Chapter 28: Who Do I Think I Am?

The vehicle passed through three layers of security before coming to a steady stop beside a warehouse.

A crowd stood waiting in front of the hangar. About a dozen individuals were in military uniforms, while another dozen wore black administrative jackets. The moment the car door opened, everyone stood to attention. Among them were Huang Han and Zhang Mingrui, both old acquaintances of Wei Xiu.

Ignoring their salutes, Lin Xiao stepped out of the car, took Wei Xiu by the hand, and walked straight toward the warehouse.

"I heard from Huang Han and Zhang Mingrui that you are very skilled at repairing things, right?"

Wei Xiu was cautious when faced with Lin Xiao's sudden question. "Does it matter if I am or not?"

"Haha, don't be nervous. It’s just a small trinket." Lin Xiao smiled slightly and gestured for the officers to open the warehouse. He had already heard the full story of Wei Xiu’s exploits, from repairing a Type 59 tank to fixing an HQ-9 missile system. His ability was beyond question, and as it happened, there was a piece of equipment currently in dire need of repair.

The warehouse doors opened. Chilly air, mixed with the distinct scent of metal and electrical machinery, rushed out to meet them. In the center of the warehouse, a military camouflage tarp was draped over a pile on the floor, forming a small mound.

Lin Xiao stepped forward and picked up a piece of metal from a nearby table. "It's this little thing."

Wei Xiu took the metal fragment and examined it closely. The texture was extremely light yet highly rigid. The surface appeared to have a coating that had been completely ruined by intense friction.

Immediately, a line of text appeared in his mind:
[Ti-6Al-4V Alloy]
[Primarily used for fighter jet skins]
[Surface coated with ferric oxide]
[Damage level: 99%]
[This material is commonly used on the F-35 Lightning II fighter.]

Wei Xiu rolled his eyes toward the heavens. This old man was truly crafty. Calling it a "small favor" and a "little trinket"—did he really just call an F-35 a "little trinket"?

"You guys are going too far!" Wei Xiu protested. "You give me a scrap of metal and expect me to return an F-35 to you?"

Lin Xiao was taken aback by this remark and gave a silent thumbs-up. Hearing reports about how much of a genius Wei Xiu was hadn't given him a concrete concept, but seeing it now was something else. Wei Xiu had deduced the material source of the fragment just from a piece picked up at a blast site. It was nothing short of miraculous.

"You really are a genius, kid. You're right—this is a fragment from an F-35."

Wei Xiu’s composure cracked. "I can't fix this at all!"

If he took a mere scrap and tried to repair an entire F-35, would they be bringing him a single screw next time and asking for an aircraft carrier? Setting that aside, the F-35 was a notorious money pit among fifth-generation fighters, with a unit price exceeding one hundred million dollars. It was far beyond the limits of what Wei Xiu could currently repair. Even if he wanted to, he didn't have the capacity.

Seeing Wei Xiu shaking his head like a bobblehead, Lin Xiao was curious. "Aren't you someone who can repair anything?"

"My dear chief," Wei Xiu said helplessly, "I’m a businessman. It’s only reasonable for a businessman to engage in a little false advertising, isn't it?"

Lin Xiao chuckled. "You’re quite the humorist. Alright, let’s talk business. I’m not asking you to repair the F-35."

Beneath the camouflage tarp before them lay the wreckage of the F-35 collected by the Qilin Theater. The fighter had taken a direct hit from an HQ-9, which had snapped it in half, followed by an explosion. It was now in a state of total destruction. In this condition, let alone repairing it, even the original manufacturer, Lockheed Martin, might not be able to restore it.

Lin Xiao explained, "Even a god couldn't save this F-35. I just want you to join the reverse engineering task force for this fighter."

Wei Xiu asked, "Does this piece of junk even need to be reverse-engineered? Don't we already have our own fifth-generation fighters?"

He understood reverse engineering. In fact, in the early years, the domestic aviation industry relied entirely on it. When they captured an aircraft, they had to treat it like an ancestor, stripping every usable component to feed into their own fighter projects. But times had changed; the nation was no longer the impoverished state it once was. They had their own fifth-generation fighters, capable of going toe-to-toe with the F-35.

"The difficulty of reverse-engineering this thing is no less than building a new aircraft," Wei Xiu analyzed.

Hearing this sensible assessment, Lin Xiao nodded with satisfaction. "True, but certain technologies still need to be analyzed. For instance, this fragment in your hand—it involves materials science, optics, and electromagnetics. If we can decipher it, it would be a massive boost to our combat capabilities."

This battle-damaged fighter was precious. It was foreseeable that it might be the only major piece of enemy equipment the country would acquire in years. Lin Xiao was determined to seize this opportunity. To know oneself and the enemy is to ensure victory in every battle. By using the wreckage to reverse-engineer specific modules, they could at least grasp the level of the enemy's technology.

"Little Wei, you understand radar and stealth. That’s why I want you to join the stealth department of the reverse engineering team. Work with experts from other units to provide a report as soon as possible. Focus on analyzing the stealth performance of this aircraft and provide effective reference information. We will use your report to specifically improve our air defense weaknesses."

Hearing this, Wei Xiu felt relieved. "You should have said so earlier!"

If Wei Xiu could restore the formula for the stealth coating on this fragment, the military could use that formula to paint their own aircraft, creating the perfect simulated enemy for training targets. Imagine if the Air Force could train against aircraft with identical stealth technology; in the future, if they encountered a similar enemy intrusion, the air defense system would be ready and waiting.

Wei Xiu understood Lin Xiao’s intent, but he didn't give in easily. The reason was simple: he was great at repairing things, but he was truly hopeless at writing research reports.

"Chief, have you seen my file?"

Lin Xiao was surprised. "I have. Why?"

"I’m allergic to writing, which is why my grades in school were so poor." Wei Xiu was being tactful. The system gave him the talent to repair things. If they gave him a scrap and asked him to repair the airframe, he could do it as long as he had enough points. But if they asked him to write a thesis, he couldn't do it even if his life depended on it.

"It doesn't matter. We have people who are good at that." Lin Xiao smiled and waved at the crowd behind him.

A woman in an Air Force blue uniform ran over. "Report! Qin Xi, from the First Division of Air Force Equipment Demonstration, reporting to you, Chief! Please give your instructions!"

"At ease!" Lin Xiao waved his hand. Qin Xi stood straight, as still as a statue.

"Little Wei, let me introduce you. This is Qin Xi, a graduate of the National University of Defense Technology. She majors in materials science and is an expert in the field of electromagnetic stealth. She has previously participated in the development of sixth-generation fighters. This time, she will serve as the deputy team leader for the stealth portion of the F-35 reverse engineering project. You will be working together."

Huh? Me? Wei Xiu was incredulous. Qin Xi looked heroic and capable, with an impeccable academic and professional background. She looked to be in her twenties, yet she had already participated in fighter jet development. Then he looked at himself—also in his twenties, but the biggest project he had ever participated in was the annual Double Eleven shopping festival.

"If I work with her, where do I rank?"

Lin Xiao blurted out, "You’re the boss."

"???"

Wei Xiu was completely at a loss. *Wait, that was a rhetorical question, not a literal one.*