Chapter 112: Disguised Glide

Don't be fooled by that Superman movie and Supergirl TV show, where the two Kryptonians seemed to strain with all their might just to save a commercial airliner.

In fact, with the strength of two Kryptonians, lifting the weight of an entire airliner would be effortless—even with one hand.

The difficulty lies in keeping the airliner mostly intact!

Just like another satirical superhero TV show—The Boys—where the incident involving Homelander was treated as a scandal, it showed exactly what would actually happen.

In the show, Homelander said that a superhero with nothing but raw strength and flight ability, trying to lift a plane, would simply snap it clean in half at the point of contact.

Because an airplane's design cannot withstand the full weight of the aircraft at any single point—like trying to hold up tofu with a needle tip.

The two Kryptonians' strained expressions were actually due to using a bio-field to protect the entire aircraft, not because they lacked strength.

In contrast, one of them faced a plane with its nose diving, nearly in free fall, possibly even with engines still providing thrust.

The other faced a plane already in a stalled, rolling attitude, needing to correct its flight posture from the wings while guiding it to land smoothly on the river.

Henry's task was far simpler.

First, the aircraft's size: the others clearly dealt with a large airliner—exact model and capacity aside, it carried at least two hundred people. But Henry was holding only a twenty-seat small jet.

Second, the two Kryptonians faced planes already out of control and plummeting—even in free fall.

Henry's small jet was still gliding. It was only slightly unstable due to cabin depressurization, and the symptoms were still early—not yet at the severe, uncontrollable stage.

Moreover, Henry wasn't literally lifting the plane with his hands; he increased contact area using his entire back and limbs, greatly reducing the difficulty he faced.

Simply put, Henry wasn't using personal power to stop an accident—he was acting as an external engine to power and steer the plane.

The plane's ability to stay airborne still relied mostly on its own structure and design.

When everyone in the cabin realized the plane had stabilized, they were too stunned to speak. Mark asked hesitantly: "Are we saved?"

"Until this thing hits the ground, nothing's certain," Brian said cautiously.

He quickly unfastened the ropes tied to his body and said: "Henry, can you hear me?"

The small jet wobbled slightly left and right twice more.

Brian said, "Good," and realized then that the secret this man demanded them keep was no ordinary one.

What did it mean to lift a flying aircraft at this altitude?

It meant he could carry a multi-thousand-pound heavy bomb to drop directly over a target—even drop a nuclear bomb, if he chose.

But right now, worrying about his abilities wasn't the issue; securing a safe landing was. So Brian, with the map in hand, went to the cockpit and knocked. "Luca, open up. It's Brian—the pressure in the rear cabin has stabilized."

The cockpit door opened immediately, and the Italian pilot asked in surprise: "What just happened?"

After briefly explaining the situation, Brian added: "If we want to hide Henry's ability, we must fake that this plane can continue flying via unpowered glide."

"Under these conditions, where do you think we can land? Should we stick to the original target—the U. S. military base? What's your judgment?"

Brian's knowledge was broad, and he could roughly judge the answer himself. But he still sought the pilot's opinion—after all, the man was the true professional in this field.

He reached out and turned off the intercom so his words wouldn't be recorded.

The Italian pilot Luca said: "Based on our current glide descent rate and altitude, we can't possibly reach that U. S. military base. We'll have to find the nearest alternative landing site—even a desert forced landing."

Brian nodded, then spoke to the air: "Henry, I know you heard that. But I advise you to follow our instructions—we're still under ground radar surveillance."

"If you don't want to expose yourself, pretending this is an unpowered glide is the easiest explanation. Remember: bank angles must not exceed three degrees; turns should stay under one and a half degrees—three degrees is the absolute limit."

"Using Flight 143's experience as a reference, they descended at six hundred feet per minute. Though that was a large airliner and we're a small jet, the data is still applicable."

"Because a glider's descent rate depends less on size and weight and more on aspect ratio—the square of wingspan divided by wing area."

"An airliner's wing design, by aviation standards, must generate lift within regulated limits—meaning, whether large or small, an unpowered gliding aircraft has nearly identical descent rates."

"Also, avoid any high-G maneuvers. As long as you follow the glide adjustment limits, the rest will be handled by the pilot—he'll guide the plane to land on land."

"But the final step—the actual ground landing—we can only rely on you. Without ground lighting, we can't offer much guidance."

"In practice, this part is pure guesswork. The ideal scenario is a desert landing, using sand to slow down."

"Remember one thing: the more intact the plane remains, the safer we are—and the more likely onboard instruments will help rescue teams locate us."

"Do you understand all this, Henry?"

The plane wobbled slightly left and right twice again, signaling the one holding it had heard.

Brian sat in the co-pilot's seat and said: "Alright, Henry, let's begin glide flight operations. Follow the pilot's instructions."

"I'll monitor the instruments—if your movements are too large or too small, I'll warn you. Brother, our seven lives are in your hands. Begin."

Brian reactivated the intercom. The Italian pilot began reporting to air traffic control: "Saudi Approach, this is T96H, Mayday, Mayday. All fuel exhausted. Now in unpowered glide."

Instantly, the pilot's headset received a response from ground control, and a series of self-rescue maneuvers, led by the pilot, began.

But unlike what outsiders imagined, thanks to Kryptonian power support…

Day6, Celebration of Release, Extra Chapter at 9 PM

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(End of Chapter)