Chapter 328: Dawn-class Seventh-Generation Fighter Jet (Patreon)

Chapter 328: Dawn-class Seventh-Generation Fighter Jet

May 13th.

The devastating storm still loomed over the surface of the Farmhouse Shelter.

With humanity's currently disclosed technology, almost no vehicle could operate normally under such conditions.

It had become a forbidden zone for mankind.

But forbidden zones were not eternal.

For example, today's test flight was about to challenge this very boundary.

9:00 AM.

Ground level, Farmhouse Shelter.

Aerospace Carrier Integrated Assembly Plant.

A massive fighter jet, seamless in appearance as if it had traveled from the future, stood quietly in Hangar No. 2.

Hundreds of engineering robots were conducting final inspections inside and outside the aircraft.

This was the seventh-generation fighter jet—Dawn.

Experimental Model No. 1.

"Inspection complete."

"Withdrawing support units."

"Commencing fuel injection."

The Artificial Intelligence's prompt echoed through the control center.

To Su Wu, its usual tone carried an inexplicable solemnity and gravity this time.

Dawn-class Seventh-Generation Fighter Jet.

Dawn.

It symbolized the end of a desperate night and the arrival of a new beginning.

The name was fitting.

Because the birth of the seventh-generation fighter jet marked the arrival of a qualitative leap in technology across eras.

It was also humanity's first mass-produced aircraft capable of transitioning from planetary surfaces to outer space.

"Proceed with takeoff test."

Observing the uniformly completed pre-flight preparations on the screen, Su Wu calmly issued the first command for the live drill.

"Authorization activated."

"Clearance complete."

"Anti-Gravity Engine initiating."

"Pulse Detonation Engine beginning warm-up."

Like a waking behemoth, the Dawn-class fighter jet's indicator lights gradually illuminated.

Then, as if lifted by an invisible force, its 800-ton frame slowly rose into suspension.

When it reached an altitude of 50 meters, a pale blue glow emerged from the rear underside of its fuselage.

This was the sign of the No. 2 Pulse Detonation Engine cluster activating.

When necessary, this engine cluster could unleash terrifying thrust, propelling the seventh-generation fighter jet into a near-instant vertical ascent.

Only after clearing all obstacles would it adjust its propulsion direction to assist the No. 1 main engine at the rear, enabling full-throttle acceleration in its complete operational state.

"Anti-Gravity Engine status normal."

"Continuous reduction of 760-ton aircraft weight."

"No. 2 Pulse Detonation Engine providing minimal thrust."

"Aircraft balance system engaged."

"Vertical ascent deviation approaching zero."

"All performance tests passed."

Though merely a preliminary hovering maneuver, it already showcased the pinnacle of the Farmhouse Shelter's technological achievements.

The miniaturized Anti-gravity Array achieved a staggering 95% weight reduction efficiency—surpassing even the large-scale arrays installed on the Doomsday-Class Land Cruiser and the Farmhouse Shelter itself.

Such exceptional performance could no longer be described as merely an "array." It had earned the rightful title of an engine.

In other words, the seventh-generation fighter jet now carried the first true Anti-Gravity Engine in Su Wu's arsenal.

And beyond the Anti-Gravity Engine, the Pulse Detonation Engine also represented an unprecedented breakthrough.

Its fuel utilization efficiency reached an almost inconceivable level.

At the same time, it could still operate normally in the space beyond a planet's atmosphere.

It was the core component that granted seventh-generation fighters the capability for space travel.

"Depart."

After spending several minutes conducting a thorough and comprehensive inspection,

the seventh-generation fighter, under Su Wu's command, began to ascend slowly once more.

Simultaneously,

a gap gradually opened in the dome above it,

revealing an outer layer of pale red and pale blue light screens.

Whenever storms from the outside world, carrying sharp debris,

collided with the pale blue light screen,

their speed would drastically decrease—

from supersonic to subsonic, even dropping below a hundred meters per second.

Then, these now significantly less threatening materials

would continue falling onto the pale red light screen below,

only to be stopped completely, as if hitting a transparent, smooth pane of glass.

This was the scene of the city-grade Electromagnetic Protection Field and the Energy Shield, derived from the Biological Battleship, being activated together.

Of course, whether it was the Electromagnetic Protection Field or the Energy Shield,

achieving the current level of defensive strength

required an immense supply of electricity.

At present, only the farmhouse courtyard had the capacity to provide it.

All other mass-produced mobile vehicles, including the seventh-generation fighter, were incapable of doing so.

The steadily ascending seventh-generation fighter

soon reached the dome's height of 150 meters.

Without the slightest hesitation, it passed through the two protective light screens and truly entered the outside world.

Outside, amidst the chaotic storms,

rocks, shards of ice, and other miscellaneous debris of varying sizes flew at high speeds,

like a barrage of artillery fire,

mercilessly slamming into the seventh-generation fighter, recklessly unleashing terrifying kinetic energy upon its massive frame.

"Attack detected."

"Activating Electromagnetic Protection Array."

A faint blue halo

instantly expanded around the seventh-generation fighter.

Not only did it enhance the physical hardness of the fighter's outer shell, but it also added an additional deceleration field.

All assaults from the storm

were immediately rendered completely ineffective against the fighter,

allowing it to stand firm, like a reef amidst the supersonic, turbulent storm.

"Initiating acceleration thrust."

"Activating evasion mode."

A brilliant blue tail flame erupted from the rear of the hovering seventh-generation fighter.

The scorching heat carried by the tail flame

could even continuously melt any unfortunate rocks or ice caught within it in an instant.

Then, within a hundredth of a second, the fighter accelerated from zero to supersonic speed.

Leaving behind a sonic boom in its wake,

the entire aircraft shot straight upward along an inclined trajectory, piercing through the clouds.

During this acceleration,

when encountering a group of oncoming rocks in midair, each at least half a meter in diameter,

the seventh-generation fighter did not take them head-on.

Instead, it tilted slightly, executing a series of irregular maneuvers

to navigate its massive 160-meter-long frame perfectly through the gaps between the rocks—

as agile as a sparrow dancing gracefully in a storm.

A dozen seconds later,

the seventh-generation fighter broke through the cloud layer.

From this height, the view stretched far and wide.

The dark, churning clouds below and the deep blue sky above were clearly visible.

"Environment safety confirmed."

"Initiating low-speed cruise."

"Commencing next test."

"Beam Main Cannon."

A massive turret extended downward from the front underside of the fighter jet.

After half a second of charging.

It released a deep red beam.

That plunged into the depths of the clouds below.

  Then, in the instant it illuminated the dim world beneath the clouds, it struck an ice field.

Melting a crater over 20 meters deep.

"Weapon test successful."

"Proceeding to next item."

"Full visual cloaking."

A transparent ripple spread across the seventh-generation fighter's hull.

The next moment.

It completely vanished from the sky, leaving no trace of its existence.

"Visual cloaking test successful."

"Initiating next—"

The Artificial Intelligence systematically operated the seventh-generation fighter, methodically testing each installed function according to the predetermined sequence.

After over ten minutes of intensive testing.

The seventh-generation fighter fully activated its Pulse Detonation Engine.

Gradually accelerating to 12 times the speed of sound at high altitude.

At this point, the bright exhaust flames at the fighter's tail.

Were so intense they faintly penetrated the thick cloud layer, making them easily visible to the naked eye from human observation posts on the surface.

"What is that?"

"A Sixth-Generation Fighter Jet?"

"No, it's moving too fast."

"And the exhaust trail is at least 2 kilometers long."

"Absolutely incredible."

Along the seventh-generation fighter's flight path.

At a surface observation post in a megacity.

Gasps of amazement and deep confusion erupted.

In this godforsaken post-apocalyptic environment.

Where could such an utterly mysterious and powerful aircraft have come from?

It looked like something straight out of science fiction—an alien spacecraft.

Rural farmhouse.

Underground control center.

On the metal platform's projection.

The display had now switched to a three-dimensional map centered on the seventh-generation fighter, expanding outward.

Because the primary data for constructing this map.

Mostly came from the various reconnaissance equipment mounted on the fighter itself.

Its coverage wasn't extensive.

Limited to just a dozen or so kilometers around.

And at the seventh-generation fighter's hypersonic speed of 12 times the speed of sound.

This distance could be crossed in mere seconds.

As a result.

The content of the projected map appeared to flow and change at high speed.

A closer look would be enough to make an ordinary person dizzy.

"Optimal cruising speed reaches 12 times the speed of sound."

"Maximum instantaneous speed exceeds Mach 20."

"Single-flight range sufficient to reach any location on the planet."

"Capable of exiting the atmosphere."

"And reaching low Earth orbit."

Comparing the actual performance with design parameters.

Su Wu remotely operated the seventh-generation fighter via Artificial Intelligence.

Initiating a global cruise.

When it broke through the atmosphere.

Entering the western hemisphere via low Earth orbit hundreds of kilometers above the surface.

A massive space station in distant geostationary orbit.

Also came into view.

The space station spanned several kilometers in length.

Through the seventh-generation fighter's high-magnification cameras.

Hundreds of mechanical devices could be seen.

Working both inside and outside the space station.

Slowly maintaining and modifying it.

Even at the edge of the space station,

there was a professional spaceport.

Airships could be seen slowly approaching to dock.

"When did such a space station appear in space?"

Su Wu's gaze sharpened slightly.

Before he could dwell on the question,

his seventh-generation fighter received an open communication broadcast.

"Friend from the Eastern Continent, welcome to our world—

Valhalla Space Shelter."

Valhalla—

In Western mythology, the realm ruled by the gods,

the final sanctuary for humanity.

And in this apocalyptic era,

it was a space refuge built by a group of elite Western Continent tycoons from the Federation,

funded collectively to escape terrestrial disasters.

Within the entire Valhalla Shelter,

there were only slightly over 3,000 residents.

Yet, they possessed over ten times that number in service and combat robots,

along with a complete ecosystem that included artificial farms, fish ponds, and forests.

They also controlled nuclear weapons, an experimental seventh-generation fighter from the Federation, and three airships capable of shuttling to and from the surface.

It was practically a complex that gathered the world's most advanced technological achievements.

"So, you want us to transport supplies to Valhalla?"

In the communication video,

a young man exuding an air of restraint and elegance finished introducing Valhalla's basic situation to Su Wu,

then made a request for trade.

"Yes. We severely underestimated the difficulty of maintaining an independent, closed ecosystem."

"We must replenish some essential supplies

to preserve our current living conditions."

Zoe's tone was utterly candid,

concealing none of their predicament.

"But our seventh-generation fighters and airships are far too few."

"Spare parts and fuel reserves are also running low."

"They're no longer suitable for transporting bulk resources like basic supplies."

Valhalla might seem idyllic,

but in reality,

given humanity's current technological level—or rather, the capabilities of these Western tycoons—

long-term survival in space, completely detached from Earth, was still beyond reach.

It remained a unique shelter dependent on the planet.

"Transporting some supplies isn’t out of the question."

"What do I get in return?"

Su Wu countered with keen interest.

Though he currently possessed only one experimental seventh-generation fighter,

once this test was completed,

he would master all its core technologies.

With the Super Factory, he could then mass-produce these fighters.

A single seventh-gen fighter could carry at least 400 tons of cargo per trip.

No matter how much they needed, Su Wu could deliver it swiftly—

and at relatively low cost.

"For all transported supplies,

we can split them proportionally—one share for us, two for you."

"Or you can exchange them for equivalent rare resources or technical services."

Zoe didn’t hesitate to name the price,

then carefully elaborated to Su Wu.

"Don’t assume we’re isolated in space."

"In truth, our ties to the surface remain strong."

"We still wield influence in the Federation’s upper echelons, and many large factories—even shelters—remain under our remote control."

"As long as the transport issue is resolved,

everything else is simple."

Before the apocalypse arrived...

The mainstream approach to space development worldwide

still relies on reusable rockets.

This imposes extremely high demands on launch sites and costs.

As a result, although the builders of Valhalla ultimately constructed a magnificent space refuge,

after the apocalypse,

they faced a severe shortage of spacecraft capable of shuttling between the surface and the refuge.

(End of chapter)