318 Landed (1/2)

Xiao Luo concentrated hard as he gazed through the heavy shroud of mist, and he could already see the two flashing lights that marked the approach-end of the runway. He began his final approach, with the array of lighting systems at the threshold of the runway as his target. Beyond the two flashing lights, there were three lines of white lights on either side of the center that extended for a thousand meters—this was the touchdown zone and where Xiao Luo intended to land.

The aircraft was equipped with an altitude warning system that automatically activated an aural warning and beep in the cockpit to alert the pilot of his altitude.

Five hundred meters…

Three hundred meters…

Two hundred meters…

The aircraft shook violently as it began to descend sharply, and the passengers felt a sense of weightlessness. Had they not been buckled down to their seats, they would definitely have been thrown off during the turbulent approach.

”God bless us, God bless us...”

Some passengers had shut their eyes tightly and were in desperate prayer.

”Mr. Xiao, the lights have turned red!” Tan Ningfu, who had been paying close attention to the PAPI lights, suddenly shouted out in alarm.

Double red lights indicated that the aircraft was coming in too low and would touchdown before the runway threshold.

”Up!”

Xiao Luo grunted, as he tightened his grip and forcefully pulled back on the yoke with both hands, lifting the nose of the aircraft marginally.

BOOM!

The aircraft hammered into the touchdown zone with an ear-shattering bang as it made contact with the runway.

The cabin jolted and shook violently as the plane screamed down the runway, making the passengers feel like they were inside a runaway bus. As the aircraft screamed forward swaying, the passengers braced themselves—some of them kept their eyes tightly shut while others muttered silent prayers feeling like they were awaiting a death sentence. The landing was the riskiest phase of a flight, and it was this decisive moment that would determine whether they survive or perish.

”Hold on to the yoke firmly, and don't let go!” Xiao Luo shouted to Tan Ningfu as he engaged the reverse thrust levers and carefully engaged the brakes.

Although Tan Ningfu was terrified, she kept her poise and did as she was told, holding on to the control column firmly. Outwardly she possessed a sweet and gentle demeanor, but beneath, she was made of sterner stuff. Not once did she panic or scream like many would.

As the aircraft surged down the runway, the heated tires groaned and screeched, and sparks flew as the brakes were engaged. The massive airliner roared like a raging beast as smoke billowed from its landing gears, not looking like it could stop before the end of the runway.

Xiao Luo held on firmly to the yoke making every effort to keep the massive aircraft in the middle of the runway. The panicked cries of passengers reverberated from the cabin aft and Xiao Luo could imagine their fears as they stared death in the face. All he could do now was to keep his gaze fixed on the runway.

It was barely a minute into the landing roll, but it already felt like a century to everyone in the plane.

Suddenly, the shaking and rumbling ceased and the roar of the engines quietened. The gigantic jumbo jet slowed to about 80 m.p.h. and gently rumbled forward until it finally came to a stop just before the end of the runway.

”We have landed, we're safe and sound!”

The passengers were overcome with joy and disbelief, each one of them crying out in tears and offering prayers of thanks for their deliverance, for they had journeyed to hell and back. As they stared out the windows, they saw fire trucks and the airport rescue crews dashing over urgently.

”We're back on the ground!”

”We...survived, we're alive!”

”Great landing, this is just unbelievable...”