The Thunder Falcon II tore through the clouds, circling and slowing above War God Hall headquarters.
Li Zhengyang glanced down through the cockpit glass.
A dense crowd had gathered at the entrance to the plaza.
Several press vehicles bearing national insignias were parked below. Seven or eight envoys in their countries' uniforms stood with their heads raised, pointing at the main gates.
Their leader was a blond, blue-eyed middle-aged man with an Alliance envoy's badge pinned to his chest.
He held a document and read it aloud to the cameras.
"Great Xia must surrender the war criminal Li Zhengyang within twelve hours!"
"The Judgment is Alliance property and must be returned immediately!"
"All detained personnel must be released unconditionally!"
After every sentence, the envoys behind him echoed his demands, their voices rising in waves.
Several reporters desperately jostled forward, practically trying to shove their microphones through the gap between the hall's doors.
Li Zhengyang shut off the engine, and the canopy popped open.
The Thunder Falcon II was still hovering a thousand meters above the ground.
Li Zhengyang dropped straight down.
Wind roared past his ears as the ground rushed toward him.
The crowd in the plaza froze, then erupted in screams.
The blond envoy looked up, his pupils suddenly widening.
Boom!
Li Zhengyang slammed into the ground a short distance in front of him.
Cracks exploded outward in a ring, and the resulting shock wave knocked over several reporters in the front row.
The dust cleared.
Li Zhengyang stood in the crater and made a show of brushing dust off his shoulder.
The blond envoy's smile froze on his face.
The envoys behind him were dumbstruck as well, their documents scattering across the ground.
"You... you..."
The blond envoy opened his mouth, but before he could finish, Li Zhengyang