HLM -Chapter 762 The Hummingbird Arrives

This type of truck is a special vehicle—one equipped with a buffer. At the rear, it has a hydraulic system that can raise or lower a two-by-two-meter buffer as needed.

Uncle Bing explained, “The UK has trucks like this too, but not many. They’re only deployed on roads prone to frequent accidents.”

“See? As long as the buffer is retracted, the truck can quickly reach any scene. Once it arrives, it takes less than a minute to lower the buffer. When fully extended, the buffer is only a few dozen centimeters above the ground. If a vehicle crashes from behind, the buffer combined with the truck’s weight ensures that anyone in front stays safe—it protects both sides.”

As the truck drove past, Wang Bo leaned against the window, fascinated by it. He asked, “Do you know how much this truck costs?”

“I don’t. In New Zealand, it’s probably government-issued,” Uncle Bing shook his head.

Wang Bo rubbed his chin, smiled, and took out his phone to call Alexander at the Green Party. “Hello, Vice Chairman, good morning…”

Having solved the case, Wang Bo hadn’t gained much personally, but he felt the government should reward him. A collision-buffer truck seemed like an acceptable prize.

Back in Sunset Town, the locals greeted him along the way:

“Mayor, well done! You truly are a master detective!”

“I saw the South Island Voice—Mayor, you’re perfect on camera! If you focus on acting, you’ll definitely become a star!”

“Mayor, I think my cat was stolen. I haven’t reported it yet. Could you come to my house and help solve this case?”

Returning to the government office, citizens were there handling their business. Upon seeing him, Atulu led the applause, loud and enthusiastic.

Wang Bo bowed. “Thank you. I just did a small, trivial thing. I appreciate everyone’s attention.”

He underestimated the influence of solving a high-profile case. New Zealanders have little confidence in the police. As a developed country, their awareness of reporting crimes is poor—many cases go unreported because people know the police can’t resolve them.

By solving cases, Wang Bo gained the town’s trust, which also strengthened their confidence in the government. Its full impact might not be visible now, but it would matter greatly during elections.

By the end of mid-month, the European Helicopter Group’s New Zealand office called him, saying the helicopter shipment was complete and would arrive in Sunset Town the next day.

The helicopter was transported to New Zealand by sea, and upon reaching the port, it was immediately sent to Sunset Town by truck.

That morning, a large trailer arrived in Sunset Town. Wang Bo and his team waited eagerly by the roadside, but just then, a water delivery truck headed to the Kulau Farm orchard came along, almost colliding with the trailer.

Wang Bo was terrified. Two million New Zealand dollars worth of helicopter—if it were destroyed before even taking off, he could as well buy another lottery ticket. Luck can’t be that kind!

The two heavy trucks passed safely, and Wang Bo breathed a sigh of relief. Nearby, Hani laughed carelessly: “Life is full of surprises, huh?”

The transport truck carried a luxury item, escorted by five men—two of whom were large, muscular bodyguards with batons.

The leader, a middle-aged white man with a bald, shiny head, approached Wang Bo with a smile. “Hello, Mr. Wang?”

“Hello, I’m Wang. It’s a pleasure to have you visit Sunset Town.”

The man introduced himself, “I’m Kato Marich. Likewise, it’s wonderful to visit such a beautiful place. My goodness, I’ve traveled all over New Zealand for years, but this is the first time I’ve seen such a picturesque and elegant town.”

Kato was the sales manager of the European Helicopter Group’s New Zealand office and a member of the private helicopter association. Bartier had contacted him to facilitate the purchase.

The transport truck was covered with a thick tarp. When it was lifted, a sleek “Blue Sky Knight” helicopter appeared before everyone.

The helicopter was fully assembled, painted snow-white with a delicate finish, radiating a soft luster in the sunlight. Wang Bo took out his iPhone—his phone’s finish probably didn’t even compare to the helicopter’s paint.

However, the rotor blades weren’t deployed yet—they were over ten meters long and impractical for transport.

Deploying the blades was simple. After a crane lifted the helicopter into an open space, a test pilot entered and pressed a button. The rotors slowly unfolded.

“Click… clack… tata…”

Atulu trembled with excitement. “Oh my God, it’s ‘Blitzwing’! Blitzwing has appeared! Decepticons, transform!”

“Don’t be silly. That sound is for Autobots transforming,” Kidd said disdainfully.

Blitzwing is a Decepticon from Transformers, transforming into a Paving Hawk helicopter. Compared to the EC-120, the Paving Hawk is more imposing on TV, but seeing the EC-120 in person was even more impressive.

From pictures, this helicopter seemed delicate, hence the nickname “Hummingbird.” In reality, it was much more powerful.

The rotor diameter was ten meters, the fixed tail rotor nearly one meter, fuselage eleven meters long, body length nine and a half meters, and height three and a half meters. It sat quietly on the grass, exuding an awe-inspiring presence.

Wang Bo inhaled deeply. “A truly formidable machine!”

Hani crossed his arms. “Really? We see President Bartier’s planes all the time. I think I’m used to it; nothing special.”

Wang Bo glared. “You don’t understand. Other people’s children aren’t the same as your own.”

Kato walked to the helicopter, taking out a laser pointer. “Allow me to introduce this aircraft, the EC-120N, a Hummingbird specially modified for New Zealand conditions.”

“This helicopter features a spherical flexible rotor hub system, three-blade main rotor, two-stage reduction gearbox, and eight-blade ducted tail rotor. Main rotor speed is 406 rpm, tail rotor 4,567 rpm—very fast, right? That’s necessary for its unparalleled stability. Don’t forget its name: Hummingbird!”

“Looking below, the Hummingbird uses skid-type landing gear. Most of the helicopter, including the landing gear, rotor blades, tail rotor, and majority of the fuselage, is made of composite materials. The central fuselage is a composite-metal structure, nearly indestructible…”