Legendary Captain

Chapter 260 The tallest tree in the forest will be felled by the wind.

Inside the chairman's office of Kunlong Airlines, the current chairman, Yun Shang, stared at Han Qi, who was leisurely and carefree, with a livid expression.

"Do you know how big the impact of this information leak is?" Yun Shang roared in a low voice.

Even when facing the owner of Kunlong Airlines, Han Qi remained extremely composed. He even smiled and said, "Nothing in the world is completely airtight. Some information has leaked out, and there's nothing we can do about it."

"It seems you don't really care about your reputation?" Yun Shang took a deep breath, as if trying hard to suppress his temper. "Do you suspect who it is?"

Han Qi casually found a place to sit down and briefly recalled, "Back then, I applied for a local flight at the last minute. The general manager of the flight department knew about it, as did the flight control room that made the plan. Oh, and the Hulan Airport control tower also knew, as did the instructor who was working with me. Wow, when you think about it, quite a few people knew about that local flight."

Unlike Yun Shang, who was already on the verge of exploding, Han Qi had a smile on his face from beginning to end, and seemed not to care at all about the leak of the news that he had failed to recreate the ultra-low altitude leveling in this flight.

"You don't need to tell me that, I've already had someone investigate," Yun Shang sneered.

Han Qi casually picked up some fruit from the table and started eating: "Have you found anything yet?"

"That day you had to add a local flight at the last minute, so you didn't follow the normal procedures. Actually, not many people knew about it, so it wasn't too difficult to investigate." Yun Shang stared intently at Han Qi. "However, while investigating these people, I also investigated the source of the leak. This news spread almost throughout the entire civil aviation industry in just a few days, so someone must have deliberately pushed it. As long as someone deliberately pushed it, it's easy to investigate."

Han Qi paused slightly while peeling the orange, then resumed his normal actions: "Is there a mastermind behind this? I'm curious about that."

"I'm curious too! But the results I found are really interesting."

"Oh?" Han Qi raised his eyelids and slowly stared at Yun Shang. "Chairman, tell me, it'll satisfy my curiosity. But Chairman, there's something I must remind you of. You can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want. It's best to confirm some things before saying them. Once words are spoken, they can't be taken back."

Han Qi's words clearly had a hidden meaning, and Yun Shang, who was already on the verge of exasperation, swallowed back the question that was about to come out of his mouth.

"Han Qi, you are a member of Kunlong Airlines. Your first priority should be the interests of Kunlong. You need to understand this!" Yun Shang stopped talking about the source of the information and instead began to "remind" Han Qi.

Han Qi's smile widened: "That's only natural."

Looking at Han Qi, who was always smiling, Yun Shang became even more irritated and blurted out, "You know that's good. If there's a next time, I definitely won't let you off the hook."

Upon hearing this, Han Qi's smile vanished instantly. He tossed the orange back onto the table, stood up, and walked to Yun Shang's desk, meeting Yun Shang's gaze at him closely.

Faced with Han Qi's sudden outburst, Yun Shang realized he might have misspoke. However, out of pride as a superior, he didn't intend to apologize, but instead forced a smile and demanded, "What do you want?"

Finally, a smile reappeared on Han Qi's face, but it was a smile that sent chills down one's spine.

Han Qi held up one finger and said slowly, "First, the one who has been kind to me is your father, Yun Zhan, not you."

After saying that, he held up another finger: "Secondly, the benefits I have brought to Kunlong over the years are a million times greater than what your father gave me back then. I don't owe Kunlong anything."

Finally, he raised his third finger: "Also, you'd better think twice about how you talk to me in the future. You don't seem to have the right to talk to me like that."

Han Qi naturally exudes the aura of a superior. Even though Yun Shang is the real person in charge of Kunlong Airlines, his presence is ultimately weaker than Han Qi's.

"Han Qi Ni" Yun Shang is young and ambitious. After taking over Kunlong Airlines from his father Yun Zhan, he had everything he wanted in the civil aviation industry. He had never suffered such humiliation.

Despite being furious at Han Qi, Yun Shang managed to suppress his anger and not lash out.

His face turned bright red, and his breathing became extremely heavy. He said coldly, "I was reckless just now. Please don't mind."

Although the words were meant to be an apology, the tone was not that of an apology.

Han Qi stared directly at Yun Shang, whose forehead veins were bulging, and sighed softly, "What a pity, a tiger father and a dog son."

After saying that, Han Qi lost all interest in talking to Yun Shang and left without paying any attention to the chairman of Kunlong Airlines.

After Han Qi left, Yun Shang, who was already burning with anger, looked up and let out a long sigh. He wanted to smash everything on the table to vent his anger, but he knew that if he couldn't even control this kind of emotion, how could he accomplish great things?

After a while, Yun Shang calmed down a bit and plopped down in his seat, still feeling very agitated.

Although he was the chairman of Kunlong Airlines, and Han Qi was at least nominally affiliated with Kunlong Airlines, Han Qi didn't respect him as chairman at all. When the two clashed, it was always him, the chairman, who ultimately yielded, which was incredibly frustrating.

Han Qi previously said that the person who had been kind to him was his father, Yun Zhan, and that was the truth.

Han Qi remained unknown during his time as a co-pilot. During his transition to captain, Kunlong Group invested heavily in the X10 project. Later, the X10 prototype suffered an accident during its test flight, wiping out the entire investment. Kunlong Group's cash flow collapsed, forcing it to rely on constantly selling assets to stay afloat. Ultimately, Kunlong Group was reduced to only Kunlong Aviation, and even this last remaining asset was on the verge of collapse.

It was in this environment that Han Qi hired a captain at Kunlong Airlines. After he became a captain, Kunlong Airlines, facing financial difficulties, drastically cut expenses, one major measure of which was reducing salaries.

In the initial period after Han Qi became a captain, his salary was even lower than that of his senior co-pilot position, which shows how significant the salary reduction was.

Most importantly, Kunlong Airlines is already in dire straits, and no one knows when it will cease to exist. This is a huge psychological burden for Han Qilai, who desperately needs money.

Why did Han Qi urgently need money at that time? Because his mother was seriously ill, and the money was flowing out like water. Moreover, despite the large sums of money spent, the treatment was not very effective. His mother's serious illness also put enormous pressure on Han Qi.

The dual pressures of work and family weighed heavily on Han Qi's shoulders, almost suffocating him. Perhaps due to excessive pressure, Han Qi's mental state began to deteriorate at that time.

In the context of Kunlong Airlines at that time, a captain with mental health issues would basically be waiting to be dismissed, so the company could still save a captain's salary.

However, Yun Zhan, the chairman of Kunlong Airlines at the time, who was also Yun Shang's father, somehow, perhaps out of a conscience, did not dismiss Han Qi as captain. Instead, he advanced Han Qi three months' average salary and gave him three months' leave.

With this money and three months of vacation, Han Qi accompanied his mother through the final journey of her life. Although his mother could not be saved in the end, Han Qi always kept Yun Zhan's kindness in his heart.

At that time, Han Qi was on the verge of a mental breakdown. However, despite the company's tight financial situation, Yun Zhan gave Han Qi precious rest time and even advanced his salary, which is quite rare in the civil aviation industry.

It was during these three months that Han Qi emerged from the lowest point of his life, after which the curtain rose on his legendary journey.

Out of gratitude for Yun Zhan's kindness, even though Han Qi later rose to prominence and received countless offers with unimaginably high terms, he always stayed with Kunlong Airlines.

The only thing Han Qi could cherish about Kunlong Airlines was Yun Zhan, but Yun Zhan had passed away a few years ago, so Han Qi's attachment to Kunlong Airlines was no longer as strong.

Therefore, no matter how troublesome Han Qi was, he still brought huge profits to Kunlong Airlines. Even if Yun Shang was unhappy, he could only grit his teeth and accept it. Otherwise, it wouldn't be impossible for Han Qi to leave Kunlong Airlines in a fit of anger.

"As expected, Han Qi is different from Xu Qing!" Yun Shang sighed.

Qingyuan Group belongs to Xu Qing; the two are inextricably linked, and he will never leave Qingyuan. However, Han Qi doesn't own any shares in Kunlong Airlines, so if Han Qi wanted to leave, there would be virtually no constraints.

In fact, if Han Qi were willing, Yunshang would be very happy to give him shares in Kunlong Airlines, but Han Qi has no interest in it at all.

Shortly after Han Qi left, another pilot, a man with four bars, entered the office.

Upon seeing an outsider enter, Yun Shang composed himself slightly. The visitor was none other than Sheng Shilong, the Kunlong Aviation Inspector who was scheduled to inspect Xingyou Airlines in the Southwest Region soon.

"Chairman, did you call me?" Sheng Shilong stood respectfully opposite Yunshang's desk.

Yun Shang said calmly, "Star Travel Airlines has sent over the list of personnel for this cross-regional inspection. I need you to pay special attention to one person."

"Cross-regional inspection?" Sheng Shilong was taken aback. He had been wondering why the chairman had called him over, but he never expected it was about a cross-regional inspection.

Cross-regional inspections are entirely the responsibility of the flight department, so why is the chairman getting involved?

"Yes, it's a cross-regional inspection." Yun Shang kept tapping the table: "Xu Xian is on the list of inspectors sent by Xingyou Airlines. You need to give him special treatment."

Yunshang emphasized the phrase "special care" very much, and the implication was already very clear.

"Xu Xian? The Xu Xian from the Xingyou 6333 hazardous materials leak incident?" Xu Xian has gained some fame in the industry now, and even in the Northeast region, thousands of miles away, many people still know his name.

"What? Is there a problem?" Yun Shang frowned, and Sheng Shilong seemed to be in a bit of a predicament.

It can only be said that Yun Shang's intuition was quite accurate; Sheng Shilong was indeed somewhat conflicted. Playing tricks on ordinary pilots wouldn't be a big deal, and the risk wouldn't be high. But Xu Xian was, after all, a person of some standing. If Xu Xian himself made a mistake during the inspection, it would naturally be convenient to fail him. However, asking him to deliberately cause trouble for Xu Xian was like recklessly testing the limits of suicidal intent.

If I'm not careful and offend Xu Xian, he might take it to the authorities, which would be a real problem. Xu Xian has just dealt with a hazardous materials leak and is currently in the limelight; if I act recklessly, I could easily get myself into trouble.

"Chairman, Xu Xian isn't someone to be trifled with. What will I do if something goes wrong?" Even though Sheng Shilong knew that he would probably just agree to whatever the chairman asked, the matter the chairman had given him could potentially affect his flying career, he still needed to make things clear.

Sheng Shilong knew his own limitations. He wasn't seeking any major advancement in his administrative position; he just wanted to keep his pilot's job. However, making any rash moves against Xu Xian could cost him his own small post.

Yun Shang was quite annoyed that Sheng Shilong was so wary of Xu Xian: "He's just a lowly co-pilot, what are you afraid of? He's just been acting all high and mighty lately, doesn't he know who's standing behind him!"

Han Qi was behind everyone at Kunlong Airlines, which is why they could always be so arrogant.

Sheng Shilong asked timidly, "Chairman, haven't there been rumors lately that Instructor Han Qi failed to recreate Xu Xian's ultra-low-altitude leveling maneuver?"

"That's why I need you to nip that kid's momentum in the bud, don't you understand?" Yun Shang said through gritted teeth. These pilots seemed to have rusted brains, aside from flying planes. He had made himself perfectly clear, but they still didn't understand.

Xu Xian is currently riding high and his popularity is getting out of control. If things continue like this, who knows if he might become the third civil aviation benchmark after Xu Qing and Han Qi?

If Kunlong Airlines wants to continue to benefit from Han Qi's policies, then it absolutely cannot allow this to happen.

"You should know why Kunlong Aviation is doing so well today, and why you're getting paid far more than other companies at the same level. The task I'm assigning you isn't just for Kunlong, it's also for your own job." Perhaps to reinforce Sheng Shilong's resolve, Yun Shang added, "Don't worry, with the company backing you up, nothing serious will happen. Anyway, this time you find a reason to get rid of Xu Xian, understand?"

If we can get rid of Xu Xian this time, then with a publicity campaign from Kunlong Airlines' public relations department, we can definitely extinguish, or at least curb, Xu Xian's current momentum.

In Yun Shang's view, one Qingyuan Group is enough for the civil aviation market; any more trying to take a share would make him very unhappy.

The tallest tree in the forest will surely be felled by the wind!

With Yunshang's guarantee, Sheng Shilong felt much more at ease. With Kunlong Airlines acting as guarantor, the risk factor indeed plummeted. Moreover, Yunshang's words weren't without merit. Sheng Shilong also had friends at other airlines, instructors at the same level as him, whose salaries were almost a third less—a truly outrageous situation.

The reason Kunlong Airlines offers such good benefits is because of its near-monopoly advantage, which stems from Han Qi. As long as Han Qi remains in power, Kunlong Airlines can continue to prosper.

However, with Xu Xian's emergence, there seems to be a slight threat to Han Qi's position. Furthermore, the recent widely circulated news of Han Qi's failed attempt to replicate Xu Xian's low-altitude maneuver is undoubtedly a significant blow to Han Qi's reputation. If Xu Xian rises to power, the most likely outcome is that he will climb over Han Qi to gain dominance.

Hanqi is the totem of Kunlong Aviation, so Hanqi cannot afford any mistakes.

Sheng Shilong, who has been with Kunlong Airlines for many years, knows that beneath its apparent prosperity lie numerous hidden problems. These problems have simply not surfaced thanks to Han Qi. Without Han Qi, Kunlong Airlines would face an unstoppable decline.

Perhaps it really is as Yun Shang said, that even for his own sake, Xu Xian needs to be given a warning.

After figuring things out, Sheng Shilong made a promise: "Chairman, I understand. I will definitely complete the mission."

Yun Shang finally smiled slightly: "You did a good job. The position of general manager of the Hunhe base that has recently become vacant is yours."

Sheng Shilong was overjoyed at the unexpected reward: "Thank you, Chairman."

"Don't rush to thank me, go back and prepare." Yun Shang waved his hand, indicating that Sheng Shilong could leave.

Sheng Shilong understood and left the chairman's office with utmost respect.

After Sheng Shilong left, there was no one else in the office except Yun Shang; the huge chairman's office looked empty.

Yun Shang sneered, "Tianyan Magazine's Person of the Year, ultra-low altitude leveling simulation? The person you want to promote, I'm going to throw him down hard."

Yun Shang didn't actually know Xu Xian, and the two had never even met. But the conflict of interests alone was enough to breed immense hatred between two complete strangers.

"So next," Yun Shang's gaze fell on a USB drive on the corner of his desk. It had been given to him not long ago by a reporter named Li Chengyu, who claimed to have important information that could bring down Xu Qing.

Yun Shang hesitated for a moment, but finally made a call to the secretary's office: "Make contact and hold an emergency board meeting this afternoon."

(End of this chapter)