Chapter 1126 Eastern Theater Arrival

Just as Jia Sanniu was reviewing his iron army in Xishui District, far away in the night market, the deepest darkness before dawn was shrouding Longbao Air Force Base.

Unlike the deafening roar of armor in the creek area, the noise here is of another form - a precise, efficient, and urgent whisper.

The indicator lights on both sides of the airport runway are like bright light strips embedded in the earth, outlining the huge outline of the airport.

The beams of light from the searchlights were like giant swords, occasionally cutting through the darkness and sweeping across the various types of fighter jets and transport planes neatly lined up on the apron.

Countless ground handling vehicles - power trucks, refueling trucks, ammunition supply trucks, tractors with flashing yellow warning lights... are like busy worker ants, shuttling back and forth between the huge aircraft bodies. The hum of the engines and the short commands from the radio are intertwined, injecting surging vitality into this sleepless airport.

The signal light on top of the tower rotates regularly, like a lighthouse guiding the way home in the dark night, calmly watching every corner of the area.

Suddenly, the long-awaited light spot appeared on the tower radar screen.

"Tower, this is 'Returning Goose' 01, a Y-20B transport aircraft, escorted by 'Falcon' formations 1 to 4. We have arrived at the navigation boundary of Night Market and are requesting to proceed with landing procedures."

The clear and calm voice of the pilot came over the radio, breaking through the noise of the ground frequency.

"'Returning Goose' 01, received by Longbao Tower. Identification confirmed, welcome home. Cleared to enter the landing airspace, runway 08, wind direction 090, wind speed 3 meters/second. Please descend according to the guidance altitude level." The tower controller's voice was steady and professional.

"'Returning Geese'01 understands."

"'Falcon' formation received, executing escort landing."

Soon, the steady and powerful roar of an engine came from far away in the night sky.

Four dark and agile figures were the first to break through the clouds. They were four J-16 escort fighters. Like loyal nighthawks, they occupied advantageous positions around the Y-20B, and the navigation lights under their wings drew elegant and deadly tracks in the darkness.

Following closely behind was the huge Y-20B strategic transport aircraft, which looked like a giant whale. Its figure gradually became clear under the moonlight above, with a sense of calmness and solemnity after crossing thousands of mountains and rivers.

At this moment, inside the Y-20B cabin——

In stark contrast to the bright lights of the airport outside, the lighting inside the huge main cargo hold was dim and soft, with only a few rows of emergency lights and wall lamps providing illumination.

Due to the temporary change in passenger transport mission, there were no comfortable airliner seats in the cabin, only simple folding seats and mesh fixing belts installed along the bulkhead.

Most of the space was empty and deep, filled with the cold smell of aviation fuel and metal. Only a small area at the front of the cabin was occupied by members of the Eastern Theater delegation.

The long night flight, the simple riding environment, and the huge psychological pressure made Lieutenant General Zhou Wei and Lieutenant General Wang Zhiming, two veterans who were already quite old, feel deeply exhausted.

Wrapped in thin military blankets, they leaned against the hard bulkhead and fell into a light sleep amid the constant white noise of the engine. Most of the accompanying staff and guards were also dozing off.

At this moment, the crew's clear and gentle voice came from the cabin, coming through the cabin communication system:

"Comrades, I am the captain of this aircraft. We have arrived above the night market and are about to begin our descent. Please ensure your seatbelts are fastened and your seats are straightened. We expect to land at Longbao Airport in ten minutes."

The sound was like a stone dropped into calm water, instantly waking up all the light sleepers.

Zhou Wei suddenly opened his eyes. After a brief moment of confusion, his eyes quickly regained clarity and sharpness. He subconsciously straightened his back, which was a little sore from sitting for a long time. An indescribable excitement instantly washed away all his fatigue!

We're here! We've finally arrived! The heart of the Zhongzhou War Zone—the Night Market!

Wang Zhiming had almost the same reaction. He rubbed his stiff cheeks vigorously, his eyes flashing with excitement. He was already looking forward to learning more about this mysterious "Zhongzhou War Zone" from the upcoming meeting.

Inside the cabin, all members of the delegation woke up and exchanged glances with each other, silently conveying their inner excitement and nervousness.

The long flight and physical fatigue were all forgotten at this moment, replaced by an excitement about solving the mystery and the heavy responsibility on their shoulders to find a way out for the Eastern Theater.

They will finally see with their own eyes what the "Zhongzhou Theater" looks like, which is capable of producing the J-16 and Y-20B, so many epoch-making advanced individual equipment, and can unite the two major theaters of war in the west and the south!

As the plane began to descend, a slight feeling of weightlessness came over them. Sitting in the fully enclosed cabin, although the people from the Eastern Theater could not see the scenery outside, the tilt of the fuselage and the changes in physical sensation all indicated that they were about to land on the land of Zhongzhou!

boom--

A few minutes later, the huge body of the Y-20B "Kunpeng" lightly touched the ground on the runway, and a dull and solid collision sound was heard.

The plane taxied on the runway, gradually slowing down, and finally followed the instructions of the ground guidance vehicle, leaving the main runway and driving onto a dedicated taxiway.

At the end of the taxiway is a brightly lit dedicated apron, which is kept at a certain distance from the busy surrounding area and is obviously a deliberate arrangement.

Here, the noise seems to be filtered by an invisible barrier, and the atmosphere is solemn and dignified.

The plane slowly turned and finally stopped steadily in the center of the designated area.

The ground crew quickly stepped forward and expertly placed the chocks in front of the huge wheels. As the roar of the engine gradually faded until it died down, leaving only the faint sounds of other planes taking off and landing in the distance, a new sense of anticipation filled the air.

On the tarmac, a capable reception team was already lined up waiting.

Leading the charge was a senior general wearing the dark blue uniform of the Zhongzhou Theater Navy and carrying the rank of lieutenant general. He had an upright posture, a resolute face with a hint of vicissitudes of life tempered by the sea breeze. He was none other than Lieutenant General Chen Haitao, commander of the Zhongzhou Theater Navy, the first receptionist for visitors from major theaters to the Zhongzhou Theater, and the senior cadre in the Zhongzhou Theater who understood reception best!