“So you’re saying the entire human world only has one hour left?”

  “And that’s why you’re raiding the aerospace launch site， planning to escape on a ship?”

  Standing in front of Kane was a man wearing a skull mask， shaking his head. The night-vision device on his head glowed faintly blue.

  “Tch… At first I thought you were just some fanatical anti-tech extremist.”

  “Now it seems you’re nothing but a doomsday lunatic.”

  “But it doesn’t matter. We get paid to do the job; we don’t ask questions.”

  A sharp click echoed as the man flipped off the safety on his rifle.

  “Drone recon complete. Security positions confirmed. Move in.”

  “Stay close. I’ll get you inside.”

  Kane nodded， flipped down his own night-vision goggles， and followed the skull-masked man.

  The masked man raised a hand and signaled. The other five team members lurking in the dark spread out at once. Their electrochromic camouflage activated， blocking all infrared signals. In the view of thermal-imaging night-vision devices， their figures vanished instantly， leaving only faint flickers from the IFF system.

  It was nearly perfect concealment. No one in the darkness could spot them.

  They advanced silently， closing in on the guard post.

  The masked man signaled a countdown again. Three seconds later， four silenced pistols loaded with subsonic rounds fired at the same time. The guards in front fell instantly.

  At the same moment， the support team in the rear cut off all power to the base.

  “Backup power kicks in in 45 seconds. Move!”

  The masked man leaped over the gate rail and quickly pushed the gate open. Kane followed closely behind.

  “Set up electromagnetic jamming.”

  Another order. The next second， high-powered jamming equipment in the vehicle activated， cutting off all wireless communications inside the base.

  Panicked guards poured out from every corner， flashlights sweeping for suspicious targets.

  But the moment they showed themselves， the mercenary squad， already positioned in tactical formation， opened fire. One soft crack after another， bullets pierced the guards’ skulls one by one. The mercs cleared their path with terrifying speed.

  “Moving to the target area!”

  “Prepare to breach!”

  At the command， the demolitions expert sprinted forward.

  The others fell in behind， lining up on both sides of the door in standard CQB formation， ready to breach.

  “3.”

  “2.”

  “1.”

  “Breach!”

  Boom!

  A directed explosive blasted the steel door open.

  Amid thick smoke， a stun grenade was tossed inside. Two vanguards rushed in first， gunning down the guards inside and securing the area.

  “Clear!”

  “Keep moving!”

  The seven-man team pushed forward. Thirty seconds had passed since the blackout.

  Only 15 seconds left.

  Kane stared tensely at the second door in the distance， keeping pace behind the masked man. He tapped his shoulder. “10 o’clock window!”

  The masked man shifted his aim. The green dot in his holographic sight settled on the window just as a shadow flashed past.

  Bang!

  A short shot. The shadow collapsed.

  “5 seconds!”

  The masked man shouted. The rest of the team quickly spread into a standard indoor wave formation， taking control of the entire facility.

  Kane rushed to the door just as the backup power came online.

  Lights blazed to life， and the smart lock on the door activated.

  “This isn’t a regular isolation door. We can’t blow it open!”

  Anxiety edged the masked man’s voice. Kane nodded. “I know.”

  “But I have the code.”

  He quickly typed a string of characters into the keypad. The screen flashed: Access Granted. Surprise flickered in the masked man’s eyes — but a second verification immediately activated.

  “Biometric scan required.”

  “You better tell me you chopped off an insider’s finger， or else —”

  “I don’t have a finger， but I can use iris verification.”

  Kane flipped up his night-vision goggles. The moment his eyes met the scanner， the screen lit up again: Verification Successful.

  The hydraulic system engaged， and the isolation door slid open.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  “Inside!”

  Kane stepped through. The six mercs followed.

  He locked the door from the inside and headed straight for the main console.

  The masked man didn’t need extra orders. He immediately directed his men to set up a defensive perimeter.

  He watched Kane’s fluid movements and frowned slightly. “You’re an insider.”

  “You move like you own this place. Every step was planned.”

  “Something like that.”

  Kane didn’t look up， typing identification code after code into the console.

  Layer after layer of clearance unlocked for him. The masked man leaned down and saw a series of authorization notifications pop up on the screen.

  “You know all the codes here?!”

  “Obviously. Why else would I be here?”

  Kane replied casually. Then， a cold gun barrel pressed against his head.

  “This is a setup.”

  The masked man’s voice turned dark.

  “You already have full access to this base. You had no reason to come in like this.”

  “What are you really after?”

  “What am I after?”

  Kane rolled his eyes and shot back. “Didn’t you say you don’t ask questions?”

  “I’ve already put the ship into launch sequence. Just a little further， and you can leave.”

  “Now — take me to the ship!”

  “You’re not going anywhere until you explain.”

  The masked man didn’t move his gun.

  “Raiding a civilian launch site is one thing. Assisting a mass terrorist attack is another.”

  “I’m not spending the rest of my life hiding like a rat.”

  “Tell me why!”

  “I already told you!”

  Kane stared straight into the gun barrel.

  “This world is going to be destroyed — I have 57 minutes and 12 seconds left.”

  “I have to get on that ship. I have to leave this planet!”

  “You’ve got to be kidding?!”

  Incredulity dripped from the masked man’s tone.

  “You actually plan to escape on a ship? I thought that was just an excuse to break in and steal secrets!”

  “How are you going to launch it alone? You think this is a bicycle you just pedal away?!”

  Kane’s eyes widened.

  “Dude， have you been fighting too long?”

  “You think this is 20 years ago? This is 2045!”

  “Read the news sometime. Rocket launches are fully automated now!”

  “The ship I’m taking is the Aether Tour. It’s a civilian tourist vessel.”

  “As long as I get on board， it will launch.”

  “Quit wasting time. I don’t have any!”

  The masked man hesitated， then lowered his gun. He stared into Kane’s eyes， and after a long silence， finally spoke.

  “You’re definitely crazy. I’ve robbed banks， casinos， even the White House. Never a rocket.”

  “Let’s go. Where next?”

  “That’s the spirit!”

  Kane nodded in satisfaction.

  “We breach in 30 seconds. We’re rushing out.”

  “Watch the entrance. There’s a sniper with an anti-materiel rifle behind a pickup truck 180 meters outside. Take him out first.”

  “How the hell do you know?!”

  The masked man checked the drone feed on his personal tablet. He saw nothing.

  “There’s no one there!” he frowned.

  “You think you’re the only ones with electrochromic camouflage? Just aim where I said.”

  “Breaching in 10 seconds!”

  Kane moved to the door. The masked man raised his gun and stood in front of him. The hydrals hissed， and the isolation door slowly opened.

  A smoke grenade tumbled out. The mercs charged outside.

  Through the wide-open main gate， the masked man lined up his shot on the distant truck.

  He pulled the trigger.

  Bang! Bang! Bang!

  A high-caliber round missed and shattered concrete behind him， sending chips flying.

  There really was a sniper!

  “How the hell did you know?!”

  “I’ve been here before!”

  Kane ducked behind him and kept moving.

  “Turn left after we exit! The launch tower is 1，200 meters away. We need a vehicle!”

  “We don’t have a vehicle!”

  “There’s an unlocked SUV in the left parking lot. Take one man and escort me there. The rest hold position!”

  “Goddamn it… you’re in charge!”

  The masked man turned and found the idling SUV just as Kane described. He vaulted into the passenger seat — then stared in shock as Kane climbed into the driver’s seat.

  “You’re driving?!”

  “Obviously!”

  Kane slammed on the gas. Before the merc in the back could buckle up， a high-caliber bullet shattered the window and pierced his spine.

  Blood sprayed. The deflected bullet grazed the back of Kane’s head.

  If he had been sitting in the back， he would have been decapitated.

  “Can you see the future?!”

  The masked man blanched.

  “I told you — I’ve done this before!”

  Kane wrenched the steering wheel. The SUV launched off a ramp and slammed back down.

  Bang!

  The pursuing forces were held back by the rearguard mercs. The masked man snapped back to focus.

  “How long until launch? I need to pull my team out!”

  “They have to hold for six minutes. Then they can retreat.”

  Kane’s voice was equally calm.

  Only one step left.

  Back at the main console， he had already run full system checks and orbital calculations for the ship.

  All he needed to do now was reach the cockpit and press the ignition button. Then he would be gone.

  He had walked this short path countless times.

  He had also died countless times — left behind on the ground， caught in the doomsday flash， killed in indescribable agony.

  But now， it was finally going to end.

  Whatever came next， at least it would be a new timeline.

  Kane took a deep breath. The 1，200-meter stretch blurred past.

  He slammed on the brakes， sprinted to the launch tower， and climbed the elevator.

  Thirty meters left.

  He crossed the walkway in a few strides and boarded the ship resting on the tower.

  The second he closed the hatch， the masked man squeezed inside.

  “I ordered my team to retreat.”

  “I suddenly want to see what it’s like to ride a rocket.”

  “Then hold on.”

  Kane sealed the hatch， strapped himself in， and pressed the ignition button without hesitation.

  Interlocks engaged. The launch tower clamps released. The rocket ignited， fire erupting， thick white smoke billowing upward.

  The ship slowly lifted off.

  A ring of Mach waves pushed it higher. Crushing overload pressed Kane into his seat.

  “This… sucks…”

  The masked man grimaced， pulling a photo of a woman from his chest.

  “Will I see my wife again?”

  “You’re better off without her. This is emergency launch. Tough it out!”

  Kane gasped for air.

  “I never thought you’d come along. This isn’t how the last few runs went.”

  “What do you mean… last few runs?”

  The masked man stared. “Can you really see the future?!”

  “I told you， it’s not seeing the future. I’ve lived this many times.”

  “We’re finally moving to the next stage… Take deep breaths. Dizziness is normal. It’ll be over soon!”

  The ship accelerated even harder.

  The ground shrank away. The stars drew closer.

  This time， it had to work.

  Kane exhaled in relief.

  But at that moment， a flash streaked across his vision.

  Again?

  No.

  It wasn’t time yet.

  The flash grew brighter. Kane suddenly realized something was wrong.

  Fuck.

  It wasn’t the doomsday flash.

  It was a goddamn anti-air missile.

  The next second.

  Boom!

  Fire exploded outward.

  Consciousness faded.

  Kane gritted his teeth.

  Dammit.

  Failed again.