Chapter 271

Chapter 271: Old Ma Knows the Way

Mude Zariyev sighed with relief after the ceremony was over. The deceased had passed, and the living still needed to work harder to carry on. He said kindly, "What’s wrong, my little lark?"

Sally fidgeted a bit and replied, "The ‘Knight’ entrusted me with the Lapis Lazuli mine. I want to find some people to help. I need not only miners but also craftsmen for processing, and I want to reach out to buyers. I want to manage this gemstone mine well."

Lin Mo’s words had deeply impressed Sally; the Pashtun girl completely viewed Lin Mo’s task as the most important thing in her life.

Afghan women, due to religious customs, had far less exposure and opinions compared to women in other countries. After giving it some thought, Sally still needed to consult the village chief, Mude Zariyev, the wisest elder from the now-defunct Mica Village.

Though Mica Village no longer existed and Mude Zariyev had lost his title as village chief, he had united with other chiefs to form the Elders of Gem Valley, becoming a backbone and leader for the people there. Hearing Sally’s words brought him great comfort.

Gem Valley remained in their hands, thanks in no small part to Sally’s undeniable contributions. It was because of her that the migration team had encountered Mr. Knight and persuaded him to stay, not only clearing a safe passage for them but also playing a decisive role in the battle to defend Gem Valley. Moreover, the reinforcements he brought would soon become the most reliable allies for the future of Gem Valley.

"Well, Sally, I really underestimated you! It’s great that you thought of these things. It’s not just for Mr. Knight, but a good thing for yourself and everyone,” Mude Zariyev said, stroking his beard with a pleased smile. He nodded firmly and added, “I will propose to the Elders that they support you. Don’t worry, the Pashtun people are not only a nation that keeps promises, but also a hardworking one. You will do well.”

Mude Zariyev, who had seen and experienced much, clearly thought more than Sally did. He was also very pleased to see the most beautiful girl from Mica Village grow up quickly.

“Mude Grandpa, I have one more thing I want to discuss with you.” Sally seemed a bit hesitant, but after biting her lip, she spoke up.

“Go ahead, my child.” Mude Zariyev no longer treated this girl as an ordinary Afghan girl.

“I want to continue my education! I want to go out and experience the world!”

Sally’s gaze shifted nervously, fearing Mude Zariyev would scold her.

In many non-Muslim countries, saying such things was completely normal. However, in Afghanistan, where women couldn’t show their faces to strangers and had to wear burqas, and where the separation of genders far exceeded any era in China, it was questionable whether Afghan women could even accept higher education or work at all.

Sally’s words were considered extremely rebellious in this context.

Such a beautiful dream could only be seen during the "Ten Golden Years of Democracy" under Afghanistan’s "Father of the Nation," Mohammed Zahir Shah, from 1963 to 1973. However, everything changed drastically after Mohammed Dawood’s coup, leaving Afghanistan as a pawn in the struggle of great powers, especially amplified by the Taliban regime’s rise to power.

“Sally, think about what you want to do, and go ahead! Mude Grandpa is here to support you!" Mude Zariyev looked at the girl kindly. This beautiful tulip not only had an exquisite appearance but would also possess astonishing wisdom in the future.

This was no ordinary girl; secular doctrines should not bind her. She should be free to pursue her dreams like an eagle soaring high in the sky.

“Thank you, Mude Grandpa!”

The girl naturally understood the courage it took for her grandpa to say such words and the heavy responsibility they carried. She smiled, radiant like a flower.

The old man also smiled with satisfaction.

After the military high command in China assessed the intentions for cooperation regarding Gem Valley, they responded swiftly.

Around noon, two Mi-17 transport helicopters slowly landed in Gem Valley—one carrying representatives for negotiations and the other carrying medicines and supplies, conveying goodwill from their superiors to the Pashtun people.

However, none of this related to Lin Mo anymore. He simply happened to create opportunities while mindlessly playing along. The Chinese military unexpectedly became the later beneficiaries of this situation.

This guy, stylishly flying the WWII aerial warfare champion, the P-51 Mustang, in a luxurious open-cockpit model, landed at Chaklala Air Force Base in Islamabad to refuel with a range that rivaled jet fighters.

Then, he urgently found a glass factory to customize a windshield, and it took him half a day to seal the cockpit of this open WWII plane.

Lin Mo refused to take the Pakistani military’s aircraft to return to China. He was determined to bring this old relic back, carrying an oxygen tank and flying again with three J-10Bs directly across the Himalayas back to China.

When the signal from this old Mustang appeared on national radar screens, it surely widened many eyes in disbelief.

"This guy has crossed over! This guy must have crossed over!"

Countless Air Force personnel whispered the same phrases. The enemy identification system couldn’t recognize it, but the radar cross-section allowed them to determine the plane’s model from the database.

They had never seen a pilot eject and boldly return flying another aircraft.

In the eyes of some, this guy had previously "found" six F-22 engines, and now he "picked up" a WWII aerial warfare champion. His luck was simply unbelievable.

No one knew what he would "pick up" next—an alien spaceship? A legendary interstellar battleship? Who knew what he might encounter next.

Well, the ace pilot, "Dragon Knight," landed his "new" vehicle at a western air force base in China, marking his journey’s end. He couldn’t continue flying this old plane anymore.

After all, this outdated aircraft, both in radar stealth and appearance, drew too much attention, and he couldn’t fly this old Mustang directly back to the "Night Special Forces" airport.

The air force base was scattered with fallen eyeglass lenses, as many wondered when China had begun to equip itself with the antique P-51.

This piston-driven propeller fighter was even more popular than the latest jet fighters. Pilots without flying missions immediately surrounded it, eager to touch and explore and even hoping to hop on for a flight. The airport supervisor rushed over to disperse these idle pilots and took Lin Mo straight to the guesthouse for a hot shower, a hearty meal, and a good sleep.

After all, many matters awaited him. The superiors eagerly wanted to understand what Lin Mo had accomplished in Afghanistan over the past half month, as this would determine the ultimate cooperation status regarding Gem Valley.

The mechanics tasked with maintaining the American-made P-51 Mustang felt tremendous pressure. They were completely at a loss.

This ancient power structure was complicated to manage; they had neither spare parts nor experts in specialized repairs. The airport mechanics had no means to work on this unique aircraft, and they certainly didn’t possess a gold giant dragon capable of decoding its structure in mere seconds.

So, all they could do was refuel it, check the wiring, listen to the engine sounds, and change the oil.

Too many modified parts left them dizzy, such as the heavily modified heavy machine gun, the revamped landing gear, the entirely replaced radio system, and various gadgets loading onto the dashboard. Truly baffling. Only an expert team organized by the aircraft manufacturer could navigate this mixed, cross-generational creation.

The mechanics glanced at each other, realizing the purpose of this troublesome gadget was solely to torment these poor mechanics.

To be honest, not only was restoring the P-51 Mustang to its original condition nearly impossible, simply figuring out the added odds and ends was a challenging task.

However, experienced mechanics secretly understood how ancient this old Mustang initially was and how it had undergone miraculous transformations to regain its youth.

They were deeply impressed. If they could meet the skilled individual responsible for such modifications, it would indeed feel like a stroke of incredible luck. However, they didn’t realize that this aircraft’s modifier was currently in the best room of the guesthouse, snoring away.

It would clearly be a waste to discard this "found" P-51 Mustang, yet repairing it would be too troublesome. Fortunately for Lin Mo, he didn’t have to worry about it; others would take on that headache.

After a hearty meal and a good sleep, Lin Mo boarded the Mi-17 medium transport helicopter piloted by Old Pan, flying back to the "Night" base for a "tea party" where he was the main guest. Apart from routine matters, a psychological consultant from higher-ups was also attending. What their intention was remained unknown.

On the way back, Old Pan scolded Lin Mo in the co-pilot’s seat while flying the helicopter, with the entire cockpit filled with the pungent scent of this critter.

It was all just about ejecting sooner, waiting for rescue, and why he was foolish enough to save a bunch of unrelated people. Pilots should be focused on flying, not stepping into infantry roles. If he wanted to do that, they could arrange for him to be transferred to those squadrons where he could enjoy himself out there and come back later.

Despite Old Pan’s fierce words, deep down, he softened towards Lin Mo, who was a valuable member of the group, carefully weighing his words.