CHAPTER 221: CHAPTER 221: ONE OF US?

Shouldn’t I be seen as a bandit, too?

But seeing everyone’s gaze, Xia Liang eventually nodded.

"Mhm."

"YES!"

"That’s awesome! So impressive!"

"Long live Dragon Group!"

"Today is definitely the most thrilling day of my life."

"Yeah! It’s even more thrilling than when I was having an affair and my lover’s husband suddenly came back!"

Cheers erupted all around.

Just then, the communicator crackled to life. At a time like this, the purser should have been the one to answer, but Xia Liang’s life-saving actions had already won everyone’s hearts. He had unconsciously become the center of attention, especially since this call was from the higher-ups.

The purser quickly came over. "Mister Xia, this seems to be a call from above."

She naturally remembered the name of a first-class passenger, especially one so young, wealthy, and handsome. Actually, she had wanted to address him as a young hero, but it didn’t feel respectful enough. After much consideration, she settled on Mister Xia.

Seeing the purser hand him the communicator, Xia Liang was utterly exasperated.

Seriously? The higher-ups are calling you, so why don’t you just answer it? Why are you giving it to me?

Xia Liang wanted to refuse, but then he remembered that he held a public position, after all.

Forget it. He shook his head.

"Thank you."

He then took the communicator. Hearing his thanks, the purser quickly waved her hands, her face beaming with joy. "No, no, I should be the one thanking you."

To this, Xia Liang could only offer a small smile before activating the device. He hadn’t even had a chance to speak when an anxious voice came from the other end.

"Don’t do anything rash! As long as you ensure the safety of everyone on the plane, we’ll agree to your demands and release Weiss."

Hearing that somewhat familiar voice, Xia Liang frowned. "Director Yun?"

Yun Long was puzzled. The person on the other end knew who he was before he’d even identified himself. Besides, the voice sounded familiar, as if it belonged to someone he knew.

That’s right!

Yun Long suddenly remembered. Isn’t this the person I personally recruited? After all, Xia Liang wasn’t someone easily forgotten. His appearance and personality were both quite memorable.

Yun Long quickly put the pieces together. "Xia Liang? How come you..."

Clearly, he was also curious why Xia Liang was the one answering the communicator.

Could it be?

Yun Long’s expression soured as a thought crossed his mind. Surely Xia Liang isn’t the leader of this group, is he?

After all, no matter how capable Xia Liang was, he couldn’t possibly take down eight ruthless hijackers by himself.

Just as he was about to say something, Xia Liang spoke again. "Hey, I’ve already taken care of the hijackers on the plane, so you don’t need to worry. And you don’t need to release that Weiss fellow, either."

Hearing this, Yun Long was stunned once again. Did I hear him wrong? His voice rose a few decibels. "What did you say?"

Xia Liang quickly pulled the communicator away from his ear and said helplessly, "I said I’ve already captured this group of ruthless hijackers, so don’t worry. I can’t do anything about the bomb, though. You’ll need to arrange for a disposal team."

Hearing the sincerity in Xia Liang’s voice, Yun Long was immediately overjoyed. "Is that true?"

Xia Liang muttered, "What else? How else would I be using this communicator to contact you?"

"Good, good, good!"

「Elsewhere, at Qingyun Airport.」

Practically the entire defensive force of Qingyun City had gathered there, including Special Protectors and anti-terrorist units. As the chief commander of the operation, Yun Long suddenly burst into excited laughter, which caused Yun Bing, who was standing beside him, to frown.

Could the pressure from above have been so great that it drove Dad crazy?

Just as Yun Bing was considering whether to comfort her father, Yun Long issued another instruction. "Alright, hand the communicator to the purser. We have some special instructions for them."

"Okay!"

Xia Liang, ever the pragmatist, simply handed the communicator back to the purser. She took the device, completely bewildered. "Hello?"

Hearing the purser’s voice, Yun Long quickly calmed himself. He still had to be cautious; the situation was just too incredible to believe. "This is the Director of the Qingyun City Defense Bureau. I need to confirm, are you out of danger?"

Hearing Yun Long’s question, the purser, though still confused, reported honestly. "Yes, we are. There were nine of them, and Mister Xia took care of all of them."

Yun Long listened intently, trying to detect any hint of tension in her voice that might indicate she was being coerced. But there was none; the purser only sounded confused.

Yun Bing also heaved a sigh of relief. Although she didn’t know how Xia Liang had managed it, they had passed this hurdle. The full story would have to wait until they were safely on the ground.

"Were there any casualties on board?"

"Casualties? Well, a soldier from the Weiguo Army was shot in the arm. But we have a doctor on board who treated the wound. It’s not life-threatening."

Yun Long exhaled deeply once more, his tone considerably lighter. "Very good. In that case, keep a close watch on the hijackers. On the plane, everyone is to follow Mister Xia’s orders."

By the end, Yun Long’s voice had become stern.

"Yes, sir!"

Hearing that even the Director of Qingyun City addressed him as Mister Xia, she realized he must truly be an important figure. With that thought, she glanced toward the first-class cabin, her eyes shining with fiery admiration.

As Yun Long hung up, a look of immense relief washed over his face, leaving Yun Bing even more puzzled. What’s going on now?

Before she could ask, Yun Long took the initiative, beaming at her. "So you really did introduce me to a true talent, didn’t you?"

Yun Bing was completely baffled. A talent *I* introduced?

Frowning, she suddenly thought of someone. "Xia Liang!" She looked up at Yun Long. "Don’t tell me Xia Liang is on this plane?"

"That’s right!"

The moment Yun Long nodded, he saw Yun Bing’s face fill with concern. "How is Xia Liang? Is he hurt? Was he taken hostage by the hijackers?"

Seeing his daughter’s worried expression, Yun Long suddenly felt a lot less pleased. His precious daughter, already prone to siding with outsiders, was now about to become someone else’s bulletproof vest.

Still, seeing Yun Bing’s anxious face, he said, "He’s on the plane, but don’t worry, he’s fine. On the contrary, he captured all nine hijackers on board."

"As long as he’s okay, as long as he’s okay," Yun Bing said, patting her chest in relief.

"Wait a minute!" It suddenly hit her. Her eyes widened as if she’d seen a ghost. "Are you saying he apprehended all nine hijackers on the plane?"

"That’s right!"

Her reaction did not surprise Yun Long in the slightest.