Chapter 356
The descent wasn’t entirely smooth; a sharp bank sent a fresh wave of panic through the cabin, but as the clouds parted, the sprawling cityscape of Melvion City came into view. The roar of the engines shifted in pitch as the landing gear deployed.
With a heavy thud, the wheels hit the tarmac, followed instantly by the deafening roar of the thrust reversers. The passengers held their breath until the plane slowed to a crawl and finally rolled to a complete stop. As the seatbelt sign chimed off, the cabin erupted in cheers.
When the doors opened, paramedics rushed aboard with stretchers, though injuries were limited to severe bruising and minor fractures from the turbulence.
Owen and Mira were the last to disembark. As they stepped onto the jet bridge, they found the entire flight crew and the passengers-even those being treated for injuries waiting for them. No one had left.
The two pilots, now conscious but pale, stood at the front of the crowd. When they saw Owen, they practically collapsed in relief, gripping his hands. “Thank you. Thank you for saving us p>
The rest of the passengers echoed the sentiment, expressing their profound gratitude and shaking their hands fervently.
“You don’t need to thank me,” Owen said calmly. “I was just trying to survive, same as you p>
Someone in the crowd gasped. “Wait! That’s the CEO of Solflare Entertainment! And that girl… that’s Mira Mercer p>
“It’s Lune p>
The whispers quickly escalated, but Mira and her group pushed forward to leave.
“Please, wait!” The captain called out. “Our airline needs your contact information to formally thank you p>
“Keep your thanks,” Mira said
sharply, stepping closer to keep her voice low, “But you need to launch a full investigation. I strongly suspect you were exposed to a weaponized Benzoin Neuro-Sedative smelled i when the door opened. The cockpit is clean, which means the chemical was on you. Someone likely planted it on your uniforms before you boarded. I know you can’t make this public, but you need to ruthlessly vet everyone who had access to you before the flight p>
The captain’s jaw clenched. “Understood. Thank you.” He had known something was profoundly wrong Simultaneous loss of
consciousness was practically unheard of.
“I had suspected poisoning, but the on-site medics found nothing,” he admitted, planning to run full tox-screens at the hospital.
“It’s highly volatile,” Mira explained. “By the time the medics checked you, the compound had already evaporated p>
“Thank you p>
As they exited the terminal, Commander Arthur Reed from the ground control center jogged up to them, flanked by a swarm of flashing cameras and reporters.
“Mr. Lance! Thank you for your unparalleled bravery today. You are a true hero,” Arthur praised, reaching out to shake his hand.
“No need for the hero narrative. We were just saving our own lives,” Owen replied smoothly, dodging the press. They had no interest in media spectacles; surviving was enough. Besides, whether this was
Lawrence’s doing was still just
theory. The airline’s fax security was
partly to blame for giving the
attackers an opening.
Their company cars were waiting at the curb.
“Mira p>
“Mira p>
Mira turned, startled to see Ethan Mercer standing by a luxury sedan, having driven
there himself. Beside him stood Damon Mercer.