Emergency Landing

The cold rain, mixed with snowflakes, relentlessly pounded against the porthole, blurring the airport runway lights outside into indistinct patches of light. YN looked up from her tablet, rubbing her slightly sore temples. On the screen, the briefing document on the integration of the European energy network seemed endless.

She exhaled softly, a small puff of white mist appearing on the glass. The business class seat on this intercontinental flight was spacious, and she was enveloped in soft leather, which accentuated the delicate fragility in her fair and refined features. Her hair, usually styled in a bun, was now loose, her long black hair cascading down her back with a silky sheen. Her tortoiseshell-colored non-prescription glasses added a touch of competence beyond her years.

During her trip to Vienna to attend the Intergovernmental Cooperation Summit, she served as an advisor to a non-profit organization (NPO) invited by the delegation of Country C, responsible for building communication bridges on the two topics of clean energy and AI cooperation and social development.

At just 27 years old, after graduating from Columbia University with a degree in computer science, he worked for leading global internet and AI companies. He later earned a PhD in sociology from New York University. During his doctoral studies, he worked part-time for a highly influential NPO in the Asia-Pacific region and is now a senior manager at the organization.

Although she was qualified to sit here alongside political figures and business tycoons from various countries, YN knew in her heart that in this setting filled with power and interests, the concepts of "public welfare" and "cooperation" she represented sometimes seemed so naive and out of place. "Dr. YN?" A slightly accented but very pleasant female voice sounded from beside her.

YN turned her head and saw a smart and capable-looking young woman in a well-tailored dark blue suit smiling at her. It was Ms. Elsa Brunner, First Secretary at the Austrian Embassy in Country C. A few weeks earlier, at a cultural event in Beijing, YN had skillfully helped Ms. Elsa out of an awkward situation, defusing a potential diplomatic crisis.

“Hello, Ms. Brunner. What a coincidence.” Elaine gave a polite smile and replied in fluent English.

“Yes, what a delightful coincidence.” Ms. Elsa sat down in the empty seat next to her. “It seems we’re all going to face the same ‘summit storm.’” She shrugged, her tone slightly sarcastic.

“Hopefully, it will be a storm that brings much-needed rain.” YN replied gently, setting the tablet aside to focus on the conversation below.

“I hope so,” Ms. Elsa said in a low voice. “Honestly, Dr. YN, I really have to thank you last time. If it weren’t for your timely and skillful use of historical examples to deflect those accusations of cultural appropriation, the ambassador’s situation could have become very complicated.”

“You’re too kind. I just happened to have looked at some related materials.” YN smiled modestly, picked up the cup of warm water in front of her, and took a sip. She was used to using this unassuming way to build rapport, while observing Ms. Elsa’s expression.

The deputy counselor had sharp eyes and a nervousness unlike that of other embassy staff, but at that moment he showed genuine gratitude.

The two chatted briefly about flights and the weather. Ms. Elsa seemed quite interested in YN, especially given her young age and important role in international affairs. "To be honest, Doctor," she said, "it's rare to see a young person with your background choose to join an NPO instead of a large tech company or investment bank."

Ms. Elsa's tone held a hint of inquiry. Elaine met her gaze calmly, her voice gentle yet firm: "Ms. Brunner, I believe that technology and capital are powerful tools, but their ultimate purpose should be to serve people, not the other way around. My job is to do my best to ensure that. Perhaps that sounds a bit idealistic."

“Idealism?” Ms. Elsa raised an eyebrow slightly, then gave a complex smile. “No, it’s a precious quality. It’s just that in this realistic world, upholding ideals comes at a great price.” Her words seemed to have a hidden meaning, but she didn’t elaborate.

Just then, the captain's intercom sounded, his tone calm but with a barely perceptible hint of seriousness: "Ladies and gentlemen, this is the captain's announcement. We are about to fly over the Alps and are currently encountering strong turbulence. The aircraft may experience continuous turbulence. Please ensure you have fastened your seatbelts..." Before he finished speaking, the plane suddenly plunged downwards, as if it had lost weight. Several low gasps rippled through the cabin. Trays and water glasses clinked together. The intense turbulence continued; the world outside was pitch black, with only the wings trembling violently in the raging air currents.

YN immediately gripped the handrail, her knuckles turning slightly white from the force, but her face showed no sign of panic. She quickly checked her seatbelt, then looked out the window, calmly assessing the situation. This wasn't the first time she'd experienced severe turbulence, but the intensity and duration of this one were clearly unusual. She could feel the roar of the plane's engines struggling against the wind shear.

Ms. Elsa's movements were so professional and precise that she even took the time to joke: "Almost every time I fly over the Alps, it reminds me of my favorite childhood roller coaster."

“You must have been very brave as a child,” YN joked. “I would never dare to ride one; the pirate ship was my limit.” The two looked at each other and laughed.

The turbulence lasted for nearly ten minutes before gradually subsiding. Soon, the captain's voice rang out again, this time with a more pronounced seriousness: "We apologize again to all passengers. The wind shear we just experienced has had some impact on the aircraft… Meanwhile, we have received notification from our destination, Vienna International Airport, that the airport has been temporarily closed due to a sudden blizzard. After assessment, we have decided to divert to Ljubljana Airport in Slovenia. We sincerely apologize for the delay…"

A murmur of complaints and murmurs immediately filled the cabin. These political and business figures, whose time was of the essence, were clearly extremely dissatisfied with any unplanned delay. YN frowned slightly. Ljubljana? This meant she might miss the summit's opening ceremony, which was scheduled to begin tomorrow morning. She quickly picked up her tablet, pulled up a map and traffic information, and began to ponder: Heavy snow… then land transportation must have been severely affected as well.

The plane circled and descended into the night, finally landing smoothly on the runway at Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport. Outside the window was a world covered in a blanket of snow, the heavy snow showing no signs of stopping. The cabin door opened, and icy air rushed in. Passengers pulled their coats tighter, grumbling as they disembarked one by one.

Y. N calmly packed her carry-on luggage—a simple yet practical high-quality leather backpack containing her laptop, important documents, and her "emergency kit" (passport, a small amount of cash, a multi-tool, a spare power bank, etc.). She and Elsa grabbed a coat and followed the flow of people towards the terminal.

Chaos reigned at the airport. They weren't the only flight to be diverted; large numbers of stranded passengers filled the terminal, and the information screens were plastered with red indicating "cancelled" or "delayed." Trains and long-distance buses bound for Vienna were also suspended due to the severe weather.

Unlike the others who immediately rushed to the airline counters to argue, YN first found a relatively quiet corner and quickly connected to the airport Wi-Fi on her phone to check the latest weather, traffic information, and summit schedule. The summit organizing committee had already announced that the opening ceremony was postponed, but the subsequent agenda was tight, and she had to arrive before noon the next day.

“It seems we’re stuck, at least for tonight,” Elsa said helplessly as she approached. “I’ve contacted our department; they’ll figure something out. Dr. YN, what are your plans?”

“Thank you, Ms. Brunner. I may need to try other modes of land transportation.” YN’s eyes swept across the noisy lobby, her mind racing. Rent a car? Driving alone long distances in this weather was too risky. Find a rideshare? She needed to be extremely careful in choosing her companions.

Just then, her gaze was drawn to several tall men passing by outside the terminal window. They wore unassuming but highly functional dark windproof jackets, and their movements carried a unique rhythm—alert, efficient, with steady steps and sharp eyes scanning their surroundings, as if instinctively assessing threats and routes. Despite their civilian clothes, the air of highly trained professional soldiers could not be completely concealed.

They lowered their heads slightly, hiding their faces behind their pulled-up collars. One of them wore a mask with a small symbol on it, but it was too far away for the symbol to be seen clearly. He was tall and had a cold, imposing presence. The other, standing beside him, was even more burly and robust, almost clumsily huddled in an oversized coat, his face also seemingly covered by something, his eyes darting around.

YN's training in psychology and sociology allowed her to immediately pick up on these details. Her cousin had served in the Army Special Forces before his discharge, and she was familiar with this aura: they seemed more like... some kind of special operations personnel. She subtly averted her gaze, avoiding drawing their attention. The appearance of such a group at this time was probably no coincidence.

“Ms. Brunner,” YN turned to Elsa, her tone calm and decisive, “it seems regular transportation has been disrupted. I may need to look for some… informal solutions. Do you know of any reliable private transportation services locally, or… are there other avenues for assistance?”

Elsa seemed to be observing these people discreetly as well, then thoughtfully looked away. She lowered her voice and said, "Ljubljana is a small place, and in this weather, the chances of getting through through official channels are indeed slim. However… I might be able to ask some 'special' friends for you. But it will take some time."

“Thank you so much, it’s worth trying any possibility,” YN sincerely thanked her. She knew that in such predicaments, connections and information were often more effective than money.

She stood still, her petite figure appearing unusually calm amidst the chaos of the airport terminal.