Chapter 6: Unexpected Events

Everyone at the scene was stunned. They had already resigned themselves to their fate, hoping only that handing over their money would be enough to keep them alive. Yet this young man who suddenly appeared subdued three of the attackers in an instant; his skills seemed straight out of a spy movie.

Kong Zhe hadn’t used a gun. He had merely knocked them unconscious. For these thugs, there was no need for firearms—besides, firing a gun on a plane was extremely dangerous. If a bullet pierced the plane’s wall, the pressure and oxygen issues alone could be deadly.

“D-don’t move!” a trembling voice called out.

Kong Zhe turned to see He Jie, who had somehow circled behind him. He was holding a knife to someone’s throat—the braided girl who’d been seated next to Kong Zhe.

Kong Zhe frowned. This wasn’t what he’d anticipated at all.

“What are you doing? Let her go—or I can’t guarantee what’ll happen to your wife and sister!” he warned.

He Jie let out a cold laugh. “I admit, you were right about almost everything. Until I entered the cockpit just now, I thought you could see the future. But you made one mistake: in this world, the person I care most about isn’t my wife or my sister—it’s my son in America.” He Jie’s face contorted with a twisted smile. “And even that’s enough to prove you don’t know everything!”

His expression grew wild. “But you probably don’t know this: the plane isn’t heading for Jincheng—it’s going to America! Quickly, tell me how to avert disaster. I need to save my son!”

“What?” Kong Zhe’s face changed. How could this be?

He remembered clearly that in his past life, He Jie had said more than once during that month that his wife and sister were the ones he loved most. Could he really have been lying, even then?

Recalling how He Jie had sobbed like a child, Kong Zhe was certain it had been genuine emotion. If that had all been an act, the man deserved an Oscar! Besides, in that situation, there was no reason for him to lie.

He simply couldn’t figure it out. But there were more pressing concerns now. Because of this misinformation, his plan was veering dangerously off course. He needed to salvage the situation quickly.

“It’s too late to get to America. Your son is doomed. If you turn back to Jincheng now, you can still save your wife and sister—and yourself,” Kong Zhe said, edging closer.

“Don’t move! It’s useless to talk. Put the gun on the ground and slide it over, or I’ll stab her,” He Jie barked, instantly catching on to Kong Zhe’s little maneuver. Yet his voice was shaky, betraying his fear.

He Jie truly was terrified. He knew that if Kong Zhe got close for even a second, he’d be overpowered. If he had a choice, he wouldn’t make an enemy of him, but for his son, he had no choice.

Kong Zhe paused, realizing He Jie must have mistaken the girl for his companion after seeing them chatting together earlier. But Kong Zhe didn’t correct him. Calmly, he set the only functional handgun on the floor and pushed it toward He Jie.

He Jie’s face lit up as the gun slid toward him and he bent down to pick it up.

At that instant, as He Jie’s head dipped, Kong Zhe sprang forward like a leopard, crossing four or five meters in a single bound, closing the distance in a flash.

He Jie panicked. There was no time to grab the gun or press the knife to the girl’s throat. He knew that if Kong Zhe got close, he was finished. In his desperation, he stabbed the girl he was holding hostage.

“If I’m going down, I’m taking someone with me!”

A sickening sound of blade meeting flesh mingled with the girl’s scream—but in the next second, Kong Zhe had dislocated He Jie’s arm and knocked him unconscious.

Kong Zhe kicked the assailant away and rushed to check on the injured girl. She had fainted from pain, but fortunately, though the wound was deep, it wasn’t fatal.

Kong Zhe let out a breath of relief. In truth, he could have subdued the hijacker before the girl got hurt, but he had intentionally hesitated for a moment.

With someone injured, the plane would be forced to turn back. Once he’d learned the plane was headed for America, he’d had no choice but to improvise—using this girl as part of his plan.

He’d considered injuring one of the hijackers to force a return, but then the police would surely detain him afterward, and he had no time to waste. So, though he felt a pang of guilt, he’d chosen this method. In such a short time, he couldn’t think of a better way.