared for takeoff!” Xu Ze took a deep breath and responded firmly.
As soon as he finished speaking, the jet trembled slightly, then began to taxi slowly. With the scenery on both sides blurring past, only a few seconds later, the jet suddenly leaped up and shot into the sky. Xu Ze was slammed hard against the back of his seat by the immense acceleration, his heart suddenly tightening.
It wasn’t until a few seconds later, when the fighter smoothly entered the vast blue sky, that the pressure gradually eased. Still, staring at the brilliant blue sky outside the canopy made Xu Ze feel a bit dizzy.
“Major Xu Ze, we’re still climbing. In about ten seconds, we’ll reach an altitude of eight thousand meters, then enter high-speed cruise at Mach 1.75… We’ll land in about thirty-four minutes.”
Shortly after the pilot’s words faded, Xu Ze began to feel the jet level out. The churning in his stomach was barely suppressed, and all he could hear were the faint sonic booms as they broke the sound barrier…
“How thrilling…” Xu Ze watched the clouds being sliced apart on both sides and couldn’t help but let out a soft sigh.
Just then, Little Knife popped up in Xu Ze’s mind and quipped, “You’re doing pretty well. You adapt quickly… We’ll be able to start this kind of training soon. Looks like mastering fighter jet flight won’t be too hard for you.”
“Of course not. My vestibular function has always been good. I’ve never really gotten motion sickness from cars… and I guess it’ll be the same for planes…” Xu Ze boasted proudly.
Right on time, thirty-four minutes later, the fighter landed at the Beijing Military Region Airport. Without a moment’s rest, Xu Ze was put onto another helicopter, heading toward the city of Beijing.
The helicopter landed directly on the rooftop of the General Hospital of the People’s Liberation Army, where several people in military uniforms and white lab coats were already waiting.
When they saw Xu Ze step off the helicopter, a major quickly ran over, holding down his cap, and shouted, “Major Xu Ze? Please follow me…”
Watching the young Major Xu Ze, his short black windbreaker flapping wildly in the rotor wash as he jogged over, the other military doctors in white coats waiting nearby couldn’t help but pause. This was the person assigned by higher-ups to save General Zuma? So young? Could there be a mistake?
But as Xu Ze jogged closer, the older military doctors quickly concealed their looks of doubt and waited respectfully. Although all of them had several bars and stars on their shoulders, outranking the young major, they knew that someone dispatched at the last moment from above couldn’t be ordinary. These seasoned professionals weren’t about to show any disrespect.
Xu Ze followed them into the building and into an elevator heading down. It was then that the major began to explain why the Joint Staff Department had urgently summoned him.
A dictatorial general from an African country friendly to China was on a secret visit. During the visit, a mole who had been hiding beside him for a long time, sent by the country’s resistance movement, seized the chance to poison him. The general was now suffering from severe poisoning. Despite rescue efforts by experts at the General Hospital, he remained in a deep coma and was in critical condition at any moment.
Two hours ago, after learning of this, the senior chief recommended Major Xu Ze to the minister. So, Major Xu Ze was asked to do everything possible to save General Zuma’s life.
“General Zuma absolutely cannot die here, and he must return home safely. Otherwise, not only will that country fall into chaos, greatly affecting China’s interests in Africa, but it will also influence how other African nations view China…”
The major said sternly, “Country M has been secretly supporting the resistance movement in that country. General Zuma’s nation is already descending into chaos under the resistance’s attacks. If General Zuma cannot return safely soon, the resistance will likely seize power…”
“Major Xu Ze… Minister Yang orders you to do your utmost to save General Zuma’s life and help him recover as quickly as possible so he can return and take control of the situation…”
With that, the major looked up at Xu Ze and said solemnly, “Major Xu Ze, you are an officer of the Joint Staff Department, and right now, you’re our only hope. The Chairman and the Minister are waiting for news from here. So please, Major Xu Ze, give it your all!”
After hearing this introduction, Xu Ze felt more settled. He had thought he’d be asked to save some big shot in China, but it turned out to be a foreign leader.
In this situation, Xu Ze had no room to back out. Since the General Hospital was stumped, he would just do his best. If he succeeded, the benefits would be plenty. If he failed, the blame wouldn’t fall on him. So he nodded solemnly and said, “Alright… I’ll do everything I can!”
“Great, then we’re counting on you!” the major said gravely. He then introduced the others to Xu Ze: “This is Professor Luo Qimei, a biochemical expert and the head of the rescue team… This is Professor Zhang Baoguo, a critical care expert… And this is…”
The older gentlemen in white coats each nodded seriously in turn. By the time the major finished introducing them, the elevator had reached the intensive care unit floor.
Outside the elevator, several guards stood. They didn’t stop the group as they stepped out. As they walked, Professor Luo Qimei began briefing Xu Ze, who looked puzzled, on the situation…
After listening to the old professor’s explanation, Xu Ze’s expression grew serious. General Zuma’s condition was indeed as dire as described. He wasn’t even sure he could successfully save him.
Guards stood every ten or so meters along the hallway. The group walked quickly for a while and soon reached an ICU room. At the door, besides two guards, there were two black bodyguards.
The major stepped forward and explained things to the two fierce-looking black men. After they looked Xu Ze up and down, they nodded and stepped aside from the entrance.
The group entered the ICU, where a doctor and a nurse were on duty, along with a black woman and two more black bodyguards standing by.
Professor Luo Qimei led Xu Ze to the hospital bed, then looked up at the doctor nearby. The doctor quickly reported, “Vital signs are stable for now, no unusual changes.”
“Good,” Luo Qimei nodded, then said to Xu Ze, “Major, would you like to take a look first?”
Xu Ze nodded, then carefully examined the monitors beside the bed. After looking, he sighed inwardly. The heartbeat and blood pressure were barely being maintained, and the brainwave activity was very weak. The poison was already starting to affect the brain.
Xu Ze looked at the middle-aged black man lying weakly on the bed. Though he was in a deep coma and faint, General Zuma still had an imposing presence. Xu Ze reached his hand back and said, “Flashlight!”
The nearby doctor quickly grabbed a small flashlight from the crash cart and handed it to Xu Ze.
Xu Ze gently turned on the light, pried open General Zuma’s eyelid, and shone the light inside. He noticed that the pupil’s reaction to light was significantly reduced. He nodded slightly. No wonder the Joint Staff Department had chosen to trust a young guy like him. General Zuma was already at this critical point.
If the poison wasn’t controlled soon, it would quickly damage the entire brain and cause irreversible brain death.
The Joint Staff Department had sent him, probably with the mindset of trying a desperate remedy.
