Chapter 100

At this moment, the only one who remained calm and composed was Xu Yan. He knew that this must be the work of the intelligence department, specifically Wen Xiu. To be honest, when the air marshal and the flight attendant suddenly saluted him, Xu Yan was still startled. Fortunately, even if he hadn't eaten pork, he had seen pigs run. Having traveled from Jincheng to Xiangcheng with Wen Xiu, he had seen many occasions where military personnel saluted each other. Xu Yan also knew how to respond.

He stood up, nodded in return to the flight attendant and the air marshal, and asked, "Have you made contact with the ground control yet?"

The flight attendant Xu Tong replied, "Report, Sir, we have made contact. Following your previous instructions, we reported today's incident to the ground and had the control tower contact the person..."

Xu Yan interrupted her, not wanting her to say Wen Xiu's name: "I understand. What did the control tower say?"

"The control tower instructed us to follow all of your commands, Sir. You have full authority to handle all matters during this flight. For any dangerous hostile individuals, you can take any decisive measures. All crew members and security personnel on this flight will firmly obey your commands—"

The air marshal interjected, "Report, Sir, the exact words from the control tower were: 'Comrade Xu Yan is a senior leader from a high-level military intelligence department. He will be in charge of this matter and will act freely. In handling this type of crisis, Comrade Xu Yan has experience and knows how to deal with it. This is an emergency, and the higher-ups have granted Comrade Xu Yan the highest level of authority to act first and report later! Please all flight attendants and security personnel remain calm and follow Comrade Xu Yan's commands, and do not disobey! Please do your utmost to ensure the safety of the passengers and crew, and ensure the safe landing of this flight!'"

After the air marshal finished reading the order, Xu Yan was taken aback. He muttered, "I understand."

Xu Tong respectfully said, "Sir, please give your instructions!"

Xu Yan asked, "How long until the plane lands?"

"Report, Sir, about twenty minutes."

"Have the casualties from the chaos been counted yet?"

The air marshal and the flight attendant exchanged glances. The beautiful flight attendant leaned close to Xu Yan's ear and whispered, "Report, Sir. Including the deranged passenger, seven passengers have died; five others have varying degrees of injuries. One passenger has internal injuries from broken ribs, and the injuries are very serious... Please don't publicize this to avoid causing panic among the passengers. The captain is currently comforting the injured passengers and handling the aftermath. He will also come to report to you shortly."

Hearing about the deaths, Xu Yan felt a heavy heart. He sighed, "Tell the captain not to come. Please let him focus on the aftermath and quickly contact the ground to arrange for ambulances. No more deaths!"

"Sir, rest assured. We have already reported to the ground control, and they will make the arrangements."

The air marshal, Zhang Bin, cleared his throat and cautiously said, "Sir, the ground control said to put you in charge of the security for this flight and to follow your commands—Sir, are there any special precautions or instructions for the security of this flight?"

Xu Yan smiled bitterly, thinking that he couldn't be that unlucky to encounter two monsters on the same flight. He shook his head, "There's nothing special. The crisis is over now. Just follow the usual procedures and focus on treating the injured. By the way, why were you repeatedly checking my ID?"

Xu Tong and Zhang Bin exchanged glances, both looking a bit embarrassed. Finally, Xu Tong reported, "Sir, when the ground issued the command, we were a bit skeptical... because you are so young, and we have never seen such a young leader. In the end, we repeatedly confirmed with the ground control to verify your identity, fearing a mix-up with someone of the same name... In the end, the ground control sent us your ID number and name to confirm."

Xu Yan finally understood, "I see... I have no further issues. You can go back to take care of the injured."

"Yes, Sir... But if the ground asks for your opinion, how should we respond?"

"Tell the ground that everything is normal and has been handled safely—don't worry, they understand. Go back to your duties."

Xu Yan gave these instructions, but the two did not leave, standing there hesitantly, especially the air marshal, whose face was flushed red, wanting to speak but holding back.

Xu Yan was puzzled, and the beautiful flight attendant Xu Tong leaned close to his ear again, whispering, "Sir, earlier, Xiao Zhang made a mistake, not recognizing your importance, and offended you. He wants to apologize... Please don't hold a grudge against him. He really didn't know your identity!"

Hearing this, Xu Yan finally understood. The air marshal was hesitant to leave because he was worried about retaliation. He smiled, which seemed mysterious to the air marshal, making him even more afraid, trembling and stammering, "Sir, I... I know I was wrong. Please forgive me this time. I won't do it again!"

Although Xu Yan didn't know his true identity and position, Zhang Bin, who worked in the civil aviation police, understood that the person must be from a very high-level secret intelligence department.

Such a secret intelligence unit had a very high rank and significant power. Just a phone call to the ground, and within ten minutes, the ground control immediately gave him the command to take over the entire flight, even with the authority to act first and report later. This level of efficiency and decisiveness showed that the department had significant privileges.

Such a department was not for ordinary people. A teenager like Xu Yan could enter and even become a leader, which could only mean one thing: this "Comrade Xu Yan" must come from a powerful family, likely one of those legendary third or fourth-generation red families.

Thinking about it, Zhang Bin was deeply regretful. Not only did he point a gun at Xu Yan, but he even tried to handcuff him. The person was not only a powerful intelligence agent but also a genuine princeling!

Zhang Bin was nervous, feeling like he was on a rollercoaster. In front of such powerful offspring, what was he, a mere police officer?

It was said that these princelings had terrible tempers, were petty, and would seek revenge for the slightest offense. If the person held a grudge and retaliated, Zhang Bin's fate would be dire. Even without other reasons, the death of seven passengers on his watch was a major safety incident, for which he, as the on-duty air marshal, would be held responsible. This alone was enough to ruin his career!

Xu Yan waved his hand, interrupting Zhang Bin, "It's fine. You were just doing your job. I don't blame you. Go ahead."

Hearing this, Zhang Bin felt a bit relieved but then became worried again—how could he be sure the person was sincere? Maybe the person was just pretending to be forgiving but was actually planning to get back at him?

But worrying wouldn't help. He could only bow deeply to Xu Yan, saying, "I'm sorry, please forgive me!" and then quickly left.

Xu Tong also left but soon returned with a glass of orange juice, "Sir, I remember you ordered orange juice earlier. Here's another one for you. Please refresh yourself."

Xu Yan wasn't really thirsty, but he couldn't refuse the gesture, so he took the orange juice. As he took the glass, he suddenly felt a small piece of paper being slipped into his hand. He looked up at Xu Tong, who appeared calm but had a slight blush on her face. She bowed slightly, "Please enjoy. If you need anything else, just let me know!"

"Ah, thank you."

Xu Yan held the paper between his fingers, his heart pounding. He wasn't a minor anymore, and he had often fantasized about beautiful flight attendants with his dorm mates. His seniors had vividly described how rich and handsome young men would flirt with flight attendants, and if the attendants were interested, they would secretly slip a note with their contact information. For Xu Yan, who had been a lifelong bachelor, this was like a distant myth. He never thought such a romantic encounter could happen to him.

The flight attendant left with a graceful sway, and Xu Yan put the note in his pocket, glancing around to see if anyone had noticed the exchange. Fortunately, no one had, not even Zhao Tong, who was still in shock, staring at him as if he were a prehistoric dinosaur.

Xu Yan frowned, "Mr. Zhao, are you okay?"

Zhao Tong blinked, struggling to regain his composure, and stammered, "Xu Yan, you... you're not really a leader, are you?"

Xu Yan scratched his head, smiling bitterly, "You could say that, or not. I'm not sure myself."

Xu Yan's vague response made Zhao Tong realize he couldn't dismiss it as a joke. He looked at Xu Yan with shock and disbelief, unable to look away. Suddenly, Zhao Tong thought of something and shivered, feeling a chill run through his body.

He wished he could slap himself. What had he been thinking, trying to flirt with the beautiful woman next to this princeling? This was a taboo for men!

Zhao Tong's face fell, wishing he could die of embarrassment. He should have realized that a teenager who could kill someone without a trace of fear and then calmly chat with his companion must come from a powerful family. He had even boasted about his connections and influence in front of him. Now, Zhao Tong felt ashamed, terrified, and wished the plane had a hole in the bottom for him to hide in or that he could shrink to the size of a bacterium to avoid Xu Yan's notice.

Fortunately, Xu Yan was preoccupied with the note from the flight attendant and didn't notice Zhao Tong's strange expression. He asked again, "Are you feeling cold? Are you okay?"

"Ah, no, no, I'm fine, thank you."

"Oh, that's good."

At this moment, someone else approached from the front of the cabin. The person was wearing a dark suit uniform, about thirty years old, with a handsome face and a slender build. He looked mature and capable but appeared somewhat tired.

He came straight to Xu Yan's seat and bowed slightly, "Excuse me, are you Sir Xu?"

Xu Yan nodded, "Yes, I'm Xu Yan. Who are you?"

The person straightened up and saluted Xu Yan, "Sir, hello! I am the captain of this flight, my name is Han Shidong."

"Ah, Captain Han, hello. Is there something you need?"

"Sir, I apologize for disturbing your rest. According to the ground's instructions, you are the full authority for this incident. May I introduce the situation to you? Is now a convenient time?"

Xu Yan didn't want to deal with the aftermath but thought the plane was about to land, and it would be better to handle things on the ground. However, seeing Captain Han's exhausted and worried face, he couldn't refuse and said, "Captain Han, please, go ahead. We can discuss it."

"Thank you, Sir. We should follow your instructions." Captain Han took a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to Xu Yan, lowering his voice, "This is the list of deceased and injured passengers, including their genders, ages, and ID numbers. Would you like to review it?"

Captain Han asked if Xu Yan wanted to review it, but he had already handed the list to him. Xu Yan couldn't refuse, so he opened it and glanced at it. The list had about a dozen names, with "deceased" noted next to eight names and "injured" next to four, along with the initial diagnosis of their injuries.

Xu Yan frowned, "Weren't there seven deaths earlier? Why are there eight now?"

Captain Han lowered his head, "Sir, one of the injured was very critical and passed away a few minutes ago."

Xu Yan said, "Oh," his eyes wandering aimlessly over the list, as if searching for something.

Captain Han, who was observant, pointed to the third name, "Liu Aiguo, this is the perpetrator... the one you dealt with decisively."

"Liu Aiguo, male, 45 years old, from Mianyang, Sichuan, first-class passenger. Deceased."

Looking at the simple line of text, Xu Yan was silent. He handed the paper back to the captain, shaking his head. On the surface, he seemed calm, but inside, he was far from it. After all, he had just taken a life with his own hands.

The feeling of the sword piercing the body had made Xu Yan almost vomit, but he maintained his composure in front of Captain Han and the other passengers.

Xu Yan knew that even if he hadn't acted, the person possessed by the spirit would have died. But he couldn't help thinking, "What kind of person was the one I killed? What was he doing in Xiangcheng? Was he a good person or a bad person? Did he have a wife, parents, or children? How would his family react to his sudden death? Would they be sad?"

Xu Yan knew he shouldn't think about these things, but they kept lingering in his mind, like a deep, dark hole that he couldn't help but approach.

Captain Han seemed to understand Xu Yan's feelings and asked, "Sir, can we report this information to the company? And how should we classify this incident? As a criminal act or an accident?"

"Classify?" Xu Yan was taken aback, "What's the difference?"

Seeing that Xu Yan was not familiar with this, Captain Han explained, "Sir, there is a difference. If it's classified as a criminal act, Liu Aiguo would be the perpetrator, and the other deceased passengers would be victims of a crime. If it's classified as an accident, there would be no concept of a perpetrator or victim, and all the deceased passengers would be considered victims of the accident. This classification affects issues like compensation and how we announce the incident to the public after landing. We need to consider these things in advance."

Xu Yan frowned, "This should be the responsibility of the Civil Aviation Administration and the police. Captain Han, you should consult them, not me."

Captain Han's face turned slightly red, and he said in a low voice, "Actually, we consulted the ground earlier, but they replied that this incident involves national security and is highly confidential. It must be decided by the military. They said only you know the cause and details, so they need your opinion..."

Xu Yan thought for a moment and nodded, "I understand. If you need my opinion, I think it should be classified as an accident. This person—" Xu Yan pointed to Liu Aiguo's name, "wasn't a bad person. The incident wasn't his intention. Essentially, he was also a victim."

Xu Yan sighed deeply, feeling a sense of helplessness.

Xu Yan's words were somewhat mysterious, and Captain Han understood only partially but didn't dare to ask more—after all, the ground had clearly stated that this was a highly confidential matter involving national security. Asking too many questions would be asking for trouble.

He nodded, "Understood, Sir. I will convey your instructions to the ground control and have them follow this direction."

"Ah, let me clarify, this isn't an instruction, just my personal opinion—forget it, do as you see fit." Xu Yan initially wanted to explain but realized it was pointless. Since Wen Xiu had forced him into this role, any mess would be his to clean up. Why should he take the blame?

Captain Han left, and Xu Yan sat in his seat, lost in thought. The cabin announcement began, informing passengers that the plane was about to land and asking them to remain seated.

At this moment, Xu Yan suddenly asked Zhu Youxiang, "Xuan Yun, have you ever killed anyone?" As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized how stupid the question was. During the incident with the assassins, Zhu Youxiang had killed five people in front of him, one after another, without hesitation. Clearly, she was a skilled killer in the Ming Dynasty. Asking if she had killed anyone was as ridiculous as asking a boxing champion if he had ever fought.

Sure enough, Zhu Youxiang glanced at Xu Yan but didn't speak, asking instead, "Why do you ask, Master?"

"Xuan Yun, when you first killed someone in the Ming Dynasty, how did you feel?"

Hearing this, Zhu Youxiang frowned, her eyes distant, and she remained silent for a long time. Finally, she slowly shook her head, "The feeling of the first time... I have forgotten when it was."

Zhu Youxiang's eyes were deep and serious, a rare expression on her face. Xu Yan guessed that she hadn't truly forgotten but didn't want to talk about it.

As the plane began to descend, the air became noisy. The passengers were quiet, waiting for the landing. About ten minutes later, the plane landed safely at Jincheng Airport.

The passengers started to get up to retrieve their luggage, but the cabin announcement came on again, this time a male voice, which Xu Yan recognized as the captain's: "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for flying with Eastern Airlines. Despite the unexpected incident, the flight has been completed successfully. Thank you for your support. I am the captain of this flight, and on behalf of the crew, I