Legendary Captain

Chapter 200: Gift Money Measured in Hundreds of Millions

When Lee Seung-woo saw the video, his heart nearly jumped out of his chest. The video revealed so much information that any single detail could cause a huge uproar if it were to get out.

Xu Xian was the person who handled the Chimelong volcanic ash incident before.

It seems that the chairman of Wens Group has some past relationship with Xu Xian.

Xu Xian boasted that he could guarantee safety in any theoretically feasible situation.

Xu Qing actually guaranteed Xu Xian's promise, stating that if Xu Xian failed to fulfill his commitment, Xu Qing would completely withdraw from the civil aviation industry.

The first few news items were probably okay, but in the end, Xu Qing guaranteed that Xu Xian would not suffer enormous public pressure by completely withdrawing from the civil aviation industry.

Don't think that just because the authorities aren't investigating Xu Xian, he can rest easy.

Xu Xian's performance in the Kunyang River emergency landing incident was less than perfect, and his overly assertive attitude drew considerable public backlash. Furthermore, many people are prone to conspiracy theories. Even after the official report was released, they remained skeptical, believing there was a bribery or power-for-power deal between the airline and the Civil Aviation Administration, resulting in a lenient sentence for Xu Xian.

The key issue is that there are quite a few people like this. Some media outlets just love to cater to these people, seizing on Xu Xian's flaws in handling the incident and exaggerating them, which undoubtedly causes a collective frenzy among a certain group of people.

They only believe what they deem right, and anything that doesn't meet their expectations is seen as a conspiracy. They then proceed to uphold justice in their own way, believing it to be correct.

For example, doxing, cyberbullying, and even sending wreaths or razor blades are all quite normal.

Everyone knows that doxing, cyberbullying, and the like are illegal, but because the internet is not based on real names and the number of participants is usually large, the means of real punishment are very limited.

If Xu Qing doesn't come forward to vouch for him, most of the media present won't let go of the sensational news of the forced landing on the Kunyang River.

In this way, Xu Xian will no longer be just being verbally attacked online, but may also be doxxed and cyberbullied by some self-proclaimed righteous people.

Xu Qing vouched for the media at the press conference, hoping that they would only show the video of the investigation team leader, Shen Yansi, calmly answering questions. No videos of the media questioning the handling of Xu Xian's case were shown, and the media did not seem to be stirring up trouble afterwards.

This move stemmed from Xu Qing's calm handling of the situation, which was the best way to protect Xu Xian. However, once the video is released, it will undoubtedly cause a frenzy online.

However, Li Chengyu couldn't simply release the video, at least not in his name. If the video were released, it would be a huge blow to Xu Qing.

If a major safety issue were to arise after Xu Xian, Xu Qing would have to resign from the civil aviation industry. However, this is a situation that the media, especially those media outlets specializing solely in civil aviation, would not want to see.

Xu Qing has garnered enormous attention and supported countless media outlets. If he were to leave the civil aviation industry because of this video, many media outlets would likely consider him an enemy.

However, while most media outlets aim for a steady, long-term approach, some unconventional media outlets prefer to make quick money. They don't care about sustainable development; their modus operandi is to generate a wave of viral news and massive traffic, then cash out and leave.

Li Chengyu still wanted to continue working at the TV station, so he couldn't take the initiative himself and could only sell the video to media outlets that liked to make quick money. As for when to sell it, he needed to think about it carefully.

A restaurant in Yunnan Province.

Previously, the tower controller Zheng Sheng had asked Xu Xian out to dinner, but after waiting for a while, he never followed up, and Xu Xian had almost forgotten about it. Today, Zheng Sheng suddenly gave Xu Xian an address, so Xu Xian rushed over in a hurry.

Zheng Sheng was quite enthusiastic, waiting for Xu Xian at the entrance of the restaurant. As soon as Xu Xian arrived, he immediately welcomed him inside.

After finding a seat, Zheng Sheng said apologetically, "Brother Xu, I've been really busy lately. Won't it take a long time to wait?"

Zheng Sheng knew that this meal had taken a bit too long, and he felt quite embarrassed. But there was no other way; he had been incredibly busy lately, and he still managed to squeeze in some time to treat himself to a meal today.

"No, no, I just came here to freeload a meal from you. There's no question of how long it will take." Xu Xian was easy to talk to. He was just here to eat for free, so why was he being picky?

Zheng Sheng had ordered the food in advance, so Xu Xian could eat as soon as he arrived. Xu Xian didn't stand on ceremony and started eating as soon as he sat down.

Zheng Sheng had previously asked Xu Xian what he liked to eat, and Xu Xian shamelessly said he liked seafood. As a result, Zheng Sheng actually prepared a table full of seafood for Xu Xian.

Xu Xian wasn't familiar with Zheng Sheng, and his purpose in coming this time was very simple: to become a foodie. As soon as he saw the table full of seafood, he couldn't hold back anymore.

"This table must have cost a lot of money, right? You've gone to so much trouble!" Xu Xian said politely, but he didn't even lift his head completely, just kept eating in silence.

Compared to Xu Xian's eating habits, which resembled those of a starving ghost reincarnated from a previous life, Zheng Sheng appeared much more refined.

"Brother Xu, when I asked you out for dinner before, didn't I say I had something to tell you?"

Xu Xian grunted a few syllables through his nose, then slightly raised his head: "What's up?"

Coming over for a free meal was one reason, or more accurately, the main reason, but wanting to hear what Zheng Sheng had to say was also one of the reasons.

However, judging from Xu Xian's behavior, it seemed that the dishes on the table were the most important thing, and as for what Zheng Sheng had to say, he could just listen and wait.

Seeing that Xu Xian didn't seem to care about what he was about to say, Zheng Sheng wasn't annoyed. He smiled and said, "Brother Xu, my classmate at Tianyan Magazine told me that the editor-in-chief intends to make you this year's cover person."

"Tianyan Magazine? Person of the Year? Am I qualified?" Xu Xian said vaguely, but he was not arrogant at all and kept his position very humble.

There was no way around it; his handling of the emergency landing on the Kunyang River did have some flaws, and he couldn't just keep quiet about it. But even with such a flawed handling, he managed to make the cover of the year, which Xu Xian felt wasn't quite enough.

In response to Xu Xian's modesty, Zheng Sheng laughed and said, "Don't worry about some minor details in the process. You've already done a great job, Brother Xu."

"But it still can't silence the gossip, so let's just give up, lest we become the target of everyone's criticism." Xu Xian saw things clearly and didn't covet the honor of being the cover figure of the year.

However, don't be fooled by Xu Xian's nonchalant demeanor. He was secretly determined to prove himself.

But to prove his abilities, an emergency would have to occur. However, hoping for an emergency to prove himself seemed a bit inappropriate, so Xu Xian was somewhat conflicted.

Zheng Sheng disagreed: "Only those who are unworthy of their position would have such worries. Brother Xu, your talent is undeniable; the honor of being the cover star of the year will only be a boost to your abilities. Why not strive for it?"

Zheng Sheng's ideas are as radical as Xu Qing's. Some people think that making Xu Xian the cover figure of Tianyan Magazine at this time is playing with fire and getting burned, but they also think that the fire is not burning bright enough.

Did Zheng Sheng and Xu Qing not understand the saying "the higher you climb, the colder it gets"? They simply had confidence in Xu Xian, believing he could handle such a weighty honor.

"Leaving aside whether I deserve to be on the cover of the year, how can I even try to get it? It's Tianyan Magazine's business, what can I do?"

"Brother Xu, you can't say that! The editor-in-chief is interested in you, but he might be hesitant due to other factors. Why don't you talk to your company about the situation and ask them to use their connections to give you a push?"

If the editor-in-chief of Tianyan Magazine didn't have any interest in Xu Xian, then no amount of networking would help. But now, the editor-in-chief is interested in Xu Xian; it's just that some external factors are preventing her from making a decision. In this situation, using connections to help the editor-in-chief make a decision could be somewhat effective.

This kind of thing isn't new; other airlines have done it many times. As long as Xu Xian explains the situation clearly and reasonably to Xingyou Airlines, and as long as Xingyou Airlines' leaders don't lose their minds, they should be happy to give it a push.

After all, it's a great honor to have Tianyan Magazine's annual cover star featured in their own magazine.

"This..." Xu Xian hesitated for a moment.

To be honest, he didn't want to be the cover star of the year. If he did, wouldn't that put him in a very difficult position? If Zheng Sheng wasn't lying, and the editor-in-chief of Tianyan Magazine was interested in him, then it really was just a matter of time before it was all done. If Xingyou Airlines put in some effort, they might actually be able to make it happen.

Xu Xian, however, didn't want this matter to go through from the bottom of his heart! Being too prominent was not a good thing!

A tree that stands out in the forest will surely be felled by the wind. This wisdom of our ancestors is clearly written in black and white!

Xu Xian couldn't very well refuse Zheng Sheng's offer outright, so he could only offer a perfunctory reply: "I'll think about it some more!"

Zheng Sheng wasn't a child anymore. Hearing Xu Xian say this, he knew that Xu Xian wasn't very interested in the honor of being the cover star of the year. If it were any other pilot, they would have already gone to the company leaders and made a fuss, demanding that the company help them out.

"Brother Xu, you don't need to care about what others think. In this world, with so many people, there are bound to be some with quirks. If your definition of success is pleasing everyone, then I feel that's impossible. Even Han Qi has people who are sarcastic about him, right? So, Brother Xu, you're putting too much pressure on yourself," Zheng Sheng advised. He could tell that Xu Xian felt his performance in the Kunyang River emergency landing was controversial, and therefore felt he didn't deserve the honor of being the cover star of the year. In Zheng Sheng's view, Xu Xian was simply setting too high a standard for himself and carrying too heavy a burden.

On the internet, Xu Qing might be doing better, but even Han Qi, one of the benchmarks in civil aviation, has people criticizing him.

While achieving success late in life can be inspiring, it can never compare to the legendary experience of reaching the peak immediately upon debut. Han Qi only began to show his talent after becoming a captain, and his ordinary experience as a co-pilot has always been a point of ridicule for some people online, even if the angle of ridicule is rather unusual.

"I know, I know," Xu Xian said with a smile, indicating to Zheng Sheng not to get too excited.

Zheng Sheng noticed Xu Xian's actions and realized that he had been a bit too emotional in speaking up for Xu Xian. After calming himself down a bit, he brought up the second matter: "Brother Xu, you know about the Kunyang Airport construction halt, right?"

"How could I not know? If Kunyang Airport hadn't been shut down for so long, why would I have risked landing on the Kunyang River?" Xu Xian got angry as soon as he talked about it.

It's ridiculous that a major airport project has been going on for so long without even completing soil reinforcement.

"There's no other way. There are still two subway lines under construction in Yunnan and Yunnan, and the government is finding it difficult to sustain operations."

Xu Xian raised an eyelid: "So what? What does that have to do with me?"

"Of course it's related!" Zheng Sheng said with a serious expression. "Kunyang Airport is of great importance, and it can't be delayed any longer. The government intends to introduce private capital."

"Introducing private capital?" Xu Xian pondered for a moment, then asked uncertainly, "You mean the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model, like that used for highway construction?"

The so-called Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model is a model in which the government grants a concession to a private enterprise for a certain period of time through a contract, allowing it to finance, build and operate specific public infrastructure, and permitting it to repay loans, recover investment and make profits by charging users or selling products; when the concession expires, the infrastructure is transferred to the government free of charge.

In other words, when the government is building a large project but doesn't have enough money, it brings in private capital. After the facility is completed, the private capital can operate it for a period of time, using the profits earned to recoup the investment and make a profit. After the agreed-upon period, the facility is then transferred back to the government.

"No, no! Other small airports can do this, but Kunyang Airport can't," Zheng Shengli immediately denied.

Xu Xian asked, puzzled, "Why?"

"Kunyang Airport is to become a Southwest aviation hub in the future. Let alone allowing private companies to operate it exclusively, even a public-private partnership is not allowed. The operating rights of Kunyang Airport must be firmly held in the hands of the public."

"That's true!" Xu Xian nodded. "How could the government possibly trust private companies to operate such a major project as Kunyang Airport? So what's the approach to attracting private capital this time?"

"After Kunyang Airport is completed, the private capital invested during the construction period will enjoy great convenience for a period of time, such as airport sales and other non-flight safety-related matters. Although the payback period is a bit long, it is definitely a sure-fire way to make money!" Zheng Sheng said.

Kunyang Airport will become the core of civil aviation in Southwest China, even surpassing Chengdu Airport in status, and its passenger traffic will be unimaginable. Even without directly operating the airport, areas such as Google and Google are absolutely a huge goldmine. Getting involved would be an excellent investment project.

Zheng Sheng's performance in the Kunyang River forced landing incident was highly praised by the leaders of the Administration Bureau, and his future looks bright. Therefore, Zheng Sheng is very grateful to Xu Xian.

He happened to learn of this news for some reason and then told Xu Xian.

As long as Xu Xian's brain is functioning properly, he will know how important this news is. If Xu Xian tells his superiors this news, he will definitely receive a huge reward.

Of course, this "top" doesn't refer to Star Travel. Star Travel isn't large enough to participate in the investment of Kunyang Airport.

During the emergency landing at Kunyang River, Zheng Sheng overheard Wen Jingshu and Xu Xian's conversation thanks to the emergency communication system developed by Xingyou Aviation. Although they were both given a gag order for some reason and were not allowed to mention anything about Wen Jingshu and Xu Xian, Zheng Sheng knew that Xu Xian had a connection with the chairman of the Wen Group.

Only a large corporation like the Wens Group could afford to invest in Kunyang Airport. If Xu Xian were to inform the Wens Group of this, he would undoubtedly receive a substantial reward. This reward would also be Zheng Sheng's way of thanking Xu Xian.

"You mean let me?"

Zheng Sheng smiled and said, "Although Kunyang Airport is short of money, its future prospects are excellent, so it will be very cautious in choosing its partners. The sooner you tell your superiors, the sooner they can prepare and manage the business, the greater your chances of success!"

"Understood, understood! I'll tell her later!" Xu Xian certainly knew what was important and couldn't let go of such a good opportunity to make money.

"Her?" Zheng Sheng's eyes gleamed, and he added thoughtfully, "Brother Xu, we should definitely keep in touch more often!"

"Of course!" Xu Xian was in a great mood after receiving such valuable information for no reason, and he agreed without even thinking about it.

Zheng Sheng breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Xu Xian readily agreed. He hadn't expected Xu Xian to be so easy to get along with.

Just then, Xu Xian's phone rang. He picked it up and saw that it was Xu Jingyang calling.

"What's wrong?"

"Son! Your Uncle Qing and Aunt Ting are coming this way, hurry back! I can't hold on by myself!" Xu Jingyang's words were a jumble of panic, and his tone clearly showed that he had lost his composure.

"Wait a minute! Weren't you saying you'd come in five days? Why are you bringing it up so much earlier?" Xu Xian was also confused. He had specifically inquired and found out that Xu Qing and his wife were planning to come in five days. Why had they changed their plans at the last minute?

Xu Jingyang was also completely bewildered: "How was I supposed to know? I told your mother about this before, and she was originally scheduled to return to China today, transiting through Tianning on her way back to Yunnan. But how did she end up bringing your Uncle Qing and Aunt Ting along?"

Since there are no direct flights back to Yunnan from China recently, Huang Ying plans to fly to Tianning first, then return to Yunnan from Tianning, and take the opportunity to visit Mei Tingting during her layover. The two are close friends and haven't seen each other for a while.

As a result, when Mei Tingting heard that Huang Ying was going back to Yunnan, and seeing that there was nothing much going on at the group in the next few days, she moved up the time to go to Yunnan, called her own private jet, and took Xu Qing with her to Yunnan.

As for the other senior executives of Qingyuan Group who attended the Internet conference, they will depart for Yunnan five days later as originally planned, and then meet up with her.

Huang Ying hadn't expected Mei Tingting to suddenly decide to go to Yunnan with her. Perhaps the best friends were chatting so happily that they forgot about the reception arrangements. She only remembered after landing in Yunnan, so she quickly found a moment to send Xu Jingyang a message, telling him to prepare and not to be caught off guard and neglect Xu Qing and his wife.

However, even though Huang Ying had informed Xu Jingyang in advance, the time gap was too short. After landing, Xu Qing and his wife went to the hotel to drop off their luggage and then headed straight to Xu Xian's house, which took less than an hour in total.

How could there be enough time?

Xu Jingyang's relationship with Xu Qing and his wife is just so-so. If he were to entertain Xu Qing and his wife alone, Xu Jingyang would feel a lot of pressure, so he quickly called Xu Xian to come back and help him out.

Xu Xian was speechless at the Xu Qing couple's unpredictable behavior, but now that things had come to this, Zheng Sheng couldn't eat his meal anymore.

"I suddenly have something urgent to attend to. How about we reschedule? I'll treat you then!" Leaving midway through the meal is impolite, so it's always good to reciprocate.

Zheng Shenglian said, "Brother Xu, you go ahead and get busy. We'll get together again sometime!"

"Okay, I'll contact you later!"

Xu Xian left after saying that, and had to leave in a hurry.

Because time was too tight, Xu Xian couldn't take the bus leisurely anymore and took a taxi back.

While in the car, Xu Xian tried to call Lian Shanxue to come and help, but when he called, her phone was switched off.

Upon checking Lian Shanxue's flight schedule again, it turned out that she was flying today.

"What kind of luck is this!" Xu Xian said helplessly.

After confirming the arrival time of Xu Qing and his wife in Yunnan, Xu Xian informed Lian Shanxue. Lian Shanxue specifically told the planning office not to schedule a flight for her five days later. However, things didn't go as planned; the arrival time of Xu Qing and his wife was suddenly moved up, and Lian Shanxue was unaware of this. As a result, they are still flying today, meaning they cannot come.

Xu Xian rubbed his temples: "The whole plan is ruined!"

Although he was very annoyed, Xu Xian hadn't forgotten what Zheng Sheng had mentioned about the Kunyang Airport plan to introduce private capital. So he sent Wen Jingshu a message, asking her to come out and discuss it later.

Fortunately, the place where Xu Xian ate was not far from home, only a ten-minute walk away.

Wen Jingshu was very obedient; she was already waiting outside when Xu Xian arrived home.

"What's going on? Why are you making such a fuss?" Wen Jingshu asked, somewhat curious.

Xu Xian glanced around his house. Xu Jingyang seemed to be sorting ingredients, but the conflicted look on his face betrayed his inner turmoil.

"I was having dinner with a friend just now, and he told me some news," Xu Xian said seriously. "Kunyang Airport has been suspended for some time due to lack of funds, right? Recently, it seems that the government is interested in introducing private capital, and using GG and franchise rights for sales in shops within the airport as a means of return."

The previously languid Wen Jingshu's beautiful eyes widened suddenly, and she exclaimed in surprise, "Is this really true?"

"It should be true, there's no reason for my friend to lie to me."

"If it's true, it's indeed worth a fortune! I'll have someone verify it later! If it's confirmed, I think I'll have to go back to headquarters first." If the Wen Group is going to participate in the investment in Kunyang Airport, it will be a huge project, and even a behemoth like Wen Group needs to be treated with caution. As the group's chairperson, Wen Jingshu will definitely have to return to headquarters to oversee the overall situation.

"However, the government will be quite cautious in its choice of capital for such an important project as Kunyang Airport. To be honest, if Qingyuan Group gets involved, I feel that Wen's Group has no chance. I just don't know what Qingyuan Group is thinking," Wen Jingshu sighed.

As long as Xu Qing is around, Qingyuan Group will be the strongest competitor for all major civil aviation projects. Moreover, Qingyuan Group has always had a very good reputation. If Qingyuan Group were to enter the competition for this project, others would have a 70-80% chance of winning.

Seeing Wen Jingshu's regretful expression, Xu Xian whispered, "Is this project really that profitable?"

"Of course it's profitable, the profits are in the hundreds of millions!"

This statement was not made by Wen Jingshu, but rather by Xu Xianhou.

Xu Xian was startled and turned around, only to see Xu Qing walking over with a smile, followed by Mei Tingting and Huang Ying.

"So fast?" Xu Xian originally thought that Xu Qing and the others would arrive in about half an hour, but he didn't expect them to have arrived already.

"Xu Xian, you talk to him, we'll go in first!" Mei Tingting smiled at Xu Xian and then pulled Huang Ying towards Xu Xian's house.

The "he" Mei Tingting was referring to was Xu Qing. She could tell that Xu Qing seemed to have something to say to Xu Xian.

Xu Qing came over with a smile and put his arm around Xu Xian's shoulder: "What, are you going to invest some money at Kunyang Airport?"

Xu Qing was speaking to Xu Xian, but her eyes were fixed on Wen Jingshu.

"I don't know what Qingyuan Group means. If Qingyuan Group wants it, then Wen's Group won't get involved." Wen Jingshu was well aware of Qingyuan Group's influence in the civil aviation industry. Competing with Qingyuan Group for civil aviation projects would be a waste of effort; it was better to give up the idea as soon as possible.

Xu Qing smiled and patted Xu Xian on the shoulder: "Qingyuan Group will not get involved. In fact, if the Wen family wants to compete for this project, I can help mediate between them."

Wen Jingshu's eyelids twitched: "Why? Even for Qingyuan Group, the profit from this project isn't much, is it?"

No conglomerate could afford to take a project with profits measured in hundreds of millions lightly. Unless Qingyuan Group had a money-printing machine, Wen Jingshu didn't believe that Qingyuan Group was so flush with cash!

"You're going to marry Xu Xian, right?" Xu Qing suddenly asked, a completely unrelated question.

"Huh?" Xu Xian and Wen Jingshu exclaimed at the same time.

What's going on here? Weren't we just talking about business issues? How did the topic suddenly jump to marriage?

Xu Qing smiled and said, "Xu Xian is getting married, so as an elder, I definitely have to give a wedding gift! This is my gift!"

The cockpit of Star Travel 6341 flight.

Lian Shanxue was sitting in the passenger seat on the right, unaware that Xu Xian had just called her three times in a row.

Lian Shanxue has only flown a few flights as the first co-pilot, and she's still a little nervous.

The instructor next to him saw that the plane had already begun cruising, and beyond the windshield, the sky was cloudless, so he figured there was nothing serious going on. He said, "The plane is yours now, I'm going to take a nap!"

Today was a long flight, and it was indeed a bit tiring for the two-person crew. The instructors are also getting on in years, so it's normal for them to feel a bit tired after flying this far.

"Okay, Instructor! You can rest. I'll call you if there are any problems!" Although Lian Shanxue hadn't been the first co-pilot for long, she was quite capable of monitoring the aircraft's cruise. If she was unsure about anything, she could just wake the instructor. Besides, when pilots say they're taking a nap, they don't really sleep; they just close their eyes to rest for a while and still maintain a certain level of attention on the aircraft.

The instructor smiled and said, "Then I'll have to trouble you."

This instructor is usually not this good-tempered, but since Lian Shanxue is a woman, he still has to restrain himself.

After speaking, the instructor adjusted his chair and closed his eyes to rest.

Just then, Lian Shanxue suddenly heard a muffled sound, followed by a gasp from the cabin!

It's the beginning of the month, everyone please help cast your monthly vote, thank you!

(End of this chapter)