145: Chapter 145 Zhang Zhaozhong: I'm not pretending anymore, I'm laying my cards on the table! The Director has defected, and the Strategic Deception Bureau is collapsing!

"Quick! Report this to the provincial government immediately!"

Night had not yet fallen,

But the Zhu City government was already in a state of chaotic frenzy.

"The number of people heading to the Airshow Center is still increasing rapidly!"

"It is estimated that the crowd on-site tonight will reach over 100,000!"

This wasn't Zhu City's first time hosting an airshow,

And they had predicted that this particular airshow would be a massive hit,

So they had prepared the highest-level emergency response plans in advance.

But the city leaders still hadn't expected

That this year's airshow would be popular to such an extent!

It was still only the night before the event,

Yet such a massive crowd had already gathered in the plaza in front of the Airshow Center.

According to general surveys,

Large groups of people from as far as Hei Province, Liao Province, and Ji Province had made special trips to get here!

By the time the airshow opened the next day,

God knows how crowded the scene would become!

"The Public Security Bureau must immediately dispatch 3,000 police officers from Yang City,"

"And the Yue Province Fire Department must dispatch 2,000 firefighters,"

"To Zhu City to assist in maintaining public order!"

"Contact the Southern Military Region immediately to establish a joint response plan!"

After receiving the urgent report from Zhu City,

The Yue Province government took it very seriously.

The provincial leaders in charge of Zhu City immediately headed to the city,

Urgently dispatching a large number of police and firefighters from Yang City.

As one of the organizers of the airshow,

The Southern Military Region also specially dispatched a Marine company of Dragon Army soldiers

To help maintain order at the scene.

Even before the higher-ups took action,

The experienced Zhu City had already activated its highest-level emergency response plan.

All police, armed police, firefighters, urban management officers, and other government personnel

Headed to the Airshow Center to maintain order.

While strictly preventing theft, stampedes, fights, and other safety incidents,

Staff were arranged to distribute large quantities of drinking water, bread, and other supplies.

Temporary toilets were set up by the plaza, and so on,

Providing basic conveniences for the tens of thousands of people present.

...

Zhu City Airshow Center,

Front Plaza.

Nine o'clock at night was equivalent to nine o'clock in the morning for night owls.

Waiting is boring,

But the people who could come to the Airshow Center early to stay up all night waiting

Were all those who loved being where the action was.

After many people set up their tents,

They quickly started chatting with one another,

Expressing their anticipation for the opening of the airshow the next day.

Suddenly,

Someone held up their phone and exclaimed.

"Holy crap! At 9:30, CCTV will have an interview with Chief Zhang!"

"Which Chief Zhang?"

"Zhang Zhaozhong, the head of the Strategic Fool-You Agency!"

"Holy crap, holy crap!"

"So it's him, I definitely have to watch!"

Everyone present was a Chinese military fan.

The older ones might not understand the 'Chief' meme,

But they were certainly familiar with the name Zhang Zhaozhong, the 'Great Deceiver'.

Zhang Zhaozhong was an active-duty soldier,

Currently serving as the Deputy Commander of the Southern Military Region and a one-star Rear Admiral,

As well as the spokesperson for the Southern Military Region.

His massive popularity in military fan circles

Mainly stemmed from his previous 'J-10 Modified' masterpiece.

Three years ago,

An insider leaked that China was developing a new type of fighter jet,

With overall performance comparable to the CIA's F-22 Raptor.

Upon receiving this news,

The Pentagon immediately couldn't sit still,

And was about to initiate a military blockade against China.

As it turned out, at that time,

Zhang Zhaozhong, who was still serving in the General Armament Department of the Supreme Military Region,

Managed to turn the tide purely through deception.

"This fourth-generation aircraft is not that fourth-generation aircraft!"

"What we are developing is not the fourth-generation fighter the CIA talks about, nor the fifth-generation jet Russia talks about!"

"We are merely making some improvements based on the J-10!"

At the end of 2009,

On the interview program "China Defense Observation,"

Zhang Zhaozhong spoke with absolute certainty.

"There are all sorts of rumors online, but in reality, our intention is just to make a J-10 modification!"

"How could it be as advanced as the netizens say?"

He even solemnly declared

That since even the CIA's F-22 Raptor took over twenty years to develop,

China, with its weak scientific research strength,

Simply didn't have the capability to develop such a high-end new fighter jet!

It would take at least ten more years of development,

Otherwise, it was purely wishful thinking!

This firsthand account from a high-ranking official of the General Armament Department

Left the CIA military brass convinced.

They one after another claimed that it was impossible for a stealth fighter to appear in China within ten years.

To save on military spending,

They even decisively shut down an F-22 Raptor production line.

As a result,

Three years later,

China's J-20 made its maiden flight and entered service at lightning speed,

Leaving the CIA completely dumbfounded!

Trump was so furious

That he directly fired the previous CIA Director,

Allowing Deputy Director Smith to take over.

This feat of tricking the CIA until they were crippled

Instantly spread throughout the military fan community.

Because of this,

Chinese netizens affectionately called Zhang Zhaozhong the Chief of the Strategic Fool-You Agency,

Or 'Chief' for short.

"I really want to know how Chief Zhang is going to fool them this time!"

"Everyone, take a guess, take a guess!"

"I'll go first! This time, the Chief will definitely say the 'Xuan-Nu' Aerospace Fighter is just a J-20 modification!"

"Right, at most it's a 5.5-generation jet!"

"Hahaha!..."

Everyone laughed heartily,

And with anticipation, they took out their phones

And entered the online live stream of the CCTV Military Channel.

...

Southern Military Region.

Office Building.

Temporary studio for "China Defense Observation."

Zhang Zhaozhong was dressed in a naval uniform,

With a general's star on his shoulder,

Sitting upright on the sofa on the left.

After the director called "Action," the live interview officially began.

CCTV host Dong Qing wore a smile.

"General Zhang, I am very pleased to be able to invite you again to participate in our 'China Defense Observation' live interview program!"

Zhang Zhaozhong looked composed.

"I am very happy as well!"

Dong Qing's voice was sweet

As she laughed softly.

"General Zhang, tomorrow morning at 9 AM is the opening ceremony of our China Zhu City International Airshow."

"The airshow will last for a total of three days, during which China's first International Military Equipment Exhibition and Sale will also be held."

"At this international airshow, what the Chinese people are most concerned about is our new fighter—the 'Xuan-Nu' Aerospace Fighter!"

"Regarding this mysterious new fighter, although it has made several appearances, the outside world remains completely in the dark about its specific performance."

"In this regard, does General Zhang have any new information that you can tell us a night in advance?"

The camera zoomed in for a close-up of Zhang Zhaozhong.

Zhang Zhaozhong coughed twice,

And smiled slightly: "I'm not hiding it anymore, I'm showing my hand."

Dong Qing: "Huh?"

Zhang Zhaozhong faced the camera,

Not responding immediately, but instead just smiling.

The more he smiled, the wider his mouth stretched.

After a long while,

He finally continued.

"I'm saying, our China is not hiding it anymore!"

"Asking me about the Xuan-Nu Fighter's performance?"

"If I say too much, everyone won't understand, so I only have one word."

"Invincible! Invincible! Invincible!"

Zhang Zhaozhong laughed extremely exaggeratedly,

His laughter filling the entire studio.

"The CIA's fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, or ninth generations,"

"In front of the Xuan-Nu, they are all fucking bullshit!"

"I advise the CIA, don't reach out; if you do, you'll be caught!"

"From now on, don't let our Xuan-Nu encounter you in the Eastern Hemisphere, otherwise all those generations of yours can all 'go die'!"

"Hahahaha!..."