Chapter 099: The Mythical Beauty of "Icarus"

Ten minutes later, feeling pleased with the advantage he had gained, Le Xiaotian began to accelerate. The most important reason, of course, was that Chen Fang had finally recovered; her body had adjusted.

Gripping the control stick with all his might, Le Xiaotian pushed the Silver Dragon fighter jet to its maximum. The target: the sky itself.

Whoosh!

The piercing sonic boom was far louder than before. Since Chen Fang was astride Le Xiaotian, her eyes were fixed on the rear of the fighter jet.

Now, she saw the sonic boom’s airwave cluster stretching over ten meters in diameter, generated by the jet’s full-throttle acceleration.

It was a terrifying ripple of energy. Calculating in her mind, the speed had to be at least 1,200 meters per second!

Strong vibrations radiated from her hips. Though cushioned by Le Xiaotian’s body, she still felt some discomfort. The intimate closeness with her beloved was thrilling, but that was on the condition there was no such extreme velocity.

The wild turbulence, combined with the eight engine flames spewing behind, made the Silver Dragon resemble an actual dragon soaring into the heavens.

While 1,200 meters per second wasn’t extraordinarily fast, it was impressive speed for a manned fighter jet.

More importantly, Le Xiaotian was ascending vertically.

This was just like the fighter jets that had attacked the grand staircase of the Eighty-Eight Pearl Strands days ago. Vertical ascent inflicted tremendous physical strain.

Even elite pilots who had undergone rigorous training risked internal injuries and fatal hemorrhaging.

Chen Fang felt her legs weaken, her head grow dizzy, and a faint wave of nausea rise in her throat.

Sensing the change in his beloved, Le Xiaotian activated the advanced aviation suit’s safety mechanisms on her behalf.

At the same time, he freed his left hand to gently massage her back, whispering into her ear with the warmest, most reassuring voice: “Relax. Let your whole body relax.”

Now, Le Xiaotian was Chen Fang’s only support. She instinctively held him tighter. Although her body remained tense, the intensity was noticeably easing.

She wasn’t sure if she had been frightened into softness or genuinely relaxed, but in any case, she didn’t want to move.

Watching the atmosphere slip past their view, Le Xiaotian smiled and started playing music.

As the music began, he playfully nipped Chen Fang’s earlobe. “Listen to this.”

Boom!

Instantly, the entire cockpit underwent a spatial audio frequency analysis and enhancement. The 5-million Dance Yuan Deep Sea brand onboard 8230 surround sound system roared to life.

A specially selected track loaded onto the system began to play: “Icarus” by RS, an NRRN masterpiece.

Accompanied by a deep female chant, Chen Fang’s eyes suddenly brightened.

Though unfamiliar with the piece, she sensed it was an epic composition crafted from over 36 audio tracks.

Enveloped by the immersive surround sound, the quality and volume reached a precise, breathtaking level.

With brainwaves and every cell resonating in harmony, the sense of presence surpassed even the grandeur of the earlier glide’s ballad. This was a testament to the ultimate pursuit of musical perfection. Xiaotian’s selections were always grand and bold.

Just as Chen Fang had guessed, after choosing this piece, Le Xiaotian had made adjustments based on the environment and current technology. Frankly, it sounded far better than the original—perhaps this was how the original was meant to be heard.

Ethereal chants, choir hymns, violin melodies, majestic horn blasts, thunderous timpani, military drums, and the powerful drum kit all combined to create an overwhelming atmosphere.

Added to this were the lilting woodwinds and the singular charm of the oboe, the entire orchestra playing with commanding presence.

Though the supersonic speed had initially unsettled Chen Fang, now stabilized and accompanied by the epic music, the suit’s protection, and the quiet reassurance radiating from her beloved’s body, she felt far better.

After the calming, she licked a circle around Le Xiaotian’s left earhole like a languid kitten, finally murmuring, “Xiaotian, does this music have a story?”

Her playful lick sent a shiver through Le Xiaotian. “Xiaofang, if you keep licking, I think we might fall out of the sky.”

Indeed, he was too easily teased. Chen Fang chuckled and teasingly licked again. “What, only you can lick me but I’m not allowed to lick you?”

Lick wherever you want, he thought wryly, but right now, they were piloting a fighter jet—he was the pilot.

Changing the subject, Le Xiaotian began to explain seriously, “The title comes from a mythological figure named Icarus, son of Daedalus in ancient Greek mythology. His father crafted two pairs of wings from thousands of sea bird feathers bound with wax and honey to escape Crete Island. After taking off, the proud and freedom-loving Icarus forgot his father’s warning and, obsessed, flew toward the blazing sun, hoping to touch it. Ignoring the melting of his wings, he tragically fell from the sky into the sea.”

Hearing this, Chen Fang glanced out the window at the vast, embracing blue sky. Wasn’t this like their own situation?

Curious, she asked, “If Icarus was a god, shouldn’t he have been smarter? His father warned him. Why did he still chase the sun?”

Looking into his beloved’s eyes, Le Xiaotian smiled. “That’s the point I want to tell you: logic is useless here. Only when you truly understand this can you grasp the beauty of mythology. Icarus is not just a dazzling, tragic epic like a moth drawn to a flame. He embodies an unyielding will to seek the light, a tenacious faith in pursuing truth. For those he cares about, for dreams he holds dear, even if his wings melt and he falls from the heavens, his final battle’s passionate brilliance will rival the sun and moon, shining across the earth.”

Moved by Le Xiaotian’s passionate explanation, Chen Fang’s feelings shifted as she listened to “Icarus” again.

Just as he hoped, she realized she had been too rigid before. Despite her vast knowledge, it was limited.

In exploring the universe’s mysteries, she and all living beings had forgotten one truth: nature itself is unfathomable—beyond measure.

No one, no civilization, not even gods, can fully grasp it.

The ability to find or create order amid chaos—that was Le Xiaotian’s potential as a peerless maestro.

For a moment, immersed in the soul-stirring epic and gazing at the beloved face so close, Chen Fang was enchanted, her eyes filled with tenderness and sweetness...