"What's going on?"
"Pointing guns at your own comrades?"
"Are you still soldiers?"
Seeing their superior officer being pointed at by more than a dozen guns.
These fighter jet pilots instantly exploded.
Zhang Weimin, even though he was about to transfer to a command officer position and no longer lead them in soaring through the skies in fighter jets.
He was, and always would be, their most respected and admired superior.
One must understand.
Most of these pilots were trained by Zhang Weimin.
Some were even raw recruits when Zhang Weimin worked overtime, using his spare time to explain and spar with them, kicking their butts with his leather shoes to force them into the planes and into the sky.
And the pilots who had just landed their three J-20s, after being ordered to intercept and escort the powered mechs, and had climbed out of their cockpits.
They had actually used their chests to block the dark muzzles of the guns.
Damn it.
Their brains must be fried.
Having almost opened fire on their own superior officer in the air earlier.
The security forces who had received orders to surround and apprehend the mech pilot were stunned.
The highest rank among their leaders was a Major company commander.
But the ones directly blocking the gun muzzles, shielding the bewildered and still-recovering mech pilot, were at least Captains.
With Majors, Lieutenant Colonels, and even Colonels among them… after all, the Air Force's rank progression was quite rapid.
This was incredibly awkward.
Looking around, they saw officers whose ranks were higher than their commanding officer.
They had received orders from the control tower to surround and arrest the mech pilot.
But with so many high-ranking officers blocking them, they dared not act rashly!
On one hand, they had orders from above; on the other, they had senior officers blocking their way.
They couldn't handle it!
Fire a warning shot?
They must be crazy!
Not to mention, the military discipline in Great Xia was extremely strict.
Firing a weapon without cause at fellow soldiers was grounds for court-martial.
Besides,
If stray bullets were to fall from high altitudes and injure these pilots, they would become national criminals.
One must know.
The cost to train a qualified fighter jet pilot, converted to gold, was almost equivalent to their height.
For a moment, both sides were at a stalemate.
The situation was extremely awkward.
...
"Bastards!"
"What are you all doing?"
"Are you trying to rebel?"
A stern reprimand came from not far away.
Li Chenghuo, who had rushed from the command center, had arrived.
"Commander!"
"These officers are obstructing us from carrying out the arrest order!"
A soldier complained tearfully.
"Damn it."
"Who said we were arresting anyone?"
"Which bastard's ear heard me say I was arresting anyone?"
Li Chenghuo was furious.
Damn it.
Who dared to act on their own initiative and twist the meaning of his orders!
"Old Commander, we can discuss accountability later..."
"Can you get these muzzles moved away first..."
"These soldiers were all brought up by me with great effort..."
Behind the confronting parties.
Inside the mech cabin.
Zhang Weimin's voice was weak.
In the military,
No matter how high your rank,
In the eyes of the superior officer you were personally trained by, you would always be a protected rookie recruit.
...
Nearly an hour later.
In the J Province Command Center meeting room.
In front of the large conference table, Zhang Weimin was operating his phone.
The previous commotion quickly ended with Li Chenghuo's arrival.
His old subordinates, some lifting, some carrying, had stripped Zhang Weimin and cleaned him up thoroughly before dressing him in a brand-new regular military uniform.
With the replenishment of high-concentration glucose and energy drinks.
Zhang Weimin, who had manually piloted the powered mech at high intensity from the Qiongzhou Resort back to JN City, had finally recovered to some extent.
Thanks to his regular physical training, Zhang Weimin's physical condition was excellent.
After a short rest of more than half an hour, apart from his slightly pale complexion, he was almost completely fine.
Just as he found a lounge to lie down and hadn't even caught his breath, Zhang Weimin was summoned to the military region command center meeting room by a messenger on behalf of Lieutenant General Li Chenghuo.
As a result.
When he walked quickly into the meeting room, suppressing his weakness, he didn't see a single soul.
Clearly.
The participants had not yet arrived.
But that was good.
He had promised Zhang Xijin and her mother that he would report his safety immediately upon arrival.
While the participants hadn't arrived yet.
He quickly made a phone call and exchanged a few pleasantries.
Tap, tap, tap.
The sound of leather shoes on the floor.
The meeting room door was pushed open.
Seven senior officers filed in and casually took their seats in the empty spots.
Whoa.
These officers all had stars on their shoulders.
Clearly.
All the principal officers of the J Province Military Region were present.
"Weimin, you've given us a big surprise, a big accident, and a big scare..."
"Where did you get this military robot, this combat mech..."
"Even without disassembling and studying it, I can tell that this thing is at least ten years ahead of the latest military robots from the top military research labs of all countries in the world..."
Li Chenghuo was the first to speak.
His tone was very casual.
Clearly, this military meeting involving all the highest-ranking officers in J Province was not that serious or rigid.
Zhang Weimin quickly put away his phone.
He stood up at attention.
After saluting respectfully, and with Li Chenghuo's gesture of raising and then lowering his hands, he finally relaxed a bit and sat down.
"Commanders, you might not believe this, but this is not a military robot, nor is it a combat mech... This powered mech was developed and designed by a private company called Huarong Industrial. Its target audience is high-net-worth, high-deposit young individuals..."
Subsequently.
Zhang Weimin revealed everything he knew.
Regarding the Phantom, the powered mech produced by Huarong Industrial.
"The reason I rushed back as quickly as possible piloting this powered mech is that I wanted our military region's experts to study it thoroughly..."
"In my opinion, the various black technologies contained within this mech are enough to lead our J Province Military Region, and even Great Xia's military equipment, to achieve a leapfrog development of at least 15 years or more..."
"Therefore, I deeply apologize for the trouble I have caused the commanders..."
In response to Zhang Weimin's explanation.
The seven generals present exchanged glances.
Then, Li Chenghuo began to ask detailed questions with a hint of disbelief.
"You're saying this powered mech was developed by a private company, a 'large toy'?"
"Isn't that a bit too far-fetched..."
"Weimin, are you sure this company called Huarong Industrial doesn't have high-level military background?"
Zhang Weimin nodded firmly.
"This Huarong Industrial company has caused a huge sensation among military enthusiasts in Great Xia..."
"Even military procurement officers from the Bear Country have come to purchase it. That Major General Guderian from the Bear Country has become completely immersed in our Great Xia's online forums..."
"Strangely, no matter how certain the military enthusiasts are that this is military equipment, and the Bear Country Major General hailed it as the strongest combat mech on earth, the head of Huarong Industrial, a student who is about to graduate from university in Shilin City, J Province, has vehemently denied it, insisting that Huarong Industrial is not a military factory; and its mechs have absolutely nothing to do with military equipment."