The next morning...
Leo, Chen Wei, Lily, and Yuna arrived in one of China's largest cities—
Shanghai.
Towering skyscrapers touched the clouds while thousands of people hurried through the busy streets.
Leo looked around with sparkling eyes.
Leo: "Now this feels like a proper adventure."
Chen Wei crossed his arms.
Chen Wei: "Don't get distracted. We're heading to the airport."
The four of them quickly entered Shanghai International Airport.
After showing their tickets, an airport employee silently pointed toward a runway far away from the public terminals.
"...Flight WM-1313."
Leo frowned.
"WM-1313?"
The group walked toward the aircraft.
The moment they saw it...
Everyone stopped.
The airplane looked unbelievably old.
Its dark gray body was covered with scratches.
Even the paint was peeling off.
Most importantly...
The number 1313 was painted across its body in huge black letters.
Chen Wei slowly swallowed.
Chen Wei: "...We're... flying in THAT?"
Leo looked at the plane from top to bottom.
"It looks like it already died once..."
Chen Wei sighed.
"I think Mom didn't receive enough funding from the World Martial Art Organization."
Leo nodded seriously.
"Exactly."
"It looks like they didn't give your mom a proper mission budget."
"So... we'll just have to survive."
Chen Wei stared at the airplane.
"...What if we don't survive?"
Leo patted his shoulder.
"Then at least it'll be free transportation."
Chen Wei wasn't comforted at all.
Instead...
He suddenly took out instant noodles.
One cup.
Two cups.
Three cups.
Four cups.
Leo blinked.
"...Bro."
"When you're scared..."
"...why do you always eat so much?"
Chen Wei kept eating.
"Food reduces fear."
Leo looked at the growing pile of empty noodle cups.
"I think your fear has unlimited storage."
Lily covered her mouth to stop herself from laughing.
Yuna simply shook her head.
---
Meanwhile...
Back at Headquarters...
The luxury car stopped.
Sahara stepped out first.
Raika followed while stretching lazily.
Finally...
Mizuna slowly stepped out.
She looked around nervously.
The headquarters felt enormous.
Before she could even greet anyone—
A woman rushed toward her.
It was Mei Lian.
(Chen Wei's mother.)
Mizuna lowered her head.
"H-Hello..."
Before she could finish—
Mei Lian immediately hugged her tightly.
"Mizuna!"
"You've grown so much!"
Mizuna's face instantly turned bright red.
She tried pushing Mei Lian away.
"B-But..."
"I..."
She pushed...
And pushed...
But instead of escaping...
She somehow became even more stuck inside the hug.
Sahara burst into laughter.
"Hahaha!"
"She activated the reverse escape technique!"
Raika laughed as well.
"She tried to run away..."
"...and got trapped even harder."
Mei Lian smiled happily.
"You really haven't changed at all."
"You're still the shy little girl I remember."
Mizuna's face became even redder.
---
Meanwhile...
Back at Shanghai Airport...
Leo and the others finally gathered enough courage.
Slowly...
They climbed aboard Flight WM-1313.
The cabin felt strangely quiet.
Every passenger wore a dark mask.
Nobody spoke.
Nobody even looked at each other.
Around their hands...
Tiny currents of wind silently circled like living creatures.
Lily quietly whispered,
"...These people..."
"...they're all Wind Martial Artists."
Yuna nodded.
"And they're incredibly strong."
Even Chen Wei stopped joking.
The atmosphere was too strange.
Everyone quietly sat down in their assigned seats.
Just then—
Ding!
Leo's phone vibrated.
He opened the notification.
[MISSION UPDATE]
Destination Confirmed
Wind Temple
Location: Hidden above the skies of the Bermuda Triangle.
Silence.
Leo blinked once.
Twice.
"..."
He slowly showed the screen to everyone.
Chen Wei read it.
"...Bermuda Triangle?"
Lily's expression froze.
"...Wait..."
"...THE Bermuda Triangle?"
Yuna stared at the screen.
"...Since when was the Wind Temple above one of the world's biggest mysteries?"
Chen Wei slowly looked toward the airplane window.
Then toward Leo.
Then back at the window.
"..."
"...Tell me honestly."
"...Are we going on a rescue mission..."
"...or are we volunteering to disappear forever?"
Leo awkwardly smiled.
"...I vote for disappearing with dignity."
The airplane engines suddenly roared.
Everyone looked outside.
Then slowly...
All four of them made the exact same terrified expression.
"...We're doomed."
To Be Continued...