Wen Ruan and his group transferred twice, flying for a total of nearly thirty hours from Europe to Central America.
When the group finally arrived in the country of Salvador and were about to land, an unexpected incident occurred.
Because of the ongoing civil war in Salvador, rebels have seized control of the country's only airport, preventing planes from landing smoothly.
Finally, through emergency contact with the ground by the captain, the plane had to make an emergency landing at an alternate airport.
After the plane finally landed safely and smoothly, everyone on board breathed a long sigh of relief.
When the plane couldn't find a landing spot, the entire plane started to commotion. The flight attendant repeatedly reassured everyone, confidently guaranteeing that everyone would be alright.
Although Wen Ruan knew that the people on board the plane were very diverse, involving people from all walks of life, including officials and major non-governmental organizations, their safety should be well guaranteed.
However, the unexpected incident still made her feel nervous. Only after the announcement that the plane had landed safely did Wen Ruan finally calm down and loosen her grip on the seatbelt.
Only then did Wen Ruan realize that her palms were covered in sweat...
But this was just a small accident during her trip to Salvador...
Years later, when Wen Ruan recalled that experience, her heart still ached, but she also felt extremely fortunate...
Following the flight attendant's instructions, everyone collected their carry-on luggage and prepared to disembark.
Because the plane landed at a temporary location without the conditions and facilities of a normal airport, it was said to be using a military airfield owned by the government forces.
When Wen Ruan followed the instructions and came down the stairs, her previously restricted view finally opened up, and she gasped in surprise.
The temporary airport was extremely busy, with soldiers and planes coming and going constantly. Various fighter jets took off and landed without stopping in the short few minutes that Wen Ruan and her group had just arrived.
Many of the pilots' jackets were covered in grime, and almost everyone they saw had unshaven beards, clearly indicating that they hadn't had time to groom themselves for a long time.
The huge temporary airport was packed with people, but everyone's expressions were serious, and there was no communication between them. The only sounds were the roar of planes taking off and the screeching of wheels on the ground as they landed...
Everyone who saw this couldn't help but remain silent, and couldn't help but feel a little nervous.
"Just a reminder, please do not look around. Follow the designated route and proceed straight ahead..."
Just as everyone was feeling lost after disembarking, unsure of which direction to go, and could only stand awkwardly in place, looking around, a tall man in military uniform suddenly appeared and stepped forward with a serious expression to give them some advice.
Wen Ruan couldn't distinguish the various ranks of foreign armies, but judging from this person's attitude and demeanor, he was clearly someone in a high position.
"Oh, hello, are you General Pulov? I'm so sorry we meet under these circumstances. I'm from..." A middle-aged man stepped forward and greeted the soldier.
Wen Ruan noticed that man as soon as she boarded the plane. Her senior, Andy, told her that he was a high-ranking official.
The man was dressed in the style of a British gentleman. Despite the long flight, he showed no signs of fatigue, and his trench coat was completely wrinkle-free, making him stand out from his surroundings.
“I’m sorry, sir, I don’t remember who you are, but time is of the essence, and I need you to follow me to where you are.”
"I'm very sorry, sir, I don't have much time for pleasantries." After saying this, Pulov walked straight ahead, gesturing for everyone to follow. There were also some soldiers following around to prevent anyone from getting lost.
Wen Ruan felt very uncomfortable, as if everyone was a prisoner who needed to be closely guarded by soldiers, but she didn't say anything on the surface.
However, Andy, the senior student, looked somewhat indignant. In their eyes, this behavior was an insult to them, as they had always valued freedom. Fortunately, Oliver saw all of this.
He reached out and grabbed Andy directly. Although he didn't say anything, his eyes were very serious and he stared at Andy without blinking, which finally calmed him down.
“Andy, when we go to a place, we should respect the local rules. Besides, it’s wartime for them right now, so many things are understandable. In their eyes, we might be people who are just causing trouble. Maybe we should be more considerate,” Oliver said to Andy in a low voice.
Wen Ruan, who was standing nearby, also heard Oliver's words and glanced at him with some surprise.
Oliver noticed Wen Ruan's gaze, looked up and smiled: "How are you feeling, Wen? Perhaps we'll reach our destination soon."
"We may have to part ways then, and you can choose which team to follow for the investigation and research based on your own ideas."
"It's alright, Professor Oliver. I will choose carefully when the time comes." Wen Ruan nodded.
The group walked through the airport for about twenty minutes. Wen Ruan, carrying her carry-on luggage, felt as if her hands were about to break, before finally exiting the airport.
Oliver went to the front and spoke with General Plov for a few minutes before returning quickly: "My dear students, get ready now. A car will be coming to pick us up. We are going to the war zone to conduct a social survey."
“Of course, if you don’t want to, we can separate here. I’ve already made arrangements on my end, and you might be able to stay in the protected area indefinitely,” Oliver said.
Oliver and Wen Ruan brought a total of four students, a perfect pair of two boys and two girls. One of the girls exclaimed in surprise, "Oh my god, Professor, are we going to such a dangerous place?" Wen Ruan's senior, Cynthia, asked.
“Dear Cynthia, if you are not entirely willing, perhaps you can stay in the reserve. This should also be a very important task. You can conduct investigations in various places such as hospitals and schools.”
"In addition to the few of us, other experts and scholars have also come with their students. If everyone is willing, we will meet with them and take action."
"Now, please share your choices."
After Oliver finished speaking, there was a long silence as everyone pondered in their hearts.
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