“It is an entirely new source of power! “

Inside the humming aircraft, the major general’s voice rang out as if he were delivering a speech.

“We can use kerosene to push that steel machine beyond ten thousand meters into the sky! Did you know, we’ve even had to develop special flight suits and masks just to let those Federation kids adapt to an environment that ordinary people can hardly imagine! “

In his voice was unconcealed pride and excitement.

“Flight suits… “

“Flight masks? “

Xue Qi and Li Senrui spoke in unison. They looked down at the resort-style casual coats on their bodies, with their old-fashioned designs. Indeed, on an aircraft letting in drafts from all sides, none of them had needed to change into anything else to climb aboard.

“A propulsion system that needs no propellers, no old-fashioned engines, while radically surpassing the speed and altitude of every other aircraft in the world! This is a reinvention of the airplane! “

“That… truly is a new experience that subverts common sense. ” He Yishu responded to the major general with polite composure.

Only Yang Zicang stared blankly, wide-eyed.

｛I searched within the circle…｝

｛I found the unused “Complete Stamp Emblem. “｝

“Those… ” Yang Zicang looked at the Major General in the seat before him. “How many of those mutated fighter jets did you produce? “

The moment the words left his mouth, it was as if a vital spirit had been drained from the Major General’s very bones. His otherwise resonant voice now carried a bone-deep weariness from within.

“The factory that had the ribbon-cutting ceremony probably produced about ten— all secretly developed by top-tier engineer teams, so not many. “

“That wouldn’t be enough to cripple the Federation. “

“Ha, indeed. The public later found out that, to fool the spies of the Steffen Lion Empire, the grand numbers announced at the Federation’s official commendation ceremony were only one-seventh of the real figure. The actual fighter jets had been produced separately, in secret, hidden among some mountain ranges and rows of civilian houses in Sorse. There were sixty-seven in total. You have no idea how much gold and silver they cost—everything scraped together from the people, a basket of fish here, a piece of clothing there. “

Xue Qi, He Yishu, and Li Senrui whispered a few words among themselves.

“Well, to make a long story short. On that very day, demons emerged all over Sorse. The Federation’s senior engineer corps was completely wiped out from the very first wave—including the high-ranking officials who went to cut the ribbon. “

Everyone could feel the helplessness and smoldering resentment in the Major General’s tone.

“I take it you folk ran into the same thing, right? “

“We… well… “

Li Senrui, who had opened his mouth, reluctantly closed it again, suppressing the words he hadn’t spoken.

Haili Koni listened quietly.

She knew that the newly arrived Fogfolk, though appearing impoverished, always carried an inherent sense of pride deep within them, as if they were disdainful of everything around them at any moment.

Her gaze involuntarily drifted backward, landing on the roguish guy who, upon their first meeting, had handed a girl a cigarette and, with a sleazy grin, said, “What a pity—such a pretty girl, and I can’t even have a shot at her.“

A Fogfolk.

On his face was an inexplicable confidence.

Even the most gentlemanly Fogfolk she had ever seen would unconsciously reveal this trait—like the dashing young man behind him who had gotten airsick; after flying for a while, they had already started turning up their noses at this plane, which was the best special aircraft among all nations.

They couldn’t get used to things that were already quite functional, and deep down, they turned their noses up at certain everyday items.

From washbasins and pit latrines, to morning newspapers and concerts—even the horse dung crushed into the street pavement. How perfectly normal was that! As if, across that sea on the other side of the world, roads didn’t have horses, cattle, or sheep parading down them.

The Major General had already felt this countless times from various Fogfolk’s actions. Proud himself, he was deeply displeased by these Fogfolk, who, intentionally or not, revealed their lofty condescension.

Though Haili Koni had only been by the Major General’s side for a little over a year, she also knew that every time a Fogfolk uttered words demeaning this continent, Captain Ross, whose eyes could tolerate no slight against it, would start using his words to shoot back at their undeserved sense of superiority.

So in reality, Major General Ross absolutely detested Fogfolk.

This Fogfolk doctor he had hired also happened, at just the wrong moment, to insist on talking about how they had bigger and better planes back home. Wasn’t that deliberately trying to annoy the Major General?

Haili Koni was just about to ask the pilot a question to change the subject, when from the seat diagonally behind, that young man’s voice came through—someone as capricious as a colt, sometimes indifferent and sometimes bursting with energy. Her heartbeat involuntarily missed a beat.

“Excuse me, Major General Ross, you know, did anything unusual happen during the ribbon-cutting ceremony? Like, any shooting stars flying across the sky? “

“Hm? ” Ross turned to face the words of the young man behind him. “No one has ever asked that question before. Does Your Excellency have some special lead? “

Ross’s eyes swept across those around him; everyone’s faces flickered with subtle expressions of unfamiliarity. This proven it was knowledge exclusive to the young man behind him… Could he know something?

-｛February · Di’an is observing my current experience.｝

“I just want to know some of the historical records from that time. ” Yang Zicang said no more after that rather awkward statement.

“I’ll gather some intelligence on this matter for you when I get back. ” Toward the young man behind him, Ross had already begun to treat his capabilities with a genuine respect.

-｛February · Di’an is evaluating.｝

“Sir. ” the pilot interrupted the exchange happening in the back. “I’m about to change the flight path. Everyone needs to hold on tight; we may need to ascend higher. “

The surprised Major General straightened his back and looked toward the forward cabin. From there, he could see the upper halves of the pilots’ seats.

The pilot said, “Before we left, we received intelligence that it’s best to avoid this route. So now we’re heading to the alternate course. “

“Alternate course? ” Several people grabbed the back of the chairs in front of them, staring at the backs of the pilots in the cockpit.

“If you don’t mind, Fogfolk gentlemen, could you first use your marvelous barrier ability to protect the underside of the plane? They can see us down there, so I’m afraid they might start attacking us early. “

“Old boy, when did you get this news? ” The mechanic, staring at the instrument panel, was very surprised.

“Mr. Buchen knows. “

The plane began to tilt. Everyone could feel a strong force throwing them as if they were about to be flung out.

Before long, Yang Zicang and the others indeed spotted several giant seabirds taking off from a distant island, chasing after the plane.

“What are those!? “

“They’s Steffen’s ‘Blood Beasts’! “

The Major General’s eyes, looking out the window, were sharp as a sword. “They really spare no effort trying to get me killed. “

Xue Qi really wanted to ask “Why, ” but held back.

He Yishu was about to unbuckle his seatbelt to deploy a field barrier, but Li Senrui had already stood up. “Brother Shi, let me handle this. “

Stumbling unsteadily to the tail of the plane, he crouched down, clapped his hands together, pulled open a field, and pressed it down.

Pop! Pop! Pop!

A burst of weakly striking bullets flew out.

A relatively large hexagonal force field immediately appeared at the tail of this propeller plane, faintly visible behind the rivet-filled cabin.

“Their machine guns can shoot that far! ” the Major General exclaimed in surprise. “Have these two-headed lions improved their weapons again? How… how dare they. “

Haili Koni said, “It’s not necessarily improved weapons; they might be using the ‘Secret Fruit’ of the Fog People. “

“Right, their speed is abnormal. Well said, Koni. “

“I’ll accelerate the plane. ” Yang Zicang activated the small silver ring on his chest.

Major General Ross, Haili Koni, and the mechanic who turned around from the front all saw the fog man dressed in a blue jacket press his hand against the cabin wall; in an instant, the entire plane lurched forward abruptly!

The propeller spun wildly in the wind beyond control, causing even the pilot to cry out.

“Truly remarkable fog people. ” Haili Koni, despite her refined upbringing, couldn’t help but take an extra look at this guy; Yang Zicang happened to gaze back at her just then.

……

Rat-a-tat-tat-tat!

A burst of bullets streaked from the dim muzzle toward the distance, striking an indistinct force field shield.

On the back of a seabird with huge feathered wings, two warriors in black thick-padded suits and windproof goggles watched the dark spot in the distance accelerate away.

“They got away! “

The person perched at the bird’s rear carried a large radio, its long antenna rising over two or three meters high.

The man controlling the machine gun in front of him let out a sigh.

“Notify ‘Sea Hunter,’ ‘Flying Fish’ has slipped away, heading towards the ‘Grand Duchy.’ Suggest immediately requesting ‘Beneficial Bird’ to intercept. “

Beep, beep-beep-beep… A rapid series of telegraph clicks echoed across the giant bird’s back.

“We’re pulling back. “

……

The plane narrowly escaped, bringing relief to everyone on board.

“Good thing there are Fogfolk, ” the mechanic muttered under his breath.

The Major General offered a verbal thanks to Li Senrui for his efforts, leaving the man grinning ear to ear. Before long, Haili Koni rose from her seat and retrieved prepped food from a sturdy luggage compartment.

“Where are we now? “

“Almost near the waters of the ‘Herzenholtzburg Grand Duchy.’ “

Hearing those familiar words onboard, Xue Qi was puzzled. Then she caught He Yishu’s awkward voice asking:

“Excuse me, just how many Grand Duchies do we have around here? “

“There is only one Grand Duchy in the entire world. What’s wrong? “

He Yishu whispered to Xue Qi, “Didn’t we not take the ferry? Then why would’t we catch the landing spot for the Grand Duchy as well. “

Haili Koni handed a food container to He Yishu.

That remark reminded Yang Zicang—after passing through the final storm belt, Bao Lou Harbor turned out to be the closest way back to dry land.

His Fog Citizen ID still bore the mark of “Fog Citizen Leased Land ” from Baolou Port, which was essentially his registered domicile in this world. Baolou Port, in turn, was a port located on the southeastern coast of the so-called Grand Duchy.

“This… after riding a ship for four or five days, and then we flew all the way back. “