While everyone was resting, the terrorists appeared. They strutted in with weapons like it was a show. No one could figure out how they smuggled guns past security—totally unreal.
Elsa, wearing sunglasses to avoid being recognized, leaned toward Liu A'dou and asked if they should intervene. Liu A'dou shook his head. Since trouble had already started, he figured he might as well let it play out and enjoy the drama.
There were four terrorists in total, all white men.
The pilot saw the hijacking through the cockpit camera and immediately locked the door. But the hijackers weren't amateurs. One grabbed a passenger, wrapped an arm around his neck, and pressed a gun to his temple. "Open the door, or he dies."
The passengers were terrified. No one expected this level of bad luck—getting caught in a real incident. Still, this was Metropolis. With Superman around, they didn't completely panic. Everyone believed that once Superman showed up, these hijackers would be toast.
The co-pilot looked at the captain, who nodded. "Contact the tower. If we're lucky, we'll get to see Superman again."
The word again meant the captain had experience. This wasn't his first crisis. As long as the control tower got the alert, the news would spread quickly, and Superman would come flying. They all knew the drill. The key was to stay calm and not provoke the hijackers.
The pilots unlocked the door, raised their hands, and surrendered. "Don't hurt anyone. The plane's on autopilot. Just tell us what you want."
The hijackers were satisfied. "Move. Go sit with the passengers."
The terrorists had full control of the plane. No one knew what they wanted. They just changed course.
This world had a lot that Earth's original version didn't—like superheroes, and also a bunch of random unstable nations. The Middle East and Africa were even more chaotic than in the old world. Many conflicts were triggered by the U.S. meddling in foreign governments. Just six months ago, a U.S. drone strike hit a village in a small country, claiming it was a "major gathering of unknown purpose." The real reason? Fear the people might organize against U.S. troops. But in reality, it was just a funeral. The villagers had no idea their ceremony would end in missile fire. More than 30 people died, 17 were injured, and 5 were still in critical condition.
That tragedy sparked the nation's final fury. They vowed revenge. Their plan: kill an equal number of Americans. So they hijacked a plane with one goal—crash it and kill everyone on board.
No ransom. No speech. No demands. Just cold silence as they turned the plane toward the city. Their plan was to crash into downtown Metropolis. The message? Even with Superman, America wasn't untouchable. He couldn't save everyone.
The vibe was off. These terrorists didn't shout or force passengers to cooperate. Their expressions were calm, even resolute. Liu A'dou sensed something was wrong. These guys weren't bluffing—they already knew how this would end.
So Liu A'dou raised his hand. "Can I go to the restroom?"
The terrorist gave a small nod, no words, no suspicion. That only deepened Liu A'dou's doubts. 'They don't plan for anyone to survive, do they?'
In the bathroom, Liu A'dou debated. 'Should I take action now, or wait for Superman?' In the end, he decided to wait. After all, this was Superman's turf. It wouldn't feel right to steal his spotlight just after arriving. If things got really bad, he'd step in.
So he returned to his seat and saw that the hijackers were still the same—faces full of grim, unwavering resolve. They didn't even exchange a word with each other. Clearly, they had already made up their minds long before boarding the plane.
The captain also sensed something was off. It was too quiet. A chill ran down his spine as he silently prayed for Superman to show up soon.
Suddenly, everyone felt a jolt of weightlessness. The plane was dropping fast. The metal creaked and groaned—it was going down.
"Master, should I make a move now?!" Ben couldn't wait to use the Force.
"No need. I can feel Superman's on the way." And sure enough—he was.
Look! Was that a plane? A bird? No—it was Superman! His red cape flapped wildly in the wind. The sonic booms roared louder and faster as Superman arced through the sky toward them.
There was no way he'd let the plane crash in Metropolis. Superman arrived just in time. He gripped the plane's nose with both hands, straining in mid-air against the massive jetliner.
The hijackers, seeing this, forced the nose down harder. The engines roared at full throttle. They were determined to crash it—absolutely resolute.
But Superman held firm. His bio-electric field spread out and wrapped around the entire aircraft. Without it, his super strength would've just pierced right through the plane like a chicken laying an egg—entering from the front and blowing out the back. That field was also how he'd caught Lois Lane mid-fall so many times without killing her on impact.
Superman's body was harder than steel, and Lois always fell at incredible speed. Without the field, the collision would've torn her apart instantly.
This time was no different. Without the bio-field, the plane would've shattered like a soda can hit by a cannonball. Even with it, the nose of the plane still got crushed inward.
The sudden deceleration sent everyone flying forward. Oxygen masks dropped from above, luggage tumbled from the overhead bins. Chaos broke out.
Only Liu A'dou's row remained totally unaffected. Still, Liu A'dou learned a painful lesson—never fly when visiting Metropolis. Too dangerous.
But now that Superman had arrived, no demon or monster could win. The plane's speed slowed drastically.
The hijackers were dizzy and disoriented, but still clung to one last shred of awareness. They wanted the U.S. to pay. They opened their coats and revealed bomb vests. Human bombs—on a plane. Seriously, what was up with airport security? Were they all blind?
Liu A'dou didn't know their backstory and had zero sympathy. He shouted, "Superman! Spin the plane!"
His voice reached Superman loud and clear. Superman recognized Kaitou Kid's voice and didn't hesitate—he flipped the plane upside down.
The passengers, strapped in, stayed mostly safe. But the hijackers weren't so lucky. Their heads slammed into the ceiling and they passed out instantly.
Superman came through again. By now, the plane was slowing to a crawl, descending steadily toward the ground.
The people of Metropolis watched calmly. Another Superman rescue? Time to film it. Phones came out. Superman gently set the plane down on a patch of open ground. Reporters and bystanders rushed in, eager to see the hero up close.
Superman floated to the aircraft door, tore it off, deployed the inflatable slide, and flew into the cabin. His boots landed one after the other with a solid thump thump. He smiled warmly and said, "You're all safe now. Please exit in an orderly fashion."
Every move Superman made during this whole ordeal could be summed up in two words—steady and flawless. This was his trademark.