The "Shadow" trailed a faint white mist left behind by the coolant spray, like a wounded giant beast, struggling to return to the base at an altitude of ten thousand meters.
The brief moment of relief in the control tower was replaced by heavy worry.
On the main screen, the status indicator for "Shadow" still flashes a glaring deep red.
The coolant level indicator bar was relentlessly shrinking: 40%...35%...30%!
The temperature curve at the rear of the engine compartment remained stubbornly in the deep red danger zone, no longer rising, but refusing to fall back down either.
The curve representing structural stress has its amplitude forcibly suppressed within a controllable range by the coolant, but its frequency exhibits a stable peak-like fluctuation on the spectrum, much like an electrocardiogram!
Each regular pulsation was accompanied by a muffled "humming" and a subtle, continuous "sizzling" sound that Lao Zhao could clearly perceive from inside the machine, like countless tiny metal fragments rubbing and groaning in a high-temperature furnace.
"Skyfall report: Tremors... steady but persistent. Physical sensations...like sitting on an old tractor."
Old Zhao's voice rang out in the encrypted channel, filled with suppressed heavy breathing and a hint of exhaustion: "Coolant level: 28%."
"Maintain course and speed. Closely monitor the structural condition."
Mingzhao's voice was as calm as a frozen lake, without the slightest ripple, but her gaze was fixed on the steadily fluctuating peak on the spectrum graph, as well as the material's internal stress distribution model transmitted in real time next to it.
The model shows that at the critical connection points of the rear frame of the engine compartment, the deep red area representing stress concentration is pulsating slightly like a heartbeat with the regular vibration frequency, and several fine yellow dotted lines, representing the path of potential crack extension, are quietly spreading outward from the core high-temperature area.
"Accelerated internal material degradation... Stress concentration points are periodically intensified with vibration frequency... The risk of crack propagation is extremely high."
Mingzhao quickly wrote down his cold judgment in the notebook.
Just then, the radar operator's urgent voice broke the tense atmosphere: "Report! Unidentified low-altitude, high-speed target detected! Southeast bearing! Altitude 5000 meters! Speed Mach 1.2! Single aircraft! Approaching towards base! Identification... identification signal is chaotic! Does not resemble our aircraft!"
The control tower tensed instantly! Zhang Meng jumped to her feet: "What?! Low-altitude, high-speed? At this critical juncture? Are they friend or foe?!"
Jiang Feng's eyes were sharp as an eagle's: "The Falcon has just retreated, so it's unlikely they'll immediately organize a low-altitude raid. But... we can't rule out probing or support from other directions!"
His hand rested on the communicator, ready to order an air defense alert.
Mingzhao's gaze instantly shifted from the "Shadow" status screen to the low-altitude radar signal.
The trajectory of that rapidly approaching point of light was erratic, its signal characteristics deliberately disguised, filled with an ominous mystery.
Her brain, like an overclocked processor, instantly calculated the target's possible intentions, its spatial relationship with the "Shadow's" return route, and the base's current defensive posture.
"The Sky Curtain state cannot deal with additional threats."
Mingzhao's voice remained calm, "Jiang Feng, activate the backup plan, Hive. Ground radar activated for guidance, air defense missile battalion on high alert. Target: unidentified low-altitude high-speed object. Authorize expulsion or interception if necessary."
"Understood! Activate the Hive!" Jiang Feng immediately gave the order.
Outside the base, the well-camouflaged mobile air defense radar instantly turned on, the air defense missile launchers were de-camouflaged, and the radar beams firmly locked onto the uninvited guest.
"Unidentified target appears to have detected being locked on! Initiating violent maneuvers to evade! Deploying chaff!"
"Radar operator reports." On the screen, the dot of light blurred instantly, its trajectory swaying like a drunken snake, clearly the work of an experienced pilot.
The air raid sirens blared mournfully at the base! The atmosphere of battle instantly shifted from high altitude to low altitude! Everyone's hearts leaped into their throats once again.
However, at this moment when the situation was beset by internal and external troubles and the atmosphere was extremely tense, Mingzhao's gaze seemed to pierce through the chaotic surface and landed on the real-time monitoring screen in the corridor outside the materials laboratory.
On the screen, a figure wearing a support uniform and pushing a cleaning cart takes advantage of the sudden alarm and the chaos of people running around. With his head down, he naturally approaches the heavy side door of the laboratory, which is temporarily open for ventilation due to the "Shadow" crisis!
It's Zhao Youfu! "The Mole" has been dispatched again! And he seized the perfect opportunity when the base was thrown into brief chaos due to an unidentified low-altitude threat and the "Shadow" crisis!
His target was clearly any clues left in the lab regarding the "silencing" material and emergency coolant!
Jiang Feng also noticed the surveillance footage at the same time. His eyes instantly turned as cold as knives, and his hand was already on the holster at his waist.
Mingzhao lightly tapped the table with his fingertip, stopping Jiang Feng's intention to act immediately.
Her gaze swept across the monitor screen with a cold probe, quickly moving between Zhao Youfu's furtive figure, the low-altitude target maneuvering wildly on the radar screen, and the "Shadow" on the main screen, which was slowly depleting its coolant reserves and fluctuating dangerously high frequency.
A thought flashed through her mind like lightning: the timing of the low-altitude raid was too coincidental! The target's camouflage and interference techniques were professional! Could this be… a diversionary tactic? Creating chaos for "The Mole" to cover his theft of core material secrets?!
"Jiang Feng, the mole is yours. Hive, continue to lock onto low-altitude targets, apply pressure, and force them to reveal their true forms."
Mingzhao's voice carried an unquestionable decisiveness, "Tianmu, report the coolant consumption rate and the machine's status."
"Skynet received! Coolant level: 22%! Consumption rate stable. Vibration... stable, but the groans of the machine are intensifying... it feels... like it's about to fall apart."
Old Zhao's voice was filled with an iron will: "I can hold out until the base!"
On the surveillance footage, Zhao Youfu was already pushing the cleaning cart as if nothing had happened, approaching the open side door of the laboratory.
He pretended to bend down to tidy up the rags and buckets in the car, but his eyes swept quickly like a venomous snake into the laboratory. It was empty; the technicians had all been transferred away for the emergency or drawn to the window to pay attention to the low-altitude threat.
Several experimental record sheets, tainted with the distinctive smell of coolant, were scattered on the workbench, along with a sealed bottle containing a small amount of residual coolant sample, on the table not far from the door!
A glint of greed flashed in Zhao Youfu's eyes.
He quickly pulled a specially made miniature device with suction function from the large pocket of his work clothes, preparing to probe inside the door.
Just as he was about to succeed!
"Zhao Youfu!" A thunderous shout rang out behind him!
Jiang Feng appeared at the end of the corridor like a ghost, his tall figure blocking his retreat. His eyes were like those of a tiger before it pounced on its prey, and his right hand was already on the gun handle!
Two fully armed security guards quickly surrounded them from both sides of the corridor!
Zhao Youfu froze, and all color drained from his face instantly!
The miniature device in his hand fell to the ground with a "thud".
He turned around abruptly, his eyes filled with disbelief, horror, and despair!
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