Back in 1978, I was admitted to Northwestern Polytechnical University.

Chapter 234 The Russians are really bad
Europe.

Paris was still as beautiful as ever, and the Champs-Élysées was still full of fashionable women. Sitting in his Mercedes sports car, Qin Liang looked out the window and felt a little sentimental.

"Duoduo, you're better suited to this place!"

Yang Duo'er smiled and said, "That's right, this place is very prosperous. But no matter how prosperous it is, this is still not our home. Brother Liangzi, wherever you are, that's where our home is. Ahead, we've arrived at our company's office."

Pacific Trading Company is not a shell company. In order to better carry out business, Yang Duoer set up an office in Europe and hired several employees she personally selected, including reliable Asians and carefully vetted foreigners.

The famous CBD area, La Défense, has not yet been established as a new district, and there is no sign of the more than 200-meter-tall observation tower. The company is located on the top floor of a three-story building on a street corner. Apart from a large sign hanging at the entrance of the building, there are no other signs of the company.

In Europe, putting up a sign is no easy task. Even drilling a few expansion bolts into a wall can lead to being labeled an old building. Therefore, there are no air conditioners or similar features. The approval process alone can take up to six months.

beep, beep...

Yang Duo'er, wearing high heels, lightly went up to the third floor, opened the door, and saw that there were cubicles outside, with several people sitting in them, working in front of computers.

At the photocopier nearby, a pretty girl dressed in a business suit was photocopying documents. She wore a white shirt, a yellow suit, and black stockings, and her figure was curvaceous. This scene contrasted sharply with the vast expanse of green in the east.

"Lillian, come here for a second!"

"Yes." The girl took the document out of the photocopier, put it in a folder, and then followed Yang Duo'er into Yang Duo'er's office.

"Please introduce the relevant details of the Qinling Project."

"Yes."

"Just two days ago, our intelligence personnel learned from an engineer at Turbine Union that they were under pressure from the United States and might not be able to continue fulfilling the contract to supply RB199 engines to the East. Of course, on the surface, they would use the excuse of insufficient production capacity to cover it up."

The bad news is that, not to mention F404, even RB199 may be cut off from the supply!

Using foreign engines means you'll always face this kind of problem!

"reason?"

"The reason is unknown, but we can deduce some things. Because the fighter jets produced in the East have performed excellently in actual combat, this will have an impact on the international arms market. If it were just traditional Soviet-made weapons customers, that would be one thing, but recently I heard that major Soviet clients are also evaluating fighter jets produced in the East and seem to be interested in purchasing them from there..."

People fear becoming famous, just as pigs fear growing fat!
If large, traditional Western arms customers want to buy fighter jets from the East, then Western aircraft manufacturers will see a decrease in orders.

In particular, Qin Liang remembered that in the 1980s, the wealthy dog, in a fit of anger because of the various restrictions imposed by the Americans on the export of F-15 fighter jets, purchased 48 Tornado fighter-bombers and 24 Tornado interceptors from Europe, showing off its nouveau riche style.

Now that the Europeans have probably started marketing the Tornado, they are determined not to let the East steal their market share. After considering various factors, they might actually cut off the supply of engines for the Tornado fighter-bomber.

"For example, there are rumors in Europe that as the East acquires more and more engines, it won't be long before the East can replicate these engines..."

Qin Liang smiled. "It's only the 1980s, and our mountain stronghold's reputation has already spread?"

"Turbo Union is still evaluating it, but it's estimated to be a matter of a few months, at most six months. It will definitely be difficult to buy the RB199 engine."

This is the bad news!
Qin Liang nodded. Dongfang still had six months. They had to make the most of this time. The China-Tui project really couldn't be delayed any longer!
"Since the Chinese New Year this year, we've been looking for other avenues for the past few months. Finally, last month, while we were promoting our products in East Germany, we met a logistics director from the 16th Guards Air Army of East Germany, named Belyukov. This man was very greedy. He revealed that two RD33 engines had already been delivered to their logistics warehouse, and he offered five million US dollars, promising to get them to us..."

The price is reasonable, but...

Qin Liang frowned: "Is it reliable? Could this be a trap set by the Russians?"

The KGB's methods are absolutely extraordinary!
"We found these."

Lillian took out some photos. In them was a Russian man in his fifties with a big belly, and a beautiful German woman was next to him, holding his arm.

The top few photos were taken on the street, but the bottom ones... wow, those were taken from a distance while someone was exercising indoors with the curtains open. This guy's really something else! One of them shows a woman leaning against a window...

"Brother Liangzi, just take a look a few times."

"Mmm." Qin Liang quickly put down the photo.

“This is Belyukov’s mistress from East Germany. He also has a wife in Moscow, the daughter of a high-ranking military officer. If his wife finds out about these photos, his life is over,” Lillian continued.

At this point, Qin Liang began to wonder about the identity of Yang Duo'er's employees in the company. On the surface, she was a salesperson, but in reality... she was probably a specially trained spy!

"At the same time, we also conducted a special investigation. In just the past six months, Belyukov has already smuggled more than twenty items from the warehouse, selling them for over two million US dollars. This time, he is likely planning a big heist, and after he's done it, he'll set fire to the warehouse where the stolen items were taken."

"The MiG-29 hasn't even entered service yet, so how come they have RD33 engines in their warehouse?"

"The East German garrison will be among the first units to be equipped with MiG-29 fighter jets. It is said that Mikoyan has accelerated the test flight progress, and the first batch of trial production models may be available by the end of this year to equip the East German garrison. The engines were delivered ahead of schedule so that the ground crew of the 16th Guards Air Army could become familiar with the maintenance of these engines. It is said that a week later, technicians from the Karimov Design Bureau will come to guide the ground crew in disassembling and assembling the engines."

The good news is that we have a way to get RD-33 engines!
This was something Qin Liang had told Yang Duo'er before she left after the New Year: if there was an opportunity, they should work on the RD-33 engine, since the Russians' technology was rough and it would be easier for us to copy it!
The entire operation was codenamed Operation Qinling. The name Qinling, of course, refers to the mountains near Chang'an. Qin Liang promised to take Yang Duo'er hiking there in his spare time, but they hadn't gone yet.

"What about transportation?" Qin Liang asked seriously.

Now, everything is reasonable, but... for some reason, Qin Liang's unease has intensified. He feels that this is a trap set by the KGB for him!
“They are responsible for transportation all the way to the port, but once the engine is out of the warehouse, we need to settle the payment. Our people can also accompany the engine all the way to the port and watch it being loaded onto the ship.”

Qin Liang took a deep breath: "I think we need to go and see for ourselves. Duoduo, I'll go to East Germany next to make the deal with Belyukov."

"I will go with you!"

Qin Liang shook his head: "No, it might be dangerous to go there this time."

"Then I'm even more determined to go. How can I let you go alone on something so dangerous? Or, should we abandon this mission and look for a more suitable opportunity?"

Qin Liang shook his head: "Currently, the fighter jets exported by our country all rely on medium-thrust engines. If the supply is cut off, we can only use our own turbojet engines, which are too poor in performance and will damage our reputation. Once our reputation is ruined, it will be difficult to open up sales channels in the future."

Qin Liang's eyes were full of determination: "For the sake of our Eastern aviation industry, even if there are risks, I have to take them. Besides, I am irreplaceable."

Qin Liang had to go there in person to see if the RD33 engine in their hands was genuine. After all, currently, apart from the Russians, Qin Liang was probably the only one in the world who knew what the RD33 engine looked like.

Now is a critical moment. Even knowing there will be risks, we still have to go!
Anyway, I'm a reincarnated person, so I should have the protagonist's halo, right?
Yang Duo'er didn't need to go. She was the head of Pacific Trading Company. If she was caught on the spot, there would be no way to back down.

Beside her, Lillian's chest heaved and her long eyelashes fluttered, indicating that she was very excited at the moment.

"Mr. Yang, I'll go with Mr. Qin!"

Qin Liang looked at the blonde, blue-eyed, long-legged Western girl beside him: "No need." There's no need to put others at risk with him!

"Brother Liangzi, you should take Lillian with you. Don't let her being a girl fool you; she's quite skilled and doesn't attract attention usually, but she can get you out of trouble in a pinch. She was assigned here by the relevant higher authorities, so she's absolutely reliable. Besides, if you're alone, the higher-ups won't allow you to go!"

"Ok."

For ordinary people, traveling between East and West Germany is very difficult, especially for ordinary people in East Germany. If they go to West Germany, they may not be able to return, and the checks will be very strict. However, for some people, especially businessmen, it is very convenient to travel between East and West Germany!

The high-end Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan drove out of Paris, heading straight for Germany. Inside, Lillian was holding the steering wheel with one hand and the gear shift with the other, looking every bit the seasoned driver.

"Mr. Qin, don't worry. With me here, you will be safe. Moreover, once we get to East Germany, there will be dozens of people secretly protecting us."

"What organization are you from?" "I can't say. I was born and raised in Germany. I am a true German. If I had to use a different term, I would also be called... Kite."

In spy films and television dramas, the word "kite" appears, symbolizing a wandering, rootless existence whose identity cannot be revealed.

Do you know what the word "kite" means?

"A kite hanging high in the sky can be seen by everyone, but it still drifts aimlessly and cannot return to the earth."

Lillian smiled and said, "You're wrong. The meaning of a kite is that no matter how high or how far we fly, there will always be a string holding us together. That string is our motherland!"

One was a pessimistic view, the other an optimistic one; Qin Liang's feelings for the girl beside him grew stronger.

"Lillian, you've worked so hard!"

"It's not hard work. People like us work regular jobs and occasionally take a break to earn some extra money. Our Pacific Trading Company is pretty good. The products we import from the East are very popular in the European market!"

After saying that, Lillian pointed outside and said, "Look, that's our bicycle!"

Sure enough, the word "China" was very conspicuous on the main beam.

Qin Liang nodded: "Our Eastern manufacturing industry will gradually develop, and in the future, the entire Western world will be filled with our Eastern products!"

As night fell, the car finally reached the border between East and West Germany. After passing the checkpoint, the car entered East German soil.

Lillian had looked at the dashboard countless times, and Qin Liang asked curiously, "What's wrong with the car?"

"I'm almost out of gas. I hope I can make it to the gas station."

This……

Qin Liang was somewhat speechless: "Why not in West Germany? There are plenty of gas stations along the way."

"East Germany was cheap, so saving money was a bonus. Whenever I came to East Germany, I would always leave my gas tank empty at the gas station and fill it up before leaving."

When East and West Germany reunified, the Germans almost entirely complained about the Russians, seeing them as aggressors, while the British, French, and American troops stationed in West Germany were not. In reality, the Russians also invested heavily in East Germany, providing various subsidies.

Housing is free, oil prices are incredibly low... It's just a pity that these statements couldn't win over the Germans' true feelings, after all, it's an ideological issue.

Just before the car stalled, it pulled into a gas station and filled up with fuel. Lillian was beaming with excitement. At that moment, she didn't seem like a kite anymore; she looked more like an ordinary office worker.

"Are you tired? Let me drive."

"It's not tiring. It's not like I'm driving a truck. This Mercedes is easy to drive. Our company may not be big, but it's really financially strong! In another hour or so, we'll be in Altenberg. We've arranged to meet there."

A small town in central Germany, on the banks of the Plaiser River, 40 kilometers from Leipzig.

During World War II, a field air force base was built here. After the war, the Soviet army occupied the area and widened and paved the runway, turning it into a truly modern air force base. The 968th Air Regiment under the 16th Guards Fighter Division was stationed here.

This air regiment was renowned, having been awarded the Order of the Red Banner and the Order of Suvorov. It was named the "Sevastopol" Fighter Air Regiment, which speaks volumes about its glorious history. Therefore, it was also the first air regiment in the East German garrison to be equipped with MiG-29 fighter jets.

Of course, all the troops stationed in East Germany were elite, and each one was very capable.

When we arrived, it was already past 10 p.m. We could see planes taking off and landing at the base from a distance. Judging from the navigation lights, they should be MiG-23s.
Amidst the roar overhead, the Mercedes pulled up to the side of the road, behind a Gorky sedan.

The car door opened, and Lillian smiled at the person getting out of the car opposite: "Mr. Belyukov, we meet again!"

"Hmm, it's nice to meet you all. Your car is very nice!" Beryukov's eyes darted around, revealing a greedy look at the Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

"If the cooperation goes smoothly, this vehicle will be yours once the goods are loaded onto the ship and shipped," Qin Liang said.

Lillian wouldn't dare send a car, but Qin Liang could; after all, he's the company's behind-the-scenes boss!

"Alright! Now, please allow me to get in my car and get a feel for it... Let's drive this car to the base!"

After Beryukov finished speaking, he opened the back door of the Mercedes-Benz and plopped down inside.

This sofa is so soft, and the interior is so luxurious. My old Gorky is practically a beggar's car!

Qin Liang opened the other car door and got in: "Mr. Belyukov, are you sure it's okay to drive this car?"

"Of course! Drive!"

Gorky's sedan remained on the side of the road, while the Mercedes continued forward, driving to the base entrance. Beryukov rolled down the window, said a few words to the sentry, and was allowed to pass.

"You seem to know this place very well."

"Of course! Every time the commanders of the various bases under the army group go to headquarters, they have to bring me vodka! When I come here for an inspection, they have to fill my trunk with vodka! These sentries have to recognize me, otherwise... a few slaps and they'll behave. Turn right ahead, to the warehouse!"

"it is good."

At the warehouse entrance.

The tall, burly Russian officer stood guard with a smile, and as soon as the car stopped, he scurried over to open the door.

"Colonel Belyukov, you've arrived!"

"Yes, these two are our customers. Open the door and let them see what's in the warehouse!"

Qin Liang glanced at the other person, then nodded: "Okay, let's go in and take a look!"

Inside the warehouse, rows of shelves were arranged, with various aircraft parts categorized and placed separately. The RD33 engine was placed on the ground to the side, sealed in a large wooden crate with several lines of Russian text sprayed on the side.

Model: PД-33.

Number: 000008.

……

Qin Liang nodded: "Good! Give me a crowbar, I need to take it apart and see!"

Belyukov and Polenin exchanged a glance, then nodded: "Okay!"

With a creaking sound, Qin Liang pried open the lid of the wooden box. He looked down at the engine inside, and a thousand curses ran through his mind.

Putting aside size, the most obvious visual feature of the RD33 is the huge mechanical control device on top. Back then, in order to adapt it to the JF-17 Thunder, at Tu Lao's strong request, it was moved from the upper receiver to the lower receiver, and the name was changed from RD33 to RD93.
The engine in front of me, with the casing underneath, looks to be less than a meter in diameter, but it's five meters long! Who are they trying to fool? If I'm not mistaken, this is an AL-21F engine, the engine of my third aunt's husband!

Sure enough, those Russians are wicked!
　PS: RD33 engine, upper casing, and various complex hydraulic pipeline controls.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)