Chapter 2: Threat

“What the… you bastard…” Even a clay figurine has a temper, let alone a hired killer who lives with his head attached to his belt. Up until now, He Jie had managed to stay calm, but the moment he heard the young man curse at his sister and wife, he could no longer restrain himself. He began to curse back, about to lash out.

“Behave yourself!” The young man had clearly anticipated this. He struck a precise spot on He Jie’s waist and slammed his head hard against the wall.

“Ugh!” He Jie grunted, agony searing through his waist. Survival instinct took over, and he instantly gave up resisting.

Though the blow wasn’t forceful, its placement was exquisitely chosen, enough to paralyze a man in an instant. It sounded simple, but to achieve this effect with a single strike, the man had to be a top-tier expert. In that instant, He Jie understood—if this person wanted to kill him, it would take no effort at all.

“I don’t have time to play hostage games with you, nor do I care to turn you in.” The other man raised his voice slightly, issuing his threat: “Listen carefully—if you want to stay alive, or rather, if you want to save your wife and sister, you must do exactly as I say. Otherwise, I promise you they’ll die and not even their bodies will remain.”

“First, you must immediately disarm the timed bomb on the plane. Then, find a way to get into the cockpit and force the captain to turn the plane back to Gold City. As a professional killer, these tasks should be a breeze for you. As for your three remaining accomplices, I’ll handle them. You don’t need to worry about your organization hunting you down for failing the mission—because in a little while, your organization will cease to exist. If you understand, blink your eyes.”

By now, He Jie had calmed down a little. Whatever happened, his only option was to comply for now. Hearing the young man’s words, he blinked rapidly several times in response.

He then felt the young man slowly release him.

He hurried to his feet and turned to face the young man, raising both hands slightly in a guarded stance.

Though he wanted to draw his gun from his waistband, he dared not make any unnecessary moves. He could sense that the person before him could end his life in an instant. Moreover, the man didn’t seem hostile—he had only restrained He Jie to make him listen.

He still didn’t know whether this was friend or foe, but one thing was clear: the man was not with Interpol. If he were, with those skills, he’d have already captured all four of them and wouldn’t waste time talking.

After a moment’s silence, He Jie spoke. “I’m just curious—since you’re so powerful, why do you need me to do these things?”

“That’s not your concern. Do as I say, and I’ll tell you how to save yourself and your family from disaster,” the young man shot him a sharp look and replied coldly. With that, he swaggered off without so much as a backward glance.

He Jie stared in astonishment, momentarily unsure how to react. The man had just turned his back on him—wasn’t he afraid? Almost instinctively, He Jie’s hand slid toward his gun.

“Oh, by the way…” Just as He Jie’s hand was about to touch the weapon, the young man’s voice suddenly called back, making He Jie’s killer’s heart leap and cold sweat break out across his back.

The young man seemed not to notice his movement. He glanced at the mechanical watch on his wrist, winked at He Jie, and said, “In thirty seconds, the plane will shake violently. The flight attendant will tell the passengers it’s turbulence, but in truth, a magical beast from the sky will have crashed into the plane. Don’t worry, the beast won’t attack—it entered the spatial rift ahead of time and was torn apart by the turbulence. It’s dead, well and truly dead. Still, the shaking will be severe. A friendly warning: hold on tight, or even a master like you will end up battered and bleeding.”

With those words, the young man strode back into the cabin without another glance.

He Jie stared after him, still struggling to process what he’d just heard.

A few seconds later, he snapped awake and hastily drew his gun, aiming at the young man, who was already some distance away.

But as soon as he lifted the weapon, he sensed something was wrong—it was far too light. Instinctively, he checked the magazine and found it completely empty.

Where had the magazine gone? Anyone could guess the young man had taken it, but how? He Jie hadn’t noticed anyone tampering with his gun at all.

Just as He Jie was lost in thought, a thunderous bang sounded from outside the plane. The entire aircraft lurched violently. Still standing in the bathroom, He Jie was caught off guard, tumbling backward. His head struck the faucet before he crashed to the floor. The pain was so intense that he couldn’t help but cry out.