UAAG CH96.1

Su Fei angrily said, “RIP is not human!”

Old Joseph looked around and after confirming that Lord Zhuo wasn’t there, he nodded repeatedly. “You’re right.”

Lina walked into the office carrying a thick stack of documents. Hearing this, she smiled slightly and placed the heavy folder on Su Fei and Old Joseph’s desk. “The flight records for all McFly F485s from All Nippon Airways and Lufthansa in 2018 are all here. So, continue working, my partners.”

Su Fei and Old Joseph: “…”

“Is this still a life for humans?!”

Su Fei and Old Joseph never expected that just the day before, they felt they were too leisurely, doing nothing every day. Old Joseph even considered joining the NTSB investigation team to help them analyze the autopilot system data. Who knew that just one day later, they would be reduced to this state!

Old Joseph: “The only thing I’m glad about is that this time it’s not just us at UAAG suffering. The NTSB has 60 investigators sharing the pain with us. Shakespeare once said, if pain belongs to one person, it is an endless hell; if shared by the masses, it is life.”

Lina was surprised. “I finished reading the complete works of Shakespeare when I was eight. Did he say something like that?”

Old Joseph smiled slightly. “Old Joseph Shakespeare said it.”

Lina laughed.

At this time, Fu Cheng walked in.

Su Fei: “It’s unfair! RIP is abusing his power for personal reasons! We’re all checking data, Brother Fu, you’re actually slacking off!”

Fu Cheng pulled out a chair and sat down. He looked up. “I just went out to take a call.”

Lina raised her hand. “I can testify. This morning I already gave the Delta Airlines flight record data to Fu. This is his task; he didn’t slack off.”

Su Fei: “Huh, was it a call from McFly?”

Fu Cheng paused, then shook his head. “No, it was from an old chief of mine when I was in the military.”

Su Fei nodded gently and didn’t think much of it.

Lina and Old Joseph, however, exchanged glances.

Before they could speak, a commotion was heard from the entrance of the investigation headquarters. The UAAG members looked up and saw that outside the UAAG-exclusive office, several NTSB investigators’ expressions changed. They quickly stood up and strode towards the entrance. Lawrane was among them.

Not long after, like stars surrounding the moon, NTSB Deputy Director Levy Andrew, with blond hair and a serious face, arrived at the office. He stood under the bright fluorescent light, looked around, and finally walked step by step towards the NTSB office.

Levy Andrew: “Joseph, isn’t Patrick here?”

Facing his former boss, Old Joseph stood up and replied, “Reid went out in the morning and hasn’t returned yet.”

Deputy Director Andrew nodded slightly. “If he comes back, please pass on a message that I am waiting for him.”

Old Joseph: “Yes.”

Wearing a crisp black suit, Levy Andrew looked composed. He steadily scanned every UAAG member in the office. After looking at everyone, he turned and left. Just as ostentatiously as he arrived, a group of NTSB investigators followed him out. Five minutes later, Lawrance returned.

Lawrance looked awkward. “Yesterday when Patrick held the meeting to assign tasks, Deputy Director Andrew had returned to the Washington headquarters and wasn’t here. When he heard about Patrick’s investigation decision, he strongly disagreed, so he booked the earliest flight to Seattle.”

Seeing Andrew, the UAAG members had already guessed this might be the reason.

Su Fei pouted. “I also disagree with RIP’s decision. Exploiting child labor!”

Old Joseph reminded him with a smile, “You are no longer child labor.”

Fu Cheng: “So, what does the NTSB want to do?”

Lawrance turned to look at him, was silent for a moment, and said, “I can only say that Deputy Director Andrew strongly disagrees with Patrick’s decision. The NTSB high-level meeting unanimously believes that this is wasting investigation resources and burying the truth.”

…

Half an hour later, Zhuo Huan returned from outside. He looked gloomy, with an undisguised sneer on his face. Not long after he entered the investigation headquarters, Levy Andrew also walked in. He summoned Lawrance and whispered a few words to him. Lawrance looked surprised, looked at Zhuo Huan, and then nodded. “Okay.”

No one knew what Zhuo Huan and Levy Andrew said, but soon, the NTSB withdrew thirty investigators to continue the previous investigation direction, leaving only thirty people to proceed according to UAAG’s investigation direction.

Old Joseph frowned. “UAAG has the command authority of the investigation headquarters and the right to decide the investigation direction and method.”

Lina: “Reid, do you need me to negotiate?”

Zhuo Huan stared at the computer screen, quickly flipping through the electronic version of the flight maintenance data. “No need.”

Everyone was quite surprised that Lord Zhuo had such a good temper.

Fu Cheng: “Zhuo Huan?”

Zhuo Huan finally lifted his gaze from the computer screen. He looked at Fu Cheng’s slightly furrowed brows and after a long while, sneered. “Levy Andrew rarely begs me once; let him be.” Before everyone understood what he meant, he added, “Don’t waste time, keep looking for clues. The NTSB keeps a bunch of idiots. Their water-filled brains only tell them 1+1 equals 2, never making them think why 1+1 equals 2.” After speaking, he continued to review the data.

Fu Cheng looked at him and took out his phone.

[Fu Cheng: Not angry?]

A while later.

[Zhuo Huan: Mn.]

[Zhuo Huan: Something wrong with his brain.]

[Zhuo Huan: I mean Levy Andrew.]

Whether the brain of the strongest candidate for the next NTSB director and formerly America’s top air crash investigator had problems was unknown.

Half a month later, May 14, 2022.

The bright early summer sunlight pierced through the clouds, shining on the boundless ocean, shimmering with waves. Today was good weather; the sun was bright, the sea and the blue sky reflected each other from afar, merging at the horizon.

Aleutian Islands, Alaska.

Residents living on the island numbered no more than a few thousand, yet today, thousands of people came to this island known as the “Tears of the North Pacific.”

CNN, ABC, BBC…

Major global news media flocked out. Reporters, fearless of the vast ocean, some stood on the shore, some had already taken speedboats to the safety floating base closest to the salvage site. Holding cameras, they used the latest electronic satellite technology to broadcast the entire process of salvaging the plane to the world.

The five members of UAAG stood on the high tower of the salvage base.

Fu Cheng looked down and saw thousands of salvage workers in position. A giant deep-black water tank had been placed underwater by them a day in advance. Through the sonar screen, everyone could see that the super water tank, 85 meters long, passed through the thick sediment layer, slowly encasing the entire Rogue 318.

Following Lawrence’s command, the salvage workers used clamping devices, locks, and steel strands.

This was destined to be a boring and long process.

More than thirty meters below the ocean, they had begun salvaging the plane. But their movements were extremely slow, careful not to damage the plane wreckage inside the water tank. An hour passed, and they had only salvaged ten meters.

However, more than five million netizens worldwide were watching this live broadcast on their computers.

They were all over the United States, Europe, China, Canada, Japan…

From morning till evening, not even a slight slackening was allowed.

The setting sun hung low, and twilight deepened. The glow illuminated half the sky. On the surging sea surface, dozens of steel strands dragged a heavy water tank, slowly floating up.

Like a giant blue whale, it faintly reflected a large gray-black shadow under the seawater.

On major global news live streaming websites, the number of online viewers surged rapidly. Six million, seven million, ten million!

More than twenty million people watched it together.

Fu Cheng stood on the high tower, watching quietly. Watching one of its corners emerge from the water first. The moment it broke the water, the huge surface tension of the sea was broken, and the entire water tank drifted gently with the waves and currents. Soon, it stabilized.

The splendid and gentle sunset reflected off the pitch-black water tank as it emerged from the water bit by bit.

Amidst grand cheers, Rogue 318 awoke from its slumber.

When it completely left the water, Fu Cheng sighed softly. He closed his eyes, stopping the wet heat in his eye sockets.

Rogue 318 had been salvaged!

Within just three minutes, this news spread all over the world, topping the trending topics on all social platforms.

But the plane coming out of the water was one thing; formally investigating the wreckage would take a few more days. The salvage company had to dismantle the water tank and perform emergency anti-oxidation treatment on the plane that had slept on the seabed for five years. In addition, it had to be transported by cruise ship to the investigation headquarters in Seattle.

When leaving the salvage base, Zhuo Huan said to Lawrence, “Still missing one black box.”

Lawrence restrained the joyous smile on his face that he couldn’t hide due to salvaging Rogue 318. He nodded seriously. “I will continue to look for it.”

The UAAG group returned to Seattle to continue reviewing data.

Rogue 318 was salvaged, and the NTSB immediately held a press conference, with Lina participating on behalf of UAAG.

Three days later, after the plane was sent to the warehouse prepared by the investigation headquarters, the UAAG members also arrived at the scene.

The plane had been salvaged for three days. Looking at it now, Fu Cheng was no longer as excited and emotional.

In fact, it didn’t look like a McFly F485 at all.

Having sunk to the seabed, enduring five years of seawater corrosion and ocean current impact, coupled with the impact of crashing into the sea, this plane was riddled with gaping wounds. The silver-white aircraft surface was corroded into a decaying gray-green. Many parts hung precariously from the fuselage; just a slight pull could tear them off.

Fu Cheng looked at Lawrance. “Start dismantling components tomorrow?”

Lawrance smiled. “Starting tonight. We have done our best to find all components that might affect the shutdown of the aircraft’s autopilot system. We just need to follow the pre-determined list order, find them one by one on the wreckage, and inspect them.”

Old Joseph listened to this and said, “Then good luck to you.”

Lawrance: “What do you mean, my old friend? Is UAAG not coming?”

Old Joseph smiled bitterly. “I want to go too, but, sigh, we haven’t even finished reading half of our data!”

Lawrance: “That’s a pity. Don’t worry, as long as our investigation yields results, you will be liberated too! Faced with facts, Patrick can’t continue to stick to his own opinion.”

Old Joseph glanced at him but said, “I trust Reid.”

“Hmm?”

“I believe his judgment must have a reason.”

Lawrance spread his hands helplessly. “Then it’s my turn to wish you good luck.”

Rogue 318 was salvaged, and the movements of the investigation team immediately became the focus of global attention.

Under the leadership of Levy Andrew, the NTSB began to inspect the aircraft for component damage, metal fatigue, and other issues. They transferred more than two hundred investigators from the Washington headquarters and spent a full week, finally reaching a conclusion.

At the weekly routine meeting, Levy Andrew said with a dark face, “According to the prior investigation, there are a total of 780 components, including angle of attack sensors, servos, precision potentiometers, etc., that may cause the McFly F485 autopilot system to fail to shut down normally. Currently, we have found a total of 613 components on the plane wreckage. Regrettably, 167 components have not been found. Perhaps they were knocked off the airframe during the crash, or perhaps they were scattered and lost while the wreckage drifted with the ocean currents.”

At this point, Levy Andrew glanced at Zhuo Huan. Confirming that the latter was looking down at the ground with no particular expression, he continued, “With this, we can start writing the accident investigation report.” He winked at Lawrance.

Lawrance immediately stood up. “Based on previous investigations, regarding the main cause, we ruled out external factors such as weather and ocean currents, and also ruled out subjective factors like pilot suicide. Then after that, only hardware problems of the aircraft remain.”

“Rogue Airlines, established in 1978, has had four air crashes caused by maintenance errors, resulting in 71 deaths. The 613 components found from the plane wreckage were tested and confirmed to have no damage issues such as metal fatigue. The remaining 167 components are extremely likely to have had unpredictable maintenance failures.”

“On this basis, it is recommended that the accident investigation report cite component maintenance failure as the main cause.”

“Other factors—”

“First, weather issues. Due to the special frontal wave weather, Rogue 318’s cruise control system performed a right-deviation driving behavior.”

“Second, human factors. The co-pilot’s sudden physical condition, coupled with the captain being on rest shift, led to the pilots failing to discover the aircraft malfunction at the optimal time and save the aircraft.”

“Third, design reasons. The McFly F485 was designed to give the computer system great autonomous intelligence. Consider recommending that if the aircraft cruise system wants to perform operations such as turning, it needs pilot permission.”

“Fourth, on Rogue Airlines’ ultra-long-haul flight routes, only three pilots are configured. Consider…”

…

Lawrane methodically summarized all current investigation progress. He categorized each cause in detail, without a single omission.

After everything was over, he looked at his superior.

Levy Andrew, however, looked at Zhuo Huan. “Patrick, what do you think?”

In an instant, hundreds of investigators in the conference room turned their heads to look at Zhuo Huan.

The man withdrew his gaze from the ground. He looked steadily at Levy Andrew, and Levy Andrew looked back at him calmly.

Two powerful and staunch men were like engaged in a silent slaughter; where their gazes met was a ferocious battlefield.

Zhuo Huan stood up. “The investigation is not completely finished yet.”

Levy Andrew: “It is finished.”

Zhuo Huan said indifferently, “Which malfunctioning component did you find?”

Levy Andrew: “Then did you find the flight data you wanted?”

The two looked at each other in silence.

Zhuo Huan clicked his tongue. “I refuse to sign your investigation report. Don’t even think about it.”

Levy Andrew: “This is not three years ago. Reid Irvin Patrick, you are not McFly’s chief designer either.”

“Oh, so you want to start writing the final investigation report?”

“Yes, do you have a problem?”

Zhuo Huan curled his lips, raised his right hand, gave the middle finger, and smiled viciously. “Keep dreaming!”

The conference room was in an uproar.

However, under everyone’s glaring gazes, Zhuo Huan unceremoniously turned and walked towards the door. He pushed the door open and left dashingly, not giving the people in the conference room a single glance. When he returned to the UAAG office, the four members including Fu Cheng, who stayed there to continue checking data and didn’t participate in the meeting, looked up at him.

Hearing the noise coming from the conference room, Fu Cheng’s eyebrows moved slightly. “What happened?”

Zhuo Huan: “Guess.”

Fu Cheng was silent for a moment, then affirmed, “You offended someone.”

Zhuo Huan laughed. He sat on Fu Cheng’s desk with one leg over it, reached out directly to lift his chin, lowered his head, and kissed him.

Fu Cheng’s eyes widened, seemingly not expecting this man to kiss him in public in front of Old Joseph, Su Fei, and Lina!

Su Fei and the other two were also dumbfounded.

Releasing the hand holding Fu Cheng’s chin, Zhuo Huan revealed a flamboyant and arrogant smile. “What the fuck I want to do, is it any of Levy Andrew’s business? I will absolutely not sign that investigation report. If he wants to write it, let him write it. After writing it, get the hell out.”

When Levy Andrew walked out of the conference room, he heard these words from Zhuo Huan. His face darkened instantly. “Patrick, don’t be too arrogant. Please watch your language!”

Zhuo Huan looked back at him. “What contract did you sign on behalf of the NTSB half a year ago? Did a hamster eat your fucking brain?”

Levy Andrew looked at him coldly. “Patrick!”

Zhuo Huan laughed lightly. “Go figure out a way, Levy Andrew. Until I find the truth, I will absolutely not sign your investigation report.”

A gaze as sharp and cold as a knife stared fiercely at Zhuo Huan, but this man was unmoved. Sitting on the table, he only responded with a contemptuous and disdainful smile.

Levy Andrew left Seattle that day and returned to Washington.

He needed to hold a meeting with NTSB headquarters, and even use the power of the FAA and FBI to solve this difficult problem.

Lina was deeply helpless about this, but she didn’t try to persuade her friend because she knew that once Zhuo Huan decided on something, it wouldn’t change. Similarly, the words he spoke wouldn’t be taken back.

Old Joseph also said privately, “I really admire Patrick. This is probably the confidence of a genius.”

Su Fei: “I’m a genius too, but I’m not this tough.”

Old Joseph: “Well, if you insist on me telling the truth, this is the confidence of a genius and the self-assurance of a big capitalist. Sigh, the Patrick family is just too rich!”

The two looked at each other.

“Evil capitalist!”

Everyone thought Zhuo Huan was arrogant, humiliating Levy Andrew in front of everyone and releasing harsh words that he would never sign the investigation report. But no one knew that he didn’t return to the hotel to rest that night.

Standing on the rooftop of the investigation headquarters, Zhuo Huan let the wind blow on him all night. Cigarette after cigarette was smoked by him expressionlessly and thrown into the ashtray. In the end, cigarette butts still littered the ground.

Fu Cheng stood at the stairwell, watching him quietly.

When Zhuo Huan went to light his 23rd cigarette, Fu Cheng walked up and hugged this man from behind.

Zhuo Huan’s movement stopped.

In the night wind, the man’s voice was hoarse and low, like a sigh from another world. “When are you returning to the military?”

Fu Cheng looked up at him. “After the Rogue 318 investigation ends.”

Zhuo Huan curled his lips. “Oh, then it’s soon.”

“Soon?”

“Soon.”

“Regiment Commander Nie told me last month that I wasn’t initially on the UAAG member list. You transferred me over to make me conduct test flights. It was only after JAL 917 that I was formally put on the UAAG member list.”

Zhuo Huan turned around. He leaned against the rooftop railing, his hands embracing Fu Cheng’s lean waist, fingers gently rubbing through the thin fabric. While laughing, he carelessly made a nasal sound. “Hmm? What are you trying to say?”

Fu Cheng: “You didn’t intend to let me join UAAG at first.”

Zhuo Huan: “You are a pilot.”

“So?”

“An excellent, young, genius pilot. Joining an air crash investigation team in your twenties, don’t you think it’s a waste?”

“Then why did I formally join later?”

Zhuo Huan hooked his chin. “Because you’re good-looking.”

Fu Cheng: “…Hmm?”

Under the deep night sky, deep laughter flowed in the man’s clear and light eyes. “You, are good-looking. I like it, is that not allowed?”

Fu Cheng looked up and gazed seriously into his eyes. After a long while, he chuckled and asked, “Did you fall in love with me at first sight?”

Zhuo Huan: “Huh?”

Fu Cheng: “Otherwise, you said, because I’m good-looking, you kept me in UAAG?”

Zhuo Huan suddenly laughed. He leaned close to Fu Cheng’s ear, his voice hoarse: “Because… you needed… to be fucked.”

Fu Cheng didn’t plan to pay attention to this man, completely unmoved.

Zhuo Huan laughed for a while, feeling bored. “Give some reaction.”

Fu Cheng asked lazily, “What reaction?”

Zhuo Huan thought for a moment. “Kiss me?”

Fu Cheng: “I return the sentence you gave Levy Andrew to you.”

“Hmm?”

“—Keep dreaming!”

What answered Fu Cheng was a hot, familiar kiss. He closed his eyes, embraced the person in front of him, opened his lips, and returned the kiss passionately.

After the kiss, Zhuo Huan rubbed his waist. “Really want to fuck you right here.”

This time Fu Cheng really shook him off and was about to leave, but was pulled back by Zhuo Huan laughing.

In the cool night wind, the two kissed for a long time. Zhuo Huan buried his face in the young man’s shoulder socket, closed his eyes, and suddenly felt incredibly peaceful.

Zhuo Huan said muffledly, “It has a problem.”

Fu Cheng: “Who.”

“McFly F485.”

“What problem.”

“Don’t know.” Pausing, “But it has a problem.”

After a long time.

“…Can we find it?”

Fu Cheng slowly hugged him, his voice calm and firm. “We can.”

…

The next day, an uninvited guest suddenly appeared at the investigation headquarters.

Zhuo Huan and Fu Cheng had stayed up all night, and both went to the lounge to catch up on sleep. Fu Cheng woke up earlier; he had always slept little these years. As soon as he returned to the investigation headquarters, he saw that person.

He was silent for a moment, then walked over. “Mr. Rayner.”

Thor Rayner looked up at him and clicked his tongue. “Where is Reid?”

Fu Cheng: “Zhuo Huan is still resting.”

Rayner: “Tell him to come out and see me.”

Fu Cheng kept a straight face. “He is resting.”

Rayner was stunned. “I said tell him to come out and see me.”

Fu Cheng: “I said, he is resting.”

Thor Rayner looked at Fu Cheng coldly, sneered, and said word by word, “Let Reid Irvin Patrick get his ass out here and see me.”

“Looking for me?”

Mr. Rayner turned around.

Fu Cheng frowned. “Zhuo Huan.”

Zhuo Huan walked over while rubbing his messy hair. He whispered to Fu Cheng, “It’s okay.” Then he turned his head to look at his teacher. After a long gaze, his voice was cold: “Something the matter?”

Thor Rayner looked at his student solemnly and severely. He had lived for so many years, over seventy years old. This was the first student he accepted, the last one, and the only one.

Geniuses are always arrogant.

Zhuo Huan’s arrogance wasn’t learned from him, but he knew that he was definitely more arrogant than Zhuo Huan.

The look in his eyes looking at Zhuo Huan contained disappointment, heartache, but mostly anger.

The hand holding the cane slowly raised, then fell heavily on the ground. With a bang, it made a harsh impact sound.

“You insist on proving that the McFly F485 has a design problem?”

Zhuo Huan looked at him without saying a word.

Thor Rayner looked at him like this and laughed in extreme anger. At this moment, he wished he could kidnap this person who stabbed him fiercely to the McFly Los Angeles laboratory, point at the rows of planes in the warehouse, and question what exactly his paranoia was due to.

Thor Rayner stared unblinkingly at Zhuo Huan, questioning him word by word: “This plane was researched in my hands for thirteen years. I handed it to you, and you researched it for six years. Every part, I accompanied you, I taught you hand in hand, I told you how to better combine and use them. I personally handed it, the most precious and beautiful work of my life, into your hands.”

He shouted Zhuo Huan’s Chinese name. The pronunciation was a bit strange, but hoarse and exhaustive: “Zhuo Huan!”

“Haven’t you touched every single one of its parts?”

“Haven’t you seen with your own eyes how it transformed in the laboratory from tiny parts, through computer simulation, and finally assembled into a massive plane?”

“With so many facts right in front of your eyes, for five years, except for Rogue 318, it hasn’t had a single flight accident.”

“Not once, not a single time!”

“You insist on proving its design is wrong.”

“Where is it wrong?”

“Yes, it is wrong. It is wrong in that it shouldn’t have a designer like you!”

“It shouldn’t have been designed by you!”

“You don’t deserve it!”

The white-haired old man roared hoarsely, glaring angrily at his student. But looking at the other’s indifferent expression, after a long time, Thor Rayner spoke no more.

He gave Zhuo Huan a deep look, turned and left, without saying another word to him.

Halfway through Thor Rayner’s speech, Old Joseph, Su Fei, Lina, and many NTSB investigators had successively arrived at the investigation headquarters. Standing at the door of the investigation headquarters, they watched helplessly as this cold current chief designer of McFly strode away, not knowing whether they should enter or disappear quickly.

“Zhuo Huan…” Fu Cheng called his name softly.

Zhuo Huan lowered his head and turned to walk towards the rooftop.

Fu Cheng wanted to follow, but Zhuo Huan held his arm and pressed him back.

“Give me some time, let me think clearly.”

“…Okay.”

Only after Zhuo Huan left did Old Joseph and the others walk over with lingering fear.

Su Fei: “Too scary. What is this, master and disciple breaking up?”

Old Joseph: “Although I felt before that the relationship between Mr. Rayner and Reid didn’t seem very good, nor like a normal teacher-student relationship. But did they really fall out this time?”

Lina looked solemn. “Uncle Rayner has always had a bad temper, but I’ve never seen him so angry. Maybe I should go up and check on Reid.”

Fu Cheng spoke up. “Give him some time to think.”

Lina turned back. “Fu?”

Fu Cheng’s gaze was solemn. “Give him some time.”

Lina: “…Okay.”

Three hours later, Zhuo Huan returned from the rooftop. His eyes were a bit red, and he smelled strongly of smoke. He pressed one hand on the table, his voice calm: “After checking all the materials, if no clues are found, that’s where it ends.”

Old Joseph: “What about the NTSB? Reid, they want to write an accident investigation report.”

Zhuo Huan: “Mn, I already told Levy Andrew, let him write it. If we can’t find any clues here, I will sign the investigation report.”

Old Joseph: “Uh, okay.”

Fu Cheng looked silently at Zhuo Huan’s eyes. After a few seconds, sensing the young man’s gaze, Zhuo Huan also turned to look at him.

The two looked at each other for a moment.

Without words, Fu Cheng stood up and walked out side by side with Zhuo Huan.

Behind them, Su Fei stretched his neck curiously. “What are they doing?”

Old Joseph glanced at him. “What do kids know? They’re dating.”

Su Fei muttered, “I’m an adult.”

…

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