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

  “And that’s why you’re raiding the aerospace base to escape on a ship?”

  Before the skull-masked man could finish， Kane cut him off.

  “No.”

  “The apocalypse is just a cover. I’m actually here to steal their flight control data.”

  The masked man’s eyes lit up， as if saying I knew it.

  “I knew it!

  Not that many doomsday preppers in the world. This is the businessman move!”

  “Then let’s make it quick. In， grab the data， out!”

  “Drone recon done. Security locked. Let’s move!”

  The masked man signaled. Kane got out of the car right behind him.

  Same assault routine: power cut， radio jamming， rapid entry into the main control room at the back of the facility， all guided by Kane.

  This time， both Kane and the masked man were far more relaxed.

  After sealing the control room door， the masked man watched Kane work with amusement， then asked the exact same question as before.

  “So you really are an insider?”

  “You move like you live here. You know all the codes， you pass biometrics.

  And you have full console access.”

  “Honestly， if you just wanted to steal data， why not sneak in when no one’s around?”

  “...Good question.”

  Kane’s fingers flew over the keyboard.

  “Maybe I need it to look like a theft.

  You know how it is— things that go missing quietly raise questions.

  But if they’re stolen in a raid? No one blames anyone.”

  “...All you capitalists deserve to burn.”

  The masked man clicked his tongue.

  “Technically， so are you.

  You’re worth over a hundred million. Why not retire instead of getting shot at?”

  “You wouldn’t understand. I’m a mercenary by choice.”

  The masked man spread his hands freely. Kane chuckled.

  “Would you still be‘by choice’ if your wife wasn’t a full-time spender?”

  Silence.

  Only the clicking of keys filled the room.

  “She’s not… she just likes nice things and having fun.

  She loves me. She would never— wait， how do you know about her?!”

  “Did you investigate me? Who are you?!”

  Kane gave him a pitying look. The other mercs glanced at the masked man， then quickly looked away.

  The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  “You told me.”

  Kane didn’t look up.

  In this world， he had no memory of hiring or researching the merc team. His memories started the second the one-hour countdown began.

  But over countless repeats， he had heard the masked man talk about his wife.

  And the pity in the other mercs’ eyes said everything.

  Poor sucker.

  “I told you?! When did I ever say that?!”

  The masked man raised his gun and aimed it at Kane.

  “Does it matter?”

  Kane checked his watch. 45 minutes remaining.

  He had found flight control code， but not what he needed.

  What was on the screen was mature， full-scale software— way too much to memorize quickly， and useless for his current project anyway.

  He needed the code from Aether Technologies’ very first experimental orbital rocket， 20 years prior.

  “It doesn’t matter?! I would never badmouth my wife to strangers! Whatever she did， it’s our business!”

  “You have to tell me where you heard this! I need to know!”

  “Seriously…”

  Kane was stunned.

  He had never run into this in any previous loop.

  Wow. Dude’s a romantic.

  “Talk!”

  The masked man pressed on. Just then， an explosion roared outside.

  Boom!

  “Hold them off! 40 minutes， then I’ll explain!”

  “40 minutes?!”

  The masked man gaped.

  “What are you stealing that takes 40 minutes?!

  They could flood the room with water in that time!”

  “Can’t be helped. That’s the job— buy me as much time as I need!”

  “...Fine!”

  The masked man gritted his teeth and agreed.

  He was furious about the wife comment， but a job was a job. It was his code.

  The isolation door opened. Gunfire erupted immediately.

  Kane frantically searched the system. Twenty years of archives were massive.

  Fortunately， filing was organized. Minutes later， buried in the database， he saw a folder named in a way he recognized all too well.

  Test Craft-003 Main Project Shared Files.

  This was it!

  Kane opened it eagerly， found the flight control code， and scanned it rapidly.

  “Wait— are you just memorizing all this?!”

  The masked man glanced back after reloading. Kane held up a hand.

  “Quiet! I’m thinking!”

  He really was thinking— figuring out how to memorize the critical parts as fast as possible.

  “We can’t hold much longer!”

  “Two minutes! I’m calling for exterior support to cover our retreat!”

  The masked man’s voice was hoarse， but Kane didn’t flinch.

  He skimmed the relatively short code and finally found the core lines.

  The solution was that simple.

  Just a few extra self-check loops added to the PID algorithm.

  Kane checked the time. 35 minutes left.

  He was already here. Might as well learn more.

  He quickly opened a file dated 2030， labeled StarVoyager 1 Reusable Rocket General Contract.

  This time， he didn’t fixate on details. He skimmed the full design framework.

  Propulsion， engines， core module， flight control， recovery system， fuel， communications…

  The complex plan sank in. Kane was completely absorbed.

  Then—

  Boom!

  A violent explosion threw him across the room. The masked man crashed to the ground beside him， blood pouring from his mouth and nose. His life faded fast.

  “You… really…”

  “I’m just a normal guy!” Kane forced out.

  “No… I was asking…”

  “Did you… sleep with my wife?!”

  Kane had no reply.

  He grabbed a nearby rifle and pressed it to his own head.

  The next second.

  Bang!

  Kane’s eyes snapped open.

  He shook his foggy head， dragged himself to his computer， and typed out everything he’d memorized.

  When he ran the simulation again， the program worked perfectly.

  It actually fixed it!

  Kane exhaled in relief.

  So this really was the bracelet’s real purpose?

  He paused， then suddenly created a new folder on his desktop.

  StarVoyager 1 Reusable Rocket General Contract.

  Then he began filling in the project skeleton.

  He didn’t have the details yet. But if he kept entering Aether Technologies’ future headquarters…

  He might just copy the whole thing ahead of time.

  Then he’d be set for life.

  Kane nodded in satisfaction and called Stella.

  “Hey， team leader.

  Problem solved.”

  “Yeah， it wasn’t complicated. Just lucky.”

  “I’ll upload it now.”

  “Late-night snack?

  Nah… I’m honestly too full.”