The train passed through the tunnel, accompanied by the whistling of wind in Song Ye's ears.
Abruptly, Song Ye opened her eyes, met with a blinding light, and felt the train's movement beneath her as it rumbled over the tracks, momentarily making her question the reality of the situation.
She had been in a coma after a massive underwater explosion, so how did she end up here in an instant?
Rubbing her throbbing forehead, she realized something peculiar. The hands before her were intact and delicate, unlike her memories of them being shattered during the underwater explosion. These hands seemed to belong to someone much younger, perhaps around fifteen or sixteen years old.
She touched her face and noticed the youthful appearance, with petite bones and elastic skin. It was clear that the person she had become was not her.
With a furrowed brow, Song Ye scrutinized her surroundings, sensing that something was amiss.
Initially, she thought the organization had sent her on this train, but as she observed more closely, everything seemed off.
The train equipment was old, with wooden seats reminiscent of the past. The people passing by dressed plainly, and the posters on the carriage walls depicted cartoon characters praising the motherland. And then, her eyes widened as she read the date on a poster.
The year, month, and day indicated on the poster were fifteen years in the past.
A wave of dizziness washed over her as she stood up, forcing her to lean against the carriage for support. Her gaze fell upon a military green backpack on the floor, its contents scattered around. But the school emblem on top caught her attention, clearly displaying her own name and class.
Song Ye, Grade 9, Class 5.
In that moment, Song Ye was utterly astonished.
"Hey, Song Ye, who said you could stand up? Squat down!" Startled, she heard an arrogant, childish voice coming from nearby.
Turning her head towards the source, she saw three girls walking down the aisle. They were dressed in simple clothes, with braided pigtails and a dowdy appearance. These were Tang Meiling, Zhu Shan, and Zheng Feng, known as the "Three Beauties" of Sanzhong Third Middle School. During her limited time as a student, they had played a significant negative role in Song Ye's life.
Song Ye realized that she hadn't seen these three individuals for a whole fifteen years.
Meaning, she was currently on the train from her graduation trip fifteen years ago, a turning point in her life.
It seemed that fate had played a cruel joke on her—thirty years of suffering, a death at the bottom of the sea, only to rewind time back fifteen years. Was it a chance for her to reminisce or make different choices?
Narrowing her eyes, a cold gleam flickered in Song Ye's gaze. Whether it was a dream or reality, she would no longer be the timid and cowardly Song Ye.
"Hey, Song Ye, are you deaf? I told you to squat down. Don't block our view. Can't you hear me?" Tang Meiling's sharp voice cut through the air as she confronted Song Ye, growing impatient with her lack of response.
The surrounding passengers paid little attention to the commotion caused by these children. They slept in disarray, occasionally opening their eyes but seemingly unfazed by the situation.
Song Ye snapped back to reality, her icy gaze fixed upon the faces of the three girls. If she recalled correctly, Tang Meiling and her companions had made her life miserable during that graduation trip. They had tormented and humiliated her throughout, relegating her to the back of the train and subjecting her to ridicule. This eventually led to her separation from the group, becoming an easy target for human traffickers, and disappearing from school altogether.
As Song Ye reflected on these memories, now as a person who had spent fifteen years as an unflinching killer, her heart turned cold, and her eyes grew even colder.
Tang Meiling was taken aback by Song Ye's intense gaze, feeling a hint of fear. However, her deeply ingrained arrogance suppressed any hesitation. She forced herself to remain composed, raised her head arrogantly, and continued to shout, "Stop looking at us with those disgusting eyes, Song Ye. If you don't obey, you'll regret it when we get back to school. We still have one semester before the high school entrance exam, and I promise you'll suffer beyond imagination."
If this were fifteen years ago, the young Song Ye would have likely trembled in fear, succumbing without a trace of resistance. Unfortunately for them, the person standing before them now was Song Ye, a seasoned killer who had spent fifteen years taking lives without hesitation. Their intimidation held no weight.
If they wanted to play, then she would play with them.
In a flash, Song Ye turned around and darted into the nearby restroom, seemingly fleeing in fear.
The three girls opposite were momentarily stunned, then burst into laughter. Tang Meiling sneered and confidently approached, "You think you can escape? Today, I'll show you that the sky doesn't belong to you, and the earth won't yield. Come on, let's drag her out."
At that instant, as the train entered a tunnel, darkness engulfed them. Song Ye reached out to grab the door handle, but before she could react, an unseen force pulled her into the darkness. Not only her, but Zhu Shan and Zheng Feng were also dragged into the restroom.
Before the trio could comprehend what was happening, a barrage of objects began raining down on them, mercilessly striking their heads. Their cries and pleas for mercy echoed through the tunnel, but the resounding noise drowned them out. The cramped space of the restroom caused them to collide with each other, stomping on feet and bumping into heads. As they neared the end of the tunnel, the three finally succumbed to the onslaught and lost consciousness.
Emerging from the restroom, Song Ye swiftly wedged a book against the door handle, securing it shut. She turned around calmly, nonchalantly discarding the wooden scoop in her hand. It had been a tool for fetching water from the restroom, but unexpectedly, it proved quite effective in the current situation. After exerting herself, she felt a slight ache in her arm, realizing she needed to enhance her physical strength. The disparity between her current abilities and her past life was astonishing.
Though she had no desire to continue her life as a puppet assassin, Song Ye understood that this world was dark, and self-reliance was the most reliable path.
Gazing out the window at the passing scenery, a smile tugged at Song Ye's previously cold face.
Now that she had regained control over her destiny, she vowed to never compromise again.