Above the dome.
Chen Jinzhao sat by the window, gazing at the land below. Never before had he felt the vastness of the Divine Land so powerfully.
Regrettably, his life was nearing its end, and he would not witness the changes unfolding across the Divine Land in the future.
As if remembering something, he summoned a crew member and asked, "By the way, can I make phone calls on the plane? I have some important matters to report to those above."
The crew member replied with some embarrassment, "I'm sorry, Mr. Chen, but you cannot make phone calls on the plane. Our special plane used to allow phone calls, but it underwent extensive maintenance a few days ago, which has temporarily disabled phone functionality."
Chen Jinzhao uttered an "oh" and indicated he understood.
"Do you have any other requests, Mr. Chen? We will do our best to accommodate your needs," the flight attendant said with a sweet smile.
Chen Jinzhao waved his hand and replied, "No, nothing else. You can go about your business."
"Understood."
Due to Chen Jinzhao's special status, he was permitted to move freely within the cabin, and the crew did not try to stop him.
After just a few turns, Chen Jinzhao discovered several listening devices and casually disabled them.
Since the facade had already been broken, he no longer feared alerting them.
Upon learning of this, the flight attendant immediately came forward to apologize, stating they were unaware of the listening devices.
"I know it wasn't you, and I don't blame you," Chen Jinzhao said.
They were all in the same boat. Chen Jinzhao's sole focus now was to find a way to survive. The chief flight attendant gathered the other crew members for a thorough search, realizing that someone might be plotting against Chen Jinzhao. She was determined to contribute her efforts.
After a comprehensive search, several more listening devices were found.
Meanwhile.
A heated argument erupted from the cockpit, and Chen Jinzhao moved towards the cockpit entrance upon hearing it.
The chief flight attendant frowned and said, "It seems the three captains are having a conflict. Should we break in?"
"You all step back, I'll handle it," Chen Jinzhao stated.
Although his strength had significantly waned, he still possessed the ability to force open a door. Without wasting time, under the astonished gazes of the chief flight attendant and others, he smashed open the door with four or five powerful punches, allowing everyone to enter the cockpit.
"What happened?" the chief flight attendant asked, taking the lead.
They saw a first officer pinning another first officer to the ground. Only the captain remained at the controls, managing the aircraft's speed and route.
The assaulting first officer knelt on the other's neck and looked up at Chen Jinzhao, saying, "Sir, this man was attempting to seize control of the cockpit. I suspect he intended to harm you. Please instruct us on how to proceed."
The chief flight attendant and the others exchanged glances, realizing the aircraft had been tampered with.
A wave of fear washed over everyone.
Chen Jinzhao grabbed the neck of the subdued man and said to the two captains, "Continue flying the plane. If there's a suitable airport nearby for an emergency landing, I suspect there are bombs on board, but I will deal with them."
Panic naturally ensued.
Some flight attendants even wept silently.
A plane crash was a terrifying prospect for them, often resulting in no bodies being recovered.
Seeing this, the chief flight attendant immediately said, "Everyone, please calm down. Our task is to assist Mr. Chen in resolving the issues on the plane. If we fall into disarray, we will invite greater trouble. No more crying, dry your tears."
Chen Jinzhao carried the first officer he had subdued out of the cockpit, doing his best not to impede the operations of the remaining two captains.
"Tell me, who sent you?" Chen Jinzhao inquired.
This first officer was also a resolute individual. He said in a deep voice, "You don't need to know who sent me. You only need to know that you are about to die. Mr. Chen, your time is running out. I advise you to leave your last words now, lest you miss the opportunity."
After saying this, the first officer bit down on a poison pill hidden in his mouth, and his face instantly turned purplish-red.
To the shock of the crew, the first officer bled from all seven orifices and died.
Chen Jinzhao said slowly, "It seems these people were well-prepared, intending to create the illusion of a plane crash."
The chief flight attendant, unable to suppress her fear, weakly asked, "Then... Mr. Chen, what should we do now?"
Chen Jinzhao glanced around the cabin. Including himself, there were nearly twenty people.
"Chief flight attendant, are there parachutes on board?" he asked.
"There were originally, but after the major overhaul, they are gone. It seems they were tampered with," the chief flight attendant replied truthfully. One flight attendant, unable to bear the pressure, sobbed softly, "Are we all going to die here?"
"But we don't want to die."
The chief flight attendant initially wanted to scold them, but considering they were all on the verge of death, was it not permissible to utter a few words of complaint?
It would be rather inhumane.
Chen Jinzhao suddenly stood up and said to the chief flight attendant, "Help me find a reliable rope, the longer the better."
The chief flight attendant understood and immediately delegated this task, instructing the crew to all work together to find a rope that met the requirements.
Five minutes later.
The chief flight attendant indeed found a rope.
This special rope was one hundred meters long and extremely strong, not easily broken.
Chen Jinzhao tied one end of the rope to himself and the other end to the aircraft cabin, then said to the chief flight attendant and the others, "Everyone, find a seat and strap yourselves in. It's best to put on your oxygen masks and use the rope. I plan to go outside and take a look."
The chief flight attendant's face paled dramatically, "Mr. Chen, you cannot do this!"
"Why?" Chen Jinzhao countered.
The chief flight attendant said with a grave tone, "We are at an altitude of over ten thousand meters. The air outside is thin and extremely cold. Humans cannot survive in such conditions."
Chen Jinzhao stated resolutely, "I apologize for implicating you all. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't be in mortal danger. I am a person who never wishes to owe anyone a favor, so I must seize this sliver of hope."
"Mr. Chen, no!" the other flight attendants also came forward to dissuade him.
This was too dangerous!
"Mr. Chen, please reconsider!"
"Perhaps we can still make an emergency landing. Unless it's absolutely unavoidable, please do not attempt such a thing. We would feel terrible."
"If we are to die, we die together. We do not wish to see you take such a risk."
"..."
Chen Jinzhao's heart felt warm.
The words of these people made him realize that true affection still existed in the world.
The gentleness on his face flickered and disappeared, replaced by an extremely serious expression. "Although I am no longer a general of China, I believe you should still listen to my words. Everyone, obey my command and return to your positions immediately to fasten your seatbelts."
"Please do not make things difficult for me."