Chapter 2: Keep A Low Profile

Adam narrowed his eyes, watching as a bandit in the distance gathered up valuables from the passengers. The two bandits next to him had also let their guard down.  He grinned and said, "Hey, boss, I'm still a virgin. Mind if I cop a feel too?" Jacko looked Adam up and down in disbelief, then burst out laughing. "Haha, at your age and still a virgin? Only guys from Chiton are like that. Go on, knock yourself out." Hearing that, Adam put on a sleazy grin. He crouched down, running his left hand along the flight attendant's leg, while his right hand quietly moved toward his own calf. "Isn't that nice? Come on, lift up your skirt for us," one of the bandits jeered as Adam moved. Feeling the flight attendant trembling, Adam frowned. Enough with the act. It was time to take these guys out. He suddenly whipped out a pitch-black dagger with dragon engravings and slashed it across one of the bandits' throats. The laughter stopped dead, and the AK47 clattered to the floor. His eyes widened, uttering incoherent sounds as he desperately clutched his throat, blood gushing from his neck. Before Jacko could even lift his Desert Eagle, Adam's bloody dagger plunged straight into his heart. His body convulsed violently, and he fell back in defeat. Now that Adam had made his move, he was like a wild animal, totally unstoppable. His dagger flew from his hand like a bullet, nailing a bandit who'd noticed something was wrong. The knife buried itself all the way into the guy's forehead, with only the handle sticking out.  That was how much force Adam put behind it. Without missing a beat, Adam grabbed the Desert Eagle lying nearby. The first-class passengers stared in horror as he slowly pulled the dagger out, blood and bits of brain splattering everywhere. Adam had long grown numb to killing. He couldn't even remember how many people he'd sent to their graves. Despite his efforts to control his urge to kill, he hadn't expected to encounter such a situation on his way back home. Once he started, he just couldn't stop. "There's probably still a ringleader in the cockpit... not sure if there are any more in economy," Adam thought, as he quietly slipped toward the back. Before he even stepped in, Adam noticed how weirdly quiet it was. He crouched down, peeked through a crack, and spotted two Black gunmen swaggering around, waving their AK-47s at the terrified passengers. Adam tucked the Desert Eagle into his waistband and stepped out into plain sight. "Freeze! Who the hell are you?" one of the guys barked, aiming his gun at Adam. "Don't shoot! Jacko sent me. He says the first-class flight attendant is a real looker. He told me to tell you guys you could come over and have some fun later," Adam said, pretending to be scared. "Jacko is such a horny bastard," the guy snorted, relaxing his AK47 when he heard the name. Adam seized the moment. His dagger flashed and buried itself in the guy's chest. The man hit the floor, twitching, letting out a strangled scream. Bang!  Adam, half-crouched on the floor, whipped out his Desert Eagle and put a bullet right through the other guy's head. The shot set off total chaos. Passengers screamed and shouted all over the cabin. Adam rushed over, yanked his dagger out of the still-twitching body, and finished the job with another stab. He ignored the freaked-out passengers. The man knew the gunshot would tip off the guy in the cockpit. He had to move fast before that maniac did something crazy and took everyone down with him. "What the hell is this?" Adam noticed a black object in the dead guy's hand. He picked it up. Damn, it was a remote detonator.  His face fell. Damn, these bandits not only had heavy weapons but also bombs. Cold sweat trickled down his back as he realized he had narrowly avoided disaster by shooting the bandit before he could detonate the bomb. But where was the bomb? And was there another remote? Swallowing hard, Adam ignored the stares from those around him and strode toward the cockpit. Before reaching the cockpit, he noticed bloodstains on the floor. Damn, the last remaining bandit must have gone on a rampage. "Stop."  Sensing danger from behind, Adam halted. "Drop the gun," An emotionless voice ordered, and Adam dropped his gun on the ground. "Turn around and kick the gun over, and don't try anything funny." Following the command, Adam turned and kicked the Desert Eagle toward the bandit, his eyes coldly fixed on the dark muzzle of the gun. "Chiton special forces?" The bandit leader, holding a flight attendant hostage, asked, his face puzzled. "No," Adam replied calmly. "Not from Chiton special forces, yet you took down all my Golden Vex elites so quickly?" The bandit leader doubted Adam's words. "I'm just an ordinary Chiton citizen. Your mistake was hijacking a Chiton plane," Adam said with unwavering eyes. "The world is in an economic crisis now, but Chiton people have money. Who else should we rob?" "And this is your outcome," Adam replied indifferently. "It's a pity you idiots will die with us now. Haha, playing with your women before dying will be so worth it." The bandit pointed his gun at a beautiful flight attendant's head, his other hand moving up and down, the terrified attendant not daring to resist. "Go on. Be more arrogant," Adam taunted. "See the explosives on me? In a moment, this plane will explode and crash into Chiton soil." "A bunch of lunatics," Adam cursed inwardly, suddenly sprinting forward. "Stop, come closer, and I'll kill the hostage," the bandit leader warned. One life against a plane full of people. That was an easy decision to make. Seeing Adam unrelenting, the bandit leader became furious, his gun locked on Adam, firing twice. A black dagger shot out of Adam's hand quickly.  Then, the flight attendant's scream pierced the air. Simultaneously, the bandit leader's face froze in disbelief, his expression forever etched in his rigid face as he slowly fell backward. Adam somersaulted to the bandit's side, tearing open his clothes to reveal a bomb strapped to him. The red digits were glaring, and as they counted down, Adam wiped the sweat from his brow.  These Golden Vex bandits were indeed ruthless. "Is that a bomb?" The flight attendant, still in shock, blurted out. "It's not a toy." Adam glanced at her, teasing. "Are we going to die?" The flight attendant, having narrowly escaped, was filled with fear. "Maybe if you kiss me, we won't die," Adam suggested playfully. "Then I'll kiss you." The flight attendant leaned in, clearly unwilling to die. The woman exasperated Adam. The beautiful attendant really was brainless, thinking this was some movie where a kiss could stop a bomb's countdown. "Stop, don't take advantage of me. I'm still a virgin." Adam halted the attendant, pulling the dagger from the bandit's heart, eyeing the two-minute countdown. "Do you prefer red or black lingerie?" Adam asked, holding the red and black wires. "I'm not telling you." The attendant blushed, shyly. "If you don't tell me, we'll all die," Adam threatened. "Black," The attendant answered without hesitation. "Black, so you're secretly a little sexy, huh?" Adam mused, "Now, what color are you wearing?" The attendant's face changed, swallowing her words before admitting, "Red." "Red means you're a little passionate, craving a strong man's caress," Adam teased, swiftly cutting the red wire with his dagger.  The flashing red numbers stopped, leaving the attendant astonished. "Seems like wearing red lingerie today was wise." Adam wiped the sweat from his forehead, relieved that the danger was over.  Teasing a beauty was a nice bonus as well. "You're awful." The attendant blushed, shyly. "Didn't you just say you'd kiss me..." Adam said, standing and gathering the bandits' weapons. At that moment, the captain approached, exhaling a breath of relief as he saw the dead bandit leader. "Sir, thank you for securing this plane." "Hehe, no need to thank me, Captain. As a Chiton citizen, it was my duty," Adam replied nonchalantly, showing no excitement. High-profile deeds, low-profile living was his life's principle. The captain eyed Adam, impressed by his restraint. "Sir, may I have your name? When the plane lands, please come with us to the police station to recount the events. You'll surely be commended." Adam frowned. Commended? No, he didn't want to become a public figure, constantly in the media's spotlight, on TV.  If the Golden Vex sent people after him, it would be better to live quietly as an ordinary person. Moreover, taking down these bandits barehanded couldn't be the work of an ordinary person. Chiton's national security would surely investigate him, and being under constant surveillance wasn't his idea of peace. "No, thank you," Adam politely declined. The captain was taken aback. Such a significant achievement, and this shabbily dressed young man refused it. Nowadays, few people do good deeds without seeking recognition, yet this young man managed to do so.  After all, killing bandits and securing the plane's safety alone would bring fame and wealth rolling in. "Have the weapons collected. Credit the crew with the achievement," Adam said, walking away calmly. The captain said nothing, feeling ambitious. Promotions and wealth were tempting, and this was a chance. Killing these bandits would ensure a rise, allowing him to enjoy a cushy office job. "Wait, I don't know your name," the flight attendant hurriedly asked. "Adam Lyson," he said softly, ignoring her stunned gaze, and returned to his seat beside a middle-aged man. The man sat silently, filled with fear and respect for the young man beside him. What had happened unfolded before his eyes, and this man, dressed like a laborer, was incredibly skilled. Soon, the plane safely landed at Jorwick Airport. Carrying his worn luggage and wearing a light-colored tracksuit to hide the bloodstains, Adam strolled past the waiting journalists and armed police. Breathing in the familiar scent of home, he couldn't help but murmur, "Home smells the best." But his murmur was soon drowned in the cacophony of reporters' chatter.