Empire Conquest
Chapter 286 - 282: Frontier Airport

Chapter 286: Chapter 282: Frontier Airport

Li Yunxiang really did sleep the whole way there, even amid several instances of turbulence, he didn’t wake up once.

Of course, there was nothing surprising about that.

He was, after all, the Empire’s most famous pilot, having spent half his life on airplanes. In his own words, "Eat, drink, pee, poop, the whole set, all can be done in the air."

Bai Zhizhan thought that if that were really the case, he shouldn’t be a pilot; he’d have a brighter future performing acrobatics in a circus.

Upon arriving at Jeju Island, to be precise, when the plane was landing, Li Yunxiang woke up.

Mainly because, after landing, the plane was extremely bumpy during taxiing.

"Don’t be scared, we’ve already landed. Even if we veer off the runway, there’s no big deal."

Li Yunxiang said this, but Bai Zhizhan didn’t bother with him at all.

He was indeed clutching the armrests tightly, looking a bit pale—not from fear, but from feeling airsick after enduring most of the night.

Really, he was just too tired.

Like Li Yunxiang, Bai Zhizhan also took a nap during the trip, but after waking up during the worst of the turbulence, he couldn’t fall back asleep.

Soon, the plane came to a slow halt.

Outside, the lights were bright, and there was a hubbub of voices, along with the roaring sounds of various vehicles and equipment.

This place hardly resembled a frontline airport that could be bombed at any moment; it looked more like a construction site in the rear.

To say the least, it was indeed a construction site.

The transport plane stopped next to a row of huge hangars, to be precise, a row of permanent hangars under construction, hence the noise.

Across the runway, divided into several teams, hundreds of workers were busy laying a special type of workpiece.

While Li Yunxiang went to arrange transportation, Bai Zhizhan walked over to take a closer look.

It was nothing special; some honeycomb-patterned thin iron sheets, about one centimeter thick, one meter in length, and half a meter in width.

The greatest advantage of the honeycomb pattern was that while ensuring structural strength, it significantly reduced the weight, making it much easier to transport.

As for the production cost, it was a secondary issue—after all, they were just some thin iron plates.

The workers’ job was to unload these iron plates from the truck, then lay them on the ground that was leveled by a roller, and finally connect and secure them with catches.

Another advantage of the honeycomb design became apparent during the laying process.

If the ground was not flat enough, they could fill cement underneath through the holes in the iron plates.

Crucially, the work efficiency was very high.

In just about ten minutes, a team of twenty workers laid down almost a hundred plates.

At this rate, five such teams would need only three days to create a field airport in a flat area.

Moreover, a runway paved with thin iron plates would undoubtedly be sturdy enough to withstand the impact of bomber landings.

Li Yunxiang managed to get a vehicle, a very ordinary military off-road vehicle.

"Who came up with this thing?"

"I don’t know. The Tactical Air Force started using it over at Ice Storm Peninsula. I went to take a look and found it really useful, which is why I decided to do the same. If it weren’t for the transport ships being delayed for a few days, the parking apron, and the transverse backup runway should’ve been finished a few days ago. However, the progress seems okay; it’s just a matter of a few days anyway. Once we arrange for several bombers to do landing tests, the airport will be put into official use."

At this point, Bai Zhizhan noticed that Li Yunxiang was wearing the uniform of the Land Air Force.

Clearly, Li Yunxiang had long been a part of the Land Air Force, and this place was also a Land Air Force base.

Speaking of which, the Land Air Force uniform was also quite peculiar, in color and style it was similar to that of the Sea Air Force, perhaps the work of the same fashion designer.

Actually, it was to differentiate them from the other Army combat units.

These "rebel faction" officers, including Li Yunxiang, were still working hard to establish the Air Force.

"If there’s anything the Navy needs to pay attention to, remind me. It’s best to make a list, so I can find someone to handle it after I return."

"That’s just what I was waiting for you to say."

Bai Zhizhan gave a wry smile and shook his head, as Li Yunxiang was obviously joking.

Even though he was now a general of the Land Air Force, Li Yunxiang was quite popular in the Navy, and most officers would show him respect.

For trivial matters like transporting equipment, there was no need for Bai Zhizhan to personally supervise.

Moreover, if there really were difficulties, Bai Zhizhan’s intervention would not solve them.

The strain on resources had not been a one-day issue.

The war had erupted less than three months ago, many mobilizations had not even started, not to mention completed, and there were bound to be all sorts of problems.

Even after mobilization was complete, there would still be many troubles.

One could say that the enemy was the biggest trouble; therefore, the mission of a soldier was to solve these troubles.

More than ten minutes later, the two arrived at the military camp on the other side of the airfield.

Although Bai Zhizhan was provided with a single-room barracks, next to the Commander’s room, the conditions were exceptionally rudimentary.

The so-called single room was nothing more than a single bed, a small stool, and a makeshift cabinet made from wooden planks.

One could say it was for sole occupancy.

Forget about special treatment; eating, and all other necessities were shared with the other officers and soldiers. The greatest privilege of an officer, perhaps, was getting a few extra pieces of fat in their food.

Fortunately, it was winter now, which was merely a bit cold, so there was no need to worry about mosquito bites.

Because he had not slept well on the way, Bai Zhizhan went to bed soon after Li Yunxiang arranged for the duty soldier to start a fire in the stove and deliver two new blankets.

It was Li Yunxiang who had the energy.

Seemingly, he slept on the plane, not just to catch up on sleep, but to be able to throw himself into work immediately after arriving at the frontline, fully energized.

When this guy gets serious, he’s a maniac!

It’s also why Li Yunxiang is so respected.

In the past, when he was a flight officer, he was incredibly dedicated, insisting on doing everything himself and setting an example in every position.

More than a decade ago, he risked his life to explore the take-off and landing patterns of ship-borne aircraft, compiling the first training outline for the Imperial Navy’s shipborne air force. Although it has been revised several times, the core content of the outline is still the experiences that Li Yunxiang originally summed up.

Such consistency, inside and out, is rare at any time.

Other generals, even real talents like Lian Xusheng, which one isn’t full of style?

It’s not just the Army, but the Navy as well, and even more so, they frequently forget themselves, like those second-generation officers from the Liu Family and the young masters of the He Family.

As for the cold winter nights, what’s that to a soldier?

More than twenty years ago, at the Cloud Mist Canyon, what hardships hadn’t they endured?

As Li Yunxiang put it, there was a time when his plane malfunctioned and he had to make an emergency landing behind enemy lines. It was only rumored that he was shot down by enemy fighters, and it was the only time in Li Yunxiang’s life that he was forced to flee in defeat. Anyway, he hid in the forest for several days, surviving on ants and earthworms.

Compared to twenty years ago, the current conditions have improved by countless times.

It is this consistent, sincere, and straightforward character that captured Fang Suqing’s heart and created his legendary era.

Even now, Li Yunxiang remains a role model and idol in the hearts of many Air Force officers and soldiers.

As Bai Zhizhan put it, to have a friend like Li Yunxiang in one’s lifetime is more than enough to be content.

This evening, Bai Zhizhan wouldn’t share his friend’s worries.

When Bai Zhizhan woke up, it was already the next morning.

After eating breakfast with Li Yunxiang, or rather, starting with breakfast, Bai Zhizhan began to get busy.

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