Chapter 26: with translation of chapter title

The ripples caused by the maiden flight of the Ascending Dragon fighter have not yet subsided.

The one feeling most uneasy is none other than Yingjiang Guo across the ocean.

At their intelligence headquarters in Langley and their global technical analysis centers spread worldwide, countless top experts are conducting round-the-clock analysis of the limited publicly available imagery of the 'Ascending Dragon' fighter.

"Its airframe material is very special."

A materials specialist pointed to the enlarged details of the Ascending Dragon's wing on the screen,

"Judging by its luster and texture, it is definitely not any known aviation aluminum or titanium alloy we have; its strength and heat resistance could far exceed our level."

"Look here: during high-speed flight, the aerodynamic heating effect on the wing's leading edge hardly shows any noticeable degradation in material performance."

"Agreed!" another aerodynamics expert picked up the thread.

"Its blended wing-body design and adjustable DSI inlet are highly radical and extremely efficient."

"Especially when performing those unconventional maneuvers, the overload on the airframe structure must be enormous; without ultra-high-strength structural materials to support it, it could not be accomplished at all."

"And its engine," an authority in the aircraft engine field said, brow furrowed,

"The exhaust temperature and thrust characteristics we have monitored do not match any existing engine models of Yanhuang Guo that we know."

"This is a brand-new high-thrust turbofan engine, and it likely incorporates advanced vector thrust technology; otherwise, its terrifying maneuverability cannot be explained."

"What worries us most is its avionics and stealth performance."

The expert responsible for electronic warfare and radar technology rubbed his temples, looking exhausted.

"From takeoff to landing, the multiple long-range early-warning radars we deployed around it almost never managed to stably capture its signal."

"This indicates its radar cross-section is extremely small, possibly as low as 0.01 square meters or even less—unthinkable for a heavy fighter."

In the conference room, the atmosphere was solemn.

The deeper the analysis, the stronger the experts' confusion and astonishment became.

The technological barriers they prided themselves on seemed to have been easily crossed by Yanhuang Guo overnight.

"According to the current consolidated data analysis, Yanhuang Guo's Ascending Dragon fighter, in key performance indicators such as supersonic cruise, super maneuverability, beyond-visual-range strike, and stealth penetration,"

"has reached or even surpassed our most advanced in-service Y-22 and Y-35 fighters. This means our technological generation advantage in the fifth-generation fighter domain may no longer exist."

The intelligence chief chairing the meeting summarized in a hoarse voice.

"Impossible!"

A young reformist general jumped to his feet, emotionally agitated,

"We have imposed the strictest technology blockade on Yanhuang Guo, especially in core areas such as high-end chips, precision machining equipment, and special alloy smelting."

"How did they achieve such a massive breakthrough in such a short time? Could they have picked up alien technology?"

This somewhat flustered joke prompted many present to fall into contemplation.

Yeah, this defies common sense.

Yanhuang Guo's technological development speed has surpassed their previous cognitive framework.

They began to suspect that some crucial intelligence they had completely missed might have been overlooked.

"We must find out exactly what has happened in Yanhuang Guo!"

The president roared at the defense minister and intelligence director in a closed-door meeting!

"Where did their chips come from? How is their new alloy manufactured? How was their engine technology breakthrough achieved? You must give me an answer to these questions!"

Yingjiang Guo's confusion and anxiety are naturally welcomed by Yanhuang Guo.

After the successful maiden flight of the Ascending Dragon, the official side did not engage in excessive hype but remained low-key.

When answering reporters' related questions, the Foreign Ministry spokesperson merely gave a bland response.

"The Ascending Dragon fighter is independently developed by our country, aimed at safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity, not targeting any specific country or objective, and Yanhuang Guo has always adhered to a defensive defense policy."

This "the more you rush, the more I stay calm" attitude instead makes the outside world even more inscrutable.

The stunning debut of the Ascending Dragon also began to cause subtle shifts in the international arms market and geopolitical landscape.

Some countries that had previously leaned entirely toward Yingjiang Guo began to reassess their relations with Yanhuang Guo.

Meanwhile, those countries that had long wavered between East and West saw new possibilities for cooperation.

"Mr. Ambassador, congratulations on your nation's splendid achievement in the aviation field."

"Our country has shown strong interest in the Ascending Dragon fighter; I wonder if there might be an opportunity for deeper technical exchange and cooperation."

With a cloth on his head, a certain Middle Eastern oil prince, the richest globally, raised his cup with a beaming smile toward the Yanhuang Guo ambassador at a diplomatic reception.

Similar scenes unfolded in multiple occasions.

Yanhuang Guo's global voice and influence have significantly increased with the Ascending Dragon's ascent.

In the past, Yanhuang Guo on the international stage was more of an economic giant, but in cutting-edge military technology it was always considered to lag behind the top level.

Now, the Ascending Dragon, with indisputable strength, proves that Yanhuang Guo possesses the capability to compete at the technological peak with the world's strongest nations.

Qin Hao also sensed these changes from the news, but this is merely the beginning.

His Replication System has functions far beyond these.

Only after an upgrade will one know.

"Mr. Wang's earlier concerns were indeed reasonable," Qin Hao said thoughtfully in his private conversation with Cheng Haitang.

"We have now solved the 'whether' problem, but how to let our own research system truly digest and absorb these 'heaven-sent' things and then innovate upon them is the greater long-term challenge."

Cheng Haitang nodded: "Old Luo and the higher-ups have also been considering this issue."

Recently, the state has begun increasing investment in basic research and has issued a series of policies to incentivize innovation.

"Your presence is like a catfish that has invigorated the entire research system; everyone is fired up, and we cannot rely solely on you conjuring things out of thin air—we must also have something of our own to show."

Qin Hao nodded.

This is exactly what he hoped to see.

He himself is more like a spark that ignited the engine of Yanhuang Guo's technological ascent.

"By the way, Xiao Qin," Cheng Haitang suddenly thought of something, her expression hinting at a touch of mystery,

"Recently, does the system have any new hints or changes? For example, is it possible to copy… something that goes beyond ordinary cognition?"

Qin Hao blinked slightly, then immediately understood Cheng Haitang's meaning.

He opened the system interface, examined it carefully, then shook his head: "There haven't been any special changes yet."

"Looks like I was too eager; I'll wait until after the upgrade to mention it!" Cheng Haitang chuckled.