Leitao had just escaped a heart-stopping, fierce battle. His hands worked the stick with surgical precision, executing a graceful cobra maneuver. The fighter seemed to come alive; its nose snapped upward as the fuselage pitched sharply, surging toward the clouds at incredible speed, leaving a long, striking white contrail in its wake. His heart was set on returning to Chongqing, where his teammates from the Netherworld squadron and his beloved Meng Xiaoyu awaited him.
Suddenly, a sharp, urgent buzzing shattered the silence of the cockpit. Leitao’s eyes snapped to the radar display, where multiple flashing blips were rapidly closing in from the direction of Jiujiang. His heart sank, and his brow furrowed as his deep experience and expertise allowed him to instantly identify the enemy aircraft type and numbers. He knew all too well that the intense dogfight he had just survived had left him low on fuel and ammunition; facing fresh enemies now would be a dire situation.
In those few critical seconds, Leitao took a deep breath, his chest heaving, and weighed his options. He had two paths: use the superior speed of his F-35B to avoid the brunt of the enemy and retreat, or stand his ground and force a decisive confrontation.
Chapter 321