Chapter 523: The Sharp Blade Sheathed

Minister Zhang frowned: "Lao Li, what else have you prepared?"

There was no answer. On the screen, "Kunpeng" suddenly decelerated, hovering steadily about five meters above the sea surface, its massive lift fans blowing the seawater into a perfect circular depression.

Inside the control cabin, Li Mingyuan's eyes shimmered with excitement, his fingers dancing nimbly across the control panel: "Pangu, prepare the 'Apocalypse' program."

"'Apocalypse' program ready. Vertical launch system check complete. 'Haiying-V' fighter status normal."

Li Mingyuan took a deep breath and pressed a special black button on the console: "Initiate 'Apocalypse'!"

Under the gaze of everyone in the command center, a huge diamond-shaped armor plate in the center of "Kunpeng's" wide, flat deck slid silently to the sides, revealing a deep vertical launch silo beneath. Sunlight shone into the hole-like shaft, faintly revealing a massive metallic silhouette.

"What is that..." someone asked in surprise.

The answer was soon revealed—with a heart-stopping roar of engines, a ball of scorching blue flame surged out from the silo, and immediately after, a streamlined black shadow began to rise slowly.

Without any taxiing, without the long runway required for traditional takeoffs, the black shadow rose in an absolutely vertical posture, like a mythical beast breaking through the earth, shooting straight into the clouds from the "belly" of "Kunpeng"!

When it completely cleared "Kunpeng" and hovered at an altitude of about one hundred meters, everyone finally saw its true face—it was a fighter jet with sharp lines and an avant-garde design, but the biggest difference from ordinary fighters was that its engine nozzles could flexibly rotate, currently spraying deep blue tail flames downward to support the entire aircraft as it hovered steadily in the air.

"Haiying-V vertical take-off and landing fighter." Li Mingyuan's voice carried obvious pride, "It is a core component of 'Kunpeng's' strike force, utilizing advanced vector thrust technology. It can take off and land vertically anywhere, requiring no traditional runway. Its top speed can reach twice the speed of sound, with a combat radius of 500 kilometers, and it is equipped with various advanced weapon systems."

Inside the command center, everyone stood frozen as if struck by a paralysis spell, staring dumbfounded at the fighter hovering steadily in the air on the screen. The scene was too surreal, as if it were a clip cut from a science fiction movie—a massive futuristic platform "giving birth" to a supersonic fighter capable of vertical take-off and landing from within its own body...

This was not just a technological shock, but a complete subversion of traditional military concepts. Every military expert present understood what this meant—no more need for long runways, no more restrictions by fixed airfields. "Kunpeng" could deploy these vertical take-off and landing fighters in any sea area, forming a mobile, almost indestructible air power projection platform.

"This... this is impossible..." the old general muttered to himself, his voice filled with disbelief, "Vertical take-off and landing... the amount of thrust and precision control systems this requires... our engine technology is still far from enough..."

"It is the perfect combination of the 'Pangu' system and new vector thrust control technology." Li Mingyuan explained, his voice coming through clearly via the speakers, "Every control surface and thrust vector of the 'Haiying-V' is calculated and adjusted in real-time by the 'Pangu' system. Its reaction speed is a hundred times faster than a human pilot, and its stability far exceeds that of traditional fighters."

On the screen, the "Haiying-V" began to demonstrate its astonishing maneuverability—it first rotated 360 degrees in place, then suddenly accelerated upward, climbing to nearly a thousand meters in a few seconds, then dove to a position near the sea surface, and finally, after a magnificent somersault, hovered steadily above "Kunpeng" once again.

The entire performance was smooth and precise, demonstrating a level of maneuverability far exceeding any fighter known at the time.

Inside the command center, the Military Representatives finally recovered from their shock, their faces showing irrepressible ecstasy. The old general slammed the table, his face flushed with excitement: "With this... with this, we no longer need to fear the aircraft carrier fleets of the Star-Spangled Country! Their 'Super Fortresses' that they are so proud of are nothing but giant targets in front of 'Sea Dragon' missiles and 'Haiying-V' fighters!"

He turned to the others, tears of excitement shimmering in his eyes: "Comrades, do you understand what this means? We no longer need to imitate their path, building expensive and bulky conventional aircraft carriers... We have our own path, a more advanced, more efficient path!"

Deputy Minister Liu was similarly incoherent with excitement: "This... this is simply... this is simply..."

"This is Long Country's 'aircraft carrier'," Minister Zhang finished for him, his voice filled with pride, "No, a more advanced existence than an aircraft carrier. It can sail at three hundred knots, launch precision-guided missiles, and carry vertical take-off and landing fighters... This is a brand-new combat platform, a revolutionary weapon that will completely change the rules of naval warfare!"

A burst of enthusiastic applause and cheers erupted in the command center.

Meanwhile, inside "Kunpeng's" control cabin, Li Mingyuan watched the "Haiying-V" fighter returning above the mothership, a satisfied smile hanging on the corner of his mouth.

"Vertical take-off and landing fighters, ultra-low-altitude cruise missiles, ground-effect vehicles..." Li Mingyuan whispered to himself, "These were already mature technologies in my era, but in this age, they are enough to make the two great powers tremble with fear."

He glanced at the data on the dashboard and nodded with satisfaction: "'Kunpeng's' performance in all aspects even exceeded my expectations. With it, Long Country will no longer be held back by others, no longer need to look up to the 'charity' of others. We have our own wings, our own sharp blades, and can truly stand in the center of the world stage."

At this moment, the "Haiying-V" fighter was tracing a graceful arc in the air, sunlight shining on its fuselage, reflecting a dazzling metallic luster, like a divine eagle spreading its wings to fly high, symbolizing the era of take-off about to arrive for Long Country.

Inside the command center, everyone watched this scene in silence, their hearts filled with awe and anticipation. They knew they were witnessing history, witnessing the great rejuvenation of a nation. No one spoke, no one cheered, because the scene before them had already transcended the scope of what language could express, becoming a near-religious, sublime experience.

That "Haiying-V" fighter hovering under the blue sky was not just a technological miracle, but the condensation of the dreams of generations of Long Country people, the strongest proof that the humiliating history of thousands of years was finally about to be turned over.