Sky-cracking Rider

"If a young eagle's first flight isn't soaring to the heavens, it can only fall into the abyss forever!"n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Old David turned around, his voice coming through clearly to Chen Fei's ears, thanks to the noise-canceling headset.

Boom…

The F-22 Raptor lifted its nose and surged into the sky as if reborn.

In a sense, it was a completely reborn Raptor.

"Haha, hahaha, it's flying, it's flying!"

The former Eagle King, Old David, removed his headset and threw it far away, not even caring about his cane, shouting like a child.

Pop!~

A crisp explosion sounded in the sky.

Flight call sign "Sloth," Instructor Ramaya von Kennedy wasn't your average brave soul; she went full throttle, replacing the previous electric drive with the original F119-PW-100 low-bypass ratio afterburning turbofan engine, releasing a thrust-to-weight ratio well over 10.

The F-22 Raptor fighter jet executed a barrel roll, trailing a long white vapor streak, performing a five-hundred-meter low-level pass over the airfield, and disappeared from sight in the blink of an eye.

"Yes! It's flying!"

Chen Fei let out a long breath; it hadn't been easy to get the Raptor into shape.

He couldn't believe someone else was bolder than him, daring to fly to the heavens without fully ensuring the F-22 was one hundred percent reliable.

Fifteen minutes later, the Raptor reappeared in the line of sight of Chen Fei and Old David, aligning with the runway, gradually lowering its flight altitude and gently dropping the landing gear.

Rolling up a trail of blue smoke on the runway, the perfectly replicated jet fighter landed smoothly, sliding for hundreds of meters before finally coming to a stop.

System: Ding! 100% restoration of the F-22 Raptor jet fighter (complete), earned Energy Points +500!

Energy Points: 501/5000

Chen Fei couldn't help but sigh as he looked at the information that popped up.

He was really too poor, always struggling on the brink of subsistence, whether it was Energy Points or Star Yuan.

By the way, let's see what's new in the "Skill Shop" today.

1. Hi-Fi Replication: 1000 Energy Points

2. SEG Unit Plan: 1,000,000 Energy Points

3. Basic Particle Beam (upgradable): 1000 Energy Points

4. Audio Management Module: 500 Energy Points | File Management Plugin: Not Available

5. Evolution Accelerator Level 0 (0-9 levels): 500 Energy Points

6. Universal Data Transceiver: 100 Energy Points | File Management Plugin: Not Available

7. Evolution Accelerator Level 0 (0-9 levels): 500 Energy Points

8. Speaker Module (upgradable): 200 Energy Points (stereo, infrasound, ultrasonic)

9. File Management Plugin: 120 Energy Points

10. Battery (upgradable): 500 Energy Points | Long-term power storage

Remark: Updated every 24 hours

Huh?

"SEG Unit Plan"!!!

What's the meaning of this?

Chen Fei almost popped his eyes out.

Ironic as it was, Blue Star's technological civilization had invented the SEG core unit, but Cangqiong Star, a magical civilization, possessed relatively stable production capabilities.

On the other hand, the laboratory-level production on Blue Star itself was almost negligible and totally dependent on luck, with success rates akin to hitting the jackpot in a lottery.

Even though Cangqiong Star could mass-produce them, the output was still limited, and even the Slan Dynasty itself was in dire shortage.

They could only squeeze out a small quota each year to put on the interstellar trade list, distributed to various sovereignties on Blue Star, each contest for them as dramatic as an epic saga.

If he could get his hands on this plan, assuming it wasn't a pitfall (the Dog System itself was a trap), well… just take down Lin Mo, the Lord of the Sky (9999999 Energy Points), and indeed, anything could be yours!

︿(￣︶￣)︿

So...

"File Management Plugin," Get!

"Universal Data Transceiver," Get!

"Speaker Module (upgradable)," Get!

-420 Energy Points

Energy Points: 81/5000

b(￣▽￣)d

Young people should look forward to the future, but must also live in the present and stay grounded, not aiming too high and missing out on the essentials. Only what's in your mouth is truly yours, for Jianghu is perilous, and even the food in your bowl isn't guaranteed to be your own.

"Hi-Fi Replication" also looks pretty good, clearly intended for the old-timers; if I had it from the start,

why bother with all the effort of deciphering so many technical documents and then using Metal Shaping to repair everything to the minutest detail? It's just too damn exhausting.

Unfortunately, it costs 1000 Energy Points, which I can't afford!

"Evolution Accelerator Level 0 (0-9 levels)" isn't bad either, at least it makes manifesting things from the "Physical Evolution Database" faster without the long wait.

Dreams are always beautiful, but reality is always skeletal.

Dog System: "You broke loser, ╮(╯▽╰)╭ is it my fault?"

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The F-22 "Raptor" fighter jet, having completed its landing roll and deceleration, left the main runway and headed towards its point of origin at the apron, essentially ending this brief flight mission.

Seeing Chen Fei still dazed, Old David wished he could give him a smack with his cane and urged, "Let's go, to the apron!"

The old and young trudged across the thick grass towards the apron located more than two hundred meters away.

By the time they arrived, the F-22 that had completed its maiden flight had been thoroughly shut down.

Instructor Ramaya, who piloted it into the blue skies, was standing next to the aircraft, one hand resting on the wing, waiting for the two to arrive.

He usually flew the F-46 "Peregrine Falcon" in the American Federal Air Force, and piloting an old-timer like the F-22 "Raptor" was well within his capabilities.

The aircraft of the American Federation's Air Force were named after birds of prey such as eagles, hawks, falcons, and vultures, while names for naval fighter jets were more casual, including the likes of pirates, hornets, tomcats, and lightning.

"I'm getting old, so old; even walking this bit of distance is a challenge."

Old David jogged over, his old arms and legs genuinely being tested.

"Old David, it's incredible; you've actually fixed it."

While saying this, Instructor Ramaya couldn't hide his envy. This F-22 was almost as old as he was, yet it could perform takeoffs, landings, afterburner use, and various other maneuvers flawlessly.

Even a brand-new fighter jet that had never flown would probably go bad after three decades, let alone a "Raptor" with wear and tear, stress deformations, and material fatigue accumulated during service—issues that couldn't be fixed just by replacing parts.

"It wasn't me; it was him!"

Old David dragged Chen Fei over and pushed him in front of Ramaya.

Only a Metal Ability User with repair skills of at least E-grade could repair the "Raptor." There weren't many technicians capable of fixing "Raptors," and even fewer were supernatural power users, especially Metal Ability Users.

Such talents existed in the American Federation but Eagle Nest private airfield couldn't afford them.

"Good kid, don't be late for the training class tomorrow!"

Instructor Ramaya patted Chen Fei on the shoulder, then saluted Old David with military precision before striding away majestically.

Some habits brought from the American Federal Air Force hadn't faded with retirement; they were deeply ingrained.

"This 'Raptor' is yours now; a deal is a deal!"

Old David sighed as he glanced at the F-22 "Raptor" on the apron, leaning on his cane, he slowly walked away.

He had no choice but to hand it off; without Chen Fei, the old "Raptor" would quickly lose its ability to fly again due to a lack of necessary maintenance. Aircraft rely on logistics far more than other mechanical products do.

The technicians at Eagle Nest private airfield were no less skilled than those from the manufacturer or the air force, but they were not supernatural power users, much less Metal Ability Users. They didn't have the ability to give the F-22 "Raptor" a phoenix-like rebirth as Chen Fei could. Otherwise, they wouldn't have waited until today.

Chen Fei called out loudly to the old man's retreating figure, "Old David, don't you want to keep another souvenir?"

To fix this F-22 "Raptor," Old David had saved up plenty of spare parts, apparently too many.

Just then, the Dog System abruptly inserted a line of text with a new mission.

System: Ding! Destroy Eagle Nest private airfield within 10 days (0/10 days) and receive Energy Points +2000! | ※Note: Failure to complete on time results in death!!!

What?

Chen Fei's face stiffened, God damn it, another death mission had arrived.

This Dog System just couldn't stand to see him doing well!

He had just received a fighter jet gift from them, and now, he was supposed to blow up their place, what kind of twisted move was this?

He was almost driven insane!

"A souvenir?"

Old David turned back, puzzled.

"You need to provide enough materials, metals like aluminium, titanium, steel, and copper."

Chen Fei's expression was a bit rigid, infuriated by the Dog System.

Even if he currently had a surplus of Energy Points, it didn't mean that he would freely give Old David two Energy Points.

He wasn't one for a losing deal.

"Just materials?"

Old David suppressed the excitement and fully turned around.

"The rest of those spare parts can all be put to use."

For Chen Fei, who already had a successful experience, the difficulty of replicating a second aircraft would be greatly reduced.

Since the extra parts would be wasted just sitting there, what Old David really wanted now was nothing more than a model.

Having him fly an F-22 into the sky would likely result in an old man's bones being scattered across the apron.

The physical toll of military jets on the body is such that an untrained person might even be injured; even though Old David once flew an F-22, his current physical condition definitely wouldn't allow for it.

Therefore, making a cut-corner high-fidelity shell would completely satisfy the old man's sentiment.

Usually stern and meticulous, Old David nodded vigorously with a smile, saying, "Good, good!"

The once renowned "Eagle King" was now no more than an overgrown kid.

Acquiring metal materials was a simple matter for Old David.

He called in a heavy truck, which cleaned out the nearby town's scrap metal recycling station.

All sorts of discarded metal products were crushed into sharp-edged giant bricks, forming a small castle on the grounds of Eagle Nest private airfield. There was every kind of metal imaginable, they could even dig out gold.

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