Chapter 150: I Want to Be Alone and Quiet

"Deguo experts will arrive next month; we must finish our Swallow‑I prototype before they come," Chen Feng said, looking at Ma Shifu. "Any difficulties?"

"Time is tight…" Ma Shifu replied frankly, "We've only completed sixty percent of the parts machining; final assembly will take at least half a month, and we still need testing…"

"Then work overtime." Chen Feng said without doubt, "Three shifts, no downtime for people. Whatever equipment or materials you need, report them to me directly; I'll give special approval."

"But the quality…"

"Quality cannot be compromised," Chen Feng said, "but we can simplify some non‑critical parts. For example, the instrument panel—use a Blaerio modification for now; the seats—use the simplest ones; the paint—omit it entirely. We need a flying proof‑of‑concept, not a perfect product."

Ma Shifu gritted his teeth: "Fine! I'll issue a military order; by the end of August, the aircraft will be on the runway!"

The next month, the base fell into a frantic work rhythm.

The hangar was brightly lit, with people working around the clock. Sawdust and metal shavings piled into mountains, and the sounds of sawing, hammering, and welding never ceased day or night. Engineers slept in the workshop, and when they felt drowsy they rested a moment by the workbench, then got back to work upon waking.

Chen Feng also almost lived at the base. By day he handled state affairs (the documents were delivered by Wang Bo for review), and by night he tackled problems with the technical team. He personally took part in designing critical components, solving one difficulty after another:

The wing‑fuselage connection issue—he designed a new reinforcement structure;

The landing‑gear shock‑absorption problem—he proposed using rubber cords with hydraulic damping;

The control‑system friction issue—he instructed the workers to install self‑made miniature bearings…

Zhou Afu and the other trainees were not idle either. They split into two groups: one continued flight training, the other took part in aircraft manufacturing—not core work, but as helpers to become familiar with every component.

"This is the elevator, controlling the aircraft's up and down…"

"This is the rudder, controlling left‑right yaw…"

"This is the aileron, controlling roll…"

Touching the real parts and listening to the engineers' explanations, the trainees' understanding of the aircraft advanced by leaps and bounds. They began to grasp why coordinated control is needed when turning, why speed must be managed during landing, why…

By the end of July, the various components of the Swallow‑I were completed one after another and entered the final assembly stage.

In the hangar, the airframe was hoisted onto the supports. The workers, like assembling building blocks, attached the wings, tailplane, and landing gear one by one. After each part was installed, they measured, aligned, fixed it, and then measured again.

Chen Feng came daily to inspect progress. Holding the blueprints and a caliper, he personally measured critical dimensions and demanded rework for any deviation.

"Here, the wing installation angle is off by 0.5 degrees; readjust."

"This bolt isn't tightened; where's the torque wrench?"

"The canvas tension is uneven; this side is loose, re‑install."

The engineers initially grumbled—a bit—saying the president was being overly meticulous. But Ma Shifu said, "Everyone listen to Engineer Chen! An aircraft is a matter of life and death if it's off by a hair! Have you forgotten Lin Guodong?!"

No one dared to forget.

By mid‑August the aircraft was essentially fully assembled. A silver‑gray (actually a mix of raw aluminum sheet color and natural wood) plane appeared in the hangar, its shape already resembling the old‑style fighter jets of later eras—though the details remained rough.

"Is the engine installed?" Chen Feng asked.

"It's installed," Ma Shifu said, pointing at the nose. "We're still using a Blaerio engine, but we've improved the cooling system and added an oil‑cooler. Also, the carburetor has been re‑tuned and should deliver maximum power."

"What about the control system?"

"Everything's connected. The control stick, foot pedals, and throttle lever have all been calibrated; travel and force are set according to your specifications."

Chen Feng walked a circle around the aircraft, feeling the wing surface, checking the canvas tension, and shaking the control surfaces.

"Ground testing starts tomorrow. First a taxi run to check control response. If all's fine, the test flight will be the day after."

"Test pilot…" Ma Shifu looked at Chen Feng.

Everyone turned to Chen Feng. Zhao Tianxiang's arms were just average, unsuitable for risk. Among the trainees, the most skilled, Zhou Afu, had only a few dozen flight hours, all in low‑speed Blaerio aircraft.

"I'll fly," Chen Feng said.

"No!" Wang Bo was the first to object. "Young Master, you are Lanfang's president; you can't take this risk!"

"Precisely because I'm the president, I must fly," Chen Feng said calmly. "First, I understand this aircraft's design better than any of you and know its limits. Second, if the test flight goes wrong, the death of its designer will give everyone an answer."

"But—"

"There is no 'but.'" Chen Feng waved his hand. "This is an order."

The meeting dissolved unhappily. But Chen Feng's resolve was firm; no one could change it.

That night, Chen Feng was alone in the hangar, sitting in the Swallow‑I cockpit, familiarizing himself with the instruments and controls. Moonlight streamed through the windows, bathing the silver‑gray fuselage.

Wang Bo slipped in quietly and stood beside the aircraft.

"Young Master, are you really going to fly?"

"I will fly."

"What if…"

"If something goes wrong… it won't go wrong! You help me with a few things," Chen Feng stuck his head out of the cockpit, "

Wang Bo's old tears streamed: "Please don't say that…"

"I'm serious," Chen Feng jumped down from the plane, patting the elder's shoulder. "Wang Bo, do you know what I fear most?"

"What?"

"I'm most afraid that after spending so much money and losing so many lives, the thing we finally build turns out to be a waste." Chen Feng said, looking at the aircraft with a complex gaze. "So I must fly it myself, see it with my own eyes, feel it with my own hands. Whether it truly works, whether it's worth it."

Wang Bo wiped his tears: "Young Master, you will definitely get it airborne. Absolutely."

"I accept your good wishes."

The next day, ground testing.

The Swallow‑I was pushed onto the runway. Chen Feng climbed into the cockpit, and Ma Shifu, with the ground crew, performed the final check.

"Ignition!"

The engine roared to life, sounding richer than the Blaerio's. The tachometer steadied at 800 RPM.

"Taxi test commencing!"

Chen Feng released the brake and gently pushed the throttle. The aircraft began to taxi, accelerating smoothly. He lightly pulled the stick, raising the nose and lifting the front wheel—checking the elevator response. Then he deflected left and right, and the plane wobbled slightly—the rudder functioned normally.

He taxied to the runway's end, braked, turned, and slid back to the start.

"All normal!" Chen Feng gave a thumbs‑up from the cockpit.

Everyone let out a sigh of relief.

"Test flight tomorrow," Chen Feng said. "This afternoon the aircraft will undergo a full inspection and be refueled. I'm heading back to Dubai to handle some matters and will return tomorrow morning."

He actually didn't have any urgent matters to attend to. He just wanted to be alone and quiet before the test flight.