Chapter 4: Kong Zhe’s Plan

They landed on a deserted island. Although both of them secretly wished to kill the other, faced with blizzards and a landscape crawling with monsters, they had no choice but to join forces. He Jie was formidable, but both his legs were broken, forcing him to rely on Kong Zhe to search for food and water. At that time, Kong Zhe was still an ordinary man, powerless against those savage beasts, so he too depended on He Jie. Thus, the two survived on the island for a month, each leaning on the other, until Kong Zhe awakened and acquired magical abilities, finally escaping the wasteland.

It was during that month of close companionship that Kong Zhe grew so familiar with He Jie. The assassin appeared cold and ruthless, but at his core he was a chatterbox. Day after day, he would clutch the photograph from his wallet, endlessly recounting his past to Kong Zhe, to the point that Kong Zhe’s ears felt calloused from hearing it all. That was how Kong Zhe learned about the story of the illegitimate child.

Though Kong Zhe eventually escaped the deserted island, he soon found himself in a deeper despair. The world had changed beyond recognition; he struggled through the apocalypse for three years, only to be hunted down and killed over a precious artifact. He should have died alone in that foul necrotic pit, but for reasons unknown, his death led to his rebirth—three hours before the disaster struck.

After the initial panic and exhilaration faded, Kong Zhe quickly regained his composure. Three years of post-apocalyptic hardship had forged his spirit into steel.

He immediately began planning for this new life.

In his previous life, youthful recklessness had brought him endless suffering and caused him to miss countless opportunities.

Now, with the chance to start anew, a surge of wild joy filled his heart.

He took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement.

He understood that this was not the time for celebration. In three hours, the apocalypse would begin. If he did nothing, his fate would mirror his last life.

The greatest mistake he made before was boarding this plane. The source of the apocalypse lay in the South Pacific—cities further south teemed with monsters. Australia, his destination, was known as the Demon’s Den in the new world, one of the most perilous places; there, Kong Zhe had no chance to grow, spending every day in hiding.

Unfortunately, the plane had already taken off. Kong Zhe had to find a way back to Jincheng.

Besides Jincheng being relatively safe, there was another reason: he had to retrieve something—something crucial. His death in the previous life was tied to this item, and he suspected it was also what caused his rebirth, for the last thing he saw before dying was its eerie purple glow. According to his knowledge, the artifact was still ownerless, lying somewhere in Jincheng.

But returning was not so simple. They were ten thousand meters above ground, and the plane carried four assassins and an unknown number of bombs.

Parachuting? Feigning illness? Hijacking the plane?

Kong Zhe considered many options, but none seemed feasible. Either he couldn’t get back to Jincheng, or he’d be caught by the police upon landing. The bombs posed a hidden threat; if he acted too rashly, the assassins might detonate them out of desperation.

After a swift and careful analysis, he finally settled on the safest plan, one without any lingering consequences: confront He Jie, the only person he knew on the plane, and persuade him to dismantle the bombs, then force the pilot to return.

That was why the incident in the restroom had just occurred.

Shaking his head to clear away these tangled thoughts, Kong Zhe suddenly sensed a gaze beside him. Turning, he saw the girl next to him looking at him with gratitude, her cheeks tinged with pink, and she murmured shyly, “Thank you… I’m sorry, I…”

Kong Zhe knew she felt awkward for having mistaken him for a rogue, but he truly didn’t mind. He smiled and waved it off, “It’s nothing.”

“It might have been easy for you, but if not for you just now, I would have…”

Kong Zhe didn’t hear her finish, because out of the corner of his eye he saw He Jie emerge from the restroom, his head hastily bandaged with gauze.

He glanced in Kong Zhe’s direction, then, without lingering, slipped quietly down the aisle toward the front of the cabin, taking advantage of the commotion from the recent disturbance.

A slight smile curled Kong Zhe’s lips. It seemed He Jie believed him—his plan was progressing smoothly.

The girl, still muttering to herself, noticed Kong Zhe’s attention was elsewhere; feeling neglected, she pouted in silence.

Kong Zhe paid her little mind, instead leaning back with closed eyes, calculating his next steps.

A moment later, as a faint centrifugal force pressed against him, Kong Zhe opened his eyes, knowing the plane had changed course.

The slanted downward force was subtle; only those paying close attention would notice, but a few sharp-eyed passengers were puzzled. Their flight was supposed to be direct—why the turn? Yet none spoke up. After all, a plane might alter course for weather or other reasons. To question it would seem petty.

The assassins, however, thought differently. They were on assignment, and failure meant death; they couldn’t afford the slightest mistake.

The killer in the first row exchanged a glance with the one in the third row, both nodding slightly, deciding to act early before anything went awry.

While many passengers were still quietly cursing the recent jolt,

A sudden bang echoed through the cabin—a gunshot. Two middle-aged men stood up, guns raised, pointing at the passengers.

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