In the central garden of an ordinary residential area in Hanjing, an ordinary-looking middle-aged man wearing a gray sweater was walking slowly on the gravel path.
The greening in the old neighborhoods is pretty good, with lush greenery on both sides and the scent of grass in the air.
This person was none other than Xu Ruxing who had returned from Tianning.
Behind him, the sturdy assistant followed closely. The last time Xu Cang saw him, his suit was relatively loose, but this time it was a little tighter, and his chest muscles and biceps seemed to be about to burst the suit.
"Have you figured out the background of the Kraft Medical Center?" Xu Ruxing said calmly, like an inconspicuous middle-aged man taking a walk.
The assistant followed behind and said respectfully, "We found out that the biggest funder of Kraft Medical Center is General Pharmaceuticals."
"General Pharmaceuticals?" Xu Ruxing was stunned: "General Pharmaceuticals has a grudge against Xu Cang?"
"General Pharmaceuticals has no strict relationship with Xu Cang, but General Dynamics does." The assistant said, "According to the intelligence I have collected, the CEO of General Dynamics did have contact with Xu Cang, but the process was not pleasant. Moreover, General Dynamics' progress on the new engine GENx is not smooth. If General Dynamics is looking for Xu Cang, we can basically guess the reason."
Xu Ruxing chuckled: "Just like the British Rolls-Royce? In terms of flight testing, Xu Cang is really very useful."
"It seems that Xu Cang doesn't care about this."
"Flight tests are always dangerous. Who can guarantee that they will survive every time? It's normal for him to refuse." Xu Ruxing said with a smile: "It seems that the CEO of General Dynamics was angry because of Xu Cang's refusal."
Xu Ruxing pondered for a moment and said, "Well, you ask Xu Cang for a copy of his medical file. You can process the file later to hide his identity information. Send it to the Kraft Medical Center in my name and say it's for research purposes. Ask them if there are any problems with the file."
Xu Ruxing is from the medical field, and this kind of mutual assistance for research purposes is relatively common. And given Xu Ruxing's reputation, the Kraft Medical Center should give him some face.
However, this can easily lead to a problem.
"Boss, what if the people from Kraft Medical Center want to do a real-life examination?"
Some things may not be apparent just from the files. What if the Kraft Medical Center asks the person in question to come in for an examination? Wouldn't that reveal everything?
Xu Ruxing waved his hand: "We'll talk about these things later."
The assistant didn't say anything else, but nodded: "I will do it. However, it may not be possible now. If nothing unexpected happens, Xu Cang is already on his way to the UK."
"Then wait a few days. There's no rush anyway."
After that, Xu Ruxing fell silent and just walked forward silently. In the past few days since returning from Tianning, Xu Ruxing has not been in a very good mood. Perhaps it was the time when Tianning was commemorating his deceased wife that made him miss her again.
The assistant followed behind, hesitated several times, and finally said: "Boss, there is one more thing about Xu Cang that I feel I need to tell you."
Xu Ruxing didn't even turn his head: "Speak!"
"Recent signs indicate that Xu Cang is raising a large amount of funds."
Xu Ruxing paused, revealing a hint of curiosity: "What is he going to do?"
“They are contacting brokers to discuss lending a large number of Airbus shares.”
"This kind of operation should be very secretive. How can you find out about it?" Xu Ruxing was a little surprised.
At this point, a strange look flashed across the assistant's face : "Because they contacted our brokerage firm."
This made Xu Ruxing laugh: "How much has he prepared?"
The assistant laughed and said, "During the early contact, the information disclosed probably exceeded 300 million."
"Three hundred million." Xu Ruxing pondered for a moment: "For Xu Cang, raising so much money at once seems like he has it all planned out."
"If nothing unexpected happens, Xu Cang is bearish on Airbus." The assistant said, "However, with the first A380 about to be put into commercial operation and the issuance of the euro, Airbus's stock has been quite strong. Xu Cang's views seem to be different from the mainstream."
Xu Ruxing found a stone bench and sat down: "It seems that something is going to happen to Airbus in the near future."
"Boss, you..." The assistant couldn't believe it. Xu Ruxing said this because he tended to agree with Xu Cang's opinion, but it didn't make sense. No matter from which angle, at least in the near future, Airbus's stock should be at a high level. How could he go all-in and be bearish?
The assistant carefully reminded Xu Ruxing: "Boss, even our evaluation department's view on Airbus is consistent with the mainstream."
"I don't understand the financial issues very well, but I understand this man. If he is sure of something, it will happen."
Even the tall and strong assistant couldn't help but twitch his lips when he heard Xu Ruxing's words. What is this? Ignoring basic financial principles and trusting a person unconditionally, why would such irrational behavior happen to Xu Ruxing?
He has been with Xu Ruxing for many years and is accustomed to Xu Ruxing's predictable operations.
In the eyes of outsiders, Xu Ruxing is just a world-renowned doctor with many medical patents. But in fact, Xu Ruxing's business empire is beyond the imagination of many people.
To be able to build such a vast business empire, one must have incredible rationality, completely irrational trust in one person, and disregard for the laws of reality. This kind of thing should not have happened to Xu Ruxing.
However, since Xu Ruxing said so, the assistant thought of another question: "Boss, do we need to sell the Airbus shares we have?"
If Xu Ruxing's default position is to believe in Xu Cang, it means that he also agrees that Airbus will have a big stock drop in the near future. However, they also have a large number of Airbus shares in their hands. If Airbus shares plummet, they will also suffer huge losses.
However, Xu Ruxing waved his hand and said, "No, we don't need to care about the short-term stock price fluctuations. We can even increase our holdings of Airbus shares at certain stock price bottoms."
The assistant was stunned and his brain began to lose the ability to think. He could not understand Xu Ruxing's operation at all.
"Boss, do you mean that the future stock plunge of Airbus is simply due to accidents? In the long run, Airbus's stock still has investment value?" asked the assistant.
Only this explanation can be consistent with Xu Ruxing's approach.
Generally speaking, if a company is so bearish, it is likely that there are some extremely serious problems inside or outside of it. If it really develops to this point, it is basically the nail in the coffin. Can it rise again?
However, the actions of both Xu Cang and Xu Ruxing are very inconsistent with mainstream judgment, and rational judgment is simply not feasible.
"Boss," the assistant asked carefully, "What do you think is the reason for the recent plunge in Airbus's stock price? There doesn't seem to be any sign of it."
Xu Ruxing thought hard and finally sighed: "I don't know."
"No...I don't know." The assistant really didn't know what to say at this time. It turned out that it was all because he trusted Xu Cang.
At this point, the assistant had given up on understanding Xu Cang and Xu Ruxing's ideas, and simply focused on one question: "Boss, should we just wait and see what happens this time?"
"Of course not. Thanks to Xu Cang, maybe we can do something about it." Xu Ruxing said with a smile: "You can contact some other large brokerage firms."
The assistant was startled: "What for?"
"I believe Xu Cang, so I naturally believe that Airbus will plummet in the near future. In this case, why not use this information? Who says that brokerages can't short Airbus?" Xu Ruxing smiled and said, "With a little manipulation, borrow Airbus shares from other large brokerages under other names. In addition, after the recent issuance of the euro, the overall European market is hot. At this time, we can guide public opinion and see if we can push Airbus shares up further. In this context, Airbus should not be aware that someone is deliberately raising their stock price. They will only think that it is a bonus from the issuance of the euro."
The assistant nodded and said, "Boss, do I need to push it up with all my strength, or just use a little force?"
"Mainly hide yourself and don't draw too much attention. Remember, what you have now is just the icing on the cake. There is no need to expose it."
"Then I understand. I'll do it."
Xu Ruxing hummed: "Things are getting more and more interesting."
…
Time flies, and ten hours later, a Boeing 747 of Tiandong Airlines landed at Heathrow Airport in the UK. Soon, at the arrival gate, Jonathan, the chief engineer of Rolls-Royce, and Song Xinyang, an executive, were waiting for a long time.
Seeing Xu Cang coming, Jonathan greeted him enthusiastically: "Mr. Xu, you must have come a long way. Thank you for your hard work."
"The first-class cabin has plenty of space, so it's not too hard."
Suddenly, Jonathan spotted Deng Peng following behind Xu Cang and was puzzled: "Who is this?"
"I mentioned to you before that after the test flight, I can select three people to learn the three-rotor technology at Rolls-Royce. Here, this is one of them. I have brought it here."
Jonathan was startled, then he smiled heartily: "It seems that Mr. Xu is sure to win."
Xu Cang did not respond directly to this question, but asked: "When will the test flight begin?"
Speaking of the test flight, Jonathan's expression suddenly became much more serious: "The day after tomorrow morning. The Trent 1000 prototype is undergoing final adjustments. Believe me, we don't want any problems to occur during the test flight."
"Test flight platform?"
"Same as before, an Airbus 330."
"New?"
Jonathan's face twitched. "Of course it's old. Although we are willing to spend money on test flights, this is not the way to spend money. Although the A330 is a little old, it meets the airworthiness standards in all aspects. You can rest assured about this."
"I want to see it myself." Xu Cang said solemnly: "Forget about today, take me to see the A330 tomorrow. Has the Trent 1000 prototype been installed now?"
"It will be installed tonight, and we have 36 hours to debug it." Jonathan added: "It should be fine."
"Should?" Xu Cang sneered: "Do you British people like to postpone things so much? What if something goes wrong? Don't leave more time. Thirty-six hours doesn't seem to be enough."
If there is no problem, then thirty-six hours is definitely enough. But what if there is a problem? Will the test flight be delayed?
This kind of test flight requires a lot of approval procedures. If you miss the deadline, it will be delayed for a long time.
Many of Xu Cang’s things are focused on this trip to the UK. If there are any changes, the subsequent impact will be huge.
Jonathan showed a hint of embarrassment on his face: "There are some minor problems, but we can handle them."
Xu Cang frowned: "What's wrong?"
"Our CEO is on vacation." Song Xinyang stepped forward and took over the conversation: "The test flight is a collaboration between many departments, and our CEO was previously responsible for the overall planning. However, he went to the Alps for vacation not long ago. Without the CEO's coordination, the cooperation between departments is a little...hindered, so the time is a little tight. However, we can assure you that the test flight will be carried out at the scheduled time. You just need to adjust your state and get on the plane for the test flight on the same day."
"Vacation?" Xu Cang was stunned: "Trent 1000 should be very important to you."
"It is very important." Song Xinyang was also a little helpless: "But compared to vacation, vacation is more important."
"You guys..." It can only be said that there are too many differences in the workplace culture between the East and the West. At this point, Xu Cang felt that it was impossible to ask the CEO to come back at this time, so he had to accept it all: "Whatever, anyway, if there is a problem, you will suffer the most."
Jonathan knew he was in the wrong and scratched his head: "Thank you Mr. Xu for your understanding. Let's go to the Rolls-Royce headquarters first."
Xu Canggang took two steps and suddenly thought of something: "Do you have President Richard's contact information?"
"Richard?" Jonathan was stunned. "Richard, the president of the International Federation of Air Line Pilots Association?"
Xu Cang nodded: "It's him!"
…
At the same time, in the office of the director of the Seoul Civil Aviation Administration, Choi Sang-do, the president of Korean Air, was sipping tea leisurely. During this period, what seemed to be a crushing victory over Asiana Airlines turned into a painful war of attrition, and Choi Sang-do, the president, was actually under tremendous pressure.
Fortunately, the final result was good.
Director Jin, who was sitting opposite Cui Xiangdao, saw that he was in a good mood and said with a smile, "President Cui, it seems that the acquisition of Asiana Airlines is a done deal?"
"Since Muhua Airlines severed its international business ties with Asiana Airlines, Asiana Airlines has been in a state of decline. We have already made a formal acquisition proposal to Asiana Airlines and are now waiting for their response." Choi Sang-do put down his teacup. "Asiana Airlines is already a spent force and will soon become our subsidiary."
"President Cui, if the first and second largest airlines in the country merge, will it trigger an antitrust investigation?" Director Jin asked casually.
"Director Jin." Cui Xiangdao didn't seem to care much. "For this kind of thing, our legal department has already thought of countermeasures at the beginning of the acquisition. Even if it triggers an antitrust investigation, we are confident that we can get through it safely."
After saying this, Choi Sang-do felt more and more proud the more he thought about it. If Korean Air and Asiana Airlines merged, their size would be close to that of Japan Airlines. He might have a chance to live out his dream of being the president of Asia's largest airline.
Whenever he thought of this, Cui Xiangdao felt particularly happy.
Life is so wonderful. Who would have thought that Asiana Airlines, which had been fighting with them for so many years, would be exposed to the scandal of document falsification because of its own mistake, thus giving Korean Air an opportunity.
Just based on this achievement, his position in Korean Air will be greatly consolidated. I am afraid that Korean Air will not change its president for a long time.
"That's good, that's good." Director Jin laughed twice in agreement, and then hesitated several times to speak.
Cui Xiangdao naturally noticed the change in Director Jin's expression and slightly restrained his smile: "Director Jin, if you have anything to say, just ask. You specially asked me to come here, it shouldn't be just to invite me for tea."
Director Jin coughed twice and said, "Well, there are some things I need to talk to President Cui about."
"Good news, or bad news?"
"This... shouldn't be good for you." Director Jin bared his teeth, looking very embarrassed: "Just now I received news from above that the Minzhuang air crash has finally been determined."
"Minzhuang air crash? The one involving the cargo plane?" Cui Xiangdao was stunned for a moment, then immediately became nervous: "What do you mean?"
Director Jin sighed and said, "Your Korean Air crew bears full responsibility. This is the final conclusion."
Cui Xiangdao's face changed drastically. "What? Almost the whole world uses the imperial system, but there is a metric system. Shouldn't they reflect on this? They shouldn't be responsible. Why are they pushing all the blame on us?"
The muscles at the corners of Director Jin's mouth twitched, thinking that it was a miracle that the crew could be so confident when they misread the altimeter. However, the two sides had some cooperative relationship in private, and Director Jin did not want to say anything too harsh, so he just laughed dryly: " This final conclusion was decided by the Aviation Accident Committee, and it has nothing to do with us. Besides, it has been a while since the Minzhuang air crash, and the pressure from public opinion will not be great. Just fulfill the compensation obligation in a low-key manner, and the impact should not be great."
Cui Xiangdao placed the teacup heavily on the tea table and said bitterly, "Those guys asked for a million dollars each. Are those worth a million dollars? We are kind enough to give them one tenth of it."
"So President Cui wants to reduce the death compensation?"
Cui Xiangdao snorted, "Since the Aviation Accident Committee has already made its decision, we can only execute it. However, it only stipulates our liability for compensation, but there is no hard and fast rule on how much compensation to pay. One million dollars? Do they deserve it?"
The death compensation that Cui Xiangdao referred to was certainly not for the families of the crew members. The cause of the plane crash was the crew members. Cui Xiangdao hated them to death. If the flight crew had not all died, Cui Xiangdao would probably ask the crew for money.
An extension of the Minzhuang air crash is that the plane accidentally injured some innocent people on the ground when it crashed, and the compensation lies with these people who were accidentally injured.
Director Jin thought about it for a moment and said, "President Choi, if we calculate one million dollars per person, then the total is close to 20 billion won. Will this put a lot of pressure on Korean Air?"
Cui Xiangdao looked a little unhappy. 20 billion won is of course a huge sum of money, but if it was before, Korean Air might have paid it with a pinch of the nose.
But Korean Air had been in a tough situation because of its previous fight with Asiana Airlines. Moreover, Korean Air had to use a large amount of its remaining funds to acquire Asiana Airlines, so where could it suddenly come up with an extra 20 billion won?
Director Kim guessed what was going on by looking at Choi Sang-do's expression. He just lamented that the fierce battle between Korean Air and Asiana Airlines in the recent period had indeed had a huge impact. 20 billion won had made Korean Air feel overwhelmed.
"Besides the money, there is actually another problem." Cui Xiangdao snorted: "In addition to the monetary compensation, those people also want us to make a public apology."
Director Jin's breath was choked. He finally understood why Choi Sang-do was so angry. Perhaps, monetary compensation was really secondary, and a public apology was probably the most fatal.
The Minzhuang air crash finally calmed down in public opinion. If Korean Air issued a public apology, it would undoubtedly put itself in the spotlight again. At other times, this matter would be forgotten and it would pass if you just endured it.
However, such an incident happening at a critical moment in the acquisition of Asiana Airlines will undoubtedly bring changes to the acquisition process.
"Don't be afraid of being laughed at by Director Jin. In order to force Asiana Airlines to surrender, Korean Air was under great pressure. Now the financial pressure is quite urgent. When the Minzhuang air crash happened, you had just taken office, and you should still remember the scene. In the two years after the air crash, our performance dropped by nearly 20%. With great effort, the matter gradually subsided and the performance began to gradually improve. If this matter is brought up again, it will be a disaster for us, especially at this juncture."
Even though Asiana Airlines has reached the point of exhaustion, Korean Air has also been having a hard time. After all, price war is a tactic of killing one thousand enemies and injuring eight hundred of your own.
In this case, if public opinion about the Minzhuang air crash resurfaces and Korean Air's performance drops by another 20%, it is estimated that its own fundamentals will collapse.
Between monetary compensation and public apology, if Korean Air cannot obtain the former, it may be able to accept it reluctantly. But as for the latter, Korean Air will never agree to it at all during this period of weakness, as it will be the death of Korean Air.
Director Jin probably understood what Choi Sang-do meant: "President Choi, can't you just spend money to avoid disaster? Or give them more money so that they don't insist on a public apology. At this special moment, there is no way to suffer a little loss."
"You think we didn't mention it?" Cui Xiangdao gritted his teeth and said, "This group of unruly people are greedy and insatiable. Damn it!"
Choi Sang-do became increasingly annoyed as he spoke. The timing of the Aviation Accident Committee's decision was really bad. If it had been two months later, the impact on Korean Air would not have been so great.
Sometimes, how much damage is done does not depend on how deep the knife stabs, but on whether it stabs the right place at the right time.
"Is that so?" Director Jin saw that Choi Sang-do was like a volcano on the verge of erupting, so he decided to say less to avoid unnecessary trouble.
Suddenly, Cui Xiangdao asked, "Director Jin, is there any way for the Aviation Accident Committee to postpone the release of the qualitative results of the Minzhuang air crash?"
Upon hearing this, Director Jin's face changed drastically, and he shook his head like a rattle: "No, no, we may seem to be in the same department, but in fact we are very independent. How can I influence the Aviation Accident Committee?"
"I didn't ask you to change the results. I just wanted them to postpone the release date of the results for two months. No, one month will do." Cui Xiangdao said anxiously.
Director Jin's face was full of embarrassment. "President Cui, I understand your feelings, but the Aviation Accident Committee is very independent. And because the Minzhuang air crash was a Boeing plane, the US NTSB is also involved in this matter. It's really difficult to deal with."
NTSB, or the National Transportation Safety Board, is the agency in the United States that investigates transportation accidents, which naturally includes aviation accidents.
The Minzhuang air crash seems to have nothing to do with the United States, but because the aircraft was made in the United States, the NTSB will participate in the accident investigation, but will not take the lead.
"Director Jin, if it is inconvenient for you, could you introduce someone from the Aviation Accident Committee to us?" Choi Sang-do was still not giving up and was obviously being pushed into a corner.
"Well..." Director Jin showed a thoughtful look: "Let me think about it. Let me think about it."
…
At night, melodious music was floating in an upscale tea restaurant in London, England. Everyone present was dressed in gorgeous clothes. Although there were quite a few people, there was almost no noise except the crisp sound of tableware touching.
In the restaurant, everyone kept to their duties and even kept their voices down.
In a corner of the restaurant, Xu Cang was also wearing a formal suit and sitting upright.
To be honest, Xu Cang didn't like this kind of atmosphere or occasion very much, which made him feel naturally restrained. However, he would meet the leader of the International Federation of Airline Pilots Association later, so the occasion should be more formal.
There were still five minutes left before the scheduled time, and Xu Cang was already feeling a little tired. Flying from Hanjing was already tiring, and he only took a short nap in the afternoon, but he was already feeling tired.
At first, Xu Cang just yawned, but soon, the uncontrollable sleepiness almost overwhelmed Xu Cang.
Gradually, Xu Cang seemed to lose consciousness and his body tilted. However, the next moment, someone pressed down on Xu Cang's shoulders, which woke him up. Xu Cang turned his head suddenly and saw Richard, who was also dressed in formal clothes.
"You look tired?" Richard patted Xu Cang's shoulder and then sat down opposite Xu Cang.
Xu Cang perked up: "After sitting on a plane for more than ten hours, anyone would be tired."
Richard snapped his fingers, called the waiter over, and said with a smile: "Then you can postpone the meeting time."
"No, I'm short on time, this is the only thing I can do." Xu Cang rubbed his eyes.
"You don't have to put so much pressure on yourself." Richard took the menu handed over by the waiter: "What do you want to eat?"
Xu Cang waved his hand: "It doesn't matter, it's all the same to me."
"The baked snails here are OK, but the rest is just so-so." Richard smiled and said, "If you don't mind, I'll take the order?"
Xu Cang made a gesture: "Whatever you want."
Richard whispered a few words to the waiter. It didn't sound like English, at least Xu Cang couldn't understand it at all.
The waiter just nodded and left.
Richard still held the menu in his hand. "Ordering takes time. Since you are so busy, let's rush through everything. How about we order and talk at the same time? Walnut chicken soup, how about that?"
"Sure!" Xu Cang nodded: "Mr. Richard, I'm bothering you to come here this time because I need your help in the future."
"Oh?" Richard raised his eyebrows: "What?"
"Soon, there will be a compensation claim for the Korean Air crash. For some reason, Korean Air will probably reject the relevant compensation claim. I hope Mr. Richard can exert pressure on Korean Air in public opinion."
The influence of the International Federation of Airline Pilots Association on airlines is very strong. For example, the International Civil Aviation Organization is an official organization. The International Transport Association is nominally an alliance between airlines, but in fact it is also a semi-official organization. Only the International Federation of Airline Pilots Association is a union of practitioners.
Although this association is not an official organization, its influence is actually no less than that of ICAO and IATA.
Xu Cang was able to foresee that the final result regarding the Minzhuang air crash would come out in the near future, and Korean Air naturally could not go against this result. However, if it just thought about delaying it, that would not be in line with Xu Cang's plan. Some external pressure must be applied to Korean Air so that they could not ignore the Minzhuang air crash.
Only in this way will Korean Air have to face the acquisition of Asiana Airlines and the compensation for the Minzhuang air crash at the same time. Under such heavy pressure, Korean Air may not be able to withstand it.
"I will look into that matter. If it is really the fault of Korean Air, I will fulfill my relevant responsibilities to maintain the image of the aviation industry." Richard said calmly: "Red juice cucumber?"
Xu Cang frowned and shook his head: "I don't like cucumbers."
“Chicken Saffron?”
"I don't like chicken either." Xu Cang smacked his lips, "Let's have the steak with foie gras."
"Haha, it seems that not all Western food is the same to you." Richard nodded: "But your food preferences are indeed quite... unique."
Xu Cang didn't want to spend too much time on the meal, so he changed the subject directly: "Mr. Richard, if you can help me, I would be very grateful. As a thank you..."
"No need!" Richard waved his hand to stop Xu Cang from speaking: "If you want to thank me, can you listen to my request?"
"Hmm?" Xu Cang was stunned: "What request?"
"Xu Cang, there are mediocre people everywhere in the world, but only a few capable people. I have high hopes for you, come and help me." Richard said solemnly.
"Will you let me join the association?" Xu Cang's expression did not change at all: "That's fine."
It is normal to join the International Federation of Air Line Pilots Association. There are many members in China. If this is the only requirement, Xu Cang will naturally accept it with pleasure.
“No, no, no, no.” Richard smiled and shook his head: “You are not joining as a member, but as a director of the board of directors.”
Xu Cang was stunned: "You want me to be the manager?"
The highest decision-making body of the association is the board of directors. If Xu Cang joins as a director, it is equivalent to entering the management of this association. However, Xu Cang was not very happy. He did not show the expected response to this invitation.
"Yes." Richard nodded: "Or, it is possible that you can take over my position."
Xu Cang laughed out loud: "That won't work. This position is too conspicuous and could easily lead to accidents."
"So you mean...refuse?" Richard raised his eyebrows.
"There are so many people in the world, why do you need to give me this position?" Xu Cang said with a smile: "Perhaps your request is too high."
Richard laughed even louder, and it was even somewhat conspicuous in the relatively quiet restaurant. Guests at other tables cast some surprised glances in his direction.
"Xu Cang, you misunderstood. I don't have any requirements." Richard held up a finger and said, "Since you represent the interests of all civil aviation pilots, what is the hard truth in this field? Technology! I don't care about management ability or coordination ability. The foundation of everything must meet my technical requirements. Unfortunately, no one can meet this requirement alone."
“But as far as I know, if you want to join the council, you must temporarily hand over all civil aviation-related industries to a third party until you step down.”
Richard said calmly: "There is such a rule."
"That's it, how could I possibly agree to that?" Xu Cang spread his hands: "This shouldn't be something unpredictable, right?"
Richard looked at Xu Cang deeply: "Xu Cang, do you know what the greatest strength of our association is?"
Xu Cang's heart moved slightly: "What is it?"
Richard's lips moved slightly: "Yes... the union! Do you know why you need to hand over all civil aviation-related industries to a third party to join the board? Because our power is beyond your imagination. As long as any director is willing, he can gain huge benefits for his own industry. You don't want to accept this invitation. I know your reason is very simple. Maybe you have a more ambitious plan, but believe me, as long as I want, I can completely wipe out all your overseas businesses in the civil aviation field?"
Xu Cang narrowed his eyes: "Are you threatening me?"
"No, no, no, why do you have such an idea?" Richard said innocently, "I just want you to make a more correct choice. What you insist on is extremely ridiculous compared to the power of the International Federal Air Line Pilots Association. You don't have to work hard. As long as you gently and naturally give up those unrealistic and useless dreams, you will be able to directly obtain the highest power in the civil aviation industry."
"It seems that you are very anxious about the selection of successor." Xu Cang sneered.
"I had already made my choice during the Jakarta volcanic ash incident, so I never felt anxious." Richard smiled and said, "How about it? The shortest term of office for the president is five years. As long as you can demonstrate your ability within five years, you will receive even more trust and support from us after you leave office."
Originally, Xu Cang just wanted to ask Richard for a small favor, but he didn't expect things to turn out like this, which was a bit unexpected for Xu Cang.
Seeing Xu Cang's thoughtful look, Richard said softly: "I can give you time to think, but not too long. I don't have that much patience. Of course, as my greeting gift, I will help Korean Air with the Minzhuang air crash, of course, the premise is that the responsibility is indeed on Korean Air."
Xu Cang didn't say anything. At this time, he couldn't give an answer.
Seeing that Xu Cang stopped talking, Richard snapped his fingers and said with a smile: "Now that we have finished our business, let's enjoy our dinner."
…
While Xu Cang was pondering, a huge Airbus 330 was parked in the huge factory building of Rolls-Royce Power Plant, and the engines suspended on both sides of the wings were obviously different from the fuselage.
This Airbus 330 is obviously quite old, but the paint on the hanging engine is very new. Unlike the Trent 700 engines used in ordinary Airbus 330s, the new engines seem to be slightly larger.
Under the wing, Jonathan looked at the two Trent 1000 test models with a serious expression. In the cockpit, technicians were still debugging the aircraft so that the Airbus 330 could adapt to this new engine that had not yet been released.
Suddenly, Song Xinyang appeared beside Jonathan. However, Jonathan was so focused on the plane that he didn't react until Song Xinyang approached.
It wasn't until Song Xinyang was only two steps away that Jonathan reacted. He tilted his head and glanced at Song Xinyang: "What are you doing here?"
Song Xinyang is not a technical staff and there is nothing he can do during the debugging process. Staying here is just a waste of time.
However, Jonathan soon noticed that Song Xinyang looked a little strange: "What's wrong? What's the problem?"
Song Xinyang pursed his lips: "Something happened to Alandi!"
"What?" Jonathan suddenly raised his voice: "What's going on?"
"The snowstorm in the Alps has suddenly intensified, blocking all land routes to the mountains. The temperature in that area has dropped to more than 30 degrees below zero. Since the external channels have been cut off, supplies there are now in short supply. According to the forecast of the meteorological department, the snowstorm will intensify and last for at least a week. If that happens, everyone in the manor will freeze to death."
Jonas's face changed drastically. "The land route is not feasible, so we should use air transport. I remember there is a small airport near the manor."
"We tried, but the helicopter couldn't land because of the turbulent air. Now the rescue team is organizing people and planning to fly a large aircraft over." Song Xinyang said, things were getting worse and worse: "But the runway at the airport on the mountain is very short, and a large aircraft may not be able to land. If it can't land, the situation will be very critical."
As far as Song Xinyang knew, the airport attached to the manor on the mountain was originally designed mainly to accommodate helicopters.
But in turbulence, helicopters are like leaves in strong winds, unable to stay put. Only large aircraft have stronger wind resistance and are able to approach. But short runways are a nightmare for large aircraft.
At the end, Song Xinyang took a deep breath and said, "Now...what should I do?"